319: Upslope’s Alex Meyer Thrives in the High Pressure World of Craft Lager Brewing
Sep 4, 2023
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Upslope's Alex Meyer discusses unconventional ingredients and processes in craft lager brewing, including brewing with two row malt and white wheat, lager fermentation under pressure, managing sulfur production, cropping and repitching yeast, using exogenous enzymes for rice lager fermentation, American lager hop varieties, feeding high gravity fermentations, and managing oxidation in extended barrel aging.
Upslope Brewing has invested in creating a high-quality, approachable Craft Lager that appeals to both craft beer enthusiasts and newcomers to the craft beer scene.
Upslope's Grand Reserve is a barrel-aged beer aged for four years, achieving a unique barley wine flavor profile with complex oxidative flavors similar to Tawny Port or Sherry.
Brewing high-gravity beers like Upslope's Grand Reserve requires careful attention to yeast behavior, fermentation management, and temperature control to achieve the desired flavor profile.
Deep dives
Craft Lager: A Unique Approach to a Classic Style
Craft Lager, brewed by Upslope Brewing, stands out in the craft beer industry for its focus on creating a high-quality, approachable lager. Unlike many other craft breweries, Upslope made a conscious decision to invest in Craft Lager and put significant effort into promoting and perfecting this beer style. With a lean malt body and a hop profile provided primarily through a Whirlpool addition, Craft Lager offers a balanced and easy-drinking experience. The use of a specially adapted high-pressure lager yeast allows for faster fermentation at slightly warmer temperatures, resulting in a clean yet subtly fruity fermentation character. Craft Lager has become one of Upslope's flagship beers, appealing to both craft beer enthusiasts and those new to the craft beer scene.
The Art and Science of Barrel-Aging: Upslope's Grand Reserve
Upslope's Grand Reserve is a remarkable barrel-aged beer that has been aged for four years and boasts an impressive 21% ABV. This high-alcohol beer was meticulously brewed and carefully aged to achieve a unique flavor profile reminiscent of a barley wine. The brewing process involved the use of a strong yeast strain, a blend of malted and unrefined sugars, and a focus on fermentation management to ensure the desired alcohol content and flavor development. The aging process took place in barrels for several years, allowing the beer to oxidize and develop complex oxidative flavors similar to Tawny Port or Sherry. The result is a rich and deeply flavored beer with notes of caramel, dried fruit, and honey, making it the perfect after-dinner sipper.
Lessons Learned: Fermenting High-Gravity Beers
The brewing of high-gravity beers, such as Upslope's Grand Reserve, poses unique challenges that require careful attention and experimentation. To achieve the desired high alcohol content, the brewing process involves feeding the yeast with sugars while managing fermentation to prevent osmotic stress. Ensuring a high yeast load, providing proper nutrients, and closely monitoring the fermentation process are crucial for successful high-gravity brewing. Upslope utilized an Abbey Belgian yeast strain for the Grand Reserve, which contributed initial Belgian esters that mellowed over time, allowing the complex flavors to shine. Temperature control, starting fermentation at a cooler temperature and gradually allowing it to rise, played a key role in achieving the desired flavor profile. The process of brewing and fermenting high-gravity beers requires expertise, patience, and a deep understanding of yeast behavior, resulting in exceptional and unique brews like Upslope's Grand Reserve.
Traditional Loggers and Japanese Rice Lager
Upslope Brewing Company's head brewer discusses their lineup of traditional loggers, including Munich Hells and Czech Dark Logger. These loggers utilize complex mashing methods to extract flavor from premium malts. Additionally, the brewery offers a Japanese style rice lager, which contains a high percentage of flaked rice to give it a pale color and unique flavor. The use of exogenous enzymes helps to control the sugar spectrum and achieve a dry, crisp finish. The hops used in this lager are Contessa hops, which add green tea and pear notes to complement the rice.
Barrel-Aging Projects and Fermentation Innovation
Upslope Brewing Company's head brewer shares insights into their barrel-aging projects, such as the Grand Reserve and Open Space Terroir. The Grand Reserve undergoes four years of aging in barrels, resulting in intense flavors and tannins. The Open Space Terroir project, inspired by Belgian Lambic brewing, captures local microbes found in plants around the brewery. By using wild inoculation and barrel aging, they create unique and complex beers. The head brewer also emphasizes the importance of yeast health and efficiency in brewing, as well as the need for continued innovation and quality in the highly saturated craft beer market.
Boulder’s Upslope has been brewing Craft Lager since long before lager brewing was “cool,” and today the small brewery has built a production methodology for the longtime core offering that optimizes both quality and production efficiency. In this episode, head brewer Alex Meyer discusses the way the brewery makes their signature lager with a litany of unconventional ingredients and processes, and shares how they employ similar iconoclastic approaches with their Japanese-style rice lager, and 4-year-barrel-aged Grand Reserve. Along the way, Meyer discusses:
brewing lager with standard two row malt and white wheat
lager fermentation under pressure
managing sulfur production in pressure fermentation
cropping and repitching yeast
using exogenous enzymes to facilitate rice lager fermentation with 55% flaked rice
American lager hop varieties like Sterling and Contessa
feeding healthy high gravity fermentations
managing long-term oxidation in extended barrel aging
And more.
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