I’ve made two previous versions of Pre-Prohibition Pilsners, distinguished as such by having a bit more body and malt character than a typical American macro lager, and distinguished from European pilsners by adjuncts and the frequent use of American hops. My dad’s version originally comes from the April 1999 issue of BYO; it stands out in having a bit of flaked rye in it. Additionally, 6-row malt is nowhere to be seen in my version of this recipe.

This year’s edition is broadly inspired by the 2016 version, but you can check out the last version for differences. I used all American hops (Mt. Hood) instead of German ones, and brought Novalager into the mix, too. The main goal is to have something drinkable for the dog days of summer, but not so inoffensive as to be boring.

Dad’s 3P 2024

• 6.75 lb. 2-row malt (Briess)
• 2.25 lb. pilsner malt (Rahr)
• 1 lb. yellow corn, flaked (Briess)
• 0.5 lb. rye, flaked (Briess)
• 0.5 lb. Carafoam (Weyermann)
• 0.25 lb. rice hulls
• 0.5 tsp. BrewTanB, in mash
• 1 oz. Mt. Hood hop pellets (6.0% alpha), 60 minute boil
• 1 oz. Mt. Hood hop pellets (6.0% alpha), 10 minute boil
• 0.5 tsp. BrewTanB, 10 minute boil
• 1 Whirlfloc tablet, 5 minute boil
• 2 pkg. Novalager yeast (Lallemand)

Target Parameters

• 1.050 s.g., 1.009 f.g., 30 IBU, 5.5% abv, 4 SRM
• Full volume mash with recirculation for 60 minutes at 152°, 10 minute mash-out at 168°
• Water blended from RO and Claremont tap water to hit target of 52 ppm Ca, 10 ppm Mg, 64 ppm Na, 82 ppm SO4, 113 ppm Cl, 5 ppm bicarbonate, alkalinity=4 ppm, RA=-39.

Procedure

• I built my water the night before with 4 gallons of distilled water and 3.5 gallons of Claremont tap water, adding a Campden tablet and 3.2 mL of 88% lactic acid to drop out the carbonates.
• I mashed in by heating the strike water to 158°, and then adding the grains and 2.4 mL of 88% lactic acid for pH adjustment.
• I held the mash, with recirculation, at 152° for 60 minutes, before raising the temperature to 168° for a 10 minute mash-out.
• At the conclusion of the mash, I removed the grains and let them drain. In total, I collected 6.6 gallons of runnings with a gravity of 1.043, for 69% mash efficiency.
• As the runnings came to a boil, I added 2.5 g of calcium chloride. Once the runnings boiled, I added the hops and finings per the recipe.
• After the full 60 minute boil, I chilled the wort to 78° before transferring to the fermenter and letting it chill to 46° in the fermentation chamber.
• I pitched the yeast at 46°, and then let the fermenter free rise to 52° for fermentation.
• I brewed the beer on 19 May 2024. Starting gravity was 1.049.
• I let the beer free rise to 60° on 25 May 2024, and then to 65° on 29 May 2024.
• The beer was kegged using a closed transfer on 3 June 2024. Final gravity was 1.009, for 5.2% abv.

Tasting

• Appearance
  • Brightly clear, straw yellow beer, which pours with a fine and persistent white head. It just looks nice!
• Aroma
  • Grainy sweet malt aroma; no appreciable yeast character or hop character apparent.
• Flavor
  • Medium-high bitterness at the forefront, with a slightly herbal quality. Malty notes and a light hint of corn sweetness are behind that, but the beer definitely tilts toward bitter. Clean fermentation character, Crisp finish.
• Mouthfeel
  • Medium body with a rounded feel. Dry finish. Medium carbonation.
• Would I Brew This Again?
  • This is an interesting American lager, and highly drinkable. It’s a great summer beer! I’ve never done a six-row version of this, and might have to try it sometime in the pursuit of historical accuracy. Relative to the BJCP guidelines for Pre-Prohibition Lager (Category 27, Historical Beer), it hits most of the notes but should have perhaps a bit more hop aroma and a slightly taller head. Overall, though, this is a solid beer and recipe! It’s really enjoyable to drink on a hot afternoon, which is really all I demand from such a beer.
• Overall
  • 9/10