Pilsner pursuit

[wuntrikpony]

Triple Crossing made a pretty tasty helles style beer as well. Both one offs so far.

 

[Gonzoillini1]

New Glarus Hometown Blonde (Bohemian style Pilsner)

Dan’s personal Reinheitsgebot Pilsner is our 2017 brewery exclusive, Hometown Blonde. Dan rescued heritage barley from the Czech Republic to grow experimentally in America and then had it malted by Briess in Chilton, WI. Czech tradition dictates a decoction mash process followed by six bold hop varieties. Hallertau, Saaz, Saphir, Styrian Golding, Spalt and French Strisselspalt all grace this brew. A long cold lager finally imparts a rare and complex character to our classic pilsner.

Expect to pour an elegant blonde glass of beer, crowned with a rich head of foam that resonates with our chorus of hops. Although delicate in appearance our Wisconsin Hometown Blonde has character - of course!

Just a phenomenal beer from one of the best in the Midwest, highly recommend folks seek this one out before it's gone for the year.

 

[wuntrikpony]

New Glarus Hometown Blonde (Bohemian style Pilsner)

Dan’s personal Reinheitsgebot Pilsner is our 2017 brewery exclusive, Hometown Blonde. Dan rescued heritage barley from the Czech Republic to grow experimentally in America and then had it malted by Briess in Chilton, WI. Czech tradition dictates a decoction mash process followed by six bold hop varieties. Hallertau, Saaz, Saphir, Styrian Golding, Spalt and French Strisselspalt all grace this brew. A long cold lager finally imparts a rare and complex character to our classic pilsner.

Expect to pour an elegant blonde glass of beer, crowned with a rich head of foam that resonates with our chorus of hops. Although delicate in appearance our Wisconsin Hometown Blonde has character - of course!

Just a phenomenal beer from one of the best in the Midwest, highly recommend folks seek this one out before it's gone for the year.

I'm rock hard. Have they done multiple bottle runs?

 

[Gonzoillini1]

I'm rock hard. Have they done multiple bottle runs?

Can't find any information on their website, but I know they have done this beer before (although I think it was a standard 6 pack release and not a brewery exclusive).

elkhunter36 Do you have any additional insight?

 

[elkhunter36]

Can't find any information on their website, but I know they have done this beer before (although I think it was a standard 6 pack release and not a brewery exclusive).

elkhunter36 Do you have any additional insight?

It's been brewed AT LEAST since 2010, maybe longer. Also this summer it was available in both 4 and 6 packs in the depot.

I know the unofficial New Glarus Historian will know lots more about it than I do. sherm1016

 

[sherm10161]

It's been brewed AT LEAST since 2010, maybe longer. Also this summer it was available in both 4 and 6 packs in the depot.

I know the unofficial New Glarus Historian will know lots more about it than I do. sherm1016

2002 was the first brewing. I’d guess they’ve done it four of five time since then. Might have even been year round once or twice vs a seasonal.

 

[Thorpe]

Anyone know if it's still around Wisconsin and, if so, whether it's expected to last much longer? I had it at Zwanze and loved it.

 

[sherm10161]

Anyone know if it's still around Wisconsin and, if so, whether it's expected to last much longer? I had it at Zwanze and loved it.

Yep, it's available but only at the brewery. $17.50 / 6pk

 

[FTowne1]

$17.50 / 6pk

Is this a typo?

 

[elkhunter36]

Is this a typo?

Nope.

 

[sherm10161]

Is this a typo?

NG has been doing year-round, brewery only releases the last two years (Zwickel in 2016 and Home Town Blonde in 2017). They have been priced at the same level as Thumbprint beers, although I'd wager that this year's Home Town Blonde is better than most Thumbprints of late. It reminds me of the Unplugged Bohemian Lager.

Someone on BA pointed out this morning that the description for Home Town Blonde changed for the 2017 release. Something about heritage barley from the Czech Republic and a triple decoction mash. May or may not have a impact on the actual cost of making the beer, but again, it closely matches the description of the Unplugged Bohemian Lager.

IIRC, Heater Allen Pils is $5-$6 for 22oz. Price on this year's Home Town Blonde seems comparable.

 

[leftoverburrito]

IIRC, Heater Allen Pils is $5-$6 for 22oz. Price on this year's Home Town Blonde seems comparable.

$9/4pk. $3.50/500ml. They stopped doing 22's.

 

[sherm10161]

$9/4pk. $3.50/500ml. They stopped doing 22's.

Ok - a little worse than the 500ml price on HA Pils. (That's a fantastic price on the 4pk tho for that beer...)

This is also a bit of a money grab by NG since the beer is not going to distribution. Come visit the brewery, leave with something you can only get at the brewery. Pretty smart IMO. I bought a 12pk last Friday.

 

[FTowne1]

triple decoction mash.

This is a giant pain in the dick.

 

[JCastle1]

This is a giant pain in the dick.

Yeah that sounds horrible. I tried a single decoction and I think I may never try it again.

 

[MooseLang]

Yeah that sounds horrible. I tried a single decoction and I think I may never try it again.

I don't mind a single decoction to get from the sacch rest to mashout temps. Plus, I always had good luck with my no-boil Berliners when I did this.

 

[FTowne1]

Yeah that sounds horrible. I tried a single decoction and I think I may never try it again.

The juice ain't worth the squeeze.

 

[JCastle1]

I don't mind a single decoction to get from the sacch rest to mashout temps. Plus, I always had good luck with my no-boil Berliners when I did this.

The single decoction just seemed like a pain in the ass and added almost 3 extra hours of work. Though to be fair the grist was 45% wheat to begin with and we went with a super traditional/outdated German mashing schedule (not the best idea). We did:

Mash in -> 38 degrees
1st rest -> 42 degrees
2nd rest -> 50 degrees
3rd rest -> 62 degrees

Pulled off 25% of the volume
Heat -> 72 degrees
Heat -> boiling

And then pumped back to level it at around 72 degrees before mashing out at 78.

 

[Gonzoillini1]

If you are not using undermodified malt (which is relatively hard to find unless you have a specialty malting source ala Dovetail who is bringing malt in from Germany from a malster that has not sales force / presence in the USA), decotion mashing is simply not going to make a sensory perception difference compared to a step infusion mash.

My $.02.

 

[sherm10161]

If you are not using undermodified malt (which is relatively hard to find unless you have a specialty malting source ala Dovetail who is bringing malt in from Germany from a malster that has not sales force / presence in the USA), decotion mashing is simply not going to make a sensory perception difference compared to a step infusion mash.

My $.02.

So, based on the current Home Town Blonde description:

Dan’s personal Reinheitsgebot Pilsner is our 2017 brewery exclusive, Hometown Blonde. Dan rescued heritage barley from the Czech Republic to grow experimentally in America and then had it malted by Briess in Chilton, WI. Czech tradition dictates a decoction mash process followed by six bold hop varieties. Hallertau, Saaz, Saphir, Styrian Golding, Spalt and French Strisselspalt all grace this brew. A long cold lager finally imparts a rare and complex character to our classic pilsner.

Do you think this beer is gaining anything from the Triple Decoction Mash? Genuinely curious for your opinion, as I would be in your camp, but I trust that Dan Carey knows what he's doing and wouldn't do it that way if he didn't think it was necessary.

 

[Gonzoillini1]

So, based on the current Home Town Blonde description:



Do you think this beer is gaining anything from the Triple Decoction Mash? Genuinely curious for your opinion, as I would be in your camp, but I trust that Dan Carey knows what he's doing and wouldn't do it that way if he didn't think it was necessary.

I could very easily see this malt being an undermodified heritage barley that would have something to gain from a triple decoction mash. However, I was surprised when I read the label copy and noticed that information as I wouldn't think the main brewing system at the Hilltop facility would be setup to run decoction mashing. Maybe they have another system at Hilltop or he brewed it at the Riverside facility?

I think it could be gaining something from it, and if not, I could certainly see Dan doing it for traditions sake considering his German brewing / education background as an homage to the beers he loved from his younger days.

 

[sherm10161]

I wouldn't think the main brewing system at the Hilltop facility would be setup to run decoction mashing.

Dancing Man and Snowshoe use a decoction mashes. Lots of older NG beers do as well, so I'm pretty sure they set up the new brewery to do decoction mashing.

(They had Showshoe yeast in the propagation tanks last Friday, FYI.)

 

[elkhunter36]

Zwickel is decoction also.

 

[JCastle1]

If you are not using undermodified malt (which is relatively hard to find unless you have a specialty malting source ala Dovetail who is bringing malt in from Germany from a malster that has not sales force / presence in the USA), decotion mashing is simply not going to make a sensory perception difference compared to a step infusion mash.

My $.02.

I agree, I reached the same conclusion. For my Helles and pilsner I stopped caring about decoction and kept it simpler and I'm really happy with both.

 

[sherm10161]

Zwickel is decoction also.

Lots of older NG beers do as well

 

[jwazzy]

Absolute knockout IMO.

 

[montrealbcr89]

Absolute knockout IMO.

I passed this up while in NH last month...kicking myself now.

 

[montrealbcr89]

Daydreaming about this beer. Really realllly should've picked up more.

Just had one tonight. Incredible stuff. I hung out at Chuckanut on Wednesday and drank some Festbier and Old Festbier. Bliss.

 

[rrrjjj]

Just had one tonight. Incredible stuff. I hung out at Chuckanut on Wednesday and drank some Festbier and Old Festbier. Bliss.

I was just there and I’m even insanely jealous

 

[montrealbcr89]

Yussssssss

Have one of these in the fridge. Picked it up in Bellingham solely after remembering the label from this thread!