Next Meeting on April 15: All About Kölsch
In preparation for Round 2 of the LAGERS Cup, we will discuss all things Kölsch! Bring your questions about the style for Atrium head brewer Spencer Guy. Here are some resources to get you thinking about this beer:
Invite a friend who wants to learn more about Kölsch and home brewing. (Meetings are open to non-members!)
Yeast Share: Gordon Biersch Kölsch
Just in time for your LAGERS Cup Kölsch, we are doing a yeast share with Gordon Biersch the week of May 27. More details to come. Round 2 of the LAGERS Cup will take place at our June 17 meeting.
Annual Membership Dues
Renew your LAGERS membership this month! Dues are $25 (plus $2 PayPal fee). If you cannot pay over PayPal, please bring cash to this month’s meeting.
Spring Bulk Grain Buy: Order Forms Coming Soon
LAGERS’s Spring Bulk Grain Buy will be through BSG. Pick up on April 28. We should be sharing order forms on April 14.
Officer Transition: Treasurer
Please welcome Christopher Owen as LAGERS’s new treasurer.
And, a huge thank you to Sarah Popko for many years of service to the LAGERS Club!
BJCP Tasting Exam: Good Luck!
LAGERS is hosting a BJCP tasting exam on April 13. The club has covered the exam fee for members. Thank you to the many volunteers who are administering the exam and who prepared our members to take it!
State Fair Entry Deadline: July 10
Plan to enter the State Fair Homebrew Competition! We are about three months away from the entry deadline (July 10) and four months away from the competition (August 10). Entry fee is $5. The State Fair is a great opportunity to get feedback from BJCP judges.
Save the Date: Yappy Hour Brew-In August 25
Join LAGERS at Apocalypse Brew Works on August 25 for the Yappy Hour Brew-In. The more beer we brew, the more we raise for the Humane Society! Yappy Hour will be on September 28. More details to come.
Previous Meeting Recap: March LAGERS Cup
Thank you to Jacob Dryer for bringing the LAGERS Cup to the club and for running this competition. Round 1 was a big success!
And congrats to Alex R and Tim M for taking the top two spots on the leaderboard! The scoring system rewards participation, so the Cup is still anyone’s to win.
Keep reading for Alex R’s thoughts on the KY Common after his win and how he’s preparing for Round 2:
What did you learn about the KY Common?
Alex: I learned that more breweries should be making them! It’s a nice crushable beer that is more interesting to drink than other light styles.
It’s also interesting the KY Common seemed to be so specific to this area. The regionality likely contributed to the sparseness of historical records and recipes. It also made me wonder if there were other local styles from other areas that are now completely lost to history.
How will you approach Round 2 (Kölsch)?
Alex: My favorite places to get recipe ideas are the NHC medal-winning recipes on the AHA website and Meanbrews on YouTube, so I’ll probably start there.
The key to Kölsch is subtlety. The German beers — Kölsch in particular — are well-attenuated (dry) and soft. To hit both of those items, I’ll look at mash schedule, water and yeast. I’ll likely do a step mash to encourage max attenuation. For my water, I’ll probably add a little sulfate to make sure the finish is crisp and dry. Yeast and fermentation are the key to this style. My favorite clean lager yeast leaves a great soft finish, so I’m tempted to try it at 60°F to see if I can squeeze some esters out of it.
