Black Pils

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In most cases, it’s safe to assume that a glass of black beer is either stout or porter. Looks can be deceiving, stout and porter are not the only styles of dark beer. According to the BJCP style guidelines, category 4C, Schwarzbier (black beer) or Black Pils is a dark lager that balances roasted yet smooth malt flavours with moderate hop bitterness. The 300g of crystal malt, although optional, adds a little extra complexity and residual sweetness.

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Recipe Contains

1 × Thomas Coopers 86 Days Pilsner (1.7kg)
1 × Thomas Coopers Dark Malt Extract (1.5kg)
3 × Light Crystal Malt (100g)
1 × Carbonation Drops (250g)

You'll Need

1 × 11.5g Saflager W-34/70 Dry Yeast

Beer Style: Lager

Colour (EBC): 120
Volume: 23L
Difficulty: Intermediate

ABV 4.9%

Alcohol by Volume

33 IBU

International Bitterness Units

EBC 120

Colour

This Recipe

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Ingredients

1 x 1.7kg Thomas Coopers 86 Days Pilsner
1 x 1.5kg Thomas Coopers Dark Malt Extract
3 x 100g Light Crystal Malt
1 x 11.5g Saflager W-34/70 Dry Yeast
1 x 250g Coopers Carbonation Drops

Mix

Line a pot (at least 4 litres) with a mesh cleaning cloth (pulled straight from the pack).
Place all of the Light Crystal Malt in a plastic zip-lock sandwich bag and crack them using a rolling
pin.
Add the Light Crystal Malt and 2 litres of just boiled water, steep for 30 mins.
Removed the Light Crystal Malt and then bring the liquid to the boil.
Add the contents of the brew extract cans to the fermenting vessel and dissolve with 2 litres of hot
water (this can be the boiled liquid from the Light Crystal Malt steeping).
Add cold water up to the 20 litre mark and stir vigorously.
Check the brew temperature and top up to the 23 litre mark with cold or warm water to get as close
as possible to 24C.
Sprinkle the W-34/70 and brew can yeast then fit the lid.

Home Recipes BLACK PILS

Black Pils

In most cases, it’s safe to assume that a glass of black beer is either stout or porter. Looks can be deceiving, stout and porter are not the only styles of dark beer. According to the BJCP style guidelines, category 4C, Schwarzbier (black beer) or Black Pils is a dark lager that balances roasted yet smooth malt flavours with moderate hop bitterness. The 300g of crystal malt, although optional, adds a little extra complexity and residual sweetness.

Black Pils
Beer Style Lager
Flavour Profile Coffee, Roast, Sweet
Alcohol Content 4.9%
Colour (EBC) 120
Bitterness (IBU) 33
Volume 23L
Difficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

1 x 1.7kg Thomas Coopers 86 Days Pilsner
1 x 1.5kg Thomas Coopers Dark Malt Extract
3 x 100g Light Crystal Malt
1 x 11.5g Saflager W-34/70 Dry Yeast
1 x 250g Coopers Carbonation Drops

1. Mix

Line a pot (at least 4 litres) with a mesh cleaning cloth (pulled straight from the pack).
Place all of the Light Crystal Malt in a plastic zip-lock sandwich bag and crack them using a rolling
pin.
Add the Light Crystal Malt and 2 litres of just boiled water, steep for 30 mins.
Removed the Light Crystal Malt and then bring the liquid to the boil.
Add the contents of the brew extract cans to the fermenting vessel and dissolve with 2 litres of hot
water (this can be the boiled liquid from the Light Crystal Malt steeping).
Add cold water up to the 20 litre mark and stir vigorously.
Check the brew temperature and top up to the 23 litre mark with cold or warm water to get as close
as possible to 24C.
Sprinkle the W-34/70 and brew can yeast then fit the lid.

2. Brew

Try to ferment at 24C for the first 12 to 24 hours then draw the temperature down to 13C - 15C until
fermentation is complete.
Fermentation has finished once the specific gravity is stable over 2 days.

3. Bottle

Bottles need to be primed so that secondary fermentation (producing the gas in the bottle) can take
place.
Gently fill clean PET bottles to about 3cm from the top.
Add carbonation drops at the rate of 1 per 330ml/375ml bottle and 2 per 740ml/750ml bottle. Sugar
or dextrose may be used at the rate of 8g per litre (approximately 6g of sugar to a level metric
teaspoon).
Store the bottles upright in a location out of direct sunlight at or above 18C.

4. Enjoy

After at least four weeks, check for sufficient carbonation by squeezing the PET bottles.
Bottles kept unrefrigerated will improve as this style of beer is intended to be aged (3 months or
more). Conditioning should improve flavour, reduce the size of the bubbles and make the yeast
sediment more compacted.
When ready to drink, chill the bottles upright.
Pour into clean glassware, leaving the sediment behind.
Expect the alcohol content to be around 4.9% ABV.

Common Questions

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