The harder water in Germany doesn't take well to loads of hops, so the Germans made a less hoppy version of Pilsner that they call Hell, meaning pale or light in German. This is a smoother, more malt-oriented beer than Pils with just a hint of Hersbrucker hops in the aroma.
This is our take of the renowned Bohemian-style pale lager that you might find in Bavaria or the Czech Republic. Ours is a little more golden, rounder, and a little more malt driven than many other versions. The beer possesses strong hop character that is balanced by its rich, round, malty palate. Refreshing and balanced, this beer is a favorite of our winery friends during harvest. (1.012 FG, 4.9%, 36.6 IBU, 3.6 SRM)
We recently changed this recipe to drop the smoked malt component to 5% from 8%, and like it even better than the last version. We think we’re back in real Schwarzbier territory now, especially after reading more about the dark beers of old Eastern Europe. The beer’s aroma is malty/espresso, with a hint of smoke. On the palate, malt, chocolate and espresso flavors take center stage, along with a hint of smoke. The sweet smokiness just offsets the more bitter/roasty notes, producing a smooth, rich brew. The hops provide balance, but virtually nothing to the aroma. This is the perfect beer to serve with a barbecued steak or tri-tip. It’s also excellent with just about any chocolate dessert!
This is our Vienna-style lager--an amber lager with some malt attributes similar to Dunkel, but lighter and clearer. Vienna-style lagers were an early attempt to make paler beers. While the style has largely died out where it started, we enjoy the great balance of malty flavors in this beer.