Garage Beer Co. - Rabbit Hole

This may only be a small batch of beautiful Svetly Lezak or Pale Lager but it is one of the most complex brew days we have ever undertaken here at Garage. Many say that true Czech lager must be brewed using a decoction mash regime. ‘What’s decoction?’, I hear you say? It essentially entails removing a part of the mash into another vessel where it is taken through a number of temperature steps before finally being boiled and then returned back to the main mash. It is a traditional process that was historically done to bring the mash through various temperature steps to ensure full conversion of the starch to fermentable sugar but it also had many positive side effects such as a deepening of malt flavour as a result of caramelisation of the boiled portion, and enhanced body and beer foam. These side effects were exactly what we were after. Aside from process, ingredient selection is crucial to the style. This means extremely soft water, Czech pilsner malt, Saaz hops and a specifically selected yeast strain from one of Czechia’s most well known lager producers. The result is an incredibly easy drinking beer with levels of complexity that defy the simple ingredient list. Rich malt depth with a spicy hop character with a firm but elegant bitterness that makes this a true session beer.