BJCP Style: X5 - New Zealand Pilsner
I'm not sure what's going on with the 'X' in the style but I think this should be in category 12 with the other Pale Commonwealth beers. We'll see where it ends up.
Since this style was recently added to the list I've been wanting to make it. Hoppy lagers/pilsners exist but this one specifically uses NZ hops which I haven't had much experience with beyond Nelson Sauvin which has become unobtanium in the homebrew market.
I finally found Motueka on sale so picked up a pound, making this beer a NZ Motueka SMaSH brew.
Full recipe is on BrewersFriend but here's the TL;DR:
- Brew day: 2019-2-3
- Malt: Weyermann Pilsner
- Hop: Motueka
- Yeast: Weihenstephaner (SafLager W34/70) generation 2 after a Loral pils
- OG: 12°P (1.048), FG 2.4°P, ABV 5.2%
- Kegged: 2019-3-5
Getting the party started with the MonsterMill
Fine crush has been getting a respectable 70% efficiency
Floor Manager Steve "helping"
Mash temp
Bag out
Motueka hops
Into the fermenter
Wort sample
OG at 12°P (1.048)
Post brew session beer. I had to crack into this because the BdG I made last year (been on tap since October!) is about to kick and I needed to compare. For science.
And away we go. Fermentation took off right away with the fresh yeast from the previous pils.
2019-2-26 (+23): Dry hopped with 60g (2.5g/L) Motueka
2019-3-3 (+28): Needed the fermenter and yeast for a Maibock and Helles so into secondary we go. Got several kegs running low so this will get kegged soon.
2019-3-5 (+30): finally kicked a keg so the NZ Pils is going into the keezer
2019-3-6 (+31): freshly kegged sample. Still under burst carbonation but almost there.
2019-3-6 (+31): fully carbonated stange pour
2019-3-8 (+33): full "slow pour" - mostly clear
2019-3-16 (+41): Full clarity and tasting great. The hop character has mellowed a bit and balanced out with the clean malt.
