Pils

Start by spraying all contact surfaces of the induction cooktop, brew pot, stirring spoon, thermometer, strainer, fermentation jug, airlock, bottles, and bottle capper with no-rinse brewer's sanitizer from the fixed spray bottle. Let sanitizer sit for 60 seconds, then wipe excess moisture with a clean paper towel. Every tool that will touch cooled beer must be fully sanitized to prevent bacterial contamination and off-flavors.

Place the brew pot on the induction cooktop set to medium heat. Pour 3 liters of filtered water into the pot, and clip the digital thermometer to the pot rim to track temperature. Heat the water to exactly 67C (153F), adjusting heat as needed to hold a steady temperature, avoiding boiling at this stage.

Slowly pour the crushed Pilsner malt into the 67C water, stirring gently with the slotted stainless steel spoon to break up any dry clumps of grain. Cover the pot with a lid, and hold the temperature steady between 65-68C (149-154F) for 60 minutes. As the grain steeps, starches will convert to sugar, turning the clear water into sweet, pale golden wort.

Place the fine-mesh stainless steel strainer over the brew pot, and pour the remaining 1 liter of filtered water through the steeped grain to rinse residual sugar from the malt. Lift the strainer to remove all spent grain, discarding the solids. Turn the induction cooktop to high, bring the wort to a gentle rolling boil, and hold a steady boil for 45 minutes, adjusting heat to avoid boilovers.

Add hops in three timed additions for balanced bitterness and aroma: at the start of the 45-minute boil, add 7g of Hallertau hops for clean bitterness; with 15 minutes remaining in the boil, add the remaining 3g of Hallertau hops for mid-boil flavor; when the 45-minute boil ends, turn off the heat and add all 5g of Saaz hops for bright, floral, spicy aroma. Stir gently with the slotted spoon after each addition.

Carefully lift the brew pot from the induction cooktop and place it in a sink of ice water to cool the wort quickly to 21C (70F), approximately 15 minutes. Rapid cooling prevents off-flavors and reduces risk of contamination. Once cooled, place the clean strainer over the mouth of the glass fermentation jug, and pour the wort through the strainer to leave hop sediment behind in the pot.

Sprinkle the dry lager yeast evenly across the surface of the cooled wort in the fermentation jug. Fill the 3-piece airlock halfway with sanitized water, fit it into the rubber stopper, and press the stopper firmly into the jug mouth to create an airtight seal. Gently swirl the jug for 10 seconds to evenly distribute the yeast through the wort.

Leave the sealed fermentation jug in a cool, dark space held at a steady 12-13C (54-55F) for 2 weeks, until bubbles stop rising through the airlock and the beer clarifies fully, with a thin layer of pale yeast sediment settled at the bottom of the jug. After primary fermentation, move the jug to a 4C (39F) space for 1 additional week of cold conditioning to smooth harsh flavors.

Boil the 25g of corn sugar in 50ml of water for 5 minutes, cool completely, and add evenly to the fermented beer to provide sugar for natural carbonation. Siphon the clear beer off the top of the yeast sediment into the sanitized amber bottles, leaving 2cm of headspace at the top of each bottle. Use the stainless steel bottle capper to crimp clean metal bottle caps tightly onto each bottle. Let sealed bottles sit at 18C (65F) for 2 weeks to build carbonation, then chill for 3 days before serving.