A good German pils is the perfect style for a SMaSH(ish) beer, and it has been over a year since I last had a pils on tap. For this round, I used Viking Pilsner Zero malt, and nearly the last bit of my Edelweiss hop blend stock. I decided to add a small dry hop in order to amp up the hop aroma. S-189 is back as the yeast; even though it’s not the first strain most people think of (relative to 34/70 and Diamond lager, for example), I really enjoy what it does.

Super SMaSH Pils 2026

• 10 lb. Pilsner Zero malt (Viking)
• 0.5 tsp. BrewTanB (mash)
• 1.25 oz. Edelweiss hop pellets (5.8% alpha), 60 minute boil
• 0.5 tsp. BrewTanB, 10 minute boil
• 1 Kick Carrageenan tablet, 5 minute boil
• 1.75 oz. Edelweiss hop pellets (5.8% alpha), 5 minute boil
• 3 pkg. SafLager German lager yeast (Fermentis S-189)
• 1 oz. Edelweiss hop pellets (5.8% alpha), dry hop

Target Parameters

• 60 minute rest at 144°, 45 minute rest at 160°, 10 minute rest at 168°; full volume infusion mash
• 1.047 o.g., 1.007 f.g., 5.3% abv, 34 IBU, 4 SRM
• Water built from RO, to hit 63 ppm Ca, 11 ppm Mg, 123 ppm SO4, 52 ppm Cl, RA=-51
• 5.25 gallon batch

Procedure

• To build the water, I started with 7.3 gallons of RO water and added 4 g of gypsum, 3 g of calcium chloride, and 3 g of epsom salt. I heated this to 149° before adding the grains and 14 mL of 10% phosphoric acid for the pH adjustment.
• I held the mash at 144° for 60 minutes, with recirculation, before ramping it up to 160° and holding it there for 45 minutes. Finally, I raised the mash to 168° and held it for 10 minutes, before removing the grains.
• In total, I collected 6.6 gallons of runnings with a gravity of 1.041, for 73% mash efficiency.
• I brought the kettle to a boil, adding hops and finings per the recipe. After 60 minutes, I turned off the heat and chilled to 66°, transferred to the fermenter (leaving some trub behind), and then chilled to 54° in the fermentation chamber before pitching the yeast.
• I brewed this beer on 10 January 2026; starting gravity was 1.051.
• The bulk of fermentation was completed at 52° (dropped from the initial pitch temperature); I removed the fermenter to ambient (~60°) on 20 January 2026, adding dry hops at the same time.
• I cold crashed the beer on 1 February 2026, and kegged the beer with a closed transfer on 28 February 2026. At the time of kegging, the beer had a nice honey and hay character to the aroma, and a super crisp and drinkable flavor.
• Final gravity was 1.009, for 5.5% abv.

Tasting

• Appearance
  • Pours with a tall and persistent white head that leaves gorgeous lacing. Brilliantly clear, light yellow beer.
• Aroma
  • Light and clean honey (not oxidation) with a touch of fresh hay in the malt; a low level of spicy hop aroma; clean yeast character
• Flavor
  • Moderately high level of bitterness, with a cracker and sweet maltiness. Definitely tilts bitter.
• Mouthfeel
  • Medium carbonation, medium-light body, crisp and off-dry finish that lingers on the tongue.
• Would I Brew This Again?
  • This is a superb pils and a great recipe overall. It’s maybe a touch on the bitter side for my tastes (hence the minor ding on score), but everything else is awesome. The honey quality to the malt aroma and flavor is really delightful! I might try a version with slightly lower bitterness and gravity, next time.
• Overall
  • 9.5/10