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just be returned to the fermentation vessel. is drying process does not seem to a ect the viability of the yeast and fermentation is quick to begin. Again, very unusual compared to most domesticated brewing yeasts. ere has long been an attraction to forgotten beer styles or brewing techniques due to the romantic notion of connecting to the past through brewing. is is particularly strong with kveik, and the associated farmhouse breweries, because the traditions and methods have continued uninterrupted over many hundreds of years. A BREWING RENAISSANCE Much of the resurgent interest in Kveik and the farmhouse ales of Norway and surrounding countries is due to the extensive research and writings of Lars Marius Garshol. A self described beer enthusiast (quite an understatement), Garshol has travelled extensively through Norway, Lithuania and Russia, seeking out brewers using traditional techniques and documenting his nding on his blog. He has also written books on Lithuanian beers, Norwegian farmhouse brewing, and most recently on farmhouse brewing techniques. Additionally he has been instrumental in obtaining kveik cultures from di erent brewers around Norway and developing a register of known cultures (numbering 55 at time of writing), as well as working with yeast labs to isolate strains for other brewers to use. Each of the identi ed yeast cultures is unique to its location. Although occasionally one brewer’s kveik may get contaminated and he would then obtain some from a neighbour, this new culture would soon evolve again to match the process and environment of the rst brewer. So each culture is attributed to an owner and a location. Acknowledgement of this is important for maintaining the cultural importance of farmhouse brewing to Norwegian beer – and beer history in general – and the preservation of this information will be a ected by the respect given by all brewers to the farmhouse brewing culture. Many farmhouse brewers have taken to buying commercial yeast for ease of use rather than preserving their own cultures, leading to the practice being on a decline and at risk of disappearing altogether. Resurgent interest in kveik and farmhouse brewing will go a long way to halting this decline, but it is important to maintain a strong focus on preserving the incredible diversity of kveik cultures. Proper respect shown to the farmhouse brewers and their traditions is required to achieve this. NAMING CONVENTIONS e proliferation of the word kveik being used to describe a diverse family of yeasts and even as a style of beer is problematic. AsGarshol points out, kveik is only one of a number of words used by di erent farmhouse brewers to describe their yeasts. Other words include gong and gjester . Also, using the word as a style descriptor is fundamentally wrong – like calling your Munich Helles a Hefe ( hefe is the German word for yeast). e names and descriptors used by brewers who adopt these yeasts will also have implications for preserving the culture and history of Norwegian farmhouse brewing. e convention adopted by the community of homebrewers and commercial brewers exploring and experimenting with these remarkable yeast culturesistodescribesomekindofbasestylebrewed with kveik – with speci c reference given to the owner, area or commercial culture. For example, ‘an IPA brewed with Terje Raftevold’s Hornindal kveik’. THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN e amazing introduction of these yeast strains to the brewing world outside of Norway, and particularly the fervent adoption and experimentation by the homebrew community, have created what could be the most signi cant development in brewing since the advent of single strain cultures. is o ers signi cant potential implications for beer production, as well as our understanding of yeast and its domestication. If small brewers are able to complete fermentations in less than half the time they would normally, they are e ectively able to double their production capacity without additional investment. is could be a great competitive advantage for the smaller breweries, which are typically nimble, creative and willing to experiment, over the macro lager behemoths and their rigid way of operating. ere is still so much to learn about these yeasts and their abilities and potential limitations but one thing is for sure - kveik has challenged what we thought we knew about what yeasts were capable of. at seismic shift has been hiding away on isolated farms in a region the brewing world overlooked, preserved over centuries by homebrewers looking to make a tasty beer in trying conditions. Maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised. These yeasts are able to complete standard strength fermentations in one to three days Krausen is the foamy layer which forms on the top of actively fermenting beer, made up of yeast, protein and hop matter. BREW TALK: LarsBlog: Garshol’s blog is the go-to reference for all things kveik. http://www.garshol.priv.no/blog/ Milk the Funk Kveik Wiki: A great starting point which includes the registry of different kveiks which have been recorded. http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Kveik WHERE TO TASTE IT Given that kveik is fairly new to the brewing world, and only just getting onto the radar of SA brewers, there are few examples available commercially. Just Brewing, Frontier Beer Co, and Old Potter’s have brewed experimental batches using kveik, but with limited availability. It is getting more attention among brewers though, so keep your eyes open for more commercial examples in 2020. Homebrewers really are at the forefront of experimenting with kveik. Given the robustness of this yeast, an international trading network for kveik cultures has formed. In South Africa, LiquidCulture has an isolated strain available from a Voss culture available as ‘Kveik Ragnarok’ and has also done a special release of an isolate from a Midtbust culture. The homebrewers who have embraced kveik have managed to get some other stains through various sources. Engaging through online forums and brew clubs will put you in touch with such brewers who are normally happy to share cultures. READ MORE ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2019 | 63