novakova Brew Session

11/15 4.91 sparge pH 133F p-rest 150 s rest 5' decoction 160-162F after returning decoction to mashtun 5.46 /1.067 first runnings 5.66 second runnings 6.07/1.013 final runnings /-8 mL phos to mash during lauter 5.60/1.043 pre-boil 16mL phos to BK 2mL phos @ EOB 5.24 post-boil, 1.053 O.G. Lengthy but smooth brew. Topped up last .125-.25 gal of lauter with HLT water. O.G. was probably on spec to be 1.051-1.052. Moved my burner and had some issues getting the burner dialed in. First brew in a years with the hop filter. Forgot it needs to be suspended. Last 10-15 minutes I put it right on the base of the BK. Got a little caramelization beneath it, but not much. KO'd at 62F and pitched yeast (3 packs). Set the ferm chamber to 50F. 11/23@1.036 Set temp controller to 55F 11/28@1.024 Unrestricted yesterday. This beer is creeping along. Starting to taste like beer, though. 12/1@1.016. Tasting good. Wouldn't mind getting another couple points out of it, but it's just about wrapped up. Tasting good. Searing Saaz flavor. 12/4@1.012. Will keg today 12/27. Lagered for 2 weeks at this point. Pale gold. You can't read a newspaper through the other side of a stein, but it's quite close. Insane, tight, lasting foam. Slightly sweet malt and a touch of honey. Prominent bitterness that is a touch coarse. Spicy, herbal saaz, with a touch of its lemon character. Dispense issues aside, if this beer were 1.046-1.010, it would be excellent. Bitterness would need to be toned down a touch. As is, it's a hair too big, and that seems to bolstering the body of the beer in a way that I don't particularly care for. More like a very bitter helles. While it is traditional, I may prefer a non-decocted Czech pale lager. I also think yeast is part of what I don't care for. There's a roundness to the malt character that this yeast produces, it's just a hair much. Really close, and really good, but I think I need to brew a slightly different czech lager.