Sunday, February 24th, 2008...8:13 pm
A pint of red for the green isle
In a state with a strong and proud Irish heritage, Montanans were eager for a local beer inspired by the great brewing history of the green isle itself. Bayern Brewery’s Jürgen Knöller heard the demand and considered it a challenge issued. A traditional Bavarian Masterbrewer, Knöller had to figure out how to brew using a top fermenting ale yeast (in the Irish tradition) without interfering with the German bottom fermenting yeast used throughout the brewery. How best to avoid this biological brawl? There were only two options:
1.) Build a separate brewery to harness this wily Irish yeast or
2.) Charter a compromise where German and Irish brewing traditions could fuse to create a completely unique beer.
Diplomacy triumphed and a medium hopped lager was born. It’s name - Killarney after the charming town in County Kerry. Killarney’s warm red color distinguished it, and coincidentally or not, a flurry of red Irish beers from some of America’s big brewers hit the market soon after. But Bayern can rightfully claim to have created the first red Irish lager in the states, back in February of 1988. Lucky for Montana.
Now 20 years later, Killarney Red Lager is one of Bayern’s most anticipated seasonals. It is brewed with two-row Harrington pale, carmel, Munich, wheat and German Dunkel malt. The hops are cascade and come from Yakima. Bayern Killarney has an alcohol content of 5.7% alc. vol. (14.2% Plato o.g.) and is available in draft, bottles and now in Bayern’s new 5-liter mini kegs. Hurry this popular beer could be gone before the end of your favorite Irish toast. Sláinte! Prost! Cheers!
1 Comment
February 25th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Hi - I just came across your delicious sounding beer and posted it on my site about Killarney Town in Ireland.
Ever thought of exporting it to Ireland?
Sláinte!
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