Bierstadt Lagerhaus’ Slow Pour Pils clone

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.047  FG = 1.012
IBU = 33  SRM = 3  ABV = 4.5 %

Ingredients
9.0 lbs. (4.08 kg) German Pilsner malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) acidulated malt
4 AAU Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops (first wort hopping) (1 oz./30 g at 4% alpha acids)
4 AAU Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops (70 min.) (1 oz./30 g at 4% alpha acids)
Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) or White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Saflager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
For authenticity, this all-grain recipe employs a step mash coupled with a single decoction. Mill the grains, then mix with 3.0 gallons (11.2 L) of 142 °F (61 °C) strike water to reach a protein rest of 131 °F (55 °C). Hold for 10 min before raising the mash temperature to 144 °F (62 °C). Hold this temperature for 30 minutes. Again, raise the mash temperature to 160 °F (71 °C) and hold there for 40 min. Finally, remove 1⁄3 of your mash, thin, and boil for 10 min before adding the decoction back to the main mash.

Vorlauf until your runnings are clear, and lauter. Sparge the grains with 4.5 gallons (17 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort. Boil for 90 minutes, adding hops at the times indicated. After the boil is complete, perform a 5-minute whirlpool and then rapidly chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, which is 47 °F (8.5 °C) for this beer. Pitch yeast.

Maintain fermentation temperature of 47 °F (8.5 °C) for 3.5 weeks or until the completion of primary fermentation, whichever is later. Then, reduce temperature to 38 °F (3.5 °C) gradually by dropping the temperature one degree every 2 days and rest there for 1 week. Perform a similar drop in temperature until you reach 32 °F (0 °C) and lager for 3-4 weeks. Bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes.

Bierstadt Lagerhaus’ Slow Pour Pils clone

(5 gallons/19 L, extract only)
OG = 1.050  FG = 1.012
IBU = 33  SRM = 5  ABV = 4.9%

Ingredients
5.5 lbs. (2.49 kg) Pilsen dried malt extract
4 AAU Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops (first wort hopping) (1 oz./30 g at 4% alpha acids)
4 AAU Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops (70 min.) (1 oz./30 g at 4% alpha acids)
Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager) or White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) or Saflager W-34/70 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)

Step by Step
Bring 5.0 gallons (18.9 L) of water to a boil. At some point prior to boiling, add the dried extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops at the indicated times left in the boil.

After the boil and whirlpool, rapidly chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, which is 47 °F (8.5 °C) for this beer. Pitch yeast.

Maintain fermentation temperature of 47 °F (8.5 °C) for 3.5 weeks or until the completion of primary fermentation, whichever is later. Then, reduce temperature to 38 °F (3.5 °C) gradually by dropping the temperature one degree every 2 days and rest there for 1 week. Perform a similar drop in temperature until you reach 32 °F (0 °C) and lager for 3-4 weeks. Bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes.

Tips for Success:
Aim for a massive 2-L starter (OG = 1.035) to provide enough healthy cells for a strong fermentation; Bierstadt recommends 210 million cells per mL. This will allow you to go cold and slow. They’ve also noticed that when fermenting as cold as they do, the precursors for diacetyl aren’t formed, which allows them to eliminate that step. If you do detect diacetyl in your beer, feel free to perform a D-rest. If you have the ability to capture carbon dioxide in solution via a spunding valve, you can come one step closer to fully replicating their beer. Typically, you can rack off the trub after 2 weeks in primary or when there’s roughly 1 degree Plato remaining of fermentation in order to naturally carbonate. Finally, everything about this beer is centered around patience. Don’t rush the mash protocol and especially don’t rush the fermentation.

Thanks to Bill Eye and Ashleigh Carter, co-founders of Bierstadt Lagerhaus,, for this recipe!