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Old World brewing techniques (and an explosion or two) take center stage at WBC’s First Annual DEPTH CHARGE event!
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Wisconsin has a proud brewing heritage filled with fascinating beer history, wonderful stories and interesting brewing
techniques, and bringing all of it to life in extremely dramatic fashion is the focus and mission of DEPTH CHARGE, a special live
event on Sunday, July 12 at Wisconsin Brewing Company. The centerpiece spectacle of the day — and the namesake of the event
— is an explosive brewing spectacle lifted straight from the pages of Old World history books: Stein Bier (translated “Stone Beer”).
“This technique hearkens back to the days when Old World German brewers only had wooden kettles to work with,”
explains WBC brewmaster Kirby Nelson. “You had to boil the wort, but you obviously couldn’t stoke a fire under a wooden kettle.
So they’d take granite boulders, heat them overnight in a hardwood fire, then add them to the wort to get the boiling
accomplished.” According to Nelson, it’s a process that adds a slight, pleasant caramelization to the brew, while creating an
unforgettable visual spectacle: “When you introduce a bunch of white hot rocks into a lot of cool liquid, well — the word ‘geyser’
definitely comes to mind.”
WBC’s take on this historic brew will be a Scotch Ale featuring Maris Otter barley, an English strain that Nelson calls “one
of the absolute classics, a wonderful, rich malted barley.” Approximately 600 gallons of the wort will be brought outside the
brewery in a large tank. In keeping with WBC’s affinity for all things Wisconsin, retired curling stones — the hardest granite on the
planet, according to Nelson — will serve as the catalyst. After being heated over the brewery’s outdoor fire pit, the stones will be
dropped into the tank by crane, in what is sure to be an epic display of Old World brewing and geothermal physics. Nelson will
serve as MC and master storyteller for the entire event. And while the supply of Depth Charge Scotch Ale will be extremely limited,
every adult attendee will have the opportunity to reserve two 22 oz. bombers of the brew, once it’s finished several weeks after
the event.
The entire public is invited to DEPTH CHARGE. WBC’s backyard gate opens at 11 a.m.; the stones drop at 1 p.m. At 2 p.m.,
attendees can enjoy the music of Jon Dee Graham & The Fighting Cocks, whose song ‘Big Sweet Life’ became the inspiration for —
and the name of — WBC’s maibock and company philosophy, which will be available on tap.
“We’re proud of Wisconsin’s brewing tradition, and we want to see it continue to grow and thrive,” said WBC president
Carl Nolen. “An event like this, combining music and fun with an awesome demonstration that celebrates beer and teaches its
history — it’s a great way to inform and inspire both current and future generations. Plus, it should be a really good scotch ale!”
Posted by Wisconsin Brewers Guild at 11:11 AM
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Old World brewing techniques (and an explosion or two) take center stage at WBC’s First Annual DEPTH CHARGE event!
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Wisconsin has a proud brewing heritage filled with fascinating beer history, wonderful stories and interesting brewing techniques, and bringing all of it to life in extremely dramatic fashion is the focus and mission of DEPTH CHARGE, a special live event on Sunday, July 12 at Wisconsin Brewing Company. The centerpiece spectacle of the day — and the namesake of the event — is an explosive brewing spectacle lifted straight from the pages of Old World history books: Stein Bier (translated “Stone Beer”).
“This technique hearkens back to the days when Old World German brewers only had wooden kettles to work with,” explains WBC brewmaster Kirby Nelson. “You had to boil the wort, but you obviously couldn’t stoke a fire under a wooden kettle. So they’d take granite boulders, heat them overnight in a hardwood fire, then add them to the wort to get the boiling accomplished.” According to Nelson, it’s a process that adds a slight, pleasant caramelization to the brew, while creating an unforgettable visual spectacle: “When you introduce a bunch of white hot rocks into a lot of cool liquid, well — the word ‘geyser’ definitely comes to mind.”
WBC’s take on this historic brew will be a Scotch Ale featuring Maris Otter barley, an English strain that Nelson calls “one of the absolute classics, a wonderful, rich malted barley.” Approximately 600 gallons of the wort will be brought outside the brewery in a large tank. In keeping with WBC’s affinity for all things Wisconsin, retired curling stones — the hardest granite on the planet, according to Nelson — will serve as the catalyst. After being heated over the brewery’s outdoor fire pit, the stones will be dropped into the tank by crane, in what is sure to be an epic display of Old World brewing and geothermal physics. Nelson will serve as MC and master storyteller for the entire event. And while the supply of Depth Charge Scotch Ale will be extremely limited, every adult attendee will have the opportunity to reserve two 22 oz. bombers of the brew, once it’s finished several weeks after the event.
The entire public is invited to DEPTH CHARGE. WBC’s backyard gate opens at 11 a.m.; the stones drop at 1 p.m. At 2 p.m., attendees can enjoy the music of Jon Dee Graham & The Fighting Cocks, whose song ‘Big Sweet Life’ became the inspiration for — and the name of — WBC’s maibock and company philosophy, which will be available on tap.
“We’re proud of Wisconsin’s brewing tradition, and we want to see it continue to grow and thrive,” said WBC president Carl Nolen. “An event like this, combining music and fun with an awesome demonstration that celebrates beer and teaches its history — it’s a great way to inform and inspire both current and future generations. Plus, it should be a really good scotch ale!”
Posted by Wisconsin Brewers Guild at 11:11 AM
PREVIOUS POSTS
- Student Beer Delivery Takes Exciting University/Br...
- Point Introduces New Czech-style Pilsner
- Badger State Brewing Co. Becomes 100 Percent Clean...
- Capital Brewery Wins Big At the 2015 World Beer Ch...
- Horny Goat Brewing Co. Scores Big In Tastings Worl...
- Point Brewery On A Winning Streak
- UW-Madison Students to Celebrate Campus Craft Brew...
- The Dells Rare Barrel Affair Beer List
- Capital Brewery Celebrates Starkbierfest Saturday,...
- First Annual Door County Brewing Company Cribbage ...
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