Bitter Markie & Rauchroggen Bock -Restrospective

The Hippity Hoppity Series
Volume 7

Bitter Markie

Have you ever met a beer that you tried to drink
But sip after sip it made you think
I wonder who else has been drinking this beer
That you get so jealous you refuse to share
So take this message with you to the end
Don't ever drink a beer that says it just has a friend

The seventh installment of our Hippity Hoppity Double I.P.A. series was an aggressive attack on your palate with loads of hop bitterness and aroma backed up with a prominent malt backbone. The malt bill started with a 50/50 blend of Weyermann Pilsner and Munton's Maris Otter malt, a touch of Weyermann Wheat and a dash of Weyermann Carabelge. Malt wasn't the only thing we added to the mash tun as we also loaded in 26 pounds of whole leaf Centennial hops which makes for one deliciously smelling mash. The wort was then boiled for 100 minutes with a bittering addition of Chinook, which was added again along with Centennial and Columbus towards the end of the boil. All in all we used 48 pounds of hops on the hot side (mash tun & boil kettle), which is my personal record so far. After fermentation BM was dry hopped twice, the first time with Simcoe and Amarillo, the second with just Simcoe.

When we tapped this beer it had an amazing aroma of grapefruit, pine and a touch of spice. Assertively bitter yet drinkable from start to finish with a moderate body and medium dry. Very well received by our customers as well as the beer judges at the 2011 Great International Beer Festival were it took Gold in the Double I.P.A. category.

Rauchroggen Bock

Rauchbeirs have always been a favorite of mine since I had my first Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier several years ago. What's not to love about a beer that's as smokey and filling as good wood smoked barbeque? Smoked beers are always very polarizing so you have to be all in when making one in my opinion and recognize it will be a beer that not everyone will like and that's fine, in fact embrace it fully. Rauchroggen Bock was no different as it was not an entry level smoked beer. We went heavy with nearly 50% Weyermann Beechwood Smoked Malt, about a third Weyermann Dark Munich and the remainder with Weyermann Rye. Smokey, toasty with a touch of spicy grain is what we shot for and I think that's what we accomplished. Overall the beer was very smokey with some elements of sweet and spicy malt. Perhaps a bit smokier than most people would have liked and perhaps that will be something to take into consideration the next time its brewed.