Czech Pilsner is a pilsner that homebrewers reach for when they want a project worth the extra attention. This version keeps the grain bill built around Pilsner malt, and leans on Czech Saaz 4.2% to shape the finish.
Recipe at a Glance
Recipe at a Glance
| Style | Czech 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 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 Czech 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 2278 Czech Pils 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 Czech 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 |
Fermenter |
Priming Sugar |
Equipment |
Full Recipe: Grain Bill, Hops, and Instructions
Czech Pilsner
Equipment
- 1 Mash tun
- 1 Hot liquor tank
- 1 Boil kettle
- 1 Fermentation vessel
- 1 Wort chiller
- 1 Hydrometer
- 1 Thermometer
- 1 Airlock
- 1 Auto-siphon
- 1 Bottling bucket
- 1 Bottles or keg
- 1 CO2 tank
- 1 Regulator
- 1 Gas and beer lines
- 1 Sanitizer
- 1 Brewing spoon or paddle
- 1 Funnel
- 1 Hoses
- 1 Cleaning brushes
Ingredients
For the Mash – Liquor 11.6 Litres (20 1/2 Pints) – Mash Time X hr – Temperature X
- 10 lb Pilsner malt Quantity
For the Boil – 27 Litres (47 1/2 Pints) – Boil Time 1 hr – 15 mins
- 1 1/2 oz (Hops) Czech Saaz 4.2% When To add – At start of boil (IBU 21.9)
- 2/3 oz (Hops) Czech Saaz 4.2% When To add – For last 10 mins of boil(3.1)
- 2/3 oz (Hops) Czech 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 2278 Czech Pils yeast
Instructions
- Begin by mashing the Pilsner malt with 11.6 litres of liquor at a temperature of X for X hours.
- After the mash, heat 27 litres of water to a boil in a large pot or kettle.
- Add 1 1/2 oz of Czech Saaz hops to the water at the start of the boil to achieve an IBU of 21.9.
- Boil the mixture for 45 minutes.
- Add 2/3 oz of Czech Saaz hops to the boil and continue boiling for an additional 10 minutes.
- Add another 2/3 oz of Czech Saaz hops to the pot and turn off the heat.
- Add 1 tsp of Protofloc to the pot during the last 15 minutes of the boil.
- Allow the mixture to cool down to 12°C (54°F).
- Once the temperature has cooled, transfer the mixture to a fermenter and add the Wyeast 2278 Czech Pils yeast.
- Ferment the mixture at a temperature of 12°C (54°F) for 4 weeks.
- After the fermentation process is complete, transfer the beer to a conditioning vessel and condition it at 3°C (37°F) for another 4 weeks.
- Finally, carbonate the beer and bottle it for consumption.
Get the fermentation temperature right on Czech Pilsner and most of the rest of the process takes care of itself.
What Makes Czech Pilsner the Style It Is
Like most classic beer styles, Czech Pilsner has a long, slightly tangled history behind it, shaped as much by regional brewing traditions as by any single inventor.
The character of this beer comes down to a beer that leans on pilsner malt and czech saaz 4.2%, and Wyeast 2278 Czech Pils is doing more of that work than the grain bill gets credit for.
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.
