At Frontaal Brewing Company we are not averse to swimming against the current. We don't have an average beer. And what do you get if you let our brewers do their thing? They go crazy on various bearings.
You would expect them to do everything they can to work with exotic ingredients. But no, nothing could be further from the truth. Now the fact is that brewing beer in itself is already a celebration, but making Lagers in various sub-styles pushes both the brewing installation and the knowledge and techniques of the brewers to the limit.
The goal of lagering is to brew the purest possible beer. Where other styles are fairly forgivable and can still taste delicious within a certain range. Our bearings quickly show whether we have made a mistake.
Our Against the Grain series is an ode to our brewers. In which their skills, knowledge and our brand new brewing installation were put to the test.
In this series, our brewers were given a choice every quarter. In 2023 they have chosen the following styles:
Q1 2023: Farmhouse Blond (sold out forever)
Q2 2023: Helles
Q3 2023: New Zealand Pilsner
Q4 2023: English Style Bitter
Against the grain: how we lager our beer
Lagering is a unique and complicated brewing process that has fascinated beer lovers for centuries. It involves cold conditioning the beer at low temperatures for an extended period of time, resulting in a clean, smooth and exceptionally fresh beer.
The science behind lagering is fascinating. Unlike ales, which are fermented at higher temperatures, lagers are fermented at lower temperatures using yeast strains that work best in cold environments. This slow and gradual fermentation process allows for the development of unique flavors and characteristics.
But what exactly happens during the process?
After initial fermentation, lagers undergo a second fermentation process called lagering. During this phase, the beer is stored at temperatures around freezing for several weeks or even months. This extended period of cold storage allows the yeast to continue working, slowly converting the remaining sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol.
As the yeast continues to work its magic, it also helps to clarify the beer. The cold temperatures cause the yeast and other solids to settle at the bottom of the fermentation vessel, resulting in a clear and bright beer.
Beer boxes from Frontaal Brewing Company
We have chosen not to include Against the Grain as standard in a beer box. You will occasionally find them in our surprise box or, for example, in our New Zealand Box. This box contains beers made with exclusively New Zealand hops. This also applies to our New Zealand Pilsner.