ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN HOP-GROWERS SELECTS VICTORY BREWING COMPANY FOR THIRD YEAR
(Downingtown, PA) — Five Victory Brewing Company brewed beers will debut in Boston this week as part of the Brewers Association’s 26th annual Craft Brewers Conference. The Conference’s 2,600 registered attendees and 180 exhibitors are being encouraged by the Association of German Hop-Growers to sample these distinctive brews in order to appreciate the fine quality of hops grown in Germany.
On Tuesday, April 21 the German Hop Workshop will introduce these beers while Dr. Adrian Forster, an internationally renowned hop consultant, will speak about the new German hop varieties. This event takes place from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm at the Beacon Hill Complex, Seaport Hotel, Boston.
Victory brewmasters, Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski were given the opportunity to focus their creativity on pilsners, a style that Victory has mastered with it’s highly awarded Prima Pils and ongoing series of single variety hopped Braumeister Pils. Three new pilsners have been created to showcase three distinctive German hop varieties. Braumeister Tradition Pils features the Tradition hop. The Tradition hop was developed to blend the most desirable attributes of four noble hop varieties, being comprised of 47% Mittelfrueh, 15% Saaz, 28%, 28% Spalt, and 1% wild hops. The term noble hops traditionally refers to four varieties of hop which are low in bitterness and high in aroma. Braumeister Saphir Pils features the highly aromatic and spicy Saphir hop variety that Victory first introduced to the United States’ craft brewing community at the 2008 Craft Brewers Conference. Saphir was bred of 66% genetic material from noble varieties, mostly Mittelfrueh and the legendary Czech variety, Saaz.. Braumesiter Hallertau Pils features the fine, noble variety of Hallertauer Mittelfrueh. These pilsners range from 5.2% to 5.4% alcohol by volume and present a fascinating opportunity to taste and discern the nuances of their unique hop varieties.
“The ‘kids-in-a-candyshop’ analogy quite captures our pleasure with being asked to create these beers. Hops are such a key component of great beer and to be invited to be on the vanguard of brewing with new varieties is both an honor and a thrill,” remarked Victory brewmaster Ron Barchet.
Victory will have certainly positioned itself at the leading edge of brewing with the debut of Herkules IPA at the Craft Brewers Conference. Herkules, a new hop variety that offers the highest bittering power of all European varieties, is featured for the very first time in an India Pale Ale. Herkules IPA was also dry-hopped at Victory to further the aroma aspects of this 6.8% a.b.v. ale.
Rounding out the Craft Brewers Conference debuts is a German style hefeweizen brewed solely with Saphir hops. The purpose of Saphir Weizen is to bring fine, aromatic hops to the forefront of a beer style that traditionally features low levels of hop perception.
All of these beers will make their way back to Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown to celebrate the arrival of the Hallertau Hop Queen, Nicole Frankl, on Saturday April 25. From 1 pm to 3 pm, Ms. Frankl and Otmar Weingarten, Managing Director of the Association of German Hop-Growers, will be on hand at Victory Brewing Company offering tastings of these rare creations and engaging the audience in discussion and analysis of beers. Also on hand will be Eric Toft, the Wyoming born brewmaster of Privatbrauerei Schonramm who has collaborated on these Craft Brewers Conference beers with Victory brewmasters since the onset of this project.
The Association of German Hop-Growers has represented the interests of German hop growers and their regional organizations for over 125 years. The organization is headquartered in the “Haus des Hopfens” (house of hops) right next door to the German Hop Museum in Wolnzach in the Hallertau region of Bavaria.
The Association of German Hop-Growers publishes the monthly magazine Hopfen-Rundschau as well as an annual compendium Hopfen-Rundschau International, in both German and English. For more information about the Association of German Hop-Growers, visit their website http://www.deutscher-hopfen.de.
Victory Brewing Company
Victory Brewing is a privately held microbrewery located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Begun by childhood friends Bill Covaleski and Ron Barchet, the brewery formally began operations in February of 1996. Victory, Pennsylvania’s widely acclaimed brewery and restaurant, now serves fans of fully flavored beers in 26 states. Victory Brewing Company is currently ranked as the 46th largest brewery in the United States. To learn more about Victory Brewing Company visit us on the web at www.victorybeer.com.
