6 weeks ago I brewed a “continental pilsner” extract kit. It came out pretty dark for a pilsner:
(it actually seems darker than that picture came out)
It tastes like a German pilsner.
So, if I want to enter this in a competition for shits and giggles, do I use category 2A German Pilsner?
Enter it there if you want the feedback that its too dark. I’m afraid the color would affect how its perceived across the board, you’d probably get other comments about it having too much amber malt character/aroma. And it might, since color and flavor/aroma do often go hand in hand. Maybe enter it as a Vienna lager if its balanced and has a little malt character to go with the color.
Next tme you might add a good percentage of your extract late in the boil to get a lighter final color. Just use enough in the main boil to get some bitterness from your hops. You’re not boiling out DMS with extract.
Pretty beer, by the way.
It might do better as a Bohemian Pilsner, but it would probably need some Saaz aroma to do really well.
I think I’ll just drink it. I’m sure I’ll get some interesting comments if I enter it but I only brewed this because I thought doing an extract kit would shorten my brew time. I don’t think it did. I’ll be making some all-grain pilsners this fall for my brother’s visit so maybe I’ll have better luck then.
Add Simirar until it is a Schwartzbier. Enter as a Schwartz. 
Hehe, everytime I hear that name I think of Spaceballs…May the Schwartz be with you!
