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A conversation with Chris Lohring of Notch Brewing on the vexing, fascinating, and flavorful world of Czech-style LagersFor more Drink Beer, Think Beer check out All About Beer.SponsorsStomp StickersStomp Stickers is a proud member of the Brewers Association that produces a wide variety of printed brewery products such as beerlabels, keg collars, coasters, beer boxes and much more. Stomp's website features an easy-to-use design tool, low quantity orders, fast turn times, and free domestic shipping. Visit StompStickers.com and use code THINKBEER for 15% off your first order.Host: John HollGuest: Chris LohringSponsors: All About Beer, Stomp StickersTags: Czech lager, hops, malt, brewing, travelPhoto: John Holl
Notch Brewing's (https://www.notchbrewing.com) Chris Lohring loves that more craft brewers are embracing lager, but he has some strong opinions about the best way to brew lager beer. “Crispy boys don't exist, lagers aren't dry,” he says. “Clean lager yeast is boring to me.” Refinement and distinction are his goals, not minimalism, and he uses all the tools in the brewer's toolbox to achieve them, adjusting mash schedules and malt bills to build body in low-ABV beers, moving lager mid-fermentation from quasi-open fermenters to conical fermenters before later moving to horizontal lagering tanks, reducing and timing decoction to fit the goals of individual beers, and considering the impact of mash rests on fermentability, among many other things. It's not one thing, after all, that makes a lager distinct—in his worlds, “there's no magic bullet.” In this episode, Lohring discusses: Why Czech pale lager is a category not a style How variable processes in the cellar lead to different expressions of diacetyl Manipulating a mash schedule to build body and character with more expressive lager yeasts What decoction does and doesn't do for lagers Using small percentages of crystal male in Czech pale lager Fermenting with no head pressure and skimming to optimize flavor and hop character The difference in cerné pivo and tmavy pivo Using American hops in Czech-style lager And more. This episode is brought to you by: G&D Chillers (https://gdchillers.com): At G&D Chillers they always strive to Build Great Chillers. Partner with them as you Build Great Beer. Choose G&D Chillers on your next Expansion or Brewery start up and receive 1 free year of Remote control and Monitoring of your new G&D Chiller! ProBrew (https://www.probrew.com) “ProBrew is changing the game at this year's CBC in Las Vegas. Visit go.probrew.com/CBC24 or contact us at contactus@probrew.com to schedule time with one of our subject matter experts at Booth #1783 at this year's show.” Old Orchard (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer): Berry Blend, Blood Orange, Lemonade, and Tart Cherry are the latest additions to our lineup of flavored craft juice concentrate blends. To learn more and request your free samples, head over to oldorchard.com/brewer (https://www.oldorchard.com/brewer) Omega Yeast (https://omegayeast.com): Streamline efficiency with Omega Yeast's Diacetyl Knock Out series. The DKO series is comprised of 8 familiar yeast strains engineered to knock out the formation of diacetyl before it starts. The strains you know, now better. Contact Omega Yeast today at omegayeast.com. ABS Commercial (https://abs-commercial.com). ABS Commercial are proud to offer brewhouses, tanks, keg washers, and preventative maintenance parts to brewers across the country as well as equipment for distilling, cider-making, wine-making, and more! Contact them today at sales@abs-commercial.com to discuss your customized brewery needs. Ss Brewtech (https://SsBrewtech.com). Ss Brewtech was founded by a group of home and craft beer brewers, dedicated to bringing an engineering-first approach to brewery equipment. Ss brewhouses are used to formulate new beer recipes at some of the world's greatest breweries. To learn more, head over to SsBrewtech.com US Water Systems (https://uswatersystems.com): Depending upon the city and day, water quality can vary 40% to 50%. The best method is to start with the same water every time and Reverse Osmosis gives you that power. Visit USWaterSystems.com (https://uswatersystems.com) for a free expert analysis. Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast (https://spiritsanddistilling.com/podcasts/): If you're a distiller or curious about it, check out the Craft Spirits & Distilling podcast. Click on the link and subscribe from your favorite podcast platform.
Our hosts are huge fans of brewery taprooms. They are special places where you can get a sense of the ethos of the brewery. It's also a place that you can hope the the beer is going to treated well and you might even meet the brewer or otherwise learn a few things about the beer you're drinking. "I love A GOOD taproom and I think there's a difference between a GOOD one and one that feels cookie cutter," says Em Sauter.This episode's guests, Chris Lohring & Kinsey Bernhard, are well versed in taproom aesthetics and hospitality and join the show with their expertise. This Episode is Sponsored by:Athletic Brewing CompanyAthletic Brewing Company's award-winning, craft, non-alcoholic beers are fit for all times. Down time, work time, game time, even gym time. Pick a time and grab an Athletic, because it's about time you could enjoy a great-tasting brew, any time you want. Even right now. Head to athleticbrewing.com and get some fresh brews delivered. New customers can even get 20% off with code AllAboutBeer20 and free shipping on two 6-packs or more.For original articles or to read the vast archives or to check out All About Beer. follow us on Twitter @allaboutbeer and Instagram @allaboutbeer. Support Journalism by visiting our Patreon Page. Hosts: Em Sauter and Don Tse Guests: Chris Lohring & Kinsey Bernhard Sponsors: Athletic Brewing Co. Tags: Brewing, Taproom, Architecture, Customers, Drinking, Glassware The following music was used for this media project:Music: Awesome Call by Kevin MacLeodFree download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3399-awesome-callLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist website: https://incompetech.com
Need for speed, Grandma's suspension, Grocery store potato salad, POW Flag sale, What does the Dad say? Love letter to Chris Lohring
Midway through Dry January, three craft brewers discuss their new non-alcoholic offerings and why these new products make sense both this month and the rest of the year. Deschutes' Veronica Vega, AleSmith's Brandon Richards and Notch's Chris Lohring join the Brewbound team to talk about their N/A beers and the development behind them.
We returned to Notch Brewing, this time in Brighton, Ma and talked with owner, founder and brewer Chris Lohring. Notch in our opinion is synonymous with lager and Czech style beer. During this episode we discuss the new tap room located at the Charles River Speedway, their pitch lined pilsner and if Diacetyl has a place in beer. Make sure to stay up to date with them, their tap list and any events they are having!http://notchbrewing.comCheers!***Claw Hammer Supply- Claw Hammer Supply has taken brew in a bag (BIAB) to a whole new level with there single vessel, turn-key, all grain, digital brewing system. It's a homebrew setup like you've never seen. Instead of a typical brewing systems that require 2 or even 3 different vessels (pots, pans, kettles, etc…). theirs only uses 1.Use our link https://www.clawhammersupply.com/?aff=12 and get your system today!Looking to start a new hobby? Wanting to get into homebrewing? Just looking to upgrade your current set up? We have you covered with our Beer & Wine Hobby promo code! Beer & Wine Hobby is a Family owned business driven to help folks make amazing beers, wines, cheeses, and charcuterie. Fortunately, for our listeners we are able to offer an exclusive promo code for 10% off your online order. Items can either be ordered online and picked up in store same day for our local listeners or delivered to your home (for free over $35). Use our promo code BREWROOTS for 10% off your next order! Go to www.beer-wine.com to get all your brewing needs! https://www.beer-wine.com***Each month, Shirts On Tap teams up with a local brewery, to collaborate on a sweet custom shirt design, and then send it to their members with coupons, stickers, a brewery bio, and more! Join the excitement with our exclusive link shirtsontap.com/offers/brewroots to get your first box for $5! ***Did you know that some of your favorite breweries use hops from a local family operated Hop Farm right here in Massachusetts. Our friends over at Four Star Farms are there for you wether you are a commercial brewery or a small scale home brewer. Make sure to head over to their website today and get your hands on some of the best and freshest hops locally. https://fourstarfarms.com Get bonus content on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Jimmy heads to Boston for the 600th episode of BSR! We catch up with Chris Lohring, founder of Notch Brewing, to talk pilsner traditions, decoction, as well as the new Notch Tap Room and Brewery at the Charles River Speedway in Boston's Brighton neighborhood. For the second year in a row, Jimmy is tapping and tasting the extremely limited, Pitch Lined Pils. Take a journey through history as Chris walks us through the process of bringing this old-world technique back, from sourcing to brewing. This is the ultimate Beer Geek episode! Crack a Bavarian Lager and have a listen.A special note: Our hearts go out to the beloved Anne Saxelby, who passed this week. In the words of Jimmy, “Her legacy is in everything around us: The food we eat, the people we know, the memories of tastes like “Comersdale” and “Moses Sleeper”. We will never forget. Much love.” Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.
This week Beer Sessions is all about the Czech side pour. Jimmy welcomes Chris Lohring of Notch Brewing in Salem, MA; Todd DiMatteo of Good Word Brewing in Duluth, GA; and Ben Middlemiss of Ben Middlemiss Brewing in New Zealand. Chris and Todd talk about when they got their side-pull faucets installed as well as the learning curve that comes with using one. Chris has his staff do quarterly competitions to see how well (and how fast) they can pour a lager and both brewers give a big shout out to Pilsner Urquell’s training videos. The group talks about the benefits of a side-pull for carbonation, mouthfeel and more, plus they dive deep into techniques like spunding and triple decoction. Image courtesy of John Andrews.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.
This week on Beer Sessions Radio, Jimmy welcomes Tom Acitelli who authored the new book Pilsner: How the Beer of Kings Changed the World along with Chris Lohring of Notch Brewing and Matt Levy from Threes Brewing. Tom began his latest book project in a search to understand what laid the groundwork for the craft beer movement and argues we wouldn’t have the beer marketplace we do now without pilsner. He talks about the history of style and how it evolved along with innovations in roasting, while the brewers offer their perspective on the technical demands of making pilsner (especially with the space limitations of NYC). Matt discusses the evolution of the lager program at Threes, including recent beers they are aging in oak, while Chris shares why he has chosen to stick with sessionable beers even while the industry leans towards high ABV IPAs. Beer List:Schilling Beer Company, Alexandr 10° Czech-Style PilsnerGreen Man Brewery, Licensed to Haze Double IPAImage courtesy of Saadia Sumrall.Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Beer Sessions Radio by becoming a member!Beer Sessions Radio is Powered by Simplecast.
Episode 278 - Chris Lohring, Notch Brewing (COVID-19 Quarantine Edition) Happy Monday, Thieves! Our writer streak comes to an end this week as we welcome Chris Lohring of Salem, Mass.'s Notch Brewing to the B-Rizzle Virtual Zoom Studios. It's no secret that we're all big fans of lagers and low-abv beers, and that happens to be exactly what Chris does. We dive deep into the labor-intensive work of brewing lagerbier and doing things the hard way, which eventually leads to a half-hour discussion of pitch beers. Don't know what "pitch" is? Tune in and we'll clarify it for you. We're drooling just thinking about it...For the black glasses, the USPS let us down again once more and Augie's beer shipment was delayed by a day. So Holl's drinking solo yet again this week. He didn’t seem to mind.***As always, you can email your questions, complaints, whimpers, or whines to us at stealthisbeerpodcast@gmail.com. We read everything we get and we'll try to respond as quickly as we can. If not online, then on air. And THANKS!You can subscribe to STB on iTunes and PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW!!!Co-hosts: Augie Carton & John Holl Producer: Justin Kennedy Engineer: Brian Casse Music: "Abstract Concepts - What Up in the Streets" by Black Ant.
Chris Lohring of Notch Brewing talks diversification, his continuing love of lagers, and how his brewery, with its hybrid contract operations and tap room model, is changing to survive right now.
Living overseas can give you an interesting perspective on American beer culture. Although I’m originally from California, I’ve lived in the Czech Republic for almost 20 years now. While I miss many of the beers and breweries from back home, I really fell in love with Czech beer, dedicating a lot of my time to researching, writing about, and drinking it. In recent years I’ve been glad to see North American beer lovers develop much more interest in Czech beer. Since then, many U.S. and Canadian brewers have reached out to me with questions about recipes, equipment, and processes. I can tell that for a lot of people back home, Czech brewing is still rather weird and unknown, whether it’s the “black magic” of a triple-decoction mash, or the strange pours like the šnyt and mlíko, or our rarely spotted “yeast beer,” Kvasnicové Pivo. One of the standout U.S. brewers who actually gets Czech beer is Chris Lohring of Notch Brewing in Salem, Massachusetts. Chris came through Prague himself, in 2012, doing research on how Czech beers are brewed, served, and drunk. I met up with Chris during that trip, and so did my friend and colleague Max Bahnson, who writes under the name Pivní Filosof. Chris got to visit Czech breweries; drink Czech beers; and observe the Czech process, approach, and culture. Since then, Notch Brewing has emerged as one of the leading proponents of Czech-style beers in North America. Not only does Notch make a Czech-inspired Světlý Ležák, or Pale Lager (aka Pilsner), but it also makes Tmavé Pivo, or Dark Lager, and Polotmavé Pivo, which means “half-dark beer,” or Amber Lager. At the Notch taproom in Salem, those beers are served from a Czech side-pour (or side-pull) faucet, into a Czech dimpled, half-liter mug. My Czech friends who have visited the Notch taproom said it’s the closest thing to a Czech beer experience you can get in the U.S. In this episode, I catch up with Chris Lohring when on his return to Prague, along with Notch Brewing’s production manager, Brienne Allan. They were both on a trip that included several hands-on brew days at different Czech breweries. I wanted to ask Chris and Brienne about the differences between Czech beer culture and American beer culture, as well as the differences in Prague since Chris’ last visit seven-plus years ago. I wanted to find out what beer drinkers in the States understood about Czech beer, brewing, and how we drink, and I wanted to know if there were any common misconceptions. Our meeting takes place over a few beers in a busy Prague café around the corner from my apartment, so there’s a fair amount of background noise—sorry about that. It was recorded in mid-February, 2020, about three weeks before the coronavirus closed off the Czech Republic and made travel here impossible, at least for now. The observations about Czech brewing and beer drinking made by Chris and Brienne, however, feel pretty timeless. Here’s Chris Lohring and Brienne Allan of Notch Brewing in Salem. Listen in.
The keeper of Salem's second-favorite Skee-ball machine is this episode's guest. He also runs Notch Brewing. This is Chris Lohring. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/citizensalem/support
Craft Brew News – 2/22/19Courtesy of Brewbound.comReceiver Reaches Agreement to Sell DME Group’s Main BusinessCourt-appointed receiver Alvarez & Marsal filed a report Thursday saying it had reached an agreement to sell financially troubled Canadian brewing equipment manufacturer DME Group’s manufacturing and fabrication headquarters in Charlottetown.According to the receiver’s second report filed with the Superior Court of Prince Edward Island, Alvarez & Marsal said it executed a purchase agreement with CIMC Enric Tank and Process Ltd. on February 13. Now, the receiver is asking the court to approve the sale.According to CIMC’s website, the company is “one of the largest suppliers for the beverages and liquid food industries,” with operations around the globe.Alvarez & Marsal said CIMC plans to continue the DME Group’s operations in Charlottetown, employ a majority of the employees currently working at the facility and potentially rehire others.Backlash Over Boston Beer GardensA pair of Massachusetts lawmakers are attempting to rein in Boston’s popular outdoor beer gardens, according to the Boston Globe.Driven by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, state Sens. Ed Kennedy (D-Lowell) and Nick Collins (D-South Boston) are co-sponsoring a bill that would prevent any person or company from obtaining more than 14 one-day licenses a year. Beer companies such as Trillium and Wachusett, among others, have used those licenses to operate outdoor beer gardens from the spring into the fall.Currently, the law allows applicants to obtain up to 30 one-day licenses. However, beer companies have used a loophole that allows multiple applicants to request licenses on their behalf. Last year, the city issued 82 one-day licenses, up from 39 in 2017, the Globe reported.Speaking to the Globe, Massachusetts Restaurant Association president and CEO Bob Luz said the law is being abused to the detriment of his organization’s members.The states brewers have said they’re willing to work with lawmakers to evolve the law.Meanwhile, Notch Brewing founder Chris Lohring pointed out that the bill as written wouldn’t just hurt craft brewers, but would also affect nonprofits that rely on one-day licenses.Jim Koch Responds to #CorntroversyIt’s been nearly two weeks since Anheuser-Busch launched its Bud Light Super Bowl ads pointing out MillerCoors’ use of corn syrup in its flagship Miller Lite and Coors Light offerings and upsetting corn farmers. Now, Boston Beer Company founder Jim Koch has trudged into the cornfield with a blog post on the Samuel Adams website titled “Corntroversy — Deja Vu?”Koch wrote “It’s like McDonald’s and Burger King arguing about grilling vs. broiling their burgers,” he wrote. “Who cares? Fast food is still fast food.” Koch also predicted that the next phase of A-B’s fight with MillerCoors would be either the latter’s use of hop extract or an attack on imports such as Corona and Modelo, which “use the same industrial brewing techniques and ingredients”Koch also wrote “How safe is the quality image and premium price point of imported beers if drinkers realize that their fancy, upscale image hides less expensive ingredients and industrial brewing practices, just as happened in 1986?”Drizly Partners with BevMo! in CaliforniaBoston-based on-demand alcohol delivery company Drizly is expanding its reach in California via a new partnership with retailer BevMo!, according to a press releaseBevMo has 166 beer, wine and liquor stores on West Coast.The deal will make Drizly’s 60-minute delivery service available in 45 of BevMo!’s stores, including those in the Bay Area, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles and San Diego.With the addition of BevMo!, Drizly now partners with more than 1,000 retail locations in more than 100 cities across North America. The company recently secured $34.5 million as part of a Series C fundraising round.Subscribe to Craft Beer Storm Podcast iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/craft-beer-storm/id1438117278?mt=2Michael Potorti is the Host of Craft Beer Storm and Founder/Brewer at Beara Brewing Co. in Portsmouth, NHMichael PotortiFounder/BrewerHost of "Craft Beer Storm" Podcastmichael@craftbeerstorm.commichael@bearairishbrew.com*** Come visit our brewery for some delicious local craft brew! ***Beara Brewing Co.2800 Lafayette RoadPortsmouth, NH 03801Tel. (857) 342-3272 www.bearairishbrew.com Like us onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bearairishbrew/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/BearaIrishBrewingCo Twitter: https://twitter.com/BearaIrishBrew Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beara-brewing-co-30776075/**LISTEN to our Craft Beer Storm Podcast and share with a friend**Craft Beer Storm Podcast iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/craft-beer-storm/id1438117278?mt=2Craft Beer Storm You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp3PVuCGmywNWlGFh0N0ukg?view_as=subscriberCraft Beer Storm Podcast Radio Public: https://radiopublic.com/craft-beer-storm-WdbK0LCraft Beer Storm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craftbeerstorm/Craft Beer Storm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craftbeerstorm/
"Session" is a new word to many a craft beer drinker's lexicon, but the idea of session beer far predates whatever new lingo is helping sell balanced, lower alcohol brews. You may have also seen the words "light," or "table" used in a similar context. Meaning: easy to drink, balanced, dare I say crushable? Some of you just cringed, I know, but it’s been hard going for anyone looking to sell these kinds of beers in our culture of extreme flavor and high alcohol and rarity. That is, until someone decided to pair it with IPA. They need a pitch, a hook, to get people interested in what really, for most people around the world, defines normal everyday great beer. I mean, you don’t see Pilsner Urquell going around pitching itself as light or sessionable. But this is America—it all needs a qualifier of some sort. One brewery in Salem, Massachusetts has done more than just pitch their beer with the word "session" in the title—they’ve gone all in on the concept, referring to their entire portfolio as American Session Beer. Notch Brewing—under founder Chris Lohring—started out as a contract brand, largely because he couldn’t convince anyone that these styles would ever be in favor. That’s hard to imagine in 2017 when it seems every craft brewer is gunning for the easy-drinking Lager, Hoppy Pilsner, and Golden Ale. So he took a hard road, scraping together support from fellow brewers with capacity, building his brand and base, and finally, just last year, got the investment he needed to open his own small brewery with a taproom and take another step into the future of his idea. Oh, and the beers are absolutely delicious. When I was there recently, I had the Pilsner, which was clearly more refined and delicate than most you’ll have in the U.S., and we’ll dig in to the reasons why in this episode. I also had the smoked Grodziskie, which was layered and balanced and just sang on the palate. I also enjoyed his take on the hazy IPA which, when viewed through the lens of session beer, makes a whole lot of sense.
On the first Beer Sessions Radio of 2017, we bring you a special segment recorded at Notch Brewery in Salem, Massachusetts. Jimmy and crew are joined by Chris Lohring, brewer and owner of Notch, and Mark Zappasodi and Jay Bullen of the soon-to-open Brewery Silvaticus in Amesbury. Tune in to hear them discuss the state of craft beer in Massachusetts, Notch's unique focus on session beers with a Czech influence, and how Massachusetts breweries with tap rooms are the go-to places for craft beer in the state.
Tune in for the twice-monthly podcast version of FYI Salem! Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll interviews city officials, community leaders, notable residents, and more, and provides a brief update on the latest news and information from the City of Salem, from inside City Hall and across the community. In this episode Mayor Driscoll sits down with Ian Hunter of Deacon Giles Distillery, Chris Lohring of Notch Brewing, and Al Snape of Far From The Tree cider, to discuss the craft beverage industry and why they chose Salem to open their respective businesses. Deacon Giles Distillery: http://www.deacongiles.com/ Notch Brewery: http://www.notchbrewing.com/restaurant/ Far From The Tree cidery: http://www.farfromthetreecider.com/ Also mentioned in this episode... For more information about the City's street tree inventory: http://www.salem.com/trees For more information about Fall street sweeping: http://www.salem.com/home/news/city-salem-plans-fall-street-sweeping For more information about September Salem Days: http://www.salem.com/home/news/september-salem-days
Chris Lohring, the founder of Notch Brewing joins me this week to discuss brewing Czech Lagers. Chris has been brewing Czech Lagers as session beers since 2010 and has some interesting insights on Czech lagers and their variants. You can view the full episode show notes here.
Chris Lohring, the founder of Notch Brewing joins me this week to discuss brewing Czech Lagers. Chris has been brewing Czech Lagers as session beers since 2010 and has some interesting insights on Czech lagers and their variants. You can view the full episode show notes here.
Chris Lohring, brewer at Notch Brewing in Massachusetts, shares tips on brewing satisfying lower gravity beers.