Franconian Beer Message Board
Bamberg visit - Mahr's & U |
| Posted by Mark Andersen on 2010-01-05 06:16:41 |
| I really can't say which one is worse. I think they are both doing it for the same reason. Cutting corners to get the product to market quicker and cheaper. I did a tour of the Buzzard's Bay brewery a couple of years ago. They brew only lagers which is unique for an American microbrew so I was excited to visit. Of course dissapointment followed. During the tour of the plant I asked the head brewer if they decoction mashed any of their beers. He just shrugged and said no but they used to. I asked why they stopped. He said they decided they didn't want to come in for the few extra hours on a Saturday to do it. How's that for passion? I didn't ask how long they lagered their beers but I suspect they go to market too fast with it based on the lack of smoothness in their beers. Hell, I'm not even convinced they use a lager yeast for sure. The surreal part came at the end of the tour when they told us that every Thursday night they have a "Lager education night" for their customers. Basically a barbeque where customers can come in and sample beer and get a lecture on lager brewing. Wow, just wow. I left speechless. In the interest of science though I purchased and left with a 6 pack of their Rauchbier which was a vile, estery ale brewed with Weyerman's Smoked Malt. I have this argument sometimes with other Yank homebrewers as well always looking to cut corners with a lager. One actually asked if he could brew a lager (a bock specifically) without a temp controlled freezer (in other words, can I brew a lager without lagering it) and of course several others proceeded to tell him how. You just have to laugh. I'll typically tell another homebrewer that you probably are not going to brew a good bock unless you've actually tasted a good bock first. If you fall short of that unbelievable malty goodness that can be found in a well done Franconian Bock then you've done something wrong. Figure it out and fix it. Okay now I'm just rambling. |
| Followups: |
 Buzzards Bay by Uncle Jimbo on 2010-01-05 10:31:31 |
| Weyerman's Smoked Malt by Joelle on 2010-01-11 09:03:37 |
| Weyerman's Smoked Malt by Mark Andersen on 2010-01-11 12:35:18 |
| Weyerman's Smoked Malt by Joelle on 2010-01-11 13:10:47 |
| Weyerman's Smoked Malt by Fred Waltman on 2010-01-11 14:17:07 |
| Weyerman's Smoked Malt by Joelle on 2010-01-12 07:55:11 |
| Weyerman's Smoked Malt by Uncle Jimbo on 2010-01-12 11:08:54 |
| Weyerman's Smoked Malt by Nick B. on 2010-01-12 23:32:06 |
| Weyerman's Smoked Malt by TreinJan on 2010-01-13 00:26:32 |
| Weyerman's Smoked Malt by Nick B. on 2010-01-13 02:08:48 |