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Beer's year of the lager

In China it is year of the sheep.

For the craft beer market it could well be year of the Lager.

Yes, that’s right. The dirty five-letter has been mentioned in the same sentence as craft and beer.

The artisanal section of the brewing industry has shied from producing the particular style.

It is partly because the Big Beer companies produce them almost ad nauseam. With so many Lagers in the market the minor brewers sought a point of difference and have had a deep concentration on Ales.

Also it takes longer to brew a Lager than other varieties, tying up limited resources.

But a few craft brewers are approaching the style. After all it is a drink so suited to Australian climes.

And, ironically, with so many Pale Ales, India Pale Ales and Amber Ales on the store shelves some manufacturers are looking to stand out.

Carlton United Breweries guru Jaideep Chandrasekharan believes Lagers could the “big thing” for 2015.

“There is diversity in flavour profile that you can get from Lagers that people perhaps might not be aware of,” said Chandrasekharan, the company’s Chief Brewer.

“There is a real opportunity there. I’m having constant conversations with our marketing guys saying that is an area you should look into.

Minimum Chips has been a success for Matilda Bay.

“We have a brand called Minimum Chips, which we sell through Matilda Bay, and that is doing really well. It sold pretty reasonable volumes over the past two years.”

WA’s Mane Liquor, one of Australia’s leading craft beer shops, has reported strong sales of imported Brooklyn Lager, indicating customers are keen to try a version not produced by the big two – SAB Miller and Kirin.

Epic, McLaren Vale, Australian Brewery and Brewcult have tried a Lager recently.

Combined with its availability in cans, Young Henry’s Natural Lager has gained strong support on both sides of the country.

Young Henry's Natural Lager is produced on both sides of Australia.

Interestingly, Melbourne-based team Barrow Boys announced their brewing operation with a flavoursome Stormy Lager mid-way through last year.

Brewer Ash Hazell said he decided on the variety for the company’s debut brew because he loved the style and couldn’t find enough to satisfy his thirst.

“People aren’t ever going to stop drinking hoppy IPAs or big Belgians and Saisons and I really want to brew some of those styles.

“Not everyone will take the same journey through craft beer. Some people will stop along the way.

“We were at Geelong beer festival at the weekend and a lot of people said to me ‘I’m not a fan of hoppy beers what else do you have’. Not everyone likes hops and bitterness and resin. I do. But not everyone does.

“There is a time and place for all sorts of beers. At the end of the day after work when I want a couple of pints I’m going back to something I can enjoy quietly and not have to sip. That’s when a Lager comes into play.”

It can take four weeks of sitting in tanks for quality Lagers to be ready for market.

Brewers can often do two batches of Ales in similar time.

Chandrasekharan said a lot more care had to be taken in Lager production, too.

“The more delicate the beer the harder it is,” he said. “Beers like Carlton Dry are harder because if there are any defects they show up immediately.

“But if you have a big IPA with malt and hop flavours in some ways it is easier.”

Barrow Boys have had great success with your Stormy Lager.

In eight months of operation Barrow Boys’ Stormy Lager has gained plenty of attention around the country.

And like many brewers of the size, the focus has been gained on no advertising yet a lot of word of mouth.

“There are a lot of negative connotations with Lager,” Hazell said.

“The craft beer era started for me with Little Creatures. At the time I was probably drinking Tooheys New or something like that.

“But the Little Creatures Pale Ale was something completely new and different. Not just the hops but the overall intensity. I guess that defines craft beer. It is different and the further you can go from a mainstream beer the more it fits the craft definition.

“The Lagers are inoffensive. They just work. We are realising that again.”