OnTap Magazine

36 | Winter 2025 | ontapmag.co.za by military personnel. IPAs continue to be popular, but the majority of visitors are looking for sessionable, lighter beers. The brewery’s number one best seller is Frogman Lager, a Vienna Lager, and another flagship is 'Lucky Cat', an award- winning Japanese Pilsner, which uses Japanese rice and Sorachi Ace hops. Stacks continues: “New yeast and hop varieties change flavour profiles and offer even more possibilities. Sometimes, these new innovations can really take off.” With a senseof rebellion andexploration characterised by American craft brewers, Jack Hendley, co-owner/head brewer of Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham, Massachusetts, looks further into the future and offers his predictions beginning with the potential for the hoppy lager category. “Considering the prominence of the hop-forward beers it’s no surprise that hop selection and treatment methods are opening new frontiers for lager,” he says in his new book Modern Lager Beer (Brewers Publications 2024). Examples include India Pale Lager, Cold IPA, Italian Pilsner and West Coast style Pilsner. He also explains the developments in malt and our understanding of lager yeast and its traditional sensory impact. For example, new hybrid yeast strains may help generate distinct lager yeasts that bridge the gap between existing ale and lager strains. “Malt production has enthusiastically welcomed the rise of craft lager and in the US today a newgeneration of smaller craft maltsters are seeking out heritage grains, novel barley varieties and unique processing methods in order to meet new worldwide demands,” Hendler adds. He suggests there’s a growing desire among some American craft brewers to carve their own identity in lager beer and apply old world brewing techniques with novel ingredients to create “land beer” (similar to a Kellerbier or Zwickelbier) that becomes a totally unique expression of place. But arguably the most adventurous potential trend Hendler cites is the use of wood to age lager. “Foeders and other wooden barrels help impart unique flavours to the finished beer ranging from delicate nuances to intense oak-forward flavours and presents an opportunity for brewers to explore new horizons. Lager may not be an obvious choice for oak character, but it can be a perfect medium for the simple expression of the subtleties of wood.” Much food for thought exists in the wonderful world of American craft brewing and one thing of which we can be certain, brewers will continue to evolve and widen the horizons for lager every year. The Brewers Association publishes a wealth of resources to understand and enjoy craft beer, downloadable free of charge from www.brewersassociation.org ABOUTTHE AUTHOR ABOUTTHE BREWERS ASSOCIATION TheBrewersAssociation(BA)isthenot- for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 5,600-plus U.S. breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events including theWorld Beer Cup ® ,GreatAmericanBeerFestival®,Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America ® , Homebrew ConTM,National Homebrew CompetitionandAmerican Craft Beer Week ® .The BA publishesThe New Brewer ® magazine, and Brewers Publications ® is the leading publisher of brewingliteratureintheU.S.Beerloversare invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer atCraftBeer.com®and abouthomebrewingviatheBA’sAmerican Homebrewers Association®and the freeBrewGuru®mobileapp.Followuson Facebook,TwitterandInstagram. Issued on behalf of the Brewers Association, 1327 Spruce Street, Boulder, Colorado, 80302 USA. www.brewersassociation.org Lotte Peplow is the American Craft Beer Ambassador for Europe for the Brewers Association and is based in London, UK. She is a Certified Cicerone ® , BDI accredited Beer Sommelier, beer writer, author, beer communicator, international beer judge, homebrewer and beer lover. Grimm Artisanal Ales