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??

[cjmc]

Good to hear --hope the wrist breakign wwasnt due brewing!   It'll be interested know how the NS comes out.   I must try another bottle and 'look' for it too.  :)

Have been delaying getting mine into a bottle with Xmas and family stuff.  Hope to get it down before Xmas crazy time starts so I can have some in the new year.  

[Grant R Baker]

Sounds like ye have a good start to this clone. I have to brew some pilsners but don't have time till Feb... damn it.

[David R]

Cheers guys, looking forward to trying it! The heatpump is keeping it at 18C, I'm sure the judges will slate it for having too many esters but I'm sure it will still be a tasty summer drop. I'll brew it again once I'm set up to give it a proper cold ferment.

[William Fitzgerald]

Yes. One of my favourite beers...

Panhead's Pilsner has an assertive piney/peppery flavour as well to me, so I would go with Nelson Sauvin and Pacific Gem, +/- Riwaka. Maybe P. Gem alone to bitter, and both/all hops for flavour and aroma (20, 10, 0)?

It also has poor head retention (compare to Tuatara's for example) so I choose Pilsner malt with a little Acidulated malt added to lower the wort pH, nothing else. The colour seems pretty light.

If you can't brew in true lager conditions (I sometimes can't) just cheat and use a Kölsch yeast instead. Ferment at 14 - 17C for 3 weeks then lager as usual.

[David R]

Interesting observations William, so you think it is brewed with a true lager yeast?

I have to admit I haven't done too much study of the beer, my initial recipe is really just a stab in the dark. Once it's ready I'll do a side by side comparison with the real thing and see if it is even close. I'd be interested to compare your suggestions too, maybe I'll brew that next, I want to see how my grainbill of mine compared to theirs first though.

[David R]

Well, no prizes for guessing which one is mine! :D

I got impatient, running low on easy summer beers, it was brewed 15 days ago and has been in the keg for 24 hours. I'm certainly keen to try it again with a true lager yeast once I'm set up for fermenting cold. The flavour is heading in the right driection, mine is far too hoppy (might mellow with time) and the colour might be a touch dark if it was clear. And next time I might just skip the dry hop and use a generous late addition.

It would get absolutely slaughtered in a competition, but once it's carbd up I'm sure going to enjoy it!

[cjmc]

Umm... same lack of clarity in mine too.. :)    I'm wondering if it is the Carapils?

Rough notes, as I haven't done a side by side yet.  Seems to lack hop aroma -- ie the big juicy nose.  A touch on the sweet side with a honey taste..  (I bottle condition with sugar for carbonation so it could be a bit left over aweetness as I bottled it just before Xmas...)

I'll dig out a bottle of Panhead pils and do a side by side at the end of next week to see how it measures up -- must remember to get both bottles to same temp before sampling.. :)

[Neal]

My Port Rd Clone. Pretty simple -

23L batch

4.3kg Pilsner

0.6kg Vienna

0.25kg Gladiator

100g Motueka (split 60/30/10/0min)

25g Riwaka (split 10/0min)

100g Sauvin dry hop for 5 days

2xSaflager S-23

1.050 to 1.009

Fined with gelatin

Used the Brulosophy lager method; brew day to drinking within 3 weeks, and came out awesome. Clear as anything from the bottle-store. Crisp and clean flavor, quite fruity with citrus and passion fruit. Will definitely be brewing this one again.

(As to whether it is an accurate copy of the Port Rd, I'm not entirely sure. I was brewing it for my wedding, and the whole lot was drunk on the night so didn't get a chance to do a proper comparison).

[David R]

Nice! Is this the Brulosophy Lager method you're talking about; http://brulosophy.com/methods/lager-method/

I've just put down a Schwarzbier (literally, I'm rehydrating the yeast right now) and it's my first time using a Lager yeast (M84) so your timing is impeccable! I want this beer ready soon, so I'll follow that schedule and see how it goes.

[Neal]

Hey David,

Yes that's the method.

I was meant to use M84 but found it had expired so went with the saflager. I'll be interested to see how you get on.

[cjmc]

Just adding an update to an old conversation..  

I see that Wagon brewing has a clone kit for this (see  http://www.wagonbrewing.co.nz/panhead-port-road-clone ),  I see the use of carahell instead of carapils plus a more of a hop schedule.