Style: 3A - Czech Pale Lager, 7C - Pale Kellerbier
Lighter and lower ABV than the premium version.
BJCP: A lighter-bodied, rich, refreshing, hoppy, bitter pale Czech lager having the familiar flavors of the stronger Czech Premium Pale Lager (Pilsner-type) beer but in a lower alcohol, lighter-bodied, and slightly less intense format.
Also using this for Pale Kellerbier which BJCP describes as: A young, fresh Helles, so while still a malty, fully-attenuated Pils malt showcase, the hop character (aroma, flavor and bitterness) is more pronounced, and the beer is cloudy...
While freshly kegged after 2 weeks of fermentation, with no lagering, this fits easily into the Kellerbier style. I consider beers to be "lagered enough" after 2 months from brew day with at least one month in the keg at 4.5C or lower.
NOTE: I am making a straight Kellerbier for Oktoberfest this year (2018).
Full recipe is on brewersfriend, but here's the TL;DR:
- brew day: 2018-3-31
- malt: Bohemian Pilsner, Munich light (9.5%)
- hops: [Magnum] {(Saaz)}
- yeast: SafLager W34/70
- OG 1.042, FG 1.008, ABV 4.5%
- kegged: 2018-4-14
Mash temp
boil
brewing assistant
60g Saaz hops added at 5 minutes
OG on the refractometer. This worked out to 1.042, 76% efficiency.
Using some leftover yeast
and away we go...
60g of dry hops (Saaz) added at +9 days
2018-4-15: kegged and carbonated
2018-5-13, +43 days from brew. Very clear and tasting crisp. Got a surprising amount of kick from the dry hops, only added 2.5g/L (60g). No longer a kellerbier, this is all grown up into a Czech Pale Lager.
2019-12-10, batch 2, National Lager Day 2019! I updated the recipe to use all Sterling hops (much easier to get than Saaz and is a nice substitute, plus I had a bunch in the hop freeze), and 20% Munich II malt. This one is so good it might become a regular in the keezer.
