OnTap Magazine

ontapmag.co.za | Winter 2024 | 29 RANGE moderate to high bitterness, balanced hoppy notes, subtle maltiness, and a clean, dry finish. Fermentation flavour is neutral, just revealing the combination of raw material used to make the beer. Fermentis provides ideal solutions for these styles with yeasts such as SafLager™ S-23 and SafLager™ W-34/70 which can ensure its neutral character and avoid off-flavours. Märzen beer, Oktoberfest or Vienna lager are variations of similar styles. From strong golden colour to copper, they are characterized by their richmaltiness, balanced by a clean finish andmoderate hop bitterness. These styles showcase a robust malt profile with flavours of toasted bread, caramel, and toffee, balanced by amoderate hop bitterness and a clean, dry finish, making them ideal choices for autumnal festivities and cool weather enjoyment. Of German origin, SafLager™ W-34/70 allows a clean fermentation profile to the benefit of themalty character of Märzen, Oktoberfest or Vienna lager beers. For slightly fruitier versions, SafLager™ S-23 remains an ideal option that can certainly add a layer of complexity to some malty-fruitiness that can be present in these styles. In general, fruitiness is a flavour often enjoyed by consumers and so some brewers are diversifying lagers in that regard. Often called estery lagers , it is an alternative to the neutral fermentation flavour of S. pastorianus . Although every brewery yeast produces higher alcohols and esters (even in bottom fermentation), in most cases, these volatiles are close or below their respective flavour thresholds. One of the most important features is the ratio of higher alcohol to esters. A common target is to reach for values between 3 and 4 to 1. Fermentis SafLager™ E-30 produces significantly higher amounts of fruity esters, specifically isoamyl-acetates, that provide a banana-ish character to beer, at least two times more than any other lager yeast in the Fermentis range. This yeast allows for innovative alternatives to classical and modern lager beer styles bringing forward the fermentative fruitiness and adding extra layers of flavour complexity. Modern advancements are not limited to fermentative and malty flavour diversity; they also encompass the development of new hop nuances. Apart from the traditional and hopped pilsners, Italian Lagers are dry-hopped versions, using the same noble European hop (Saaz, Hallertau Mittlefrüh, Tettnang Spalt, etc.). The base of the beer is very similar to Pilsner styles with a balance leaning towards hops, having medium-high bitterness, freshness and lower malt character. The dry hopping adds to the complexity of the beer providing extra layers of floral and herbal notes and the yeast choice can make the difference. The perfect yeast to allow for noble hop expression is SafLager™ S-189. Cold IPA, New Zealand Lager or India Pale Lagers are variations of the lager version of an IPA. Characterised by its hop high dosage, a medium to high smooth bitterness, these beer styles are diverse and a result of brewers’ creativity. Any variety of hop can be used for dry and late hopping to confer a wide range of fruity notes such as citrus, tropical, floral or herbal. BEER EXP 28 , has been selected for its higher biotransformation capabilities. It translates into hop flavour release, such as thiols and hop derived esters, and is the obvious choice for this style. In conclusion, lager beers present a rich spectrum of flavour profiles and styles, each possessing its own distinct character. While malts andhops often take the spotlight, it's essential not tooverlook the crucial role of yeast. The craftsmanship of the brewmaster in harnessing these elements renders lager beer a timeless classic and a beloved choice for beer enthusiasts worldwide. SafLager ™ HOP PELLETS YEAST MALT