Hops and Lager?

I thought it was on at the Café a little while back when we were in town, but I could be mistaken on that. They still have it on the website.

Had "Larry's Lager Trial #???" last week at the Café. They are evaluating recipes on the small system downtown. They have 2 of the open Cypress fermenters that they got from Strohs, and plan to do lagers in those. Bell's Bohemian anyone?

http://www.bellsbeer.com/ftp/tapshot.big.jpg?r=983062

 

“Bell's Bohemian anyone?” Count me ‘in’ (if they bottle and distribute this beer).

I really liked Bell's Quinannan Falls but unfortunately that beer was draft only (with very limited distribution).

Cheers!

 

Sounds nice. I wonder why their Lager of the Lakes (IMO) falls so short, seeing as how they are capable of much better.

EDIT: To answer the OP, there are 1000s of "hop-forward" lagers around Franconia, better known as Kellerbier (but I doubt this is the answer he's looking for).

 

It may be just one of the old beers in the portfolio that Larry Bell likes.

 

I agree that Double Agent reads like an IPA.

 

Shrink: "I'm going to say a word and I want you to say the first thing that comes into your head."
Me: "Okay."
Shrink: "Lager."
Me: "Jack's Abby."

 

Prima Pils is definitely hop-forward. August Schell Stag Series Citra hop pils was another one. Stuff was amazing!

 

It may indeed read like an IPA but it sure doesn't taste exactly like an IPA.

Kudos to Sam Adams for making this unique and tasty beer.

Cheers!

 

Jacks abby just released their new DIPL

 

Yeah, the second I see 'lager' in a thread title, I automatically begin to ponder 'Which JA brew do I recommend this time'

 

Yeah, I see it under Specialties (where it also says limited release), so I wonder if they just need an update -- was going by BA's info.

 

Based on the direction Bells has with the open fermentation room with the old Stroh's wood vats, I think there is a good probability that it will be made again at some date. Got to put those historic pieces to work.

I had one of the Lager Trails last week. It was not a classic style, at 4.1% ABV, and with a fruity hop note (American hops?). I expect to see some interesting lagers from Bells in the future.

 

Miller Lite is triple hops brewed.

 

Konig Pilsner

 

I agree with your stick to an IPA if its american hops you are after, or pils for noble hops, but I think SA actually did a good job in getting both lager character (nutty/mineral, yeast character) and american hop character. Whenever I drink Jack Abby's hoponius, I think to myself, you could have brewed this with chico yeast and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

 

I could certainly taste the BBC yeast character -- waaaay behind all the PacNorthwest hops, but the malt character was completely lost. Even a good IPA will have a nice, biscuit-like malt backbone, but the DA didn't have it for me -- let alone any good toasty breadiness you'll find in a well-made lager.

To me, it was nothing more than saying, "Look -- we can add big American hops to Boston Lager and look "innovative." To which I ask, Why?

 

Sixpoint The Crisp is pretty good. So is Steamworks Pilsner from Vancouver.

Most lager and pilsners in the 30-45 IBU range are interesting enough. I tried to brew a 5% pilsner with more than 50 IBUs once and the pilsner wort just couldn't handle the bitterness.

 

If Jack's abby gets tagged as innovative by doing the same, then why not Sam Adams?

I'm with you and don't understand why someone would brew a lager just to cover it up with citrusy/piny/tropical hop character to the point you can't tell its a lager in the first place (except for the marketing angle), its just that SA has gotten the most lager character in theirs than any other IPL I've tried. And I think its the best beer SA has made in quite some time - I guess that's good enough "why" for me.

 

Or again, why?

Ah -- the magic woid!

I've enjoyed the Alpine Spring and Noble Pils for new beers from BBC, but I'll have to defer to your opinion because Sam's IPL is the only one I've tried -- and it was all American Hops, more than anything, to me.