How to Brew a REFRESHING and FRUITY NEW ZEALAND PILSNER (Quick Lager)

In need of a quick refreshing pilsner at the end of the summer? Try this New Zealand Pilsner brew! I use a quick lager method to get this beer grain to glass in less than a week! The New Zealand hops gave it delicious fruity and tropical character.
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Recipe on Brewfather: share.brewfather.app/bgiPtBa0...
Recipe for 5 gallons (19 L) , your efficiency may vary:
"KiwiPils"
5.9% ABV 40 IBU
10 lb Rahr North Star Pilsner Malt (87.8%)
1 lb Maris Otter (9.8%)
0.25 lb Weyermann Acidulated Malt (2.5%)
Mash:
152F (67 C) for 60 min
Water (ppm): Ca: 33, Mg 3, Na 13, Cl 52, SO4 49, HCO3 0
Add to 8 gal (30 L) RO water: 2g Gypsum, 1g Epsom, 1g NaCl, 2g CaCl2
Adjust mash pH to 5.2-5.6 with lactic acid or slaked lime if needed.
60 min boil:
FWH - 0.5 oz Green Bullet/Super Alpha (12.7% AA) (25 IBU)
10 min - Add 1 oz (28g) Nelson Sauvin (10.1% AA) (13 IBU)
0 min - Add 1 oz (28g) Riwaka (7.8%) (0 IBU)
Dry hop with 1 oz (28g) Riwaka for 24-28 hrs
OG: 1.053
Yeast: Saflager W-34/70
Ferment at 68 F (20 C) for 3-7 days. Once fermentation is winding down, add dry hops, let sit for 24-28 hrs before cold crashing and transferring to keg.
FG: 1.008
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0:00 Intro and welcome
2:32 Recipe
8:14 Brew day
11:12 Fermentation plan
13:50 Fermentation follow-up
14:52 Pour and tasting notes
19:22 My dad tastes the beer
24:47 Potential improvements
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Full disclosure, most of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means if you buy through them I make a small percentage from the sale at no additional cost to you. All money earned through the channel goes back into the videos and brews you see on my channel. As always, don't just take my word for it, do your research before you decide to buy.
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#newzealand #Pilsner #homebrew #riwaka #dryhop #fermentation #brewing #beer #homebrewing #clawhammersupply #graintoglass #BIAB #allgrain

[@teaksimpson5763]

Your dad is awesome! It’s so cool that he also homebrews

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

He was the inspiration!

[@dankemp8968]

Your dad is the best

[@GentleGiantFan]

I agree. He adds another dimension to the channel. If he had his own brew channel, I'd subscribe. Great episode.

[@fuzzybeard17]

Legendary

[@andrewgalyen1024]

I’ve found that New Zealand hops, and Nelson Sauvin in particular, have excellent foam positive qualities. PS - I would love to see you and your old man collab on designing a recipe and shoot the brew day together!

[@DabbyCakes1]

I’ll second this!!

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Maybe some day!

[@jeffkastner6480]

Someday may be too late, trust me. I second that excellent idea.

[@TheVindalloo]

I'm really impressed by your dad's German. I'm just planning my first NZ pilsner. Thanks for the video

[@nerdaccount]

Great to see your dad!!! I'm glad to see a quick build!

[@minhlouis3750]

It's a joy listening too you guys each time your dad appears. Cheers.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@BroswithBeerandPants]

Lallemand Nottingham is a great option as well. It’s a fantastic yeast for this type of thing as well and can ferment into the 70’s as well

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Thats a great one!

[@skizziz]

How do you not have 200k subs?? Great content my friend. The confidence has gotten much better. Editing, even better. Cheers

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Slowly working up there haha, but I appreciate it! Just trying to improve the content a little bit each time. Cheers!

[@NoMusiciansInMusicAnymore]

I keep forgetting how small this channel is, it really should be a lot bigger given the quality and content

[@greigthomson8475]

I love the honest critique!

[@kermets]

Great looking Brew.......I also love the lacing look on the glass....Nice to see your Dad enjoying the Beer .....

[@westcoastbestcoast7683]

Your Dad is very fun! Nice to see the person who (presumably) got you into the hobby!

[@airic2897]

this is the first homebrew video ive ever watched and man, i think im hooked already.

[@Undergroundfrog]

SCHMECKT GUT, JA MEIN SOHN! No wonder you became a beer enthusiast with such a good upbringing.

[@bradmcmahon3156]

He should have followed up with "Chur Bro!"

[@jaymayne108]

Need to get some of his hops to do a brew! Love your Dad!

[@ElementaryBrewingCo]

Ahhh yeah!!!! Awesome glass!! The thrift store is where it’s at, cheers 🍻

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

It is awesome! Can't beat the selection haha

[@gerardnatale2387]

It was great to see your Dad! Maybe someday you can do a tasting and review video of one of his beers. Cheers!

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Maybe one day!

[@SchwarbageTruck]

Your banter with your dad is top tier wholesome. Definitely love seeing it - even the hokey german-ness

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

He is ridiculous haha

[@FYMredstone]

Gorgeous content as usual. Keep on going pal!

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Urkie1979]

This was enjoyable to watch. The outtakes at the end were quite entertaining. Come for the beer, stay for the father/son shenanigans LOL

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@supaxr]

great choice Nz pilsner ..really good yeast always had great results with it 👍

[@curtisbrause9255]

Sounds delicious! Riwaka may be my favorite hop. We brewed an all Riwaka NZ lager in early summer this year that turned out great. It’s a very distinctive hop to me with passion fruit and an almost black pepper/herbal note coming through that I really love. Great to see your Dad make an appearance as well. Cheers!

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

It is an amazing hop! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@brickrehab8074]

Love the final scenes of this cideo

[@vitodelucchi7347]

Great video. NZ Hops for pops, love it! 🍻

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Thanks Vito!!

[@WildcatWarrior15]

My wife absolutely loved the Margarita Lime Gose recipe from your previous video! I copied it and it is one of her favorites now!

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Thats awesome to hear! That was a very tasty beer.

[@Farfrom83]

I just canned one of these I brewed with Taiheke, Motueka and Nelson. One of my new favorite beers to brew. So good

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Sounds delicious!

[@glutenfreebrewing]

So cool love ya old man. Good memories!

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@joelcox3154]

Looks and sounds amazing! I can't wait to try this and will make sure to pitch 2 packs of yeast.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Best of luck!

[@jeroprueba]

more videos with your Dad!!!

[@BlackBeerdedNerd]

Great brew and best part of the show was having your father there. Dope!

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lisacarruthers9649]

Please can we have more of your dad, he is epic! Made my day!

[@AndersChristiansen]

If doing a decoctionmash i would recommend starting brewing in the evening and then after the decoctions have brought the temp up do a overnight mash and finish the brewday next day.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Thats an interesting technique. How often have you done that?

[@AndersChristiansen]

@@TheApartmentBrewer I've done it with 2 dobbelbocks(7,5% & 8,5%), 1 kellerbier(5%), 1 Quad(12,5%)(step, not decoction) and 2 imp stout(12,5% & 15%)(step, not decoction) to increase both OG gravity and fermentability. On average its given me 10 gravity points more and the pilsners(and quad..)all fermented down to between1.000 - 1.005. My imp stouts have landed on 1.020.

[@stevenplass3139]

Haha having Papa Steve on was Great!!

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

He's the best!

[@jeffrichter5735]

Try a large Instapot Pro with a large Bain Marie vessel on a trivet (double boiler in pressure vessel) for your decoction mashes. Programmable and no stirring.... I think it's a River City Brewing article on the subject that explained the steps, levels, and why, so perfectly. Anyway, you can do it all in your immediate brew area with no stirring and no running up and down stairs from your kitchen. Yet, still produces those subtle flavors that make most German Beer such a tasty level above our normal level of acceptance. Cheers and great video as usual. Thanks

[@danjohnson2280]

Haha “who brings this guy”😂. This is great

[@Wind_Ninja_Jubei]

Love it, get your dad on as much as you can.

[@filmscorefreak]

Dude, give your dad a hug for us! He's awesome. Great episode.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Will do! Glad you enjoyed

[@marklpaulick]

Love these beers 🍻. I like to do mine with half pils half two row. It’s really a nice base that is apparently pretty popular in the southern hemi.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Nice! I'll have to try that next time.

[@josephkirby1621]

"Decoction"😅😅 I got a handle on that, found some tricks🤫.. I love it. It adds so much depth. Depth of color & flavor complexity. As a matter of fact, my Summit American wheat is going to get a double decotion. Using light Pilsen & white wheat. Hopefully it'll bring GOOD things to the surface😉

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Its great when you have the time for it!

[@chucktheobald4931]

Great video! Dad is the best.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Yes he is!

[@Virag100ni]

Lovely Video 👌👌👍😊 From Next Week i ll going to Brew my 1st Pilsner BIAB Trying Switch Wine brewing to Beer .. wish me Luck 😊

[@Tomtiburon]

Schmeckt gut mein Sohn 👌🏼😋🍻

[@houseofburgesses4332]

Awesome content!! That’s a Weißbier glass btw.

[@curtpick628]

I was concerned about the single packet of yeast. Looks like you handled that in a good way. Good video Steve. The old boy is enjoyable!

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Yeah worst case you get more sulfur and have to wait a few days for it to offgas. Thanks for watching!

[@Z3phr]

My favorite NZ hop by far is Rakau, you should check it out. Fruity, mostly peach and passionfruit I find.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

I have to try it, I have a few ounces I've been hoping to play with

[@brewing8094]

Riwaka works well for bittering as well, I like using it up front and aroma in a Pilsner with other hops.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Good to know!

[@dimbrewingco]

You gotta post a brew day with your dad!

[@jmsnystrom]

Nice video! Please brew a competition lager or explain what would be different to this one?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Coming soon!

[@tommanning7337]

NICE!!!!! 😎👍🏻👍🏻🍺🍺🍺🍺

[@gc-1981]

I live in New Zealand and yes our hops are amazing, but I do enjoy American hops also especially centennial g

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Slowly working up that point haha, but I appreciate it. Always trying to make better content each time!

[@TheShahart]

Great video! You ever think about doing a small batch series? Like 1 gallons? I brew 10 gallon batches, but I'd like to start brewing 1 gallon batches for my homebrew club. Reason I'm doing 10 is I have to brew less, and I can spend more time doing the hard brew stuff ( like decoctions) for only a bit more work

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Unfortunately thats not something I really see myself doing anymore. I know @small.batch.brewing on instagram has a great page dedicated to this though.

[@patrickglaser1560]

I reccomend a drip irrigation system for the hops. Mine produced so many. I have gallons of hops stuffed into bags. I need to make a bunch of IPAs i guess.

[@jonthebeau4653]

Great to see dad in a video again!🍻 to him he's awesome. I see a lot of videos on youtube where brewers pitch a single packet of lager yeast into a beer and I wonder if I'm paranoid about pitch rate. I always pitch 2 packets of 34/70 when fermenting warmer under pressure and 3 packets if fermenting at 50-52. Pitch calculators seem to indicate 2-3 packets depending on OG of beer and age of yeast. Am I over pitching?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Generally I would go with two for lagers but sometimes I've gotten away with one, it fermented just fine, just had to let the sulfur offgas at first. You're not likely to overpitch on a homebrew scale.

[@Qu4ttr1x]

Nice show, probably a quite good beer. Just a note regarding the glass: This is a typical german Weissbier glass (Wheat beer), not a Pilsner glass at all.

[@jimmatzek5895]

Will have to try. Have a slurry of 3470/Novalager when I made a dunkel last month Any coldside finings.

[@nickwawee1293]

Just pressure fermented a hazy with two packets of NECTAR from cellar science- had the same FG! Mash temp at 154 as well, used all flaked oats though. I wonder if increasing the mash temp to something higher would increase the FG.

[@bulldog9708]

Maybe your Dad could share his Belgian Golden Ale recipe ? Do you get NZ Gladfield malts in the US, quite good quality

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

I couldn't find Gladfield unfortunately but I will keep an eye out in the future.

[@debitibus]

Make a bohemian pilsner with lutra kveik, adjusting the ph

[@jtc95]

Looks really good! I have a Schwarzbier that’s going at almost Lutra speeds under pressure at 68 with 34/70. Did you fine this beer or is it just really that clear?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Very nice! Yeah I used cold-side finings.

[@michaelryan2717]

Looks great 🤘 Do you've any rough guide or reference for force carbing to a particular c02 volume when not going low and slow? Any guesstimates on what 50psi overnight (at what temp?) equates to in volumes?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

I usually go off of a carbonation chart like this one: www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table/

[@mannischaeck5511]

You are clearly holding a German "Weizen" glas in our hand.

[@mikekeller5202]

I’m thirsty now. Sounds very delicious and crushable. Have you ever brewed a west coast pils?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Not yet, but I did a Cold IPA very recently which is pretty close

[@RegicideBrewing]

very interesting method of doing a Pilsner with the hotter temperature and it not being under pressure. Did you cold crash at all for this? Did you use any clarity agents? Looks Tasty

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

I cold crashed in the keg I suppose. I used cold-side finings to help clarify.

[@TheDuddleyCo]

Gladfield are the leading malt in nz. You will see bags of their malt in every nz craft brewery down here.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Couldn't find any at all, but I'll keep an eye out for them!

[@ilblance7755]

Just contacted gladfields for you Hope you can get some of new Zealands great malt

[@jonathanwilliams1974]

Are you opening that beer up to all the O2 to add your hops late into fermentation?

[@connorhulegaard2012]

Did you use finings at all with this beer?

[@leroygross9144]

What are your three favourite dry yeast strains? But on the ale side?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Voss Kveik, Lallemand London, US-05

[@SteveBenson]

The problem with spring water, even in the US is that there isn't a standard water profile associated with "spring water." The mineral content of spring water can vary wildly from manufacturer to manufacturer, as well as region to region across the states. Unless you're able to obtain a mineral report from the specific manufacturer and know where they sourced their water from, you'll never know the mineral content of that spring water.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Which is why I switched to RO. Poland spring (which is what I was using) is consistent, and keeps their water info publicly available and up to date.

[@Guillaume-ts3yh]

Hello , thanks for the video . What pressure do you recommend if i do pressure fermentation with this recipe? Thanks

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

I would stick with 10-15 psi

[@adamgorka368]

You rule, your dad rules, your videos rule, your beer rules

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Thank you!

[@MrBtjf]

Any tips on combating the lutra ph drop?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Usually I just try to aim for a higher mash pH. Dry hopping helps as well.

[@user-ec9rr3ce5s]

I will be fermenting this under pressure, do I set the same temp you used for fermentation?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

You should be just fine with that temperature but you can take it higher if you want to.

[@albrough]

Gladfields German Pilsner Malt would work if you can get it

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Good to know!

[@bruceedwards3366]

ypu don't get the Sulphur with Novalager.

[@Astro-ck6mh]

If I can't find riwaka, would replacing with Nelson Sauvin work fine? Or any other suggestion to replace riwaka?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

I think Nelson's character is a little more winelike. I'd recommend Rakau or Motueka

[@user-ye5fo2ws3u]

Having a tough time getting my clawhammer 10.5 to have a 'rolling boil'....how do you get yours to do a gentle boil/simmer? Mine is either super aggressive or element turns off/then back on. Great looking beer, long time watcher-first time commenter. lol

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

If you switch the power mode to percentage, and then keep it at 50% power that is what has worked the best for me. That will cycle the element on and off so its not a "constant" boil per se but it works just as well.

[@user-ye5fo2ws3u]

@@TheApartmentBrewer awesome. Happy Thanksgiving

[@markgarner9832]

What and how much nutrient do you use?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Wyeast beer nutrient, 2.5g

[@doesitstill]

Question about converting the recipe to both metric and Grainfather setup. When I add the recipe the app predicts I get 50.9IBU, so if I do a 30min boil I get 40.9IBU. So question is what would be best practice, aim for equal IBU and then adjust either hops or boil time to get same, or just run your recipe as is on my system?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Are you predicting based off the same Alpha Acid numbers and volumes? I would try to avoid over-bittering so try to get the IBU level about the same.

[@acolbourne17]

If you pitched 2 packs of yeast would it have reduced the sulphur experience?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Yes

[@acolbourne17]

@@TheApartmentBrewer I just rewatched this video and almost asked the same question twice 2mo later 😂 you rock.

[@ilblance7755]

What!!!! No gladfields there?

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Not that I could find

[@prodanman]

OK, I'll bite, Who's your Dad?

[@theblobfish9614]

A 0min addition will not give you 0ibu. Depending on how long you steep it afterwards you normally get around half to a third of the bitterness of a regular boil hop addition

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Of course not, but that is so people can plan their hop additions against the recipe in brewing software (which always shows 0 IBU).

[@theblobfish9614]

@@TheApartmentBrewer okay that makes sense, i would have mentioned it adding a bit of bitterness but you do you

[@amitsiovitz4000]

Ich wusste nicht, du bist deuscher Herkunft

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

From my dad's side of the family haha

[@theblobfish9614]

Its not a Pilsener Glass, its a Hefeweizen Glass. It works with pilsener as its thin walled and gives your nose some room but traditionally you would put a hefeweizen in there. Hofbräuhaus doesnt even brew pilsener

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Its a pilsner glass if I put a pilsner in it. Cheers!

[@theblobfish9614]

@@TheApartmentBrewer by that logic my body is a pilsener glass

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

I see nothing wrong with that haha

[@mikes1430]

Your Dad definitely needs to wear monocle next time.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

Hahaha...no.

[@garypierce1123]

All talk

[@axelk.4273]

Nice glas, however, it's a Weißbier glas. 😉HB doesn't produce Pilsner beer. Here in Germany, Pilsner is not that popular in the southern part of Germany (where HB is located). As a general rule (there are exceptions of course), the more to the north you get, the more popular Pilsner becomes. The more to the south, the more popular Weißbier and Helles become as the main beer styles.

[@TheApartmentBrewer]

I think it straddles the line. This is pretty straight walled for a weissbier glass, but I think at the end of the day its what you put in the glass that matters.

[@clubroot3383]

You have not brewed a Pilsner, just another beer.