Slow Brewed
This has to be the slowest time of year for us. The cellar is just about full. I am planning ahead for the Maifest. This year we are going to try a new hop, Crystal, in the Maifest. In previous years we had the same finishing, Hallertau Hersbrucker hop in the Maifest, Schild Brau, and Oktobefest. I feel as though it makes those beers too similar. Last year, we tried Liberty hops in the Oktoberfest, with great success. Both Liberty and Crystal are american Hybrids of Hallertau Mittlefruh, the classic and much sought after German Hop.
Mittlefruh has been over cultivated in Europe, and is now very expensive, since it is very susceptible to disease like downy mildew. This year, with the heat wave, was a terrible year for hops in Europe. Our hop, Hallertau Hersbrucker is a hybrid and fared better than most, but it is still up two dollars a pound compared to last year. I consider it to be essential to our Schild Brau Amber, though, so I will not be changing that hop.
These American Hallertau variety’s have some American type hops bred into them to get them to grow in our different climate, which give them different aroma qualities. In particular, Crystal is 1/6th Cascade (a famous American Hop) which should give it some interesting citrus notes. All cultivated hops are female hops, and new variety’s are created by cross breeding them. Hops are planted using root stock, called rhizomes. They are rather like wine vines in that respect. Hallertau Mittlefruh may grow in the US, but it will not thrive as it is not adapted to our climate and pathogens. So the interbreeding is often done with a little bit of ‘wild’ american hops.
So there is a short little lesson on hops for you.
In other news we are have ATF approval for the Johns Generations White Ale, and they are off to the printers. Don’t get too excited, I hear there is already one hiccup with the color format that we sent already. But the beer is done and ready to go. Most importantly, it is on tap here at the brewery. Here is the evidence:
