Pilsner Hate

Decoction mashing is no longer conducted in modern German breweries. The contemporary malts (e.g, Pilsner Malt) are well modified negating the need for a decoction mash. Energy costs are high in Germany and they save a lot of money by not conducting the boil needed for decoction. The popular mashing technique in Germany for lagers is the Hochkurz step mash.

Maybe some of the older, smaller 'heritage' breweries in Germany still conduct decoction mashing?

Cheers!

 

Don’t take it personally. Your business probably will prosper if you focus on selling what your customers want rather than selling them in what you want.

 

Right, but don't they also have workarounds to deepen the flavor profile, adding a certain percentage of carafoam or something like that? Personally, I don't care how it's done, I just want the right flavor in the end .

 

As I have opined many times before in BA threads IMO Boston Lager is an American Amber Lager. It most certainly is not a Vienna Lager as defined by the BJCP style guidelines and it does not have the qualities of a Pilsner in my opinion.

Regardless of malt type decoction is not common in the US. Even in modern day Germany decoction is not longer common since contemporary malts are highly modified (i.e., no requirement to conduct decoction mashing) and energy costs are so high that modern breweries negate this step to save money.

Decoction mashing is still common in the Czech Republic. For example Pilsner Urquell is triple decoction mashed.

Cheers!

 

Michael, I really don't know about 'workarounds'.

In homebrewing I have seen folks discuss adding a small portion of melanoidan malt to mimic a 'decoction taste'.

https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/weyermann-melanoidin-25-kg

I have never used melanoidan malt in my brewing practice so I have no opinion whether this 'works' in this regard.

I have zero knowledge whether German commercial brewers utilize melanoidan malt.

I have used Carafoam in my brewing practice. It adds some body to the beer but I have never noticed much in terms of malt flavor. Maybe if I used a greater proportion of it in the grain bill but I tend to doubt it.

Cheers!

 

It's something I seem to remember Matt Riggs saying about the breweries he's worked in, but don't recall if there were specifics or not. Melanoidin malt sounds ideal, but just has me wondering if it would be appropriate in a pale beer.

 

More details about Weyermann Melanoidin Malt:

“23-31° L. Adds red color and intensifies malt flavor and aroma. Mash up to 20% in amber and dark lagers, red ales, Scottish ales, bock and doppelbock.”

https://www.northernbrewer.com/products/weyermann-melanoidin

Maybe if you only use something like 1% of the grain bill it won’t affect the beer’s color too much?

As I reported in my prior post I have no personal experience in using melanoidin malt so…

Cheers!

 

Some of the best selling beers in the world are light lagers, Snow, Carling etc, so they seem to sell very well in many places. We’re on the BA site we compromise maybe 5% of the beer drinking public, the other 95% could care less about Heady Topper or BCBS, hell they probably have no clue what they are and if they did they’d still order a Bud Light or a Corona.

 

Good thing I've never taken my cue from the majority > >

I'm a part of the 5% but definitely wouldn't travel across the country and wait in line for hours for a style I'm not crazy about

 

Exactly, there’s something for everyone, but there’s certainly a big difference imo from personal preference for a style of beer and thinking that’s its a shit beer. Hell there’s a few AALs I don’t like at all, some are better than others, but the only beer that I’d truly call a shit beer is something like Steel Reserve, I’ve had a few Wild Ales that I thought I was being poisoned, but it’s hard to not like a fresh Pivo Pils, even though I’d prefer a Heady Topper. I can’t get Heady easily, but if I could.... I’d forsake most others.

 

Ah, thanks for the explanation. We are in complete agreement.

Prost!

Notch Brewing double and sometimes triple decoction mashes for many of their Czech pale lagers. These beers are fantastic, and these pale lagers are the finest I've had in the US.

I believe Jack's Abby started decoction mashing a few years ago, and Smuttynose did as well for some of their beers.

I don't remember now, but @honkey do you use decoction mashing?

 

Two (or three) breweries out of 7,000+ breweries = not common.

Cheers!

 

We are not even close to 5%. Maybe 0.5%?

Cheers!

 

Next time you visit your home state look for it - we get periodic drops of Heady Topper and other beers from The Alchemist.

Cheers!

 

Really, I’ll have to put out a hit list for my dad. Never thought I’d see that day, I’ll check their web sight. Thanks.

 

I am not sure you will find their 'export dates' on The Alchemist website. I always know when they have recently shipped since I am on the e-mail mailing list of a couple of retailers (e.g., a local Retail Beer Distributor and Capone's in Norristown). They will list they have whatever beers from The Alchemist and I know they are 'back' in town. A month ago it was Heady Topper and Crusher. A few months ago it was Heady Topper and Alena. I have not carefully tracked it but it seems to be a drop every 2-3 months or so.

Cheers!

 

Just had a Schell's Pils, and was unimpressed. I've only had a few Pilseners since I got into craft, and haven't run into one that leaves me wanting more. I'd much rather have a good Hefeweizen or Kölsch.