Fall Beer Sightings (2022)

Yeast autolysis is sometimes said to give beer a meaty off-flavor.

 

Yeah, I've heard that -- but not sure I know what it tastes like in a beer. I've tasted the meat tenderizer character before, but full-on beef stew is so complex with multiple flavors... in beer?

 

Yeah, I guess it depends on the recipe... I'm sure there are some pretty bland, meat-dominated ones. I always add a lot of fresh garlic cloves when I'm sauteing the onions and some tomato paste for the gravy. Lots of vegetables, of course. It always tastes better the next day, too, so I usually double the recipe. (Oh, shit - OT - I'm gonna get deleted again!).

 

Yeah "meaty" or "beefy" would be a good way to describe it too and I pick it up in some of these beers.

 

With me, it seems like I get a lot of DMS from the breweries that are a little less-than proficient at lager brewing.

And the ubiquitous Ami Okto caramel to attempt to make up for decoction mashing.

 

If anybody is expecting that the German brewed Oktoberfest beers that are commonly exported to the US is produced via decoction mashing they are likely to be disappointed. Below is something I posted waaay back in 2013:

“Below is something that Kai Troester published on his blog concerning decoction:

“It is traditional in many continental European beer styles, especially in Germany and the Czech Republic. But most breweries in these regions have switched to the more economical directly heated step infusion mashing.”

For those interested in the details of conducting a decoction mash, Kai provides a lot of great information: http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Decoction_Mashing

And for the few small(er) German breweries who may be using decoction I am fairly certain that the HUGE increases in energy prices in Germany this year they will likely have to switch to step mashing in order to remain in business.

Cheers!

P.S. During my visit to the Czech Republic in 2019 I toured several breweries and they were still conducting decoction mashing. I wonder if increasing energy costs will sometime soon impact this practice in the Czech Republic as well?

 

Anyone looking for a good read on decoction mashing, and why many American brewers use the method for their lagers, Evan Rail is (once again) a great source:
https://beerandbrewing.com/brewing-traditions-why-decoction-matters/

Even more pro tips.
https://beerandbrewing.com/video-tip-dovetail-2/

 

Below is an extract from an article Jeff Allworth wrote 7 years ago (with emphasis in bold by me):

“Here’s the thing. Although decoction mashing is still very much alive in the Czech Republic—by law, in order to be classified a “Czech beer,” the beer must have been made with decoction mashing—a great many people doubt it has any appreciable effect on the flavor of beer. In Germany, decoction is a more old-fashioned technique. It is likely to be practiced at the Bavarian village brewpub, but larger, more modern breweries often skip it. When I visited Ayinger, I was not surprised to find the standard four-vessel arrangement typical of decoction breweries. But the mash cooker was in disuse. Immediately after installing the new brewery, Ayinger ditched decoction. My tour guide, John Forster, was dismissive. “It’s more effective now to do infusion. We say decoction is for old breweries. We can do it, but it’s not necessary.”

https://allaboutbeer.com/decoction-mashing/

Cheers!

 

I keep hearing echoes of "Germany" and I've only ever mentioned U.S.

 

If they don't do decoction mashing anymore, they should tell their marketing people, or the people who update/maintain their website.

At least one of their beers is listed as being double-decocted--their Kirtabier: "The intensive double decoction mashing with the mixture of three malts gives the beer a warm, brown color and a well-balanced, full-bodied, solid aromatic malty quality."

https://www.ayinger.de/cms/index.php/kirtabier-274.html

 

I agree.

Cheers!

 

@steveh

Don't want to rub it in, but I had the pleasure of having Spaten on draft this past weekend. Probably the best Oktoberfest I've had this season (I've had quite a few already). And that's for either style (pale or amber).

I have a couple bottles too. Fingers crossed you get some.

 

the local distro keeps telling my retailers "Next week." And we're not even talking draft.

 

Found Weihenstephaner Festbier cans today -- $10 for the 4-pack.

Definitely a benchmark of the style.

 

Same here in Maryland. I'm really surprised spaten normally shows up early august.

 

A few years ago Spaten Okto never showed in my county at all. I had to travel into the next to find it. Hope we're not on a repeat cycle.

 

I think mine were bottled in May, so you at least have that going for you.

 

Right -- my fingers are crossed... if it ever shows, that is.

 

What stood out this year? IIRC (and maybe I don't), the Spaten wasn't at the top of your list last year.

 

Insanely smooth and bready. The absolute definition of “liquid bread”.

More robust than the pale style, but still dry enough to be drinkable and not cloying. Doesn’t overwhelm the palate at all.