North American Origin
CATEGORY 46: AMERICAN-STYLE LAGER
Very light in body and color, American Lagers are very clean and crisp and aggressively carbonated. Malt sweetness is absent. Corn, rice and other grain or sugar adjuncts are often used. Hop aroma is absent. Hop bitterness is slight and hop flavor is mild or negligible. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should be absent.
| Original Gravity (°Plato): | 1.040-1.046 (10-11.5 °Plato) |
| Apparent Extract-Final Gravity (°Plato): | 1.006-1.010 (1.5-2.5 °Plato) |
| Alcohol by weight (volume): | 3.2-3.8% (3.8-4.5%) |
| Bitterness (IBU): | 5-17 |
| Color (SRM): | 2-4 (4-7 EBC) |
Gold Cup Winner
OB Lager
Oriental Brewery Co.
Technical Center
Sungbokri 39-3,
Suji Eup, Yongin
Kyunggi Province, Korea
Head Brewer: In Woo Yoon, executive managing director,
Technical Center
Brewmaster: Young Kyu Kim, director, Kumi Brewery
Established 1952
Production: 7.14 million bbl. (8.36 million hl.)
The largest brewing company in Korea, the Oriental Brewery Co. now has four brewing facilities and two malting plants. A fifth brewery is under construction, attesting to the beer’s popularity both in and outside of Korea; the brewery exports to Japan, Hong Kong, Europe and the United States. Its main products are light lagers and include OB Lager, Nex, Cafri, OB Light, OB Draft and OB Sound.
Mr. In Woo Yoon, Head Brewer Mr. Young Kyu Kim, Brewmaster
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION OF GOLD CUP-WINNING OB LAGER
Extremely pale and crystal-clear. Very subtle sulfur character expresses itself alongside an otherwise very clean and neutral aroma. Barely evident is the pleasant herbal-minty aroma of noble hops. Noble hop character is also evident in flavor, which is otherwise exceptionally clean and crisp, complemented with a light body. Hop bitterness is in balance and seems to express itself a bit more than it does in popular American light lagers, but analysis shows this is just a pleasant illusion. Smooth and well-lagered character. A beer that goes down very easily, with the added attraction of being balanced with a perfect addition of hop bitterness for the style. No acidic aftertaste as with many underhopped American-style lagers. Admirably clean aftertaste.
• Recipe for 5 U.S. gallons (19 liters) OB Lager
Targets:
Original Gravity: 1.042 (10.5)
Final Gravity: 1.008 (2)
Alcohol by volume: 4.6%
Color: 2.5 SRM (5 EBC)
Bittering Units: 13
ALL-GRAIN RECIPE AND PROCEDURE
| 21/4 lbs. | (1 kg.) | Canadian 2-row Harrington pale malt |
| 31/4 lbs. | (1.5 kg.) | Korean Doosan 2-row (or American Klages) pale malt |
| 21/2 lbs. | (1.1 kg.) | flaked corn |
| 8 lbs. | (3.6 kg.) | Total grains |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast
A step infusion mash is employed to mash the grains. Add 8 quarts (7.6 l.) of 130-degree F (54.5 C) water to the crushed grain and flaked corn, stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 122 degrees F (50 C) for 30 minutes. Add 4 quarts (3.8 l.) of boiling water, adding heat if necessary to bring temperature up to 150 degrees F (65.5 C). Hold for about 60 minutes.
After conversion, raise temperature to 167 degrees F (75 C), lauter and sparge with 4 gallons (15 l.) of 170-degree F (77 C) water. Collect about 6 gallons (23 l.) of runoff, add bittering hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil.
The total boil time will be 75 minutes. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 75 minutes (reducing the wort volume to just over 5 gallons), turn off the heat, add the aroma hops and let steep for 3 to 5 minutes, then separate or strain out and sparge hops. Chill the wort to 65 degrees F (18 C) and direct into a sanitized fermenter. Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 50 degrees F (10 C). Then transfer into a secondary fermenter. Maintain temperature of 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for two to four more weeks at 40 degrees F (4.5 C).
When secondary aging is complete, prime with sugar, bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.
MASH-EXTRACT RECIPE AND PROCEDURE FOR OB LAGER
| 21/4 lbs. | (1 kg.) | English light dried malt extract |
| 21/2 lbs. | (1.1 kg.) | American Harrington/Klages 2-row pale malt |
| 11/2 lbs. | (0.7 kg.) | flaked corn |
| 4 lbs. | (1.8 kg.) | Total grains |
| 2 | HBU | (56 MBU) American Cluster hops (pellets)—75 minutes (bittering) |
| 1 | HBU | (28 MBU) American Nugget hops (pellets)—75 minutes (bittering) |
| 1/2 | oz. | (14 g.) German Hersbrucker Hallertauer hops (pellets)—steep in finished boiled wort for 2 to 3 minutes (aroma) |
| 1/4 | tsp. | Irish moss |
| 3/4 | c. | corn sugar for priming in bottles. Use 1/3 cup corn sugar if priming a keg. |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast
A step infusion mash is employed to mash the grains. Add 4 quarts (3.8 l.) of 130-degree F (54.5 C) water to the crushed grain and flaked corn, stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 122 degrees F (50 C) for 30 minutes. Add 2 quarts (1.9 l.) of boiling water. Add heat to bring temperature up to 150 degrees F (65.5 C). Hold for about 60 minutes.
After conversion, raise temperature to 167 degrees F (75 C), lauter and sparge with 2 gallons (7.6 l.) of 170-degree F (77 C) water. Collect about 3 gallons (11.5 l.) of runoff. Add malt extract and bittering hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil.
The total boil time will be 75 minutes. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 75 minutes, turn off the heat, add aroma hops and let steep 2 to 5 minutes. Then separate or strain out and sparge hops, and direct the hot wort into a sanitized fermenter to which 2
gallons (7.6 l.) of cold water have been added. If necessary, add additional cold water to achieve a 5-gallon (19-l.) batch size. Chill the wort to 65 degrees F (18 C) and direct into a sanitized fermenter. Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 50 degrees F (10 C). Then transfer into a secondary fermenter. Maintain temperature of 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for two to four more weeks at 40 degrees F (4.5 C).
When secondary aging is complete, prime with sugar, bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.
Silver Cup Winner
Nex
Oriental Brewery Co. Ltd.
Seoul, Korea
Pale straw in color. Great fresh beer aroma with an exotic, pleasing hint of sulfur. Hops and malt are not portrayed in the aroma, though there is a suggestion of sweetness and the possibility of floral hops coming through. Light-bodied lager with a barely perceived bitterness. General neutral character, clean, dry finish, with a bit of sweet aftertaste trailing off to nothing. Clean or empty? Take your pick, but it’s all that it is supposed to be as an American-style light lager. Refreshing and nonassaultive. A friend of thirst and clean thoughts.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Color: 3 SRM (6 EBC)
Bittering Units: 12-13
Bronze Cup Winner
Labatt Blue
Labatt Breweries of Canada
London, Ontario, Canada
Pale straw color. Clean and extraordinarily neutral aroma with only a slight malt-grain fermented character. Well carbonated. Light in body and exceedingly clean in finish. Refreshes the palate in a neutral manner. Not particularly sweet or bitter. At its own low level, hop bitterness is in balance with malt and adjunct base, skillfully and precisely accomplished. The aftertaste is almost absent. The barest hint of refreshing hop bitterness coupled with a good dose of carbonation indicates this is a refreshing light American lager. It lacks the cloying, sweet aftertaste of many other brands, but the lack of hops still leaves a small residual sweetness that turns to acidity in the aftertaste. Brewery formulation uses corn as an adjunct.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Original Gravity: 1.044 (11) indicated by the brewery
Final Gravity: 1.006 (1.6) indicated by the brewery
Alcohol by volume: 5% indicated by the brewery
Color: 3-4 SRM (6-8 EBC) (3.2 indicated by the brewery)
Bittering Units: 12-14 (12 indicated by the brewery)
CATEGORY 47: AMERICAN-STYLE LIGHT LAGER
According to United States’ FDA regulations, when the word “light” is used in reference to caloric content, the beer must have at least 25 percent fewer calories than the “regular” version of that beer. Such beers must have certain analysis data printed on the package label. These beers are extremely light-colored, light in body and high in carbonation. Flavor is mild and bitterness is very low. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should be absent.
| Original Gravity (°Plato): | 1.024-1.040 (6-10 °Plato) |
| Apparent Extract-Final Gravity (°Plato): | 1.002-1.008 (0.5-2 °Plato) |
| Alcohol by weight (volume): | 2.8-3.5% (3.5-4.4%) |
| Bitterness (IBU): | 8-15 |
| Color (SRM): | 2-4 (4-7 EBC) |
Gold Cup Winner
Miller Lite
The Miller Brewing Company
3939 W. Highland Blvd.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA 53208
Brewmaster: Dr. David Ryder, vice president, Brewing, Research and Quality Assurance
Established 1855
Production: 45 million bbl. (52.7 million hl.)
Destined to become one of America’s most notable German immigrants and brewers, Frederick Miller, born in 1824, began his brewing journey as a wayward scholar-turned-brewing enthusiast. At the age of fourteen he was sent to France for seven years of study, after which he roamed and traveled France, Italy, Switzerland and Algiers. Good fortune led him to visit his uncle’s brewery in Nancy, France. He became enraptured, stayed and learned the business and the skills of a brewer. He brewed his first beers at the royal brewery of the Hohenzollerns at Sigmaringen, Germany, which he leased for his own use. Frederick Miller began his career as a contract brewer.
In about 1855 Frederick Miller immigrated to the United States and, after working briefly in a New York brewery, found his way to and settled in Milwaukee, which boasted a strong German community. There he bought and reopened the Plank Road Brewery. (See a further account of Miller’s origins under the award-winning Icehouse, in the American-style Ice Lager category.) He was on the road to becoming America’s second largest producer of beer. Philip Morris bought the Miller Brewing Company in 1969. At the time Miller only had a 4.2 percent share of the American market. Its flagship brand, Miller High Life, led the way, but it wasn’t until the successful introduction of Miller Lite that the company’s fortunes took off.
Cigars and Miller beer? In the search for a name for their new, light-colored Pilsener lager, the brewery found the answer in the name of a large New Orleans cigar factory. The name: High Life Cigars. The Miller Brewing Company paid $25,000 for the factory and the right to use the name. In 1903 the first bottle of Miller High Life rolled off the bottling lines.
The Miller Brewing Company produces over twenty brands of beer under the main labels of Miller, Sharp’s, Milwaukee’s Best, Meister Bräu, Löwenbrau, Big Sky and Magnum Malt Liquor. Miller also owns and produces Plank Road Brewery brands, and owns a majority interest in the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. (Wisconsin), Celis Brewery Inc. (Texas) and the Shipyard Brewery (Maine).
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION OF GOLD CUP-WINNING MILLER LITE
Great tasting. Less filling. It says so right on the bottle. This assessment is quite a change of pace from most of the other beers in this book. Now, where can you go from there? Its color is light gold and as pristine as one could ever imagine. Aroma is reminiscent of a sweet floral hop or pleasant ester. First flavor impression tells it like it is: dry in the palate and very light-bodied, almost like water. A hint of pure pale-malt sweetness, but perhaps the sweet aroma is from corn. Hop bitterness is not perceived but is evident in the smooth overall balance and drinkability. Very clean aftertaste is barely perceptible as bitter. What makes this beer a winner is its exceptionally clean taste, absent of any flavor, good (well, the good ones are at a very low level) or bad. Just what it’s supposed to be as a light American beer. It is certainly one of the most challenging beers to duplicate in this book of World Beer Cup winners.
• Recipe for 5 U.S. gallons (19 liters) Miller Lite
Targets:
Original Gravity: 1.030 (7.5)
Final Gravity: 1.000 (0)
Alcohol by volume: 4.2%
Color: 3 SRM (6 EBC)
Bittering Units: 16
ALL-GRAIN RECIPE AND PROCEDURE
| 2 lbs. | (0.9 kg.) | American 2-row pale malt |
| 13/4 lbs. | (0.8 kg.) | American 6-row pale malt |
| 13/4 lbs. | (0.8 kg.) | flaked corn |
| 51/2 lbs. | (2.5 kg.) | Total grains |
| 3.5 | HBU | (99 MBU) American Cluster hops (pellets)—60 minutes (bittering) |
| 1/4 | tsp. | Irish moss |
| 1 | tsp. | amylase enzyme (fungally derived) |
| 3/4 | c. | corn sugar for priming in bottles. Use 1/3 cup corn sugar if priming a keg. |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast is recommended.
Use very soft, pH-neutral water that is low in minerals (but not absent of calcium). A step infusion mash is employed to mash the grains. Add 5 quarts (4.8 l.) of 130-degree F (54.5 C) water to the crushed grain and flaked corn, stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 122 degrees F (50 C) for 30 minutes. Add 2.5 quarts (2.4 l.) of boiling water. Add heat if necessary to bring temperature up to 148 degrees F (64.5 C) and hold for about 70 minutes.
After conversion, raise temperature to 167 degrees F (75 C), lauter and sparge with 2.5 gallons (9.5 l.) of 170-degree F (77 C) water. Add additional water to end with 5.5 gallons (21 l.) of sweet liquor. Add bittering hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil.
The total boil time will be 60 minutes. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 60 minutes (reducing the wort volume to just over 5 gallons), turn off the heat, then separate or strain out and sparge hops. Chill the wort to 65 degrees F (18 C) and direct into a sanitized fermenter. Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 50 degrees F (10 C). Then transfer into a secondary fermenter and add dissolved amylase enzyme. Maintain temperature of 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for one more week at 40 degrees F (4.5 C).
When secondary aging is complete, prime with sugar, bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.
MALT-EXTRACT RECIPE AND PROCEDURE FOR MILLER LITE
| 21/4 lbs. | (1 kg.) | English extralight dried malt extract |
| 11/2 lbs. | (0.7 kg.) | rice extract syrup |
| 0 lb. | (0 kg.) | Total grains |
| 3.5 | HBU | (99 MBU) American Cluster hops (pellets)—60 minutes (bittering) |
| 1/4 | tsp. | Irish moss |
| 1 | tsp. | amylase enzyme (fungally derived) |
| 3/4 | c. | corn sugar for priming in bottles. Use 1/3 cup corn sugar if priming a keg. |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast is recommended.
Use very soft, pH-neutral water that is low in minerals. Add extracts and hops to 2.5 gallons (9.5 l.) of water. The total boil time will be 60 minutes. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 60 minutes, turn off the heat, separate or strain out and sparge hops, and direct the hot wort into a sanitized fermenter to which 2 gallons (7.6 l.) of cold water have been added. If necessary, add additional cold water to achieve a 5-gallon (19-l.) batch size. Chill the wort to 70 degrees F (21 C). Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 50 degrees F (10 C). Then transfer into a secondary fermenter and add dissolved amylase enzyme. Maintain temperature of 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for one more week at 40 degrees F (4.5 C).
When secondary aging is complete, prime with sugar, bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.
Silver Cup Winner
Pabst Genuine Draft Light
Pabst Brewing Co.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Pale straw color. A neutral aroma with no malt sweetness or hop character. Everything that you expect for this style of beer. Light-bodied with a slightly sweet finish. No bitterness whatsoever. Highly carbonated and clean. A classic character for this style. A great, unmindful beer for times when quenching a thirst is important.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Color: 3-4 SRM (6-8 EBC)
Bittering Units: 10-12
Bronze Cup Winner
Medalla Light Beer
Cerveceria India Ale Inc.
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
As light in color as a beer can get without being clear. Pristinely clear. Excellent clean, light, sweet, malty character. Exceptionally light-bodied and clean-tasting with a dry, refreshing finish that actually suggests beer. Enough hop bitterness to counterpoint the malt, but not notable as bitterness. Quite assertively carbonated, but balanced with enough flavor to be quite refreshing. Totally neutral in fermented character except for a grainlike base that substantiates the beverage as beer. Aftertaste is vaguely reminiscent of light bitterness that continues as it is enjoyed. Slight herbal-wintergreen hop flavor evident during indulgence. Enjoyable at your choice of very cold temperatures or at 50 degrees F.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Original Gravity: 1.032 (8) indicated by the brewery
Final Gravity: 1.001 (0.25) indicated by the brewery
Alcohol by volume: 4.4% indicated by the brewery
Color: 2-3 SRM (4-6 EBC) (3.2 indicated by the brewery)
Bittering Units: 15-18 (13 indicated by the brewery)
CATEGORY 48: AMERICAN-STYLE PREMIUM LAGER
Similar to the American Lager, this style is a more flavorful, medium-bodied beer and may contain few or no adjuncts at all. Color may be deeper than the American Lager, and alcohol content and bitterness may also be greater. Hop aroma and flavor are low or negligible. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should be absent. NOTE: Some beers marketed as “premium” (based on price) may not fit this definition.
| Original Gravity (°Plato): | 1.046-1.050 (11.5-12.5 °Plato) |
| Apparent Extract-Final Gravity (°Plato): | 1.010-1.014 (2.5-3.5 °Plato) |
| Alcohol by weight (volume): | 3.6-4% (4.3-5%) |
| Bitterness (IBU): | 13-23 |
| Color (SRM): | 2-8 (4-16 EBC) |
Gold Cup Winner
Brick Red Baron
Brick Brewing Company
181 King St.
S. Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2J 1P7
Brewmaster: Bill Barnes
Established 1984
Production: 38,500 bbl. (45,000 hl.)
A brewery that is said to have inspired the microbrewery movement in eastern Canada. Established by entrepreneur, businessman and beer enthusiast Jim Brickman in 1984, the Brick brewery is a testament to resourcefulness, tenacity, quality and vision, all attributes of today’s successful microbrewers. Jim Brickman’s brewery journey began in 1978. There were only two microbreweries in existence in all of North America. It was a time of skepticism and deaf ears in the banking community, the government and the beer “system” as it existed. Six years later in a 145-year-old abandoned furniture factory, a traditional European brewhouse began producing traditional European-style beers. One of the first breweries in North America to utilize cold sterile filtration to help maintain the freshness of its products, the Brick Brewing Company continues to be a pioneer today. With its focus on specialty products for a small but growing market of beer enthusiasts, the brewery has undergone six expansions since 1984. The success of Jim Brickman and his brewery is testament to the importance of quality. His recipe for success is simple: “You have to be sincere and have a love for brewing.” Was he a homebrewer in some former life? Well, at least in spirit, he must have been.
The beers of the Brick Brewing Company include Brick Premium Lager, Brick Red Baron, Brick Amber Dry, Henninger Kaiser Pils (brewed under license from Frankfurt, Germany), Pacific Real Draft, Red Cap Ale, Waterloo Dark and Anniversary Bock.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION OF GOLD CUP-WINNING BRICK RED BARON
Yellow, golden and pale in color. A perfectly neutral, clean aroma with a very light and insignificant level of green apples. Hop and malt characters are remarkably absent. First flavor impression reveals a medium body, finishing with a pleasant, clean, unpretentious, light pale-malt sweetness. Though low, the malt flavor is ample enough to steer it away from an acidic aftertaste typical of many underhopped American-style light-colored lagers. Hop flavor is negligible, but as with malt character, it is present at levels high enough to contribute to a synergistic overall flavor. Some grainlike adjunct character in nose, appropriate for category.
• Recipe for 5 U.S. gallons (19 liters) Brick Red Baron
Targets:
Original Gravity: 1.046 (11.5)
Final Gravity: 1.008 (2)
Alcohol by volume: 5%
Color: 3 SRM (6 EBC)
Bittering Units: 15
ALL-GRAIN RECIPE AND PROCEDURE
| 8 lbs. | (3.6 kg.) | Canadian 2-row Harrington pale malt |
| 1/2 lb. | (0.23 kg.) | flaked corn |
| 81/2 lbs. | (3.9 kg.) | Total grains |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast is recommended.
A step infusion mash is employed to mash the grains. Add 8.5 quarts (8.1 l.) of 130-degree F (54.5 C) water to the crushed grain and flaked corn, stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 122 degrees F (50 C) for 30 minutes. Add 4 quarts (3.8 l.) of boiling water, adding heat if necessary to bring temperature up to 150 degrees F (65.5 C). Hold for about 60 minutes.
After conversion, raise temperature to 167 degrees F (75 C), lauter and sparge with 4 gallons (15 l.) of 170-degree F (77 C) water. Collect about 6 gallons (23 l.) of runoff, add bittering hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil.
The total boil time will be 75 minutes. When 20 minutes remain, add flavor hops. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 75 minutes (reducing the wort volume to just over 5 gallons), turn off the heat, add the aroma hops and let steep for 3 to 5 minutes, then separate or strain out and sparge hops. Chill the wort to 65 degrees F (18 C) and direct into a sanitized fermenter. Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 50 degrees F (10 C). Then transfer into a secondary fermenter. Maintain temperature of 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for two to four more weeks at 40 degrees F (4.5 C).
When secondary aging is complete, prime with sugar, bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.
MASH-EXTRACT RECIPE AND PROCEDURE FOR BRICK RED BARON
| 4 lbs. | (1.8 kg.) | English extralight dried malt extract |
| 11/2 lbs. | (0.7 kg.) | Canadian Harrington 2-row pale malt |
| 1/2 lb. | (0.7 kg.) | flaked corn |
| 2 lbs. | (0.9 kg.) | Total grains |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast is recommended.
A step infusion mash is employed to mash the grains. Add 2 quarts (1.9 l.) of 130-degree F (54.5 C) water to the crushed grain and flaked corn, stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 122 degrees F (50 C) for 30 minutes. Add 1 quart (1 l.) of boiling water, add heat to bring temperature up to 150 degrees F (65.5 C), and hold for about 60 minutes.
After conversion, raise temperature to 167 degrees F (75 C), lauter and sparge with 1 gallon (3.8 l.) of 170-degree F (77 C) water. Collect about 1.5 gallons (5.7 l.) of runoff. Add additional 1 gallon (3.8 l.) of water and the malt extract and bittering hops. Bring the 2.5 gallons (9.5 l.) to a full and vigorous boil.
The total boil time will be 60 minutes. When 20 minutes remain, add flavor hops. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 60 minutes, turn off the heat, then separate or strain out and sparge hops, and direct the hot wort into a sanitized fermenter to which 2 gallons (7.6 l.) of cold water have been added. If necessary, add additional cold water to achieve a 5-gallon (19-l.) batch size. Chill the wort to 65 degrees F (18 C) and direct into a sanitized fermenter. Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 50 degrees F (10 C). Then transfer into a secondary fermenter. Maintain temperature of 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for two to four more weeks at 40 degrees F (4.5 C).
When secondary aging is complete, prime with sugar, bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.
Silver Cup Winner
Signature
Stroh Brewery Co.
Detroit, Michigan, USA
Pale golden color. Light-hearted hop aroma attempts to emerge beyond a subdued grainy malt aroma. Mouth feel is light-bodied with a dry finish. As a premium style, it is distinctive for having subdued grain and hop characters. Extremely low level of DMS (sweet corn character) helps define the flavor of this lager. A memory of malt sweetness and a soft hop bitterness. The hopping rate is skillfully accomplished to balance the lighter characters of this American-style premium lager. At second impression, the body moves toward the medium range, perhaps because of the evident hops and the sweet cornlike, grainy flavor not evident in comparatively lighter styles of American lager.
Brewery formulation uses corn adjunct with Czech Saaz and Slovenian Styrian Goldings for bitterness, flavor and aroma.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Original Gravity: 1.048 (12) indicated by the brewery
Final Gravity: 1.018 (4.5) indicated by the brewery
Alcohol by volume: 4.9% indicated by the brewery
Color: 5-6 SRM (10-12 EBC) (4.6 SRM indicated by the brewery)
Bittering Units: 15-17 (16 indicated by the brewery)
Bronze Cup Winner
Budweiser
Anheuser-Busch Inc.
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Extremely pale in color. Very subtle applelike fruitiness is evident in the aroma. Sweet malt aroma also emerges, but hop character is absent. Bitterness is negligible and only present to balance out malt sweetness. A light-bodied beer with a dry finish. Fully and notably carbonated. Aftertaste is primarily neutral with a faint memory of malt. A classic American-style lager. Refreshing for its mildness. Other than drinkability, memorableness is not particularly important for this style and is not evident in this beer. A quintessential example of the American premium lager style.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Color: 3-4 SRM (6-8 EBC)
Bittering Units: 12-13
CATEGORY 49: DRY LAGER
This straw-colored lager lacks sweetness and is reminiscent of an American-style light lager. However, its starting gravity and alcoholic strength are greater. Hop rates are low and carbonation is high. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should be absent.
| Original Gravity (“Plato): | 1.040-1.050 (10-12.5 °Plato) |
| Apparent Extract-Final Gravity (°Plato): | 1.004-1.008 (1-2 °Plato) |
| Alcohol by weight (volume): | 3.6-4.5% (4.3-5.5%) |
| Bitterness (IBU): | 15-23 |
| Color (SRM): | 2-4 (4-7 EBC) |
Gold Cup Winner
None
Silver Cup Winner
None
Bronze Cup Winner
Cerveja Antarctica
Cia. Antarctica Paulista
Jaguariúna, São Paulo, Brazil
Pale straw color. Clean, grainy and sweet malt aroma emerges delicately along with a hint of pleasantly sweet, smoky phenols mixed with a low and pleasant level of corn (DMS). Very evocative aroma reminiscent of Brazil’s lifestyle; a flavor with subtle passions that intensify with each sip. Pleasant bitterness evolves with each taste rather than diminishing. Light-bodied mouth feel with a dry finish. Not excessively sweet. Middle experience provides a nice, refreshing bitter bite that is neither harsh nor soft. A roundness of flavor portrays the complexity of the malt and grain flavors that continue through the experience, without being assertive. Refreshing and clean. Hop flavor and aroma absent.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Color: 3-4 SRM (6-8 EBC)
Bittering Units: 19-23
CATEGORY 50: AMERICAN-STYLE ICE LAGER
This style is slightly higher in alcohol than most other light-colored, American-style lagers. Its body is low to medium and it has a low residual malt sweetness. It has few or no adjuncts. Color is very pale to golden. Hop bitterness is low, but is certainly perceptible. Hop aroma and flavor are low. Chill haze, fruity esters and diacetyl should not be perceived. Typically these beers are chilled before filtration so that ice crystals (which may or may not be removed) are formed. This can contribute to a higher alcohol content (up to 0.5 percent more).
| Original Gravity (°Plato): | 1.040-1.060 (10-15 °Plato) |
| Apparent Extract-Final Gravity (°Plato): | 1.006-1.014 (1.5-3.5 °Plato) |
| Alcohol by weight (volume): | 3.8-5% (4.6-6%) |
| Bitterness (IBU): | 7-20 |
| Color (SRM): | 2-8 (5-16 EBC) |
Gold Cup Winner
Icehouse
Plank Road Brewery
4400 W. State Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA 53201
Brewmaster: Dr. David Ryder, vice president, Brewing Research and Quality Assurance
Established 1993
Production: 3 million bbl. (3.5 million hl.)
Plank Road Brewery, a division of Miller Brewing Company, gets its name from the location and original name of the first brewery founded in Milwaukee by Frederick Miller in the 1850s. In 1873 the Plank Road Brewery changed its name to the Menomonee Valley Brewery, eventually becoming the Miller Brewing Company.
The Plank-Road Brewery
The Plank Road Brewery was envisioned by the Miller Brewing Company as having an entrepreneurial spirit in keeping with the small, handcrafted microbreweries of the Northwest. In 1993 the Miller Brewing Company saw an opportunity to tap into the growing specialty-beer market. Though the market is small, Miller believed that some mainstream beer drinkers wanted more than the average American mass-produced beer. Plank Road philosophy takes the spirit of Miller back to the simpler times of a small brewery by creating and marketing a high-quality brew for the changing tastes of many of today’s mainstream beer drinkers. By allowing a group of dedicated Miller employees to launch their “own” brewing division, Miller shed some of its corporate bureaucracy and gave a select group of employees an opportunity to become more creative. Today Plank Road products are targeted at the average American beer drinker who prefers beers whose image is positioned in the marketplace between the lighter-flavored mainstream beers and the full-flavored microbrewed beers.
Plank Road products include the award-winning Icehouse and Red Dog, Southpaw Light and Northstone Amber Ale.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION OF GOLD CUP-WINNING ICEHOUSE
“Ice brewed to eliminate watered-down taste.” That’s what it says on the label. Pale gold color. Aroma is slightly sweet with a minuscule level of sweet cornlike lager character. Mouth feel presents itself as low approaching a medium body. Flavor is a simple fermented malt character. No flaws. No bitterness except to balance the aftertaste and effectively neutralize flavor. Other than a hint of sulfur-yeast character, Icehouse is extraordinarily absent of fermentation flavor character.
• Recipe for 5 U.S. gallons (19 liters) Icehouse
Targets:
Original Gravity: 1.045 (11.25)
Final Gravity: 1.006 (1.5)
Alcohol by volume: 5.2%
Color: 3.8 SRM (7.5 EBC)
Bittering Units: 15
ALL-GRAIN RECIPE AND PROCEDURE
| 41/4 lbs. | (1.9 kg.) | American 6-row pale malt |
| 4 lbs. | (1.8 kg.) | flaked corn |
| 0.1 oz. | (4 g.) | American black malt |
| 81/4 lbs. | (3.7 kg.) | Total grains |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast is recommended.
A step infusion mash is employed to mash the grains. Add 8.5 quarts (8.1 l.) of 130-degree F (54.5 C) water to the crushed grain and flaked corn, stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 122 degrees F (50 C) for 30 minutes. Add 4 quarts (3.8 l.) of boiling water, adding heat if necessary to bring temperature up to 150 degrees F (65.5 C). Hold for about 60 minutes.
After conversion, raise temperature to 167 degrees F (75 C), lauter and sparge with 4 gallons (15 l.) of 170-degree F (77 C) water. Collect about 6 gallons (23 l.) of runoff, add bittering hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil.
The total boil time will be 75 minutes. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 75 minutes (reducing the wort volume to just over 5 gallons), turn off the heat, then separate or strain out and sparge hops. Chill the wort to 65 degrees F (18 C) and direct into a sanitized fermenter. Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 50 degrees F (10 C), then transfer into a secondary fermenter. Maintain temperature of 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for two to four more weeks at 40 degrees F (4.5 C). After lagering, drop temperature to 30 to 31 degrees F (-1 C) to encourage ice in the form of a slight slush on the surface. Separate beer from ice slush.
Prime with sugar then bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.
MASH-EXTRACT RECIPE AND PROCEDURE FOR ICEHOUSE
| 21/4 lbs. | (1 kg.) | English light dried malt extract |
| 21/2 lbs. | (1.1 kg.) | American 6-row pale malt |
| 2 lbs. | (0.9 kg.) | flaked corn |
| 0.1 oz. | (4 g.) | American black malt |
| 41/2 lbs. | (2 kg.) | Total grains |
| 2 | HBU | (56 MBU) American Cluster hops (pellets)—75 minutes (bittering) | |
| 2 | HBU | (56 MBU) American Galena hops (pellets)—75 minutes (bittering) | |
| 1/4 | tsp. | Irish moss | |
| 3/4 | c. | corn sugar for priming in bottles. Use 1/3 cup corn sugar if priming a keg. |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast is recommended.
A step infusion mash is employed to mash the grains. Add 4.5 quarts (4.3 l.) of 130-degree F (54.5 C) water to the crushed grain and flaked corn, stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 122 degrees F (50 C) for 30 minutes. Add 2 quarts (1.9 l.) of boiling water. Add heat to bring temperature up to 150 degrees F (65.5 C). Hold for about 60 minutes.
After conversion, raise temperature to 167 degrees F (75 C), lauter and sparge with 2 gallons (3.8 l.) of 170-degree F (77 C) water. Collect about 3 gallons (11.4 l.) of runoff. Add malt extract and bittering hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil.
The total boil time will be 75 minutes. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 75 minutes (reducing the wort volume to just over 5 gallons), turn off the heat, then separate or strain out and sparge hops, and direct the hot wort into a sanitized fermenter to which 2 gallons (7.6 l.) of cold water have been added. If necessary, add additional cold water to achieve a 5-gallon (19-l.) batch size. Chill the wort to 65 degrees F (68.5 C). Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 50 degrees F (10 C). Then transfer into a secondary fermenter. Maintain temperature of 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for two more weeks at 40 degrees F (4.5 C). After lagering, drop temperature to 30 to 31 degrees F (-1 C) to encourage ice in the form of a slight slush on the surface. Separate beer from ice slush.
Prime with sugar then bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.
Silver Cup Winner
Molson Ice
Molson Breweries-MCI
Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
Pale straw color. Sweet malt aroma emerges with a hint of floral character. Fresh, clean beer character. Medium-bodied lager. First flavor impression portrays sweetness with overall neutrality. Very smooth, with bitterness hardly perceptible. Hop flavor and aroma absent. Malt sweetness and skillfully lagered sweet esters are very smooth and pleasant. A sweet aftertaste that gradually dissipates to a neutral, slightly alcoholic flavor. The label indicates that the beer “is slow brewed and super chilled until ice crystals form, then filtered and blended with pure Canadian water.”
Estimated profile based on tasting
Alcohol by volume: 5.6% as indicated on label
Color: 4-5 SRM (8-10 EBC)
Bittering Units: 12-14
Bronze Cup Winner
Schlitz Ice
Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co.
Detroit, Michigan, USA
Pale golden in color. Sweet, very clean base malt-and-grain aroma with no evidence of higher-type alcohols. Flavor is medium-bodied followed by a dry finish. Strinkingly sweet flavor finishes off with a small bite of bitterness and warming alcohol. This beer is so dry and light, the flavor of the alcohol is certainly evident, becoming a part of the overall flavor profile. Aftertaste is a memorable hit of alcohol flavor, but is very clean with a lingering sweetness and a continuing nip of bitterness. Clean, simple and strong.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Original Gravity: 1.044 (11) indicated by the brewery
Final Gravity: 1.008 (4) indicated by the brewery
Alcohol by volume: 4.6% indicated by the brewery, though label says 7.7%
Color: 4 SRM (8 EBC) (3.2 indicated by the brewery)
Bittering Units: 14-16 (14 indicated by the brewery)
CATEGORY 51: AMERICAN-STYLE MALT LIQUOR
High in starting gravity and alcoholic strength, this style is somewhat diverse. Some American Malt Liquors are just slightly stronger than American lagers, while others approach bock strength. Some residual sweetness is perceived. Hop rates are very low, contributing little bitterness and virtually no hop aroma or flavor. Chill haze, diacetyl and fruity esters should not be perceived.
Gold Cup Winner
Olde English 800 Malt Liquor
Pabst Brewing Company
622 East Vienna Ave.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA 53212
Brewmaster: Bob Newman
Established 1844 as Best and Company
Production: 6 million bbl. (7 million hl.)
The original brewkettle had a capacity of just 18 barrels. That’s a microbrewery by anyone’s standard. By 1893 the brewery had expanded and had changed its name from Best and Company to Phillip Best Brewing Company. It eventually became the Pabst Brewing Company after Captain Fred Pabst married into the company. He led the brewery to become the largest in the United States at one million barrels of production a year. A hundred years ago these were very large numbers.
Pabst Brewery claims to have brewed the first lager beer in Milwaukee. But in actuality there had to have been homebrewers who perhaps had been meeting their own needs for lager. No one knows for sure, but one just can’t help but imagine that the thirst for beer hasn’t changed over the centuries.
Malt liquor is usually much maligned by beer and homebrew enthusiasts, but they might be interested in hearing a story about how I prove to some very knowledgeable beer judges that we are indeed prejudiced by marketing and image. In a blind beer tasting I once slipped a bottle of malt liquor onto the palates of several beer enthusiasts, claiming that it was a Maibock. The assessment was that the brew lacked a bit of body and malt character but that it seemed a plausible example of this traditional German style of lager. The panel was flabbergasted when told what the beer actually was.
Olde English 800 Malt Liquor is a proven winner of this category in the World Beer Cup. Different panels of judges have consistently awarded Olde English 800 Gold Medals at the 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1995 Great American Beer Festivals. This is no small feat as the ever-more-sophisticated palates of judges from around the world assess these beers.
Beers produced by the Pabst Brewing Company include a range of products under the brands of Pabst, Olympia, Andeker, Jacob Best and Hamm’s.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION OF GOLD CUP-WINNING OLDE ENGLISH 800 MALT LIQUOR
Golden yellow color. A touch of berrylike fruitiness, sweet honeylike malt and alcohol aroma greets one upon first indulgence. Immediate impression of mouth feel is barely beyond low in body, followed by a very dry aftertaste-finish. Overall Olde English 800 flavor reveals a sweetness that is not heavy and only enough bitterness to minimally balance the sweet character. A mild-tasting beer with no strong flavors and very little aftertaste. With further indulgence one begins to perceive a tiny bit of bitterness in aftertaste, but then again, this may be an illusionary effect of alcohol.
• Recipe for 5 U.S. gallons (19 liters) Olde English 800 Malt Liquor
Targets:
Original Gravity: 1.055 (13.5)
Final Gravity: 1.004 (1)
Alcohol by volume: 7%
Color: 4.5 SRM (9 EBC)
Bittering Units: 14
ALL-GRAIN RECIPE AND PROCEDURE
| 31/2 lbs. | (1.6 kg.) | American 2-row pale malt |
| 33/4 lbs. | (1.7 kg.) | American 6-row pale malt |
| 3 lbs. | (1.4 kg.) | flaked corn |
| 101/4 lbs. | (4.7 kg.) | Total grains |
| 2 | HBU | (56 MBU) American Cluster hops (pellets)—105 minutes (bittering) |
| 1.5 | HBU | (43 MBU) American Nugget hops (pellets)—105 minutes (bittering) |
| 1/4 | tsp. | Irish moss |
| 3/4 | c. | corn sugar for priming in bottles. Use 1/3 corn sugar if priming a keg. |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast is recommended.
A step infusion mash is employed to mash the grains. Add 10 quarts (9.5 l.) of 130-degree F (54.5 C) water to the crushed grain and flaked corn, stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 122 degrees F (50 C) for 30 minutes. Add 5 quarts (1.9 l.) of boiling water. Add heat to bring temperature up to 150 degrees F (65.5 C). Hold for about 60 minutes.
After conversion, raise temperature to 167 degrees F (75 C), lauter and sparge with 4 gallons (15 l.) of 170-degree F (77 C) water. Collect about 6.5 gallons (25 l.) of runoff, add bittering hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil.
The total boil time will be 105 minutes. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 105 minutes (reducing the wort volume to just over 5 gallons), turn off the heat, then separate or strain out and sparge hops. Chill the wort to 65 degrees F (18 C) and direct into a sanitized fermenter. Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 55 degrees F (15 C). Then transfer into a secondary fermenter, chill to 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for two to four more weeks at 40 degrees F (4.5 C).
When secondary aging is complete, prime with sugar, bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.
MASH-EXTRACT RECIPE AND PROCEDURE FOR OLDE ENGLISH 800 MALT LIQUOR
| 21/2 lbs. | (1.1 kg.) | English light dried malt extract |
| 31/2 lbs. | (1.6 kg.) | American 6-row pale malt |
| 21/2 lbs. | (1.1 kg.) | flaked corn |
| 6 lbs. | (2.7 kg.) | Total grains |
| 2 | HBU | (56 MBU) American Cluster hops (pellets)—75 minutes (bittering) |
| 2 | HBU | (56 MBU) American Nugget hops (pellets)—75 minutes (bittering) |
| 1/4 | tsp. | Irish moss |
| 3/4 | c. | corn sugar for priming in bottles. Use 1/3 cup corn sugar if priming a keg. |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast is recommended.
A step infusion mash is employed to mash the grains. Add 6 quarts (5.7 l.) of 130-degree F (54.5 C) water to the crushed grain and flaked corn, stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 122 degrees F (50 C) for 30 minutes. Add 3 quarts (2.9 l.) of boiling water, add heat to bring temperature up to 150 degrees F (65.5 C), and hold for about 60 minutes.
After conversion, raise temperature to 167 degrees F (75 C), lauter and sparge with 2 gallons (7.6 l.) of 170-degree F (77 C) water. Collect about 3 gallons (11.5 l.) of runoff. Add malt extract and bittering hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil.
The total boil time will be 75 minutes. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 75 minutes, turn off the heat, then separate or strain out and sparge hops, and direct the hot wort into a sanitized fermenter to which 2 gallons (7.6 l.) of cold water have been added. If necessary, add additional cold water to achieve a 5-gallon (19-l.) batch size. Chill the wort to 70 degrees F (21 C). Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary. Then transfer into a secondary fermenter and chill to 55 to 60 degrees F (13-15.5 C) if possible. Allow to age for two weeks or more.
When secondary aging is complete, prime with sugar, bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated.
Silver Cup Winner
Schlitz Malt Liquor
Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co.
Detroit, Michigan, USA
Pale gold in color. Neither hops nor malt emerges in the very neutrally clean aroma. Second aromatic impression portrays some graininess. Flavor has a dry finish contributed to by high carbonation. A hint of fruitiness complements the flavor along with the alcohol’s tingling sensation and flavor. A small dose of hop bitterness synergizes with the alcohol to create an overall balanced neutral, quenching, dry beer. Aftertaste is mildly suggestive of refreshing hop bitterness. Extraordinarily clean, with an expected hint of high-alcohol fruitiness.
Brewery formulation uses corn adjunct with American Galena hops for bitterness.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Original Gravity: 1.054 (13.4) indicated by the brewery
Final Gravity: 1.018 (4.5) indicated by the brewery
Alcohol by volume: 5.9% indicated by the brewery
Color: 4-5 SRM (8-10 EBC) (4.6 SRM indicated by the brewery)
Bittering Units: 13-16 (12 indicated by the brewery)
Bronze Cup Winner
Country Club Malt Liquor
Pearl Brewing Co.
San Antonio, Texas, USA
Straw golden in color. No hop aroma. Sweetness borrows a good dose of neutral adjunct character from corn or other sugars. A small hint of DMS (cornlike character) is evident. There is a quiet sense of alcohol in the aroma while most other aromatic characters are minimal or neutral. Mouth feel is medium-bodied with the a light aftertaste. Some bitterness in aftertaste, which plays an essential role in balancing the sweetness of character. Alcohol has some warming effect in flavor and aftertaste, though overall this is a simple, straightforward beer for malt liquor connoisseurs.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Color: 3-4 SRM (6-8 EBC)
Bittering Units: 15-17
CATEGORY 52: AMERICAN-STYLE AMBER LAGER
American-Style Amber Lagers are amber, reddish brown or copper-colored. They are medium-bodied. There is a noticeable degree of caramel-type malt character in flavor and often in aroma. This is a broad category in which the hop bitterness, flavor and aroma may be accentuated or at relatively low levels, yet noticeable. Fruity esters, diacetyl and chill haze should be absent.
| Original Gravity (“Plato): | 1.042-1.056 (10.5-14 °Plato) |
| Apparent Extract-Final Gravity (°Plato): | 1.010-1.018 (2.5-4.5 °Plato) |
| Alcohol by weight (volume): | 3.8-4.3% (4.8-5.4%) |
| Bitterness (IBU): | 20-30 |
| Color SRM (EBC): | 6-12 (15-30 EBC) |
Gold Cup Winner
Point Amber Lager
Stevens Point Brewery
2617 Water St.
Stevens Point, Wisconsin, USA 54481
Brewmaster: John M. Zappa
Established 1857
Production: 49,000 bbl. (57,000 hl.)
I’ll never forget a personal visit I made to the Stevens Point Brewery in 1988. “Astounding,” I thought. “A microbrewery that has survived in America for 131 years.” Since 1857 this small local brewery has survived the Civil War, two World Wars, the Great Depression, American Prohibition and the competition of larger breweries. It is one of only sixteen continuously operating pre-Prohibition brewing companies in the United States. No small feat in a country where there were thousands of breweries across the land at the turn of the twentieth century. Interestingly, Stevens Point Brewery was actually founded a year earlier than the city of Stevens Point. Ah. It’s amazing what a good little brewery can inspire.
John Zappa, Brewmaster
Courtesy of Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
I recall that in 1988 Stevens Point was an immaculately well-kept small brewery in the heartland of America, barely surviving at a production level of about 20,000 barrels, a dream production for most aspiring microbreweries of the day. But at the time the Stevens Point Brewery produced primarily American-style light lagers, competing little-head-to-big-head with the national brands and slowly losing out. Fortunately for beer enthusiasts, this proud little brewery adapted to market changes in time to produce the quality beer sought by America’s new beer enthusiasts.
I can only let my imagination drift upward and beyond along with the surfacing bubbles of award-winning Point Classic Amber and believe that when Frank Wahle and George Ruder established the Stevens Point Brewery in the early days of lumberjacks and woodlands, they first had been homebrewers with a dream and a full-flavored thirst. They just had to be, didn’t they?
Other beers produced by the Stevens Point Brewery are Point Special, Point Bock, Point Pale Ale, Point Maple Wheat and Point Winter Spice.
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION OF GOLD CUP-WINNING POINT AMBER LAGER
Tawny amber color with a reddish hue. Promoted as a 100 percent barley “Point Classic” and brewed with three hops, it has a firm but subtle caramel character and an all-malt aroma. Hop aroma is subtle and gentle, and expresses the soft sweetness of American Tettnanger hops. Bitterness is not part of a first flavor impression, but becomes apparent as a combination of mid- to low-alpha American hops. Body is low to medium in mouth feel, with an aftertaste that includes the medium intensity of sweet caramel malt. Bitterness is overridden by dominant, though gentle, malt character. Extraordinarily clean beer absent of complex fermentation byproducts.
• Recipe for 5 U.S. gallons (19 liters) Point Amber Lager
Targets:
Original Gravity: 1.048 (12)
Final Gravity: 1.012 (3)
Alcohol by volume: 4.8%
Color: 16 SRM (32 EBC)
Bittering Units: 15
ALL-GRAIN RECIPE AND PROCEDURE
| 2 | HBU | (56 MBU) American Cluster hops (pellets)—90 minutes (bittering) |
| 1 | HBU | (28 MBU) American Hallertauer hops (pellets)—30 minutes (flavor) |
| 1 | HBU | (28 MBU) American Tettnanger hops (pellets)—30 minutes (flavor) |
| 1/4 | oz. | (7 g.) American Cascade hops (pellets)—steep in finished boiled wort for 2 to 3 minutes (aroma) |
| 1/4 | tsp. | Irish moss |
| 3/4 | c. | corn sugar for priming in bottles. Use cup corn sugar if priming a keg. |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast
A step infusion mash is employed to mash the grains. Add 9 quarts (8.5 l.) of 140-degree F (60 C) water to the crushed grain, stir, stabilize and hold the temperature at 133 degrees F (56 C) for 30 minutes. Add 4.5 quarts (4.3 l.) of boiling water, add heat if necessary to bring temperature up to 153 degrees F (67 C), and hold for about 60 minutes.
After conversion, raise temperature to 167 degrees F (75 C), lauter and sparge with 4 gallons (15 l.) of 170-degree F (77 C) water. Collect about 6 gallons (23 l.) of runoff, add bittering hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil.
The total boil time will be 90 minutes. When 30 minutes remain, add flavor hops. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 90 minutes (reducing the wort volume to just over 5 gallons), turn off the heat, add aroma hops and let steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Then separate or strain out and sparge hops. Chill the wort to 65 degrees F (18 C) and direct into a sanitized fermenter. Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 55 degrees F (15 C). Then transfer into a secondary fermenter, chill to 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for two more weeks at 40 degrees F (4.5 C).
When secondary aging is complete, prime with sugar, bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.
MALT-EXTRACT RECIPE AND PROCEDURE FOR POINT AMBER LAGER
| 43/4 lbs. | (2.2 kg.) | English light dried malt extract |
| 11/4 lbs. | (0.6 kg.) | American caramel malt—60 Lovibond |
| 11/4 lbs. | (0.57 kg) | Total grains |
| 3 | HBU | (85 MBU) American Cluster hops (pellets)—60 minutes (bittering) |
| 1 | HBU | (28 MBU) American Hallertauer hops (pellets)—30 minutes (flavor) |
| 1 | HBU | (28 MBU) American Tettnanger hops (pellets)—30 minutes (flavor) |
| 1/4 | oz. | (7 g.) American Cascade hops (pellets)—steep in finished boiled wort for 2 to 3 minutes (aroma) |
| 1/4 | tsp. | Irish moss |
| 3/4 | c. | corn sugar for priming in bottles. Use 1/3 cup corn sugar if priming a keg. |
Wyeast 2007 Pilsen Lager yeast
Steep crushed specialty grains in 1½ gallons (5.7 l.) water at 150 degrees F (65.5 C) for 30 minutes. Strain and sparge with enough 170-degree F (76.5 C) water to finish with a little over 2½ gallons (9.5 l.) specialty grain liquor. Add the dried malt extract and bittering hops and bring to a full and vigorous boil.
The total boil time will be 60 minutes. When 10 minutes remain, add Irish moss. After a total wort boil of 60 minutes, turn off the heat, separate or strain out and sparge hops, and direct the hot wort into a sanitized fermenter to which 2 gallons (7.6 l.) of cold water have been added. If necessary, add additional cold water to achieve a 5-gallon (19-l.) batch size. Aerate the cooled wort well. Add an active yeast culture and ferment for 4 to 6 days in the primary at 55 degrees F (15 C). Then transfer into a secondary fermenter, chill to 50 degrees F (10 C) to age for two more weeks, then lager for two more weeks at 40 degrees F (4.5 C).
When secondary aging is complete, prime with sugar, bottle or keg. Let condition at temperatures above 60 degrees F (15.5 C) until clear and carbonated, then store chilled.
Silver Cup Winner
JJ Wainwright Evil Eye Amber Lager
Pittsburgh Brewing Co.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Light amber color with orange hue. Complex American-type hop aroma (such as citrusy Cascade) emerges. Malt sweetness is evident, but hop aroma predominates. Light to medium body with a clean, refreshing, neutral flavor. A mild Munich/Vienna malt flavor accompanied by a very light caramel character balances a reflective bitterness that emerges in the aftertaste. Hop flavor is generally fruity and citrusy but not as strong as in aroma. Overall impression returns to hop character with mild malt character.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Color: 9-11 SRM (18-22 EBC)
Bittering Units: 21-27
Bronze Cup Winner
Red Wolf
Anheuser-Busch Inc.
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Color is midway between amber and brown with orange hues. Relatively neutral aroma with a slight suggestion of caramel that stops short of making a definitive statement. Flavor offers a sweet impression with clean maltiness. A pleasant small bitterness creeps into the finish. Medium-bodied mouth feel, though the finish leaves a light impression. Toasted malts contribute mostly color and some roast bitterness, but overall do not contribute significantly to flavor.
Estimated profile based on tasting
Alcohol by volume: 5.5% as indicated on label
Color: 12-13 SRM (24-26 EBC)
Bittering Units: 18-20
CATEGORY 53: AMERICAN-STYLE DARK LAGER
This beer’s maltiness is less pronounced than European dark lagers, and the body is light. Nonmalt adjuncts are often used, and hop rates are low. Hop bitterness flavor and aroma are low. Carbonation is high and is more typical of an American-style light lager than a European dark lager. Fruity esters, diacetyl and chill haze should not be perceived.
Gold Cup Winner
None
Silver Cup Winner
None
Bronze Cup Winner
None