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Recipe Kit Original Pilsner
Clean, crisp and brewed cold, the Original Pilsner is a faithful take on the Bohemian style that defined lager brewing. Czech-grown Saaz hops give it a delicate floral aroma with subtle spicy, herbal earthiness over a light malt base.
Extract
4.4-4.6% ABV , Original Pilsner
Makes 21L
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Recipe Kit Original Pilsner
Sale price$59.50
The details
Pilsner is a style where doing it well really matters, there is nowhere to hide in a beer this clean and light. This recipe uses authentic Czech Saaz hops and a cool fermentation range to hit the style accurately, and the malt extract format keeps brew day straightforward without cutting corners on quality. The result is a bright, clear, beautifully bitter pilsner you would be genuinely proud to pour.
About this kit
Clean, crisp, and brewed cold — the Original Pilsner is a faithful take on the Bohemian style that defined lager brewing for the world. Czech-grown Saaz hops give this beer its signature character: a delicate floral aroma with a subtle spicy, herbal earthiness that’s unlike any other hop variety. Built on a light malt extract base and fermented cool for a smooth, clean finish, this is a seriously satisfying kit that rewards patience with a genuinely world-class result. If you love a proper, well-made lager-style pilsner, this one’s for you.
Why brewers love this kit
Pilsner is one of those styles where doing it well really matters , there’s nowhere to hide in a beer this clean and light. This recipe uses authentic Czech Saaz hops and a cool fermentation range to hit the style accurately, and the malt extract format keeps brew day straightforward without cutting corners on quality. The result is a bright, clear, beautifully bitter pilsner that you’d be genuinely proud to pour.
What’s in the box
Each kit contains a carefully selected malt extract base, Czech-grown Saaz hops, and yeast — all pre-measured and ready for brew day. Full ingredient details, weights and step-by-step brew day instructions are included in the box.
Brewing Notes
- Style: Bohemian Pilsner
- Fermentation Range: 10 - 15°C
- Colour EBC: 6 – 8
- IBUs: 30-35 firm hoppy bitterness
- Original Gravity: 1.040 – 1.042
- Final Gravity: 1.010 – 1.012
- ABV: 4.4 – 4.6% Standard Strength
- Volume 21lt
- Recipe Style: Malt Extract Beer Kit
Tasting Notes
- Hop Aroma & Flavour: Floral & mildly spicy noble hop character
- Appearance: Bright & clear, light gold with a frothy white head
- Mouthfeel: Smooth & clean light-medium body with a firm bitter finish
A great gift idea for lager drinkers
If someone in your life is passionate about proper pilsner — the kind that’s bright, crisp, and built around great hops — this kit is a genuinely thoughtful gift. Pair it with one of our starter equipment packs and you’ve got everything needed to brew a classic from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a Bohemian Pilsner different from a standard lager?
Bohemian Pilsner is the original Czech style that most modern lagers are descended from. What sets it apart is the use of Czech Saaz hops, which produce a distinctive spicy, herbal, and floral bitterness that’s much more complex than the neutral bitterness in mainstream commercial lagers. The style is also brewed with soft water and fermented cold for a smooth, clean, highly drinkable result.
Why does this kit ferment at a lower temperature than most?
The recommended fermentation range of 10–15°C is typical for lager-style brewing, which produces a cleaner, crisper fermentation character than ale yeast at warmer temperatures. If your home gets that cool naturally in cooler months, you’re in perfect territory for this kit. A brew fridge or temperature-controlled fermenter works well too if you want to brew it year-round.
What are Czech Saaz hops and what makes them special?
Saaz is one of the world’s four noble hop varieties, grown in the Bohemian region of the Czech Republic for centuries. It has a unique spicy, herbal, and slightly earthy aroma and flavour that’s completely different from the tropical or citrus character of modern craft hops. It’s the defining hop of Czech pilsner — subtle, refined, and genuinely elegant.
How much beer does this kit make?
This kit produces 21 litres — enough for approximately 28 × 750ml longnecks or 55 × 330ml stubbies. Serve it well chilled.
Is this kit suitable for someone new to home brewing?
Yes — it’s a malt extract kit with a clean, manageable process. The main thing to pay attention to is fermentation temperature, which the instructions cover clearly. Someone new to home brewing will find it very achievable, though it’s worth noting that cool fermentation is key to getting the best result from this style.
How long does it take from brew day to drinking?
Plan for around 3–4 weeks in total. Lager-style fermentation at cooler temperatures takes a little longer — around 10–14 days — followed by at least 1–2 weeks of bottle conditioning. The extra patience pays off: a well-conditioned pilsner is genuinely satisfying.
What food pairs well with a pilsner?
Bohemian Pilsner is one of the most food-friendly beer styles there is. It pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, seafood, lighter pasta dishes, fresh salads, and soft cheeses. The crisp bitterness also cuts through fried food brilliantly — schnitzel with a cold pilsner is hard to beat.
What's In The Kit
- Malt extract: carefully selected light malt base
- Hops: Czech-grown Saaz
- Yeast: pre-measured for cool lager-style fermentation
- Instructions: full ingredient details, weights and step-by-step brew day guide
Brew Specs
- Style: Bohemian Pilsner
- Fermentation temp: 10 to 15°C
- Colour (EBC): 6 to 8
- IBU: 30 to 35
- Original gravity: 1.040 to 1.042
- Final gravity: 1.010 to 1.012
- ABV: 4.4 to 4.6%
- Batch volume: 21 litres
- Kit type: Malt extract
Flavour Profile
Hop aroma and flavour: Floral and mildly spicy noble hop character
Appearance: Bright and clear, light gold with a frothy white head
Mouthfeel: Smooth and clean, light-medium body with a firm bitter finish
Appearance: Bright and clear, light gold with a frothy white head
Mouthfeel: Smooth and clean, light-medium body with a firm bitter finish
Who it's for
If you love a proper, well-made lager-style pilsner, this one is for you. New brewers will find it very achievable, cool fermentation is the key to the style. Also a genuinely thoughtful gift for lager drinkers, paired with one of our starter equipment packs.
Buying from us
Quick answers
Questions about this product, shipping and orders. See the FAQ page for more topics.
Customer support:
Monday to Friday, 9-4pm AEST.We normally get back to you within a day—often sooner.
Monday to Friday, 9-4pm AEST.We normally get back to you within a day—often sooner.
What is the difference between a pilsner and a lager?
Pilsner is a specific style within the broader lager family. It originated in Bohemia (Czech Republic) and Germany and is characterised by Saaz hops, which give a clean, spicy, floral bitterness, and a pale, crystal-clear appearance. All pilsners are lagers, but not all lagers are pilsners. This kit produces a pilsner-style beer with the hop and malt profile specific to that tradition.
How do I get my pilsner to come out clear?
When using a high flocculation yeast strain like Mangrove Jack's M84 Bohemian Lager, the yeast will naturally clump together and drop out of suspension once fermentation is complete. Another option is to cold crash the fermenter at 2 to 4 degrees C for 48 to 72 hours after fermentation. Use a fining agent such as Clearfine isinglass at this stage. Avoid disturbing the fermenter when transferring to bottles. Refrigerate bottles for a minimum of 1 week before drinking. Pilsner is one of the styles where clarity most visibly reflects the quality of your process.
What is a malt extract recipe kit?
A malt extract kit provides the main fermentable sugars in a concentrated liquid or dry form, already converted from grain at a commercial brewery. You add water, yeast, hops, then ferment. It skips the grain mashing step, which cuts brew day down to about 30 to 45 minutes while still producing full-flavoured craft beer.
What is the difference between an extract kit and a fresh wort kit?
A fresh wort kit (FWK) delivers pre-brewed, unfermented wort in a bag, ready to pour straight into the fermenter and pitch yeast. No heating required. An extract kit requires you to dissolve the malt in hot water and add hops at various stages, which takes about 30 to 45 minutes. FWKs produce brewery-fresh flavour with almost zero work.
What equipment do I need to brew this kit?
You need a 30-litre fermenter with an airlock, a hydrometer, a thermometer, a long-handled spoon, a bottle capper, crown seals, and bottles. A no-rinse sanitiser is essential. AHB stocks no-rinse sanitiser specifically for home brewing. AHB starter kits include all of this in one bundle if you are starting from scratch.
How long from brew day to first drink?
Allow 4 to 6 weeks total. Fermentation takes 7 to 14 days depending on temperature. After bottling, the beer needs at least 2 to 3 weeks to condition and carbonate. Most kits are at their best around week 5 or 6.
Can a beginner brew this kit?
Yes. Extract recipe kits are the most approachable entry point to home brewing. The malt extract is already prepared, so there is no grain mashing or complex calculations involved. Follow the step-by-step instructions included and you will produce a solid result on your first brew.
Customer support:
Monday to Friday, 9-4pm AEST.We normally get back to you within a day—often sooner.
Monday to Friday, 9-4pm AEST.We normally get back to you within a day—often sooner.
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