Framboise

This style of beer is part of the Lambic "family" of beers that have fruit added.  These are Framboise (Raspberries), Kriek (cherries), Cassis (currants), and Peche (peaches).  These four fruits are the most traditional in the Belgian brewing tradition of adding fruit to oak barrel aging Lambic beer.  Recently, American brewers having been adding all types of fruits to the fast growing segment in the brewing industry, American Wild ales, this link also provides a list of the top American Wild ales as rated on Beer Advocate.

The grist bill for this Framboise is based off of my Flanders style Red I recently brewed in November 2010 which I tasted last week and am happy with the direction.  A grist bill of Munich malt, Aromatic malt, Honey malt, Flaked Oats, and Chocolate malt.  A cup of Raspberry concentrate was added at end of boil to lay a foundation of tart berry flavor.  When raspberries are in season this summer at my local farmers market I will rack into secondary and add a few pounds of fresh raspberries for the punch you in the face kind of tartness. Fermented with Wyeast 3763 Roeselare Blend. I'm having a lot of fun brewing with wild yeast strains and bacteria. If you have the space you should have a go at it. 

German Pilsner

A crisp, clean, cold fermented Pilsner.  The subtle interplay of floral and spicy noble hops with a Graham cracker grainy malt flavor that is characteristic of the style is a thing of beauty.  Perfected in Germany but the new American renditions are new classics of the Pilsner style. Brewery's such as Victory Brewing's Prima Pils and Stoudts Pils.  With these American Pilsner's tending to be hoppier than their German brewed cousins. I brewed a few Pilsners at home last year. A pre-prohibition style Pilsner with Basmati Rice, a German style Pilsner with Sorachi Ace hops, and a Bohemian style Pilsner.  I also find full flavored Pilsners pair very well with Sushi.

Today's batch is a simple recipe of German Pilsner Malt. First wort hopped with Saaz and Tettnanger. Celeia hops for bittering and Saaz at end of boil. With a light dry hopping of Saaz. Fermented with Fermentis Saf-Lager 34/70.

This batch will be maturing for up to 8 weeks in traditional lager fashion. Cooler fermentation temperatures produce much more sulphur compounds than ale fermentation. Sulphur aroma and flavors fade with lagering (german for: to store). This is one reason for the longer maturation period of all lagers (35-90 days) compared to ales (10-28 days).