Subscribe to the Craft Beer & Brewing Podcast:
Chicago’s Dovetail has earned a reputation for its refined yet flavorful lagers, but the team’s dogged approach to traditional methods is less about religion and more about expression—these techniques and processes allow them to imbue their beers with attributes they want while minimizing those they want to avoid or keep in the background. Each beer they make is like a musical score—a recipe designed to hit the right notes with the orchestra of instruments they’ve assembled. Whether that’s multiple decoctions, dropping temperatures in the coolship before adding whole-cone hops to a hop-forward lager, or how often they skim the open fermentors, they’ve considered the cumulative impact of each of the intermediate notes.
In this episode, cofounder Hagen Dost, production manager Brittany Gedwill, and sales director Dan Modica outline their reverent and rigorous approach to making helles, pilsner, and Kölsch-style ale. Along the way, they also touch on:
- creating slushies with aged spontaneous beer
- defining parameters around “traditional methods” for lager brewing
- the benefits of direct-fire decoction
- coolshipping lagers with whole-cone hops for “harmony and cohesion”
- the varying impacts of step mashing, single decoction, and triple decoction with thick and thin mashes
- the necessity of sulfur and malt character in helles
- walking the fine line in timing of Kölsch fermentation
- brewing rauchbier with 95 percent smoked malt
And more.
This episode is brought to you by:
G&D Chillers
For years G&D Chillers has chilled the beers you love, partnering with 3,000+ breweries across the country. They are proud of the cool partnerships they’ve built – offering 24/7 service and support. G&D builds with non-proprietary parts, expert craftsmanship and constant innovation! G&D’s in-house Engineering crew have been piping breweries, wineries, and distilleries for over 30 years. They offer FREE piping design and consultation with the sale of every chiller they build. Reach out for a quote today at gdchillers.com or call to discuss your next project.
Sponsored by BSG, North America’s exclusive distributor of Weyermann® Specialty Malts. For over 140 years Weyermann® Specialty Malts has been helping brewers around the world bring authentic German flavor to their brewhouses. From Caramel malts to the Barke® line and heirloom barley varieties, Weyermann’s malts are sought after and celebrated for their performance and flavor. Bring a taste of Bavaria to your brewhouse and explore Weyermann’s complete portfolio at BSGCraftBrewing.com/Weyermann
Scheduling freight carriers should be the last thing on a brewer's mind, so why not trust the experts to handle freight for your ingredients? Old Orchard has partnered with a leading logistics firm in the craft beverage industry to transport your flavored craft concentrate blends. When you order two pails or more from Old Orchard, you qualify for freight quotes. To get started, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer.
ProBrew is excited to announce that we are currently featuring short lead times, between 2-4 weeks, for our in-stock ProFill Rotary Can Fillers! These can fillers run at speeds between 100 – 600+ cans per minute while achieving precise and consistent filling volumes not achievable by most inline and mobile fillers. For more information, fill out our contact form on www.probrew.com or email [email protected] to learn exactly how we can take your operations to the next level. ProBrew, brew YOUR beer.
Oh you like wildly aromatic IPAs and tropical lagers? Good thing Omega designed Thiolized yeast for just that reason. Thiolized yeast are a new tool for brewers to bring intense guava and passionfruit aromas out of your malt and hops. And wait, there’s more! Omega Yeast makes yeast-to-order with a consistent one week lead time ensuring peak freshness and reliability.
Brewers, are you looking for the best beer, mead, and cider recipes on the planet? Join the American Homebrewers Association to unlock the 2023 National Homebrew Competition medal-winning recipes! American Homebrewers Association members have access nearly 1,400 trusted and tested recipes, plus a Zymurgy® magazine subscription, exclusive discounts, live webinars, instruction videos, and more! Plus, sign up for a membership by December 31, 2023 and select a free brewing book—a $25 value. Learn more at HomebrewersAssociation.org/cbbpod
Brewers need a competitive edge to stay ahead in this market, and Lotus is here to provide that edge with flexible financing solutions. Lotus Beverage Alliance is introducing financial tools tailored exclusively for the needs of brewers and other beverage makers. For the first time, you can utilize your equipment loan to not only purchase essential brewing equipment but also ingredients, small parts, and other consumables. Reach out today to take your craft to the next level. Lotus Beverage Alliance