If you have brewed a few batches already and want to try Bohemian Pilsner, this is a straightforward, all-grain route to it. The backbone is Bohemian Pilsner malt, with Saaz 4.2% doing most of the work in the boil.
Recipe at a Glance
Recipe at a Glance
| Style | Bohemian Pilsner |
| Batch Size | 5 gallons (19L) |
| Boil Time | 60-90 minutes |
| Original Gravity | 1.044-1.052 |
| Final Gravity | 1.008-1.013 |
| ABV | 4.2-5.2% |
| IBU | 25-45 |
| SRM | 2-5 (straw to pale gold) |
| Difficulty | Intermediate (lager patience required) |
Brew Day, Step by Step
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1
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Mash · ~60 min Mash the grain bill, led by Bohemian Pilsner malt, at a steady temperature to build the fermentable sugars this style needs. Sparge slowly so you do not lose efficiency. |
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2
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Boil · ~60-90 min Bring the wort to a boil and work through the hop schedule, starting with Saaz 4.2%. This is also where you will add any fining agent for a clearer finished beer. |
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3
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Ferment · 12C (54F) Pitch Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager once the wort has cooled to fermentation temperature and hold it steady. Primary fermentation is the most active week, do not rush it. |
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4
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Condition · 4 weeks at 3C (37F) Rack to secondary (or leave in primary if your recipe calls for it) and let the beer round out at a cool, steady temperature. This step does more for the final flavor than people expect. |
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5
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Package · 1 day, then wait Bottle or keg once gravity has held steady for a few days in a row. Give it time to carbonate and, for bigger styles, additional time to mellow before your first taste. |
That’s the shape of brew day and the weeks after it. For the exact grain bill, hop schedule, and full step-by-step instructions with amounts, use the recipe card below.
What You Will Need
Sourcing your own ingredients locally is always fine, but if you want to skip a homebrew store trip, here is what’s in stock in our shop right now:
- Base and specialty grain: Grains & Adjuncts (e.g. Briess 2- Row Brewers Malt 1.8L – 10 lb)
- Bittering and aroma hops: Brewing Hops (e.g. Amarillo Pellet Hops 3 oz)
- Yeast: Brewing Yeast (e.g. Voss Kveik Ale Yeast – 11 g (Pack of 5))
- Secondary fermenter for conditioning: Fermenters & Carboys (e.g. FastRack Drilled Rubber Stopper (#10-3 Pieces))
- Priming sugar for bottling: Priming Sugar (e.g. Brewmaster – AD310 Corn Sugar (lb))
- General kit and tools: Homebrew Equipment (e.g. 12.5Ft. Wort Chiller with Copper Coil)
- Pour it right when it’s ready: a tulip glass shows off the color and holds the aroma better than a straight pint glass
Serve It Right
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A Bohemian Pilsner is best served in a pilsner flute, it fits the body and carbonation of this style better than a straight pint glass. Here is one from our shop: |
Ingredients & Gear for This Batch
Grain / Adjuncts |
Hops |
Yeast LalBrew Verdant IPA Brewing Yeast (2 Pack) – Make Beer at Home |
Fermenter |
Priming Sugar |
Equipment GasOne 10 Gallon Stainless Steel Home Brew Kettle Pot Pre Drilled 4 |
Full Recipe: Grain Bill, Hops, and Instructions
Bohemian Pilsner
Equipment
- 1 Large pot or kettle (10+ gallons)
- 1 Fermenting vessel (6+ gallons)
- 1 Airlock and stopper
- 1 Immersion chiller or other cooling method
- 1 Hydrometer and test jar
- 1 Thermometer (accurate in the range of 40-100°F)
- 1 Long spoon or paddle for stirring
- 1 Auto-siphon or tubing for transferring beer
- 1 Bottling bucket or kegging system
- 1 Bottles or kegs for storing finished beer
- 1 Cleaning and sanitizing solutions
- 1 Brewing software or calculators (optional)
Ingredients
For the Mash – Liquor 12.5 Litres (22 Pints) – Mash Time 1 hr – Temperature 65°C (149°F)
- 11 lb Bohemian Pilsner malt Quantity 5 kg
For the Boil – 27 Litres (47 1/2 Pints) – Boil Time 1 hr – 15 mins
- 2 3/4 oz (Hops) Saaz 4.2% When to add – At start of boil (IBU 35.4)
- 1 1/4 oz (Hops) Saaz 4.2% When to add – At turn off (IBU 0.0)
- 1 tsp Protofloc Other – When to add – For last 15 mins of boil
To Ferment – 12°C (54°F) – Conditioning 4 weeks at 3°C (37°F)
- 1 Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager yeast
Instructions
Mash the malt:
- In a large pot or mash tun, heat 12.5 liters (22 pints) of water to 65°C (149°F). Add 11 pounds of Bohemian Pilsner malt and stir well to ensure there are no clumps. Allow the mixture to rest for 1 hour.
Sparge:
- After 1 hour, drain the liquid from the mash and collect it in another pot. This is called the wort. Rinse the mash with another 27 liters (47 1/2 pints) of hot water to extract as much sugar as possible.
Boil the wort:
- Bring the wort to a boil and add 2 3/4 ounces of Saaz hops (4.2%). Boil for 1 hour, then add 1 tsp of Protofloc and continue boiling for another 15 minutes.
Add aroma hops:
- After 1 hour and 15 minutes of boiling, turn off the heat and add 1 1/4 ounces of Saaz hops (4.2%) for aroma. Allow the hops to steep for 10-15 minutes.
Cool the wort:
- Using a wort chiller or ice bath, cool the wort to 12°C (54°F).
Pitch the yeast:
- Once the wort has cooled, transfer it to a sanitized fermenter and pitch the Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager yeast.
Ferment:
- Allow the beer to ferment at 12°C (54°F) for 32 days.
Condition:
- After fermentation is complete, transfer the beer to a secondary fermenter and condition it for an additional 4 weeks at 3°C (37°F).
Carbonate and enjoy:
- After conditioning, carbonate the beer and enjoy it! It should have an estimated ABV of 4.9%, bitterness rating of 35.4 IBU, and a color rating of 6.9 EBC.
Get the fermentation temperature right on Bohemian Pilsner and most of the rest of the process takes care of itself.
What Makes Bohemian Pilsner the Style It Is
Bohemian Pilsner sits in a well-established style family, and the version most homebrewers land on today reflects decades of small adjustments by brewers chasing balance rather than novelty.
Expect a beer that leans on bohemian pilsner malt and saaz 4.2% once it is finished conditioning. Wyeast 2124 Bohemian Lager is the yeast strain behind that profile, so keep an eye on your fermentation temperature.
Style Characteristics at a Glance
- ABV: 4.2-5.2%
- Bitterness: 25-45 IBU
- Color: 2-5 (straw to pale gold)
- Serving temp: 40-45F (4-7C)
- Glassware: a pilsner flute
- Food pairings: light salads, grilled fish, soft pretzels
Common Questions
Can I make this as an ale instead of a lager?
You can substitute a clean-fermenting ale yeast and ferment warmer, but you will lose some of the crispness that makes this style what it is. If you have the ability to ferment cold, it is worth doing this one as a real lager.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes, the grain bill and hop schedule scale linearly with batch size. Just make sure your equipment, mash tun and boil kettle both, can actually handle the volume you are scaling to.
What is the biggest mistake homebrewers make with this style?
Rushing the schedule. Pulling a beer off yeast too early or skipping conditioning time is the most common way to shortchange a recipe like this one.
Can I substitute a different yeast strain?
You can, but expect the flavor profile to shift. Stick close to the same yeast family (English ale, American ale, Belgian, lager, etc.) if you want a result close to what this recipe is aiming for.
Keep Exploring
Once you have this one down, here are a few more homebrew recipes worth trying next:
Browse the full homebrew recipe collection for more styles, or if you are just getting into the hobby, start with one of our homebrewing starter kits for new brewers.
This recipe is for adults of legal drinking age. Please brew and drink responsibly, and always sanitize your equipment thoroughly to avoid infection.
