383: Alex Lawes of Whiplash and Grzegorz Ziemian of Stu Mostów Are Recreating Historical Styles While Pushing Craft Beer Forward in Ireland and Poland
Oct 18, 2024
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Alex Lawes is the cofounder of Whiplash, a Dublin brewery famous for its low-ABV beers and innovative techniques like the mash press filter. Grzegorz Ziemian co-founded Stu Mostów in Poland, known for reviving historical beer styles. They delve into advanced brewing techniques, such as achieving concentrated flavors without extended boils and managing low-ABV recipes. Ziemian discusses recreating historical brews like schöps and expanding the range of grodziskie. The conversation is a captivating blend of tradition and innovation in the craft beer scene.
Alex Lawes emphasizes the importance of using innovative brewing techniques, such as a mash filter system, to enhance beer quality and efficiency.
Grzegorz Ziemian highlights his brewery's commitment to preserving Poland's beer heritage by successfully recreating historical styles like schöps.
Both brewers discuss the rising consumer demand for flavorful low-ABV beers, reflecting a shift towards sessionable options in the craft beer market.
Deep dives
The Art of Brewing Dry Irish Stout
Alex Laws from Whiplash highlights the significance of perfecting dry Irish stout, recounting his early connection to the beer through family ties to Guinness. He shares how the brewing experience at Guinness was largely inaccessible to him due to strict hiring policies favoring chemical engineers. Instead, he embraced home brewing, which deepened his understanding of different raw materials available in brewing. This knowledge eventually caught the attention of industry professionals, leading him to pursue a brewing career independently, resulting in the successful establishment of Whiplash.
Craft Beer Scene in Poland
Greg Zimian from Stu Mostow speaks about Poland's burgeoning craft beer landscape, emphasizing its evolution and the opportunity he found to enter the market as a co-founder. With a background in finance and experience in American craft beer, Zimian recognized the deficit in Poland's craft offerings and launched his brewery in 2014. He notes that the country has witnessed rapid growth and creativity in craft brewing, with Poland becoming a hotspot for innovation and exploration within the European craft beer scene. The brewery celebrates its 10th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in its journey.
Innovative Techniques in Brewing
Laws discusses innovative brewing techniques he employs at Whiplash, particularly focusing on their efficient use of a mash filter system, which enhances productivity and beer quality. The system allows for faster and more effective extraction of sugars and flavors, enabling the production of various styles, including hazy IPAs and imperial stouts. This efficiency translates to the ability to brew multiple batches in a single day, significantly enhancing their output. Emphasizing the system's adaptability, Laws points out how it meets the needs of high-protein grains, showcasing its versatility for different beer styles.
Reviving Traditional Polish Beer Styles
Zimian introduces listeners to the historical brewing style of Shoups, a 100% wheat beer that has roots in Poland's brewing history. The style, once prevalent in the region, had nearly vanished due to the rise of lagers, prompting Zimian and his team to recreate it by delving into historical records and working with beer historians. They successfully crafted a recipe that mirrors traditional styles, highlighting the complexity and craftsmanship involved. This endeavor underscores the brewery's commitment to honoring Poland's beer heritage and revitalizing forgotten recipes through modern brewing techniques.
Exploring Low Alcohol Brews
Both Laws and Zimian express a keen interest in low alcohol beers, highlighting their popularity among modern consumers seeking lighter options. Zimian shares that his brewery focuses on developing flavorful low ABV beers such as traditional Pilsners and American Pale Ales that appeal to a broad audience. Laws notes that their innovative 2.8% micro IPA demonstrates the potential of low alcohol options without sacrificing flavor and complexity. This growing trend reflects changing consumer preferences, with a notable shift towards more sessionable, flavorful craft beers.
This second of two episodes recorded live at 3 Sons Lumberjack Day in September includes two separate interviews. First up is Alex Lawes, cofounder of Dublin, Ireland’s Whiplash—a modern brewery known for progressive styles, but also one that focuses on making those styles in low-ABV form for repeat drinkability. Next up is Grzegorz Ziemian, cofounder of Stu Mostów, a decade-old brewery in Wrocław, Poland, and one of several in that country that helped usher in a new wave of excitement for craft beer.
Through the discussion, among other topics, Lawes touches on:
using a mash press filter to improve efficiency but also protect delicate flavors
the impact of the mash filter on enzyme availability and mash times
dialing in pressure to suit the needs of specific styles, such as hazy IPA
achieving a more concentrated imperial stout wort without long boils
managing hop creep in low-ABV beers
building a better recipe for dry Irish stout
the beauty of 2.8 percent ABV “micro” IPA
Meanwhile, Ziemian discusses:
recreating historical recipes such as schöps
building a mixed-fermentation brewery in 2022
widening the range of grodziskie via mixed fermentation
Baltic porter in Poland
And more.
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