[AmandaK]

I will attach some photos for my validity, but as always YMMV, and this is only what I practice/believe and am in no way shape or form trying to convert you to my methods.

Alright. I want a sight glass on the Sabco! 

FWIW, our beers are coming out similar, with very little crap going into the kettle. I believe this is more of a function of RIMS than pH though (since our pHs are similar in the kettle).

Maibock:


Pils, Maibock, Vienna after primary fermentation:


I'll have to take a picture of the GP I'm going to drink after work for the frothy head. 

[rabeb25]

I definitely think it is partly do to the recirculation. I am HERMS myself.

[AmandaK]

It's German Pilsner time!!!

[HoosierBrew]

It's German Pilsner time!!!

Gorgeous looking pils. I could drink a liter or three of that. 

[Herminator]

Gorgeous looking pils. I could drink a liter or three of that. 

Agreed!  Cheers!  Thank you all for all of the help.  Here is the water profile that I ended up creating.

                           Calcium Mag.  Sod.  Sulfate    Chlo.   Bicarb
Existing Water Profile         17   2   3   12   3   44
Finished Water Profile         55   4   3   96   16   -141
Recommended Ranges         50 to 150   0 to 30   0 to 150   0 to 350   0 to 100   as needed
                        
Mash Parameters                        
Batch Volume (gal)      8.00   Hardness (ppm as CaCO3)      156   RA (ppm as CaCO3)   -159
Estimated Mash pH      5.2   Alkalinity (ppm as CaCO3)      -117   SO4/Cl Ratio      6.10

[dfhar]

For what it's worth, check out slide 57 of this presentation, which has some very detailed information about how Schoenramer pilsner is brewed:

http://www.ahaconference.org/wp-content/uploads/presentations/2008/SteveHolle_GermanBrewing.pdf

They claim that more than 50% of their hops are added as late additions.

[hopfenundmalz]

For what it's worth, check out slide 57 of this presentation, which has some very detailed information about how Schoenramer pilsner is brewed:

http://www.ahaconference.org/wp-content/uploads/presentations/2008/SteveHolle_GermanBrewing.pdf

They claim that more than 50% of their hops are added as late additions.

Yes, one finds that information on hopping on a few places. Some recipes call for a bittering charge and then a small 10 minute addition. Find what makes the beer you like.

[dfhar]

Yeah, it's not completely clear what they mean by "late hopping". Does that mean flameout and whirlpool, or 10-15 minute boil additions?

For my German beers hopped with noble varieties, I add the aroma hops at 10 to 15 minutes before the boil ends. Flameout noble hops and noble dry hops just taste grassy to me, without the floral notes we love so much. I agree that they need at least a good 5 to 10 minutes in the boil before their flavor and aroma develop.

I just brewed a 3.5 gallon batch of Kolsch today. Hops were a 50/50 blend of Tradition and Hersbrucker with an averaged AA% of 3.3%. 0.3 oz FWH, 0.8 oz at 30, 0.5 oz at 10. I really like the FWH/30/10 schedule for a pils too - using at least 50% more hops than I did for my Kolsch, depending on how hoppy I feel like going. But there's more than one way to skin a cat.

[hopfenundmalz]

Yeah, it's not completely clear what they mean by "late hopping". Does that mean flameout and whirlpool, or 10-15 minute boil additions?

For my German beers hopped with noble varieties, I add the aroma hops at 10 to 15 minutes before the boil ends. Flameout noble hops and noble dry hops just taste grassy to me, without the floral notes we love so much. I agree that they need at least a good 5 to 10 minutes in the boil before their flavor and aroma develop.

I just brewed a 3.5 gallon batch of Kolsch today. Hops were a 50/50 blend of Tradition and Hersbrucker with an averaged AA% of 3.3%. 0.3 oz FWH, 0.8 oz at 30, 0.5 oz at 10. I really like the FWH/30/10 schedule for a pils too - using at least 50% more hops than I did for my Kolsch, depending on how hoppy I feel like going. But there's more than one way to skin a cat.

Often you see that the hops should be boiled for at least 10 minutes to drive off the undesirable aromas for the German beers. Some of that is the Noble hops, some is the market expectations.