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Video Tip: The Challenges and Quirks of Brewing Smoky Stjørdalsøl

Jan Chodkowski, co-owner and head brewer at Denver’s Our Mutual Friend, describes the rustic malting process and brewing considerations behind strong, intensely smoky Stjørdalsøl—a Norwegian farmhouse style that they brew once per year.

Jan Chodkowski Feb 28, 2024 - 2 min read

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In Denver’s lively RiNo neighborhood, Our Mutual Friend has won fans and accolades by offering a wide range of characterful beers, from hazy IPAs and barrel-aged barleywines to lagers and mixed-culture saisons. Along the way, OMF also has gained a cult following for its interest in traditional, lesser-known, historically inspired styles—many of them brewed with locally smoked craft malts.

In this 49-minute course, OMF head brewer and co-owner Jan Chodkowski shares his approach to brewing smoky and rustic yet highly drinkable beers. Along the way, he covers:

  • finding information about historical beer styles
  • working with the equipment you have and the ingredients you can get
  • making adjustments for modern smoked malts
  • tips on brewing with juniper berries
  • yeast selection for appropriate character
  • specs and tips on smoky stjørdalsøl and grodziskie
  • working with eccentric, deeply smoky Stjørdal-style malt
  • stjørdalsøl’s long-aging potential
  • adapting grodziskie to your modern brewery and ingredients
  • tips on brewing with 100 percent wheat
  • dialing in grodziskie for balance
  • clarifying and carbonating grodziskie
  • bonus tips on brewing smoked helles (including a “turbid decoction”)

And more.

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