West Coast Pilsner

Lower ABV and all the hop character we love!

I recently brewed a West Coast Pilsner style beer using Nectaron, CryoPop, Nelson Sauvin and Citra Abstrax. It was a really nice beer in my opinion for a homebrew and I plan to brew the style frequently. It fills the gap between a lower ABV lager beer and a hoppy west coast IPA. Recipe

STATS:

• OG: 1.054

• FG: 1.009

• IBU: 49

• ABV: 5.9%

• MALTS: 100% 2-Row Extra Pale

• HOPS: Magnum, Nelson Sauvin, Cryo Pop, Nectaron and Citra Abstrax as my dry hop

• YEAST: NovaLager

• MASH: 150F

ABOUT THE STYLE:

• Here's an excellent review of the evolution of the style from Craft Beer & Brewing

• The style should end up around 4.5 - 6% ABV ideally. My version ended up at 6.4% which is a bit higher than I would have liked.

• I was fortunate enough to try the Timbo Pils at North Park Brewing in San Diego and that's when the lightbulb went off in my head. I would say the beer was absolutely epic and I really enjoyed it. I love German style light (Helles) lower ABV lagers but I also love hoppy IPA which tend to run at 7% ABV. This format gives me a lower ABV and the hops I enjoy.

TASTING NOTES:

• Aroma: Pine Resin, slightly Spicy and Pineapple

• Appearance: Light gold and well carbonated, very clear

• Flavor: Light in body, clean fermentation, aggressive bitterness up front then a slightly juicy, pineapple and citrus note. Slight noble hop twang but restrained. Finishes clean and refreshing.

• Changes: I might consider a slightly higher mash temp (like 152F) to get the beer under 6% but I also want it to finish dry, so it's a balance. Novalager tends to attenuate extremely well so I am still dialing in the mash temp for this recipe.

• Final Thoughts: Interestingly enough, the beer does not taste like a session IPA. There is a nice crackery malt presence and a very slight sulphur pop. The Lager yeast certainly helps with the overall mouthfeel and presentation. Really loving this style!