Podcast Episode 383: Alex Lawes of Whiplash and Grzegorz Ziemian of Stu Mostów Are Recreating Historical Styles While Pushing Craft Beer Forward in Ireland and Poland

From interviews recorded at 3 Sons Lumberjack Day in Dania Beach, Florida, these two brewers from different corners of Europe cover a range of topics, from using a mash press filter for imperial stouts to riffing on grodziskie with mixed cultures and fruit.

Jamie Bogner Oct 18, 2024 - 7 min read

Podcast Episode 383: Alex Lawes of Whiplash and Grzegorz Ziemian of Stu Mostów Are Recreating Historical Styles While Pushing Craft Beer Forward in Ireland and Poland Primary Image

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This second of two episodes recorded live at 3 Sons Lumberjack Day in September includes two separate interviews. First up is Alex Lawes, cofounder of Dublin, Ireland’s Whiplash—a modern brewery known for progressive styles, but also one that focuses on making those styles in low-ABV form for repeat drinkability. Next up is Grzegorz Ziemian, cofounder of Stu Mostów, a decade-old brewery in Wrocław, Poland, and one of several in that country that helped usher in a new wave of excitement for craft beer.

Through the discussion, among other topics, Lawes touches on:

  • using a mash press filter to improve efficiency but also protect delicate flavors
  • the impact of the mash filter on enzyme availability and mash times
  • dialing in pressure to suit the needs of specific styles, such as hazy IPA
  • achieving a more concentrated imperial stout wort without long boils
  • managing hop creep in low-ABV beers
  • building a better recipe for dry Irish stout
  • the beauty of 2.8 percent ABV “micro” IPA

Meanwhile, Ziemian discusses:

  • recreating historical recipes such as schöps
  • building a mixed-fermentation brewery in 2022
  • widening the range of grodziskie via mixed fermentation
  • Baltic porter in Poland

And more.

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Jamie Bogner is the cofounder and editorial director of Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®. Email him at [email protected].

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