Beer Forum

Ok guys take a look at this recipe I came up with looking for a nice crisp light lager with good hops and a big alcohol kick. Look at this and tell me what you think.
imperial pilsner

A ProMash Recipe Report

Recipe Specifics
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Batch Size (Gal): 6.00 Wort Size (Gal): 6.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 20.00
Anticipated OG: 1.108 Plato: 25.48
Anticipated SRM: 5.3
Anticipated IBU: 84.8
Brewhouse Efficiency: 84 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
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Evaporation Rate: 15.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 7.74 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.084 SG 20.15 Plato

Formulas Used
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Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.

Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: Rager

Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 10 %
Additional Utilization Used For First Wort Hops: -10 %


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
95.0 19.00 lbs. Pilsen (2 Row) France 1.039 2
5.0 1.00 lbs. Rye Malt America 1.030 4

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.00 oz. Sterling Pellet 4.75 15.0 First WH
1.00 oz. Magnum Pellet 14.00 44.6 60 min.
1.00 oz. Sterling Pellet 4.75 13.6 45 min.
1.00 oz. Sterling Pellet 4.75 7.7 30 min.
1.00 oz. Sterling Pellet 4.75 4.0 15 min.
1.00 oz. Sterling Pellet 4.75 0.0 0 min.
2.00 oz. Sterling Pellet 4.75 0.0 Dry Hop


Yeast
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White Labs WLP802 Czech Budejovice Lager

Holy crap that's a big lager.

The recipe looks fine to me, the only issues you'll have will be with attenuation. Make sure that you use lots and lots of yeast and oxygenate heavily.

You also might want to let it age a good six months or longer. It's going to have a real "hot" alcohol flavor characteristic to it, but it should mellow out with age

It looks like a tasty recipe. I would question the gravity though. The anticipated OG is 1.108 based on 84% efficiency. That is awfully optimistic for this big of beer unless you are going to sparge to about 12 gallons preboil and then boil for about 4 hours. For this big a beer with normal boiling times and volumes, you will be hard pressed to get any higher than 1.085-1.090 at best.

Even at the lower gravity, the hops will balance nicely. You may want to do your mash at around 148° with about 1.5:1 qt/lb or higher to get good attenuation. Use your new stirplate to get the biggest starter you can manage.

Overall I think you have the makings of a good imperial pils.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company