Globe Hopping
Sometimes it seems as though hops will grow almost anywhere — and in all honesty, they probably will — but because of a combination of geography, climate, and the needs and wants of modern brewers a few specific regions around the world produce the overwhelming majority of the world’s hops. This isn’t an accident. Hops grow best under specific (and sometimes contradictory) conditions, and there are only a few places in the world where those conditions come together to produce hops to meet the demand from brewers around the world. Moreover, each of these regions has found its niche in producing specific types of hops with particular flavor or compositional characteristics, and it is becoming increasingly common to hear brewers discussing terroir (a French term often used in winemaking to describe the environment where the grapes were produced), and the contributions of local environments to the overall flavor of the beer.
In light of that, as brewers it’s in our interests to get a good handle on what hops come from what regions, why, and where new opportunities might exist for hop production. It’s a wide world of hops out there!
Growing Hops
The first thing to know before we discuss regions is that hops love the sun. John Snyder, co-founder of Yakima Valley Hops in Yakima, Washington, notes that a major reason that places like the Yakima Valley are such prolific hops producers is the peculiar desire of hops for long, sunny days and cool nights. As a result, it’s not surprising that we look to specific ranges of latitude to find good hops growing regions – 35-55 degrees north and south latitude brings much of the northern US, Europe, and New Zealand into play. During summer in these far northern (or southern) areas you get lots of hours of sunlight without a lot of punishing heat (though hops are pretty hardy, and can definitely handle some hot days).
The second thing hops love — after sun — is water. This creates a bit of a dilemma for hop growers, since there simply aren’t many places where you get lots of sun as well as lots of rain. The reason for this water greediness is that hop plants will grow by as much as one foot (0.3 m) per day during the summer, and this creates a real demand for water. In regions that don’t naturally see lots of rainfall, hops can become very irrigation-intensive.
Hops also need space. Not laterally, but vertically — in fact, one advantage of growing hops is that a single acre can accommodate more than 1,000 individual plants. Trellises for hops are typically 18–20 feet (~5–6 m) in height, which provides ample opportunity for the hop bines (not vines — bines) to climb, and similar varieties can be planted fairly close to each other (within a couple of feet) without endangering their ability to grow.
Terroir
Beyond these general conditions, much can (and probably should) be made of the specific contributions that are made by the place in which hops are grown. Terroir, as a concept, suggests that a specific place – its climate, geological history, soil composition, microbiota, and more – will impart flavors that are unique to that place. Just as certain breweries have a “house flavor” that devotees can identify and actively seek out, hop regions and even specific hop farms (and even specific fields) have unique attributes that impart subtle (or not-so-subtle) flavors in the hops.
Yakima Valley’s John Snyder tells us that although hops farmers are constantly experimenting and tinkering with their harvests and fields, they have a great sense of how small changes in the conditions and microclimates on their farms impact the final product. Much is also made of soil composition and the processes through which individual farmers replenish their soil with nutrients, whether through crop rotation, use of fertilizers, or mixing hop byproducts back into the soil. Every farm, John says, has its own secret method, and hops farms are often multi-generational affairs that allow for an almost dynastic quality, with methods being passed down from one generation to the next.
In the history of hops migration — moving with farmers as they settled in new places — there are stories of great success, but also of dramatic failures. For example, the hops of Flanders, Belgium proved a poor fit for the United Kingdom. Also, early British settlers in the Americas often struggled with hops that simply wouldn’t take in the New World. Some lost their bittering capacity, while others grew poorly in the new soil, while others took off like the weeds they are but produced very little (or even foul-smelling) essential oils. These were not simply changes wrought by a different latitude or weather condition or soil chemical — it was all of those, and more. Ali Capper of Stocks Farm Homebrew Hops in Worcestershire, England notes that, for example, hops grown in the UK tend to have lower levels of myrcene (an essential oil) than identical strains grown in the US and New Zealand — “that’s terroir in action!”
Put simply, a Cascade or Hallertau hop plant will produce a very different product from one region to the next.
Hop Growing Regions
Here are some of the major hops-producing regions, a run-down on their regional attributes, and a list of hops common to the farms in the region:
US: Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States (Oregon, Idaho, and Washington, particularly) is the new epicenter of the hop-producing world. The United States overtook Germany as the world’s leading producer of hops in 2015, thanks almost entirely to this region, which by percentage produces nearly all (about 95%) of the 80-100 million pounds (~36,000,000–45,000,000 kg) of hops produced in the US. The region is fed by high capacity (with hops cultivation increasing by 17% last year according to an industry group), nearly-ideal conditions with nearly 300 days of sunshine punctuated by regular rain, and the structural bonus of melting snow pack to help water the hops and keep the ground well-saturated. It is also fed by high demand, with breweries in the US and around the world seeking out the region’s famed high-alpha acid hops for efficient bittering and their oils-rich hops that are bursting with citrus, floral, and pine flavors — especially since many of the varieties available feature both attributes.
Notable hops from the region include the classics like Willamette and the American “C” hops (Cascade, Columbus, Centennial, etc.), the now-omnipresent Citra® and CTZ varieties, and true American originals like Amarillo®. It’s also worth noting that many contemporary American hops varieties were developed in cooperation with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), though experimental hops programs are now standard at PNW hops farms.
Germany
Much like the American Pacific Northwest, the German region of Hallertau benefits from good growing conditions and significant local demand (the breweries of Munich being just a short drive away). The regional appellation of Hallertau attaches itself to a variety of hops from the region, and Hallertau Mittelfrüh was once the predominate hop in the country (thanks, in part, to noble patronage from the Duke of Bavaria). Since that time, it has faced increased competition thanks to an active and productive breeding program at the Hull Hop Research Institute, which since 1926 has been experimenting with hybrids and selective breeding of classic German hops. Regional terroir is still a big part of the equation, though: Most of the Hull-bred hops are derived from traditional “landrace” hops (openly-pollinated, domesticated varieties).
Notable hops from the region include Hallertau Mittelfrüh (still quite popular) with its spice and fruity flavors, the more-herbal Tettnang (a member of the Saazer family of hops), and newer (and stronger!) hops like Mandarina Bavaria (which, as its name suggests, imparts significant orange and tangerine flavors) and Polaris, a high-alpha acid hop with a unique pineapple-mint flavor.
Czech Republic
Another classic brewing center with the right conditions and royal assistance (this time from Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV), the Czech Republic is renowned for the Saaz hop, which derives its name from the major city in the region (Zatec) and accounts for nearly two thirds of all Czech hops production. Although not an especially ideal region for hop growing, historically consistent demand for Saaz as a uniquely “Bohemian” hop has allowed the Czech Republic to stake out the fifth position on the list of top hops-producing countries, and what Saaz and its cousins lack in bittering potential they make up for in earthy, herbal, and floral flavors.
Notable hops include (obviously) Saaz, but, more recently, Czech hops farmers have produced higher-alpha varieties like Premiant and Bor, which offer some of the same Saazer flavors but with double-digit percentage alpha acid content.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has been a hop-centric agricultural center for its entire existence — it was under James I that the United Kingdom became the United Kingdom (merging England, Scotland, and Wales), and James was actively managing the hops industry of his kingdom as early as 1603, approving a Parliamentary ban on imported hops over their lack of quality. No less a sage than Charles Dickens praised the beauty of English hops fields, which he documented while traveling through Kent by train. In the modern era, after decades of shrinking production, British hops production has rebounded, thanks in large part to a growing craft beer scene, experimental breeding at Wye College, and global demand for the impressive array of earthy and herbal flavors to be found in their hops. Kent is the most productive region, and farmers in the area (which is known as the “Garden of England”) point to the mild weather and sea-salt breezes off the North Sea as the source of the refined flavor profile of East Kent hops.
Notable hops from the region include East Kent Goldings (a classic herbal dry hop developed, much like the German varieties, from wild hops in the 17th and 18th centuries), Fuggle (which features prominently in many English pale ale recipes), and more-recent high-alpha varieties like Admiral and Phoenix. Ali Capper, co-operator of Stocks Farm, a hops farm in Worcestershire, England, points out that the specific growing conditions of England contribute to the success of hops like Goldings: “Goldings will not grow very well in the main hop growing region in the USA . . . as it is simply too hot and dry in the summer. So for the perfect hop growing region you must grow a locally bred hop, one that can grow well in the local conditions.”
New Zealand/Australia
“Down Under” hops have been quite the rage of late, and their popularity is very much driven by their unique terroir. Much like the Pacific Northwest, New Zealand and Southern Australia benefit from the unique combination of high latitudes, abundant sun, and frequent rain. But the flavors produced by the combination of local conditions, local varieties of hops, and cross-breeding with traditional hops from the rest of the world’s growing regions have created an entire family of new hops that feature exceptionally high alpha acid content and bright lemony flavors that are unique to hops from the region. The relative scarcity of these hops also adds to their desirability. Since much of the southern hemisphere’s “hop belt” is covered in water, there are few hop-producing regions there, but New Zealand and Australia are busily expanding hops cultivation to make their products easier to get.
Notable hops include the white-wine-like Nelson Sauvin, the lime-flavored Motueka and Wakatu, and the citrus-bomb Riwaka.
France and Slovenia
We probably don’t think of France as often as some other regions around the world when we think of beer and brewing, but it would be a mistake to overlook the French contribution to hop culture, which remains strong in some parts of the country (particularly the Alsace region). Hop cultivation in the area dates to at least the 13th century, and the same regional characteristics that produce outstanding wine grapes lend a helping hand to the area’s hops production. Likewise, Slovenia deserves to be counted among the world’s top hop producers thanks to the popularity of its dominant hop.
There may only be one hop that we consider resolutely “French,” but it’s a great one! France is home to the Strisselspalt hop, grown in the Rhine River valley. A landrace hop, it shares a lot of the characteristics of the Hallertau varieties, and contributes a well-rounded spice, herbal, floral, and fruity aroma to a wide range of regional beers (both German and French!). Meanwhile, in Slovenia, the Styrian Goldings hop was developed (confusingly) from Fuggle, but the local conditions made it much fruitier while retaining the earthy character of its English forerunner.
No Place Like Home?
Ultimately, a good working knowledge of hops regions is valuable in that we can more-precisely dial in our recipes. It also allows us to consider and appreciate the kind of things that make our beer work, and when we might need to make adjustments. Knowing whether it was a rainy spring in Bohemia or a dry summer in Yakima will tell you what hops options you might have — and when you might want to start hunting elsewhere!
Which brings me to my final point: Place really does matter. Be creative and thoughtful in your hops selections, and beer you love will surely follow. It’s a wide world of hops out there — do your research and take advantage of it.
(Sidebar) American Regional Small-Scale Hop Farms
For as much credit — deserved, for sure — that the American Pacific Northwest receives for supplying the hops demand from the thousands of American breweries now in existence or permitted, there’s an undercurrent that is worth paying attention to: Small-scale commercial hops farms are popping up all over the United States. Whether it’s because of a trend towards “sourcing locally” or the demands of the marketplace, we’re seeing hops being grown in a lot more than the Yakima and Willamette Valleys. Small-scale commercial hops farms are functioning in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and all across New England — and while their yields are still a tiny fraction of the overall hops market, they’re servicing a valuable need. We’re even seeing commercial hops operations in places like Colorado and Florida, which are not ideal, geographically, for growing hops, but are still capable of producing high-quality crops.
In a way, this trend is just Americans getting back to their roots. Farming settlers in New England and the Mid-Atlantic regions were often not working with the best of soils as those who settled further inland were, and as a result many turned to alternative crops. While this choice was, often, potatoes (simply to survive), a great many colonial-era farmers also grew hops. The top hops-producing state at the time of the Civil War was New York. As agricultural science and shipping capacity increased, though, hops farming migrated west and largely stayed there.
But a renewed interest brewing with entirely local ingredients (often as part of the larger “locavore” movement) has resulted in greater demand for local grain, local maltsters, and (logically) locally-grown hops. The specialized regional climate of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon is an ideal setting for the production of the best hops, at least if we’re defining “best” in terms of alpha acids and essential oils. However, hops are ridiculously hardy and can grow almost anywhere, and when your goal is local hops to make truly local beer, then a beer with 6% alpha acid content and a bit less aroma is a small price to pay. In addition, the same growing conditions that yield such interesting varieties in hops around the world (even when grown from the same parent hop) means that locavores may even identify hops that outperform their “big hop” competitors.
Hop farmers often receive assistance from state governments looking to capitalize on hops as a cash crop. New York, Indiana, Michigan, and others offer start-up assistance, loan guarantees, and more in exchange for this burgeoning hops industry. Even the USDA has a program to assist small farmers, which includes hops farmers.
Then there’s the impact of beer style preferences. We all know that hoppy beers (at least, beers that have pronounced hops flavor and aroma, if not bitterness) are far and away the most popular in the US at the moment (with no signs of slowing down). This isn’t limited to pale ales, either, and in fact many traditional styles are popping up in the market with bigger and bigger hop profiles. “Wet-hopped” beers (beers made with freshly-picked hops) are likewise growing in popularity. If all of our hops come from one corner of the country, then local breweries would be shut out of the wet-hopped beer market — and we can’t have that, can we? Small local hops farms to the rescue! Many breweries are even getting into the business of growing their own hops on-site, if the conditions (and their acreage) allow for it. Hardywood’s “Community Hopping Project” in Richmond, Virginia (https://hardywood.com/blog-posts/this-is-exciting-7252016/) is another novel approach, with brewery patrons receiving free rhizomes and technical advice on growing at home in exchange for a portion of their harvest to fuel the brewery’s harvest ales.
According to an industry report, hops production in the United States increased by 18% in 2016, and in that same time increased by 17% in the Pacific Northwest. Outside of that region, though, hops acreage increased by 65%, with 30 states now producing their own hops. And, lest we forget the smallest hops producers of all, remember that you, too, can grow your own hops! Yakima Valley Hops’ John Snyder, when asked about the best new or underutilized region for hops growing, replied: “Your own backyard.” Challenge accepted. For more information about growing and harvesting your own hops at home, check out William Gardner’s story in the March-April 2017 issue of Brew Your Own.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Peachtree IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.015
IBU = 66 SRM = 9 ABV = 6.1%
Ingredients
10 lbs. (4.5 kg) 2-row pale malt
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) Munich malt
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (20 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
13 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.)
1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids)
13 AAU Simcoe® hops (5 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids)
9 AAU Amarillo® hops (0 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 9% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Citra® hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 3.9 gallons (14.8 L) of 165 °F (74 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 153 °F (67 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with 3.1 gallons (11.7 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list.
After the boil, turn off heat and whirlpool for 15 minutes. Then chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 65 °F (18 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 69 °F (21 °C) for six days. Add the dry hops and hold at 69 °F (21 °C) for four more days. Once the beer reaches terminal gravity, bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes. You may want to cold-crash the beer prior to packaging to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours to improve clarity.
Peachtree IPA
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.060 FG = 1.015
IBU = 66 SRM = 9 ABV = 6.1%
Ingredients
6.75 lbs. (3.1 kg) pale liquid malt extract
1.25 lbs. (0.57 kg) Munich malt
0.75 lb. (0.34 kg) crystal malt (20 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) crystal malt (40 °L)
13 AAU Nugget hops (60 min.)
1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids)
13 AAU Simcoe® hops (5 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 13% alpha acids)
9 AAU Amarillo® hops (0 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 9% alpha acids)
1 oz. (28 g) Citra® hops (dry hop)
Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) or Safale US-05 yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Bring 5.6 gallons (21.2 L) of water to approximately 162 °F (72 °C) and hold there, and steep milled specialty grains in grain bags for 15 minutes. Remove the grain bags, and let drain fully. Add liquid extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Bring the wort to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list.
After the boil, turn off heat and whirlpool for 15 minutes. Then chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 65 °F (18 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 69 °F (21 °C) for six days. Add the dry hops and hold at 69 °F (21 °C) for four more days. Once the beer reaches terminal gravity, bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes. You may want to cold-crash the beer prior to packaging to 35 °F (2 °C) for 48 hours to improve clarity.
Tips for Success:
This is a relatively low-ABV IPA, but don’t worry too much about the bitterness overpowering the beer. The late additions of super-fruity American hops will also add an impression of sweetness to the beer. The good news is that if the beer is a little too bitter for your palate right away, the big late hops additions should hold up to a bit of aging, so you can wait a few weeks for the bitterness to start to drop and still have a great IPA to drink.
UNITED KINGDOM
Bag O’ Nails Bitter
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.012
IBU = 36 SRM = 11 ABV = 4.6%
Ingredients
8 lbs. (3.6 kg) Maris Otter pale malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Victory® malt (28 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) British medium crystal malt (45 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) British dark crystal malt (90 °L)
5 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
5 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (30 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
4 AAU Fuggle hops (5 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Fuggle hops (optional dry hop)
Wyeast 1318 (London Ale III) yeast
1⁄2 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 3 gallons (11.2 L) of 164 °F (74 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152 °F (67 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with 4.3 gallons (16.2 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list.
After the boil, turn off heat and whirlpool for 15 minutes. Then chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 62 °F (17 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 63 °F (17 °C) for seven days, then allow to free-rise to 66 °F (19 °C). Once the beer reaches terminal gravity, bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 1.5 volumes.
If dry hopping, add after the completion of fermentation and wait four days before packaging.
Bag O’ Nails Bitter
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.012
IBU = 36 SRM = 11 ABV = 4.6%
Ingredients
5.5 lbs. (2.5 kg) pale liquid malt extract
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Victory® malt (28 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) British medium crystal malt (45 °L)
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) British dark crystal malt (90 °L)
5 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (60 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
5 AAU East Kent Goldings hops (30 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 5% alpha acids)
4 AAU Fuggle hops (5 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Fuggle hops (optional dry hop)
Wyeast 1318 (London Ale III) yeast
1⁄2 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Bring 5.6 gallons (21.2 L) of water to approximately 162 °F (72 °C) and hold there, and steep milled specialty grains in grain bags for 15 minutes. Remove the grain bags, and let drain fully. Add liquid extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Bring the wort to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list.
After the boil, turn off heat and whirlpool for 15 minutes. Then chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 62 °F (17 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 63 °F (17 °C) for seven days, then allow to free-rise to 66 °F (19 °C). Once the beer reaches terminal gravity, bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 1.5 volumes.
If dry hopping, add after the completion of fermentation and wait four days before packaging.
Tips for Success:
The question on this beer is about the dry hopping. If you want to showcase the aroma and flavors of your traditional English hops, go ahead and do it! If you’re more in the market for the bread and biscuit and toffee flavors of English malt, then maybe take a pass on the dry hops. Your call! You might even try splitting your batch in half and dry hop one, leave the other as is. Then taste the two finished beers side by side later to see which profile you like best.
GERMANY
Better German Pils
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.052 FG = 1.013
IBU = 35 SRM = 5 ABV = 5.2%
Ingredients
10 lbs. (4.5 kg) Pilsner malt
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Victory® malt
7 AAU Polaris hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 14% alpha acids)
4 AAU Hallertau hops (15 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4% alpha acids)
2 AAU Hallertau hops (5 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) or White Labs WLP820 (Oktoberfest/Märzen Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Mill the grains and mix with 3.3 gallons (12.4 L) of 164 °F (73 °C) strike water to reach a mash temperature of 152 °F (67 °C). Hold this temperature for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until your runnings are clear. Sparge the grains with 3.1 gallons (11.7 L) and top up as necessary to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredients list.
After the boil, turn off heat and whirlpool for 15 minutes. Then chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 50 °F (10 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 52 °F (11 °C) for seven days, then allow to free-rise to 60 °F (16 °C). Once the beer reaches terminal gravity, bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes. Lager for at least four weeks at 32 °F (0 °C) after conditioning before drinking.
Better German Pils
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.052 FG = 1.013
IBU = 35 SRM = 5 ABV = 5.2%
Ingredients
7 lbs. (3.2 kg) Pilsner liquid malt extract
0.5 lb. (0.23 kg) Victory® malt
7 AAU Polaris hops (60 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 14% alpha acids)
4 AAU Hallertau hops (15 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 4% alpha acids)
2 AAU Hallertau hops (5 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 4% alpha acids)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) or White Labs WLP820 (Oktoberfest/Märzen Lager) yeast
3⁄4 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Bring 5.6 gallons (21.2 L) of water to approximately 162 °F (72 °C) and hold there, and steep milled specialty grains in grain bags for 15 minutes. Remove the grain bags, and let drain fully. Add liquid extract while stirring, and stir until completely dissolved. Bring the wort to a boil. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops according to the ingredient list.
After the boil, turn off heat and whirlpool for 15 minutes. Then chill the wort to slightly below fermentation temperature, about 50 °F (10 °C). Aerate the wort with pure oxygen or filtered air and pitch yeast.
Ferment at 52 °F (11 °C) for seven days, then allow to free-rise to 60 °F (16 °C). Once the beer reaches terminal gravity, bottle or keg the beer and carbonate to approximately 2.5 volumes. Lager for at least four weeks at 32 °F (0 °C) after conditioning before drinking.
Tips for Success:
Don’t be concerned about the simplicity of this recipe: A high-quality German Pilsner malt will provide a nice bready, honeylike background flavor and the small addition of Victory® malt will enhance the grainy character. In addition, the firm bitterness and herbal hops flavor and aroma will give this beer a great rustic flavor! Do, though, be sure to ferment this beer nice and cold, to minimize the risk of esters.
A touch of sulfur is fine, and will likely dissipate, but a fruity ester will ruin the clean, lager palate, and if that’s going to happen we might as well just be drinking a Kölsch.
