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Notch founder Chris Lohring loves the fact that more craft brewers are embracing lagers—but he has some strong opinions about the best way to brew them.
“‘Crispy boys’ don’t exist,” he says. “Lagers aren’t dry. Clean lager yeast is boring to me.”
Refinement and distinction are his goals, not minimalism, and he and his team use all the tools in the brewer’s toolbox to achieve them—such as adjusting mash schedules and malt bills to build body in low-ABV beers; moving lager mid-fermentation from quasi-open fermentors to conicals before later moving to horizontal tanks; reducing and timing decoctions to fit the goals of individual beers; and considering the impact of mash rests on fermentability, among many other things. It’s not one thing, after all, that makes a lager distinct—in his words, “there’s no magic bullet.”
In this episode, Lohring discusses:
- why Czech pale lager is a category, not a style
- how variable processes in the cellar lead to different expressions of diacetyl
- manipulating a mash schedule to build body and character with more expressive lager yeasts
- what decoctions do and don’t do for lagers
- using small percentages of crystal malt in Czech-style pale lagers
- fermenting with no head pressure, and skimming to optimize flavor and hop character
- the difference between černé pivo and tmavé pivo
- using American hops in Czech-style lager
And more.
G&D Chillers
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ProBrew is changing the game at this year’s CBC in Las Vegas. As part of ProMach Craft Beer Solutions, we are presenting a holistic approach to craft brewing operations. Through our display of animations, holograms, and machinery, we will be highlighting how we can advance every aspect of your production line. Visit go.probrew.com/CBC24 or contact us at [email protected] to schedule one on one time with one of our subject matter experts at Booth #1783 at this year’s show. ProBrew, Brew YOUR Beer.
You might have heard of Old Orchard, but have you heard of their newest flavors? Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to their lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. Old Orchard’s R&D team can also formulate custom blends unique to your needs. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer.
Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast’s Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Available now for made-to-order pitchables at any volume. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com.
ABS Commercial has been a full-service brewery outfitter for more than 10 years. We are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! We know the ins and outs of the brewing and installation process and can design the perfect set-up for you, whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand. Contact us today at [email protected] to discuss your customized brewery needs. ABS Commercial. We are brewers.
Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft-beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world’s greatest breweries and are the cornerstone of many local breweries. To learn more about Ss Brewtech’s innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com.
Some brewers want their water profile to be that of their city and that sounds great ... except for one factor: Depending upon the city and day, the water quality can vary 40 to 50 percent. So a Monday brew can taste very different from a Thursday brew. Savvy brewers know that since beer is like 95 percent water, the best method is to start with the same water every time. Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit US Water Systems.com for a free expert analysis.