where in the beer world?

#16 – Where in the beer world?

Where in the beer world?

Do you think you know where in the beer world this photo was taken? If you’ve been there and see a bartender pour beers for this sample tray and deliver it to a table you should remember.

In case you aren’t familiar with this almost weekly feature, here’s the background. It’s not a contest to see who can answer first, but intended to show you a few photos from our journey and to inspire some comments.

The weekly hint: This picture isn’t particularly new, so don’t be thinking it was taken in Italy. On the other hand, it wasn’t shot in the United States.

 

#15 – Where in the beer world?

Where in the beer world?

Think you know where in the beer world this photo was taken?

Leave your answer as a comment. Also feel free to add a comment simply because the picture inspires you.

As I’ve written before this is not really a Jeopardy-type contest, where the first to answer wins something. However, after we’re back in the United States then it will be possible to hand out a few prizes to those who’ve joined the discussion here.

The weekly hint: There’s more here than a brewery.

Updated Nov. 4, with the answer

The photo was taken at Birrificio Torrechiara south of Parma, Italy best known in the United States for brewing Panil Barriquee Sour. The brewery is also a winery (thus the hint) and uses two large (40 hectoliters each) barriquees to age the Panil Sour. The tuns are 50 years old, having previously been used by the winery operated by the family for four generations.

More about brewery when I write what is looking like many more posts on Italian beer.

Meanwhile, having badly missed the deadline this week, I will suggest Where in the Beer World? will return next week.

 

#13 – Where in the beer world?

Where in the beer world?

Geez, could I make it harder? Is it really fair to ask you where in the beer world this photo was taken? I am anyway.

Quite honestly, it won’t be a slam dunk when I post a second picture with the answer.

But stick with me on this. There’s a lesson, or maybe two, to be learned.

Rather than offering a clue this week, I’ll suggest a second question you might find it easier to comment on. What’s going on here?

Posted Oct. 18

Where in the beer world?

That’s a helles fermentation at the top in one of these ultra-modern looking fermenters at Private Landbrauerei Schönram in the German village of Schönram near the Austrian border.

Yes, Schönram uses open fermentation for all its beers, which account for almost 95 percent of production (46,000 HL). The unique fermenters allow for open fermentation and make it easy to skim the yeast daily (brewmaster Eric Toft believes this makes for smoother beer). What makes them different is that they can be closed and cleaned easily, eliminating the excuse many larger breweries use when they modernize and install closed fermentation vessels.

Ron Pattinson hit on why I posted this photo (see his comment below) — that’s a bottom fermenting yeast at work (and no even at high krausen). As he noted, open fermentation remains common in Bavaria, and not just for weiss beers. Common, but no universal.

There’s a lot more different about Schönram, but that’s a story that’s going elsewhere.

The weekly reminder about this feature.