Panhead Port Road Pils

[David R]

Bit late to the party, I've only just around to trying this beer but I really enjoyed the six-pack I grabbed last weekend! To me it was the perfect hopped-up pilsner with just enough hop flavour without pushing it towards mini-IPA territory. I'd be pretty happy if I could brew something similar for an easy summer beer.

I couldn't find much about it, other than [url=http://www.glengarrywines.co.nz/items/91918/panhead+port+road+pilsner+%28500ml%29]this[/url]; "A classic Kiwi hop style of passionfruit and grapefruit - like a beer version of your New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Also, made with a hybrid of New Zealand and German malts."

I've never brewed with lager yeast before and I'm not really set up to do so, but I can do a fairly constant 16-17C thanks to a heatpump in a downstairs bedroom so I'm going to go with something like Danstar Nottingham and try keep the ferment as cool as possible.

For the grains, maybe mostly NZ pilsner plus a touch of carapils, but where does the "German" bit come from?

And hops, passionfruit and grapefruit sounds like Motueka and Riwaka to me. Spread through the boil with moderately generous late additions and a small dry hop.

I haven't put the numbers into beersmith yet, just brainstorming post-nightshift. Does anyone know how friendly are the Panhead guys about sharing info??

[Grant R Baker]

Gonna have a guess at Vienna malt... the colour indicates it something more than pilsner malt.

I think your hops are about spot on.

 

[David R]

You're probably right Grant, but isn't Vienna in Austria? :p

Chucked this into Beersmith as a starting point, thoughts? I couldn't find a colour rating for it, but a couple of places said 40IBU.

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 23.00 l

Equipment: Grainfather
Efficiency: 73.00 %

Ingredients

Amt	Name	Type	#	%/IBU
4.30 kg	Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM)	Grain	1	83.5 %
0.60 kg	Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM)	Grain	2	11.7 %
0.25 kg	Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)	Grain	3	4.9 %
20.00 g	Motueka [6.60 %] - Boil 60.0 min	Hop	4	13.6 IBUs
20.00 g	Motueka [6.60 %] - Boil 30.0 min	Hop	5	10.4 IBUs
20.00 g	Motueka [6.60 %] - Boil 10.0 min	Hop	6	4.9 IBUs
10.00 g	Riwaka [5.20 %] - Boil 10.0 min	Hop	7	1.9 IBUs
30.00 g	Motueka [6.60 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min	Hop	8	5.1 IBUs
15.00 g	Riwaka [5.20 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 15.0 min	Hop	9	2.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg	Nottingham (Danstar #-) [23.66 ml]	Yeast	10	-
30.00 g	Motueka [6.60 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days	Hop	11	0.0 IBUs
15.00 g	Riwaka [5.20 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days	Hop	12	0.0 IBUs

Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color

Est Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.2 %
Bitterness: 37.9 IBUs
Est Color: 3.6 SRM

Measured Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.2 %
Calories: 465.4 kcal/l

[FrankGrimes]

This looks great. I am in the market for a new fermentation fridge but when I get there I will chuck a lager yeast in and give this a stab.

[Grant R Baker]

Looks damn fine... if you are going for a sudo lager then try Califonia lager yeast (Cry Havoc is amazing too and can ferment at lager and ale temps).

[cjmc]

I've now added this recipe to my to-do list.. :)

I was wondering about swapping the Danstar for lager yeast -- I've got two (harvested) lager yeast in storage -- wondering if I should go for a dry or a malty finish?  

The Czech Pils is fruity/dry not but my preferred yeast. I suspect it will add fruit to it too.  I like the Bavarian lager yeast more but I suspect it would make this too malty compared to the commercial version.

Maybe I need to splash out for different yeast for this one?

[David R]

The Danstar was just a guess, I'd just read something about it working well at cooler temps, but TBH I'll probably go with a couple of packets f good old US05.

I know nothing about lager yeasts so can't answer your question about which one would be best. Maybe grab a bottle of the beer in question and mull it over while you drink it?

[cjmc]

I've now done some field research.. :)

Yeah, it doesn't appear to be a lager yeast.   I think US05 would work, although its a pretty clear beer so I may use Mangrove Jacks West Coast.   I've had good hoppy Pale ales with it that dropped very clear after a month in secondary.

I'll line up a brew day and post the out come in a couple of months.. 

[cjmc]

Just an update, started this fermenting on Monday. 

Same recipe as above but:

Batch Size: 15.50 l and efficiency @ 80.00 %

Ingredients
3.00 kg     Gladfields Pilsner Malt  (92%)
0.11 kg     Gladfields Munich Malt   ( 3%)
0.16 kg     Gladfields Gladiator Malt( 2%)
+ 12grams     Gladfields Sour Grapes (to adjust Wtgn water to Pilsen)

plus hopping adjusted for volume and aa%

I sub'ed Vienna for 70% pils and 30% munich as I had munich on hand.  Gordon Strong's Modern home brew Recipes book recommends this for a sub.  I also used (Wyeast's) Czech Pils as I had just drawn off another brew so had a nice yeast cake to put it on to.

Its bubbling like a rocket at the moment so hopefully able to dry hop sometime in the weekend. 

I drew off a sample, to measure OG, and it did smell like a sweet Port Rd Pils.  :)

[cjmc]

Update due to a move to secondary for a week's lagering before bottling.  Also added in dry hops during the secondary transfer.

FG was 1010 which I'm [very] happy with -- its a 2/2 for targeted OG and FG for this brew .:)

Smell and taste was 'fruity' -- not sure if due to yeast, it being green, or meant to be this way. Colour was as clear I thought it should be,... :/

Opened and drank a bottle [for research purposes.. :)] -- definitively very clear beer with passionfruit smell to it.   I'll see how the dry hop and a week at 1C clears and adds aroma. 

[David R]

Good to hear it's turned out well. I had another one last week and I'm wondering if it should have some Nelson Sauvin somewhere in there...

[David R]

Good to hear! I'm going to grab the ingredients tomorrow and brew it up next week. I'm going to use Wyeast California Lager yeast because I haven't got a fermentation fridge set up (I do have a spare room with a heat pump though!).

[David R]

Brew day went well, came out at 1.048 instead of 1.051, but I mashed cooler than I originally intended so I should still hit the same ABV. Smells great, found 7g of Sauvin to chuck in at FO too. Bubbling away with US05 at 17C, not as cold as I'd like but I broke my wrist last weekend and haven't had a chance to sort out a controller for the fridge...