Pilsner Urquell Competition Discussion

[concernedphil]

I have been accepted for the Pilsner Urquell Competition in DC and I thought it would be good to start a topic on that subject. Unless there is already one there, but I didn't see it.

http://www.facebook.com/PilsnerUrquellUSA?sk=wall

I brewed my first batch four weeks ago. My base malt was the Weyermann Bohemian Pils Malt, step mash, single decoction, Saaz all the way. So far so good. I'll be keggin this weekend and brewing next batch in a week. I was shooting for 34 IBU's but I think the beer needs more. I did end up with good body.

Is anyone else brewing Bo Pils for the competion? 

[bluesman]

I'm entered in the competition in NYC. I brewed the beer and it's currently lagering. There are a couple members that are entered here on the forum. I used a decoction mash and hopped with all Saaz.

[dbeechum]

One of our members who's absolutely obsessed with BoHo is apparently going from LA to Washington DC

[bluesman]

One of our members who's absolutely obsessed with BoHo is apparently going from LA to Washington DC

Wow...he's definitely hellbent to make the haul from LA. 

[dbeechum]

Yeah, it would be like me if there was a Saison competition.

[bluesman]

Yeah, it would be like me if there was a Saison competition.

What's your favorite commercial Saison?

[morticaixavier]

Yeah, it would be like me if there was a Saison competition.

Drew I just noticed that one of the beers you have listed at burbling is saison guacamole. Is this an avacado saison? have you tasted it?

[dbeechum]

The guacamole saison uses avocado honey and is spiced with a tincture made of cilantro, coriander, lime zest, black pepper, chile pepper and sun dried tomatoes.

As for favorite commercial saisons - Hmm.. Avec Les Bon Voeux and Thirez Extra pop to mind immediately.

[Thirsty_Monk]

I am not a big competition person but I brew this beer quite often.
If you can ferment in open fermenter.
I think this will give you another edge.

[concernedphil]

Are you entered in the comp Thirsty_Monk? Why do you think it open fermenter will make a difference? Do you use open fermenter? I know they used to use open fermenters in Plzen. I think it may make a difference if you can't oxygenate the wort, because the yeast has initial supply of oxygen on the surface of the open fermenter. But if you oxygenate with pure O2 then closed fermenter should be OK in my opinion.   

[concernedphil]

One of our members who's absolutely obsessed with BoHo is apparently going from LA to Washington DC

Wow...he's definitely hellbent to make the haul from LA. 

For few more bucks he could fly all the way to Plzen. ....I am little concerned about him, will he be the one wearing a suicide bomber belt     

[Thirsty_Monk]

Are you entered in the comp Thirsty_Monk? Why do you think it open fermenter will make a difference? Do you use open fermenter? I know they used to use open fermenters in Plzen. I think it may make a difference if you can't oxygenate the wort, because the yeast has initial supply of oxygen on the surface of the open fermenter. But if you oxygenate with pure O2 then closed fermenter should be OK in my opinion.  

No I did not enter the comp.

I brew the same recipe on two different system.
The same brewer the same recipe the same ingredients.
One fermenter was filled to 80% capacity with airlock and the other was filled to 50% capacity with pass-thru valve.
Beer with airlock was cleaner (more German) and beer with pass-thru was rounder.

I do not use oxygen. I use venturi tube for aeration.
I think open fermenter is about easy gas exchange that effect flavour profile.

Good Luck

[Mark G]

I'm entered in the Chicago comp. I brewed mine 4 weeks ago. I went with an enhanced double decoction mash, using the Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner malt, and all Czech Saaz hops. I brewed an 11 gallon batch, and split it to use WLP800 Pilsner Lager for half, and WLP802 Czech Budejovice for the other half. The 802 beer was transferred to a keg for lagering earlier this week. The 800 beer, for some reason, ran a bit slower than I've experienced in the past, so I haven't kegged it yet, but that should happen this weekend/next week. I'll decide later which beer to enter.

Good luck to everyone else who entered.

[joeysmokedporter]

This was my first Bohemian pilsner, but I had wanted to give this a try for awhile. I used Bestmalz Pils as my malt, all Saaz, and double decoction. Started 6 weeks ago and is lagering in a keg now.

I'm in the DC competition. Good luck to everyone else.

[dbeechum]

For few more bucks he could fly all the way to Plzen. ....I am little concerned about him, will he be the one wearing a suicide bomber belt     

Why do that when he's already been to Plzen? He's a great guy, just as little obsessed, like all of us.