409: NZ Pilsner in Perspective with Paweł Lewandowski of Mount Brewing

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Apr 18, 2025

Join Paweł Lewandowski, the award-winning head brewer at Mount Brewing in New Zealand, as he dives into the intricacies of crafting a standout New Zealand Pilsner. Discover how he balances the unique flavors of local hops like Motueka and Riwaka with precise brewing techniques, including step-mashing and careful fermentation temperature management. Paweł also shares his journey from finance to brewing, the evolution of hop varieties, and the importance of experimentation in creating a vibrant, hop-forward lager that embodies the innovative spirit of New Zealand's craft beer scene.

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ANECDOTE

Paweł's Brewing Journey

Paweł Lewandowski started brewing from a hobby during his student years in Poland and Mexico.
He moved to New Zealand on a work and holiday visa, beginning as a brewery assistant and slowly advancing to head brewer at Mount Brewing.

INSIGHT

NZ Pilsner Body & Balance

New Zealand Pilsner balances crispness with a fuller, rounder body than German pilsners.
This balance supports strong hopping while maintaining the style's characteristic brightness and malt profile.

ADVICE

Golden Ratio Hop Blend

Use a "golden ratio" blend of Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, and Riwaka hops for New Zealand pilsners.
Layer the hops across the boil, whirlpool, and dry hop to highlight hop aroma and bitterness balance.

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While hop-forward lager may be a relatively new phenomenon in the States, New Zealand brewers have been brewing their own version of pilsner for decades using homegrown hops. Yet threading the needle in a precise style with hops that can have strong notes, such as mineral and diesel, is no small feat.

In this episode, Paweł Lewandowski, the award-winning head brewer at Mount in Mount Maunganui, on the North Island, walks us through the creative and technical process behind their “beer geek pilsner”—a beer that multiple brewers recommended to us as a standout example of the style. Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, and Riwaka work together in a golden ratio with two pilsner malts, wheat malt, actively managed fermentation temperatures, and concise lagering to produce a pilsner with 45 IBUs and a full body that expresses the more structured side of the country’s signature hops.

During the episode, Lewandowski discusses:

the style’s origin, beginning with Emerson’s in the 1990s
building a heftier body with pilsner and wheat to support strong hopping
his experiments with step-mashing that led back to single-infusion
using Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, and Riwaka at various points during the boil, whirlpool, and dry hop
year-over-year flavor variation in New Zealand hop varieties
balancing selection criteria to work across a range of styles
warmer lager fermentation, with a 24-hour temperature drop early on
lower pH and shorter lagering times for bright, hop-forward pils
contrasts between New Zealand and West Coast pils
using the “golden ratio” for hop blends

And more.

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