BROADCASTS.com

The Private Landbrauerei Sch\xf6nram is one of the most lauded breweries in Germany over the past 15 years, with a tall stack of European Beer Star and World Beer Cup medals to show for its excellence across styles, and for the respect it has earned from peers. Perhaps its most celebrated beers are its Hell\u2014a local staple that accounts for three-fourths of production\u2014and its acclaimed, hop-forward Pils.

Its brewmaster since 1998 has been Eric Toft, who has carefully and gradually fine-tuned each of the brewery\u2019s beers into its current form. In this episode, he focuses especially on his approach to perfecting and brewing a great helles. Among other topics, he discusses:

\n
• the glacial yet intentional pace of fine-tuning
\n
• blending hop varieties and harvest years for year-to-year consistency
\n
• the ins and outs of German hop varieties ideal for lager brewing
\n
• brewing test batches of single-hopped lager to better know the hops
\n
• working with smaller, family-run maltsters to get desired specs and hedge risk
\n
• using less-modified malt to have more control over conversion in the mash
\n
• employing a decoction mash for higher efficiency and attenuation
\n
• adjusting mash steps depending on barley specs
\n
• open fermentation, and powering the brewery\u2019s fermentations with kr\xe4usen from the helles
\n
• finding the perfect lagering time
\n
• water treatment for helles and other lagers
\n

And more.

This episode is brought to you by:

G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): For nearly 30 years, G&D Chillers has set the mark for quality equipment you can rely on. G&D stands above the rest as the only chiller manufacturer that engineers your glycol piping for free. G&D also stands alone as the only chiller manufacturer with an in house team of installers and engineers, with 30 years of real world, field labor experience in breweries, wineries and distilleries. Contact the total glycol system design experts today at gdchillers.com

BSG (https://go.bsgcraft.com/Contact-Us) Support from this episode comes from BSG and The Malt Haus by Rahr. The Malt Haus is your online source for cool and exclusive Rahr Malting Co. gear that you can\u2019t get anywhere else. T-shirts, hoodies, hats, socks, glassware, and even gear for your pets. Rep the malt you brew with and look sharp doing it! Take the tradition home at themalthaus.com

Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Looking for innovation in your next beverage break-through? Think outside the pur\xe9e box and let your brand stand out with Old Orchard's craft concentrate blends. Even smoothie seltzers can benefit from the extra boost of flavor and color. Old Orchard is based in the Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area\u2014also known as Beer City, USA\u2014and supplies craft beverage categories ranging from beer, wine, and cider to seltzer, spirits, and kombucha. To join the core of Old Orchard's brewing community, learn more at oldorchard.com/brewer

Arryved (https://www.arryved.com): As craft beer\u2019s most trusted point of sale system, Arryved is the mobile, all-in-one solution you need to decrease service friction and increase guest satisfaction. With a full suite of craft-specific features, no contracts, and no monthly fees, Arryved provides the necessary tools to help your brewery grow. Go to Arryved.com/cbb to set up a free, customized demo. Remember, there is no \u201ci\u201d in Arryved.

Ss Brewtech (https://www.ssbrewtech.com): From the rotatable pick-up tube on Rogue Brewing's pilot brewhouse to the integrated hopbacks on Sierra Nevada's twin prototyping brewhouses, Ss Brewtech has taken technology they invented working with world-renowned industry veterans and made them available to every craft brewer. To learn more about Ss Brewtech's innovation list, head over to SsBrewtech.com

Support Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine Podcast