Utah Brewery Map

Monday, April 13, 2009

1842 in 2009

In 1842 the world was changed forever. The citizens of Pilsen in the Czech Republic not only built a new brewery but also hired Josef Groll, a Bavarian brewer to brew an experimental beer using bottom fermenting yeast. Groll had been experimenting a long time with new recipes for bottom-fermented beer and on the 5th of October 1842, Groll produced the first batch of Urquell beer, which was characterized by the use of soft Bohemian water, very pale malt, and Saaz hops.

The Beer industry in the United States was basically built on this beer. Due to it's drinkablity and it's longer storage life. Today, nearly 90 percent of the worlds beer is a variation of this original golden beer,
making pilsner most popular beer style in the world.

Last Tuesday at The Bohemian brewey in Midvale, Utah Brewers tried to replicate as an
authentic recreation of the original 1842 Czech Pilsner as close as possible, using truly authentic
imported Czech floor malt, from Weyermann Malting co. Mashed using a true triple decoction,
long 2 hr boil, three hop additions all with Czech Saaz hops, and fermenting with Bohemian's
Czech lager yeast.

The Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner malt from Weyermann(R) is actually Hand Crafted in the last floor malting facility in the Czech Republic. It is produced from Tolar and Hanka barley varieties which have their genetic roots in Hanna barley, which was the variety used by Josef Groll to brew the first Pilser Urquell in 1842. The malting process used to produce this malt is very labor intensive and traditional and produces as an authentic "old" malt as you can find today.

So between the malt used and the mashing, brewing and fermentation method, it's as authentic of the Original Czech Pilsner from 1842 as they can recreate. Bohemian's 1842 Pilsner, should be more bitter and have more hop aroma than their normal Pilsner. It will ferment and lager for about 5-6 weeks and should be available around the 15th of May. Prost!

9 comments:

Douglas said...

Dude, this sounds delicious. This is the one Geoff was helping with right? Awesome.

Mikey said...

Yeah, Geoff is the malt master for this brew.

Anonymous said...

Hey Mikey, thanks for the write up on this. Hopefully it will come out well. Prost!
Geoff

rip said...

Sweet! Spent a couple of weeks in the Czech Rep. a few years ago. Got completely addicted to the Czech style pils. Malty, hoppy golden goodness. Can't wait to try it!

As an aside, heard a rumor of a new brewpub opening on Main St. The Beer Hive? Anybody know anything about it?

Mikey said...

Hey Rip, the Beerhive House will be opening on Main Street in SLC around the first of July. They're waiting for the private club law to expire before opening. It's not a brewpub, it's a craft beer bar. Similar to the Bayou, with less of an empasis on food. I'll post more info on it the closer it gets to opening. Cheers!

rip said...

Cool...thanks for the info Mikey. Looking forward to checking it out. I tell ya', with all the new beers coming to the state, no more private clubs, legal home brewing and now a new beer themed pub...Utah is almost seeming normal. Who would have thunk it.

Murgatroid Brewing said...

The 1842 Pils will go on tap this evening...
Bobby

Mikey said...

Your a God Bobby! Thanks for the update.

Douglas said...

This beer was awesome! So clean, crisp and flavorful. Dangerous stuff. I wish it was a regular.