Franconian Beer Message Board

Cutting Back on Hops?

Posted by Nick B. on 2008-07-07 06:24:51

Griess Kellerbier has been a staple in my own Keller at home for a couple of years now. It had always been bitter, hoppy, dry, and pale. *Had* always been. A couple of months ago, I had a case/crate/rack which was plagued with diacytel, something I'd never previously encountered with this beer. The bottles from 3 later batches I've bought since then have been notably less hoppy and bitter than they should be. Our two visits to the Griess Keller so far this year have disappointed as well--the beer is better there, under Bayerischem Anstich (gravity pour), but still not what it was. (Or maybe it's the effect of a sweaty 3 hour bike tour enhancing the flavor a bit.) Recent visits to the Buttenheimer Löwenbräu Keller and the Löwenbräu Gasthaus at the Altendorf/Buttenheim train station have also yielded less-hoppy/bitter-than-normal Kellerbier there. Then it occured to me, after hearing about the hop price explosion--these two breweries have *not* raised their prices this year, and their beers seem less hopped. Other good Kellerbier breweries like Lieberth (Hallerndorf), Roppelt (Stiebarlimbach), and Witzgall have raised their prices this year (the latter a whopping 10 cents per Maß!), but their beers are as hoppy as ever, and in the case of Roppelt, perhaps even hoppiER than ever. So what's going on then? Conspiratorial minds want to know.

Cutting Back on Hops? by Peter Alexander on 2008-07-22 02:55:49

Cutting Back on Hops? by Nick B. on 2008-07-22 08:53:31

Cutting Back on Hops? by Uncle Jimbo on 2008-07-22 16:07:38

Cutting Back on Hops? by M Artello on 2008-07-23 03:26:58

Cutting Back on Hops? by Nick B. on 2008-07-23 23:52:36

Cutting Back on Hops? by M Artello on 2008-07-24 01:04:28

Cutting Back on Hops? by Nick B. on 2008-07-24 22:56:58

Bamberg in Bock Season by Uncle Jimbo on 2008-07-25 06:51:11