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BJCP Category 3B — Czech Lager
4 SRM (Pale Gold)

Czech Premium Pale Lager (Bohemian Pilsner)

“Rich, complex, bready Pilsner malt balanced by delicate, spicy floral Saaz hops.”

Official BJCP Vital Statistics Range

Original Grav. (OG)1.044–1.056
Final Grav. (FG)1.013–1.017
Bitterness (IBU)30–45
Color (SRM)3.5–6
Alcohol (ABV)4.2–5.8%

Sensory Character & Tasting Notes

•Rich fresh bread crust & cracked grain
•Spicy, herbal, and earthy Saaz perfume
•Creamy, dense foam cap that clings
•Soft, rounded finish from ultra-soft water

Origin, Heritage & Craft Tradition

Born in Plzeň (Pilsen), Bohemia in 1842 under Bavarian brewer Josef Groll at Měšťanský pivovar, this was the world's first clear golden lager. It relied on three regional miracles: exceptionally soft water, pale kilned Moravian two-row malt, and the noble red-bine Saaz hop. Traditional Czech lagers undergo triple decoction mashing to develop intense bready melanoidins.

Authentic Grain Bill & Mash Schedule

Mash Target
152°F for 90 Minutes
Traditional double or triple decoction, or step mash (122°F protein, 148°F beta, 160°F alpha)
Representative Grist Ratios:
Floor-Malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt↗
Deep, authentic bready/crackery European malt profile95%
Carapils / Carafoam↗
Enhances meringue-like dense white head retention5%

Recommended Yeast Strains

W-34/70 Saflager (Fermentis)
Compare ↗
Attenuation: 80-84% • Flocculation: High
WLP800 Pilsner Lager (White Labs)
Compare ↗
Attenuation: 72-77% • Flocculation: Medium
WY2001 Urquell Lager (Wyeast)
Compare ↗
Attenuation: 72-76% • Flocculation: Medium

Water Profile & Salts

Requires near-demineralized, ultra-soft RO (Reverse Osmosis) water (<10 ppm Calcium, <5 ppm Magnesium, <10 ppm Sodium, <15 ppm Sulfate, <10 ppm Chloride). Acidify the mash with lactic acid or acidulated malt to reach 5.2 pH.

Commercial Reference Benchmarks

Benchmark your homebrew against these commercial archetypes:

Pilsner UrquellBudweiser BudvarÚnětické Pivo 12°
VEVOR 110V All-in-One Electric Beer Brewing System (8 Gal / 30L)
Recommended Hardware Match

VEVOR 110V All-in-One Electric Beer Brewing System (8 Gal / 30L)

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Brew Day Precision Calculators for Czech Premium Pale Lager (Bohemian Pilsner)

All 8 Calculators→

Dial in this recipe with authentic target gravities, bitterness, strike temperatures, and carbonation:

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