Fermenting temperature for Czech Pilsener

[wbosher]

Hi guys. I have started brewing again after about a 20 year break...wow, things have changed in that time! I got a Mangrove Jack's Czech Pilsener and did it over the weekend, followed the instructions to the letter.

My question is what is the best temperature for the fermenting proecss? The instructions say between 18c and 30c (I have it sitting at around 19c after raising from about 14c initially, it's really cold in my garage at the moment), yet a lot of posts I've read say that Pilseners and lagers should be much, much lower.

Which one is best?

Thanks in advance.

[Pinto]

If you want it to taste even vaguely of pilsener then 14 deg with a proper lager yeast is a minimum - i'd say 12 deg would be better ....

[wbosher]

Yeah that seems to be in line with what I've been reading. I wonder why say have such a high range in the instructions then

It's been fermenting for two days now, is it too late to lower the temp, or just leave as is now?

[cellone]

Hi. I think it depends on the yeast that came with the kit. I prefer the kits with lager yeast so have got a set up to brew at lower temps. most lager kits either use ale or ale/lager yeast mixes. I have noticed massive improvement in results of cooler brewing with true lager yeast. I accidently did a brew at 25c and it isn't good, yet I would have probably got away with it if I'd used ale yeast. That said I would suggest brewing at the lower end of your given scale will produce slower but better results.

[wbosher]

I'm at around the 19 degree mark which is at the low end, so fingers crossed it should be ok.

[cellone]

Next time check the brewing temperature for the kit as a guide to the yeast included or buy a seperate yeast for a better result. Pinto's dead right about the difference in taste.

[wbosher]

Thanks guys, appreciate it.

[cellone]

You should have a reward of a beer that's crisp and refreshing but isn't quite what your after. I put on wilko's pils today, added 1kg of light dme, a hersbruckr halletau hop tea, 200g of dextrose, dry yeast from coopers pils and the trub from a coopers pils. I just couldn't do it with the kit yeast and brew another faux lager. I'll have to wait to see if it's worked.

[wbosher]

For my first brew in 20 years I'll be happy with anything that doesn't taste like sh!t

[cellone]

Shame 'cos I've got a recipe for that