What Do You Do With An Authentic German Brew House?
Well, Since You Asked, You Brew Awesome, Award-Winning German-Style Beers
What do you know about Germany, The Land of Awesome Beers?
We’re all familiar with lederhosen, sauerkraut, cuckoo clocks, the Brothers Grimm and German chocolate. Perhaps some among us are even familiar with the infamous Hans Gruber. More than anything else, however, Germany is known for its beer. Just ask Google: Beers claim three of the top eight auto-filled results.
Our Very German Beers
Among our lineup of traditional British and American-inspired ales and lagers, Summit Brewing Co. boasts two German-as-heck beers that you can find right now at your local 21-and-Up Club: Summit Hefeweizen and Summit Keller Pils. Consider them our tribute to Deutschland.
What Makes Summit Hefeweizen So German, Anyway?
Originally developed by the brewers of Bavaria, Germany, to quench the thirst of beer lovers during hot continental European summers, the Hefeweizen style’s roots reach back to the 1500s, if not farther. Additionally, the term “Hefeweizen” comes from the German words for yeast (hefe) and wheat (weizen).
Traditional German Hefeweizens call for a malt bill at least 50% wheat, and Summit Hefeweizen honors this German brewing tradition with a ratio of two-thirds wheat to one-third malt, giving the beer a cloudy appearance, slight bready quality, and a full, creamy body with a crisp, tart finish.
If you need more German heritage than that, our Hefe offers elevated effervescence and balanced flavors and aromas of banana and clove thanks to a genuine German ale yeast. On top of that, Tettnang hops provide a mild spiciness characteristic of German Noble hops. We ensure all these flavors and characteristics are present in the final beer by leaving it unfiltered, just as the Germans would do.
Clocking in at 4.5% ABV and 18 IBU, Summit Hefeweizen is available on draft and in 12-oz. cans, only inside the Summit Boundary Waters Box.
So What About Keller Pils, Then?
Modeled after traditional, unfiltered German-style kellerbiers, Keller Pils is an award-winning lager, pale yellow and cloudy in appearance. This slightly hazy body comes not from suspended yeast but from proteins and polyphenols — compounds that would disappear if not for an extended period of cold conditioning. And we’re talking cold-cold temperatures, like almost-zero-degrees-for-at-least-28-days cold. (This, by the way, is where kellerbiers get their name: Keller is German for cellar, and basements are awfully chilly.)
Brewed in our traditional copper brew house, which comes all the way from the Hürnerbräu Ansbach brewery formerly of Ansbach, Germany, Keller Pils features spicy floral notes and balanced citrus bitterness from German hop varieties Tettnang and Huell Melon. In addition, we rely on a very special, very hard-to-get Weyermann Barke Pilsner malt from Weyermann Specialty Malting Company of Bamberg, Germany. This two-row barley variety gives Keller Pils its sweet, cereal and honey undertones. Perfect for creating authentic German-style lager beers, Weyermann Barke boosts the final beer’s body, mouthfeel and malt aroma, and is balanced by an authentic German lager yeast.
At 5.1% ABV and 38 IBU, Summit Keller Pils is available year-round on draft and in 6-packs and 12-packs of 12-oz. cans.
Looking for Even More German Beers?
Well, yippy ki-yay, Hans, don’t miss our seasonal offerings Summit Maibock and Summit Oktoberfest, two authentic takes on strong German lagers.
Hefeweizen and Keller Pils, sittin’ in a tree…
