Premium All Grain Recipe Kit

Brew a crisp, refreshing and distinctly hop-forward lager with our New Zealand Pilsner All Grain Recipe Kit.

Premium Pilsner malt creates a clean, delicate malt foundation, while small additions of Carapils and Acidulated Malt support head retention, body and mash performance.

Motueka hops contribute fresh lime, citrus and subtle tropical-fruit character. Nelson Sauvin adds distinctive white grape, gooseberry and tropical notes, producing the expressive New Zealand hop profile that defines this modern lager style.

A carefully controlled combination of boil additions, an 80°C hop stand and a small 25g Nelson Sauvin dry hop builds fresh hop flavour and aroma without overwhelming the beer’s crisp lager character.

Fermentis SafLager SH-45 is a thiol-enhancing lager yeast selected to complement the New Zealand hops and promote a clean fermentation profile with enhanced tropical and citrus expression.

At approximately 4.2% ABV and 31 IBU, this recipe delivers bright hop character, smooth bitterness and a clean, highly refreshing finish.

Each kit makes approximately 23 litres of beer and is packed to order by Border Brewing Supplies. Choose milled grain, freshly crushed for your brewing system, or unmilled grain for crushing at home.

Why You'll Love This Kit

• Modern New Zealand-style Pilsner

• Fresh lime, citrus and tropical hop character

• White grape and gooseberry notes from Nelson Sauvin

• Motueka and Nelson Sauvin New Zealand hops

• Small 25g dry hop for increased aroma

• Thiol-enhancing SafLager SH-45 yeast

• Crisp and refreshing 4.2% lager

• Firm yet balanced bitterness

• Makes approximately 23 litres

• Choice of freshly milled or unmilled grain

• Complete Brewfather recipe supplied

• Suitable for most all grain brewing systems

Flavour Profile

Style: New Zealand Pilsner

Appearance: Pale gold with a bright white head

Aroma: Lime, citrus, white grape, gooseberry and tropical fruit

Flavour: Clean Pilsner malt with expressive Motueka and Nelson Sauvin hop character

Bitterness: Firm, clean and balanced

Body: Light with gentle malt structure

Finish: Crisp, dry and refreshing with lingering citrus and tropical hop notes

What's Included

• 4.5kg Pilsner Malt

• 150g Acidulated Malt

• 150g Carapils/Carafoam

• 50g Motueka Hops

• 50g Nelson Sauvin Hops

• 1 × Fermentis SafLager SH-45 Yeast

• Complete Brewfather recipe and brewing specifications

Choose to have your grain freshly milled and packed to order or supplied unmilled for crushing at home.

The complete supplied 50g packet of Motueka and 50g packet of Nelson Sauvin are used in the recipe.

Whirlfloc, Servomyces yeast nutrient and brewing-water salts are shown in the recipe but are available separately.

Hop Schedule

Boil Additions

• 15g Motueka at 60 minutes

• 10g Nelson Sauvin at 10 minutes

• 15g Nelson Sauvin at 5 minutes

• 10g Motueka at 5 minutes

Hop Stand

• 25g Motueka for 20 minutes at 80°C

Dry Hop

• 25g Nelson Sauvin on day two of fermentation

The dry hop is deliberately restrained to improve fresh hop aroma while preserving the beer’s crisp Pilsner character and drinkability.

Recipe Specifications

Hochkurz Mash Profile

This Hochkurz mash schedule produces a fermentable wort while retaining enough malt structure and dextrins to support the beer’s hop character and head retention.

Fermentation Profile

• Pitch and begin fermentation at 14°C

• Hold at 14°C for approximately nine days

• Increase to 17°C for approximately five days

• Add 25g Nelson Sauvin on day two of fermentation

• Confirm fermentation is complete with stable gravity readings

• Cold-condition until the beer is clear and fully matured

• Carbonate to approximately 2.7 volumes of CO₂

Recommended Water Profile

The moderately sulphate-forward profile helps sharpen the hop character and supports a clean, crisp finish without making the bitterness harsh.

Sulphate-to-chloride ratio: Approximately 1.4

Target mash pH: Approximately 5.31

Complete Brewfather Recipe

View the complete New Zealand Pilsner recipe in Brewfather for detailed water volumes, mash temperatures, hop additions and fermentation instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What style of beer does this recipe produce?

This recipe produces a modern New Zealand Pilsner combining the clean, refreshing character of a pale lager with expressive New Zealand hop flavour and aroma.

It is hoppier and more aromatic than a traditional European Pilsner while remaining crisp, balanced and highly drinkable.

What does New Zealand Pilsner taste like?

Expect clean Pilsner malt supported by fresh lime, citrus, white grape, gooseberry and tropical-fruit flavours.

The bitterness is firm but balanced, with a crisp finish and lingering New Zealand hop character.

What hops are used?

The recipe uses Motueka and Nelson Sauvin.

Motueka contributes lime, citrus and subtle tropical flavours, while Nelson Sauvin provides distinctive white grape, gooseberry and tropical-fruit character.

Does this recipe include a dry hop?

Yes. The revised recipe includes a small 25g Nelson Sauvin dry hop added on day two of fermentation.

This addition improves fresh hop aroma and works with the SH-45 yeast while keeping the beer balanced and recognisably lager-like.

Why is the dry hop added on day two?

Adding Nelson Sauvin during active fermentation encourages interaction between the hops and the thiol-enhancing SH-45 yeast.

This can promote greater tropical and citrus expression while allowing fermentation activity to help manage oxygen introduced during the addition.

Do I use all the supplied hops?

Yes. The complete 50g packet of Motueka and 50g packet of Nelson Sauvin are used.

The Motueka is divided between the boil and hop stand, while the Nelson Sauvin is divided between the boil and dry hop.

Why is SafLager SH-45 used?

Fermentis SafLager SH-45 is designed for clean, hop-forward lager styles. Its thiol-enhancing characteristics complement New Zealand hops and can increase the perception of tropical and citrus aroma.

Is one packet of SH-45 sufficient?

The recipe includes one packet of SafLager SH-45 for a 23-litre batch with an original gravity of approximately 1.042.

The fermentation begins at 14°C, which supports a reliable fermentation from a single fresh packet when the wort is properly oxygenated and the yeast is handled correctly.

Can I choose whether my grain is milled or unmilled?

Yes. Choose freshly milled grain, crushed and packed to order by Border Brewing Supplies, or unmilled grain if you prefer to crush it yourself.

What brewing systems can I use?

This recipe is suitable for most all grain brewing systems, including:

• Grainfather

• BrewZilla

• Guten

• RoboBrew

• Brew in a Bag systems

• Traditional three-vessel systems

The recipe is calculated at 70% brewhouse efficiency and can be adjusted in Brewfather to suit your equipment.

What temperature should I use for fermentation?

Begin fermentation at approximately 14°C. After approximately nine days, increase the temperature to 17°C and allow fermentation to finish.

Always confirm fermentation is complete with stable gravity readings before cold-conditioning or packaging.

Does this beer need to be lagered?

Cold-conditioning is recommended. It improves clarity, smooths the bitterness and allows the clean malt, fermentation and New Zealand hop characteristics to integrate.

Are Whirlfloc and Servomyces included?

No. Whirlfloc, Servomyces yeast nutrient and brewing-water salts are shown in the Brewfather recipe but are available separately.

Is this recipe suitable for beginners?

This kit is best suited to brewers who have completed at least one all grain batch and can control fermentation temperature.

The mash and boil schedules are straightforward, but careful dry-hop handling and temperature control will help produce the best result.

How much beer does the recipe make?

The recipe is designed to produce approximately 23 litres of finished beer at 70% brewhouse efficiency.

Why Buy from Border Brewing Supplies?

Border Brewing Supplies packs every all grain recipe kit to order at our Tweed Heads South home brew shop. Choose freshly milled or unmilled grain to suit your brewing system and preferred crush.

We supply home brewers throughout Tweed Heads, the Gold Coast, Northern Rivers, Brisbane and the wider Queensland–New South Wales border region, with Australia-wide shipping also available.

Every kit is prepared using carefully selected brewing ingredients and includes a complete Brewfather recipe to help you achieve consistent results from mash through to fermentation and packaging.

Recommended Products

For the best brewing results, consider adding:

• Whirlfloc Tablets

• Servomyces Yeast Nutrient

• Brewing Water Salts

• Digital Brewing Thermometer

• Sodium Percarbonate or PBW Cleaner

• No-Rinse Sanitiser