Five years ago at Craft Beer & Brewing, we produced one of our earliest and most-watched video courses: The Secrets to Brewing Great Lagers with Bierstadt Lagerhaus, taught by Bierstadt brewers and cofounders Ashleigh Carter and Bill Eye. Back then, their lager-focused brewery was a rare unicorn, with plenty of skeptics that such a business could stay afloat amid the sea of IPA. And yet, among small breweries in North America, Old World–inspired lager has only gained steam since then, and it’s hard to understate Bierstadt’s influence on that ongoing evolution. So, when Carter and Eye said they wanted to return as instructors, and go deeper on their processes and lager-brewing philosophies, we didn’t hesitate.
In this course, the Bierstadt cofounders discuss:
And much more.
Course Intro with Bill + Ashleigh
Let’s Walk Through the Decoction Mash
More About The Decoction Steps and Vorlauf
Why Decoction Matters
Runoff, First-Wort Hopping, and Defeating DMS
What Is First-Wort Hopping?
The When and Why of Hop Additions
What Sets Dark Lagers Apart
Water Considerations
Whirlpool & Knockout
Hot vs. Cold
Yeast and Fermentation
Measuring DO and Best Practices
Managing Dissolved Oxygen Levels
Carbonation
Service
Service Gear: On Side Pulls & Slow Pours
Summing It Up
Ashleigh Carter on the Proper Helles: Toeing the Line between Bland and Sublime
Recipe: Bierstadt Helles Lager
Brewhouse Equipment: Gearing Up to Brew Lager
Podcast Episode #44: Bierstadt Lagerhaus Founders: A Methodical Approach to Traditional Techniques
All Courses, Advanced
Bierstadt Lagerhaus Founders Bill Eye and Ashleigh Carter take you step-by-step through their process for brewing some of the best lagers (Pilsner, Helles, Märzen, Bock) in the country.