409: NZ Pilsner in Perspective with Paweł Lewandowski of Mount Brewing
Apr 18, 2025
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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.
Pawel Lewandowski's journey from Poland to New Zealand illustrates how diverse experiences can shape a brewmaster's passion and approach to craft brewing.
The evolution of New Zealand Pilsner highlights a balance between traditional brewing techniques and modern innovations, particularly in hop selection and usage.
Lewandowski's unique fermentation practices, including warmer temperatures and meticulous pH management, enhance hop flavors while maintaining the crispness of classic pilsners.
Deep dives
Craft Brewers Conference and Beer Me 500
The Craft Brewers Conference in Indianapolis is set to showcase the vibrant craft beer community, with a special event called Beer Me 500 organized for attendees. This invite-only party will occur just a few blocks from the convention center, featuring food, beer, and interactive activities like racing and golf simulators. Industry professionals, especially brewers and craft beer advertisers, are encouraged to connect with representatives from event sponsors to secure their invitations. The event highlights the industry's spirit of camaraderie and connection amongst craft beer enthusiasts.
Pavel Lewandowski's Journey to Brewing
Pavel Lewandowski, the head brewer at Mount Brewing, shares his intriguing journey from Poland to New Zealand, where he has been brewing for nearly a decade. Initially intending to stay for just one year, he fell in love with the craft and culture of brewing, transitioning from a background in economics to become a professional brewer. His experiences across various countries, including home brewing in Poland and studying in Mexico, shaped his passion for beer and led him to embrace brewing as a lifestyle rather than just a career. Lewandowski's dedication and willingness to adapt to new environments ultimately paved the way for his success at Mount Brewing.
New Zealand Pilsner: A Unique Style
New Zealand Pilsner is a brewing style that offers significant flexibility, allowing for variations in fermentation methods, including both lager and ale techniques. Pavel emphasizes the importance of using local New Zealand hops to highlight the unique characteristics of the beer, striving for a balance between hop bitterness and the underlying malt base. He reflects on how New Zealand Pilsner has evolved, initially influenced by Richard Emerson's brewing techniques in the 1990s, and how his own approach combines traditional methods with innovative practices. The style not only showcases the distinct flavors of New Zealand hops but also aims to maintain the crisp, clean qualities typical of a classic pilsner.
Hop Selection and Recipe Development
The selection of hops plays a crucial role in crafting the perfect New Zealand Pilsner. Pavel describes his thoughtful hop choices, preferring specific varieties like Motueka and Riwaka for their flavor profiles, with a focus on creating a harmonious balance within the beer. His brewing philosophy combines traditional pilsner elements with a modern twist by utilizing a varied malt bill and attention to residual sugars to enhance mouthfeel. The meticulous process of recipe development includes numerous trials to determine the optimal composition of malt and hops, ultimately aiming to achieve a vibrant and expressive final product.
Innovative Fermentation Techniques
Pavel shares his innovative fermentation techniques that challenge conventional lager brewing practices, opting for warmer fermentation temperatures to amplify hop flavors. By pitching yeast at higher temperatures and managing temperature fluctuations during fermentation, he successfully enhances the beer's profile while minimizing off-flavors. This method shortens the lagering period without compromising the beer's quality, allowing the flavors of the New Zealand hops to shine through. Pavel's careful attention to detail, including pH management and fermentation monitoring, highlights his commitment to crafting exceptional New Zealand Pilsner.
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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