So tonight I took a pitcher of german pils (Jamil’s Myburger recipe, a clone of Bitburger) to a neighbor for the super bowl. None of them had tried my brew yet and I was concerned about the reaction. One guy poured a glass, took one sip and said “This tastes just like Bitburger!” Don’t think it gets much better than that.
Congrats, I know how you feel. When I do any clones i like to make sure i have a bottle of the real stuff on hand. I make my wife do a blind taste test. So far the home brew version has won out every time.
Boy , I must have done something wrong…when I made that recipe I didn’t think it tasted anything like Bitburger.
Try this one Denny, I had an Army buddy live in Germany for 5 years and he swears I’ve nailed it:
Bitburger Clone
A ProMash Recipe Report
BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
02-B European Pale Lager, Northern German Pilsner
Min OG: 1.044 Max OG: 1.050
Min IBU: 25 Max IBU: 45
Min Clr: 2 Max Clr: 4 Color in SRM, Lovibond
Recipe Specifics
Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 9.00
Anticipated OG: 1.050 Plato: 12.27
Anticipated SRM: 3.1
Anticipated IBU: 35.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Pre-Boil Amounts
Evaporation Rate: 1.66 Gallons Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 7.99 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.034 SG 8.56 Plato
Formulas Used
Brewhouse Efficiency and Predicted Gravity based on Method #1, Potential Used.
Final Gravity Calculation Based on Points.
Hard Value of Sucrose applied. Value for recipe: 46.2100 ppppg
% Yield Type used in Gravity Prediction: Fine Grind Dry Basis.
Color Formula Used: Morey
Hop IBU Formula Used: TinsethTinseth Concentration Factor: 1.30
Additional Utilization Used For Plug Hops: 2 %
Additional Utilization Used For Pellet Hops: 8 %
Grain/Extract/Sugar
% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
94.4 8.50 lbs. Pilsener Germany 1.038 2
2.8 0.25 lbs. Munich Malt Germany 1.037 8
2.8 0.25 lbs. Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt 1.033 2
Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.
Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
0.50 oz. Northern Brewer Pellet 9.00 18.2 90 min
0.50 oz. Perle Pellet 8.25 12.0 30 min
0.50 oz. Mt. Hood Whole 5.20 3.3 10 min
0.50 oz. Tettnanger Tettnang Whole 4.40 1.5 5 min
Yeast
White Labs WLP800 Pilsner Lager
Water Profile
Profile: Pilsen
Profile known for: Pale, Dry, Hoppy Lager
Calcium(Ca): 7.0 ppm
Magnesium(Mg): 3.0 ppm
Sodium(Na): 3.2 ppm
Sulfate(SO4): 5.8 ppm
Chloride(Cl): 5.0 ppm
biCarbonate(HCO3): 9.0 ppm
pH: 8.16
Mash Schedule
Mash Type: Single Step
Grain Lbs: 9.00
Water Qts: 16.00 Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 4.00 Before Additional Infusions
Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.78 Before Additional Infusions
Rest Temp Time
Saccharification Rest: 150 90 Min
Mash-out Rest: 168 10 Min
Sparge: 180 40 Min
Total Mash Volume Gal: 4.72 - Dough-In Infusion Only
All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.
Bob do you not add any calcium to the mash? Do you do anything to adjust mash pH?
Thanks, Bob! I’ve actually come pretty close on my own, but I’ll stash your recipe til it’s lager season again next year. Getting too warm here to make any more this winter.
Sounds good Denny.
Tom,
I use RO water and put a pinch of brewing salts in the mash water and boil kettle. I think I put 2 drops of lactic acid in the sparge for fun. Probably not needed because even though I fly sparge the RO sparge water does not have enough buffering capacity to put a dent in mash pH. (Man, I’ve been reading too many of the water threads… 8)
To not have pils in the Summer is cruel indeed.
Gave the Kölsch to try to a colleague who did nothing but Köln (Cologne) layovers for two years. He said he tried every Kölsch they had in town and that mine was in the top three…
I agree, it makes a nice pilsner, but not like Bitburger. I’ve switched up the hops and adjusted sulfate levels and the last one is closer.