Prost! German Beer in the Quad Cities
The Quad Cities region has deep roots with Germany and its infamous brewing traditions. In the current state of the craft beer industry heavily hopped IPA’s and fruited sour beers may keep the lights on, but QC brewers still keep the classic German beer styles alive on their tap lists.
I asked Wake Brewing’s Brewer/ Co-Owner, Justen Parris, about the importance of keeping traditional German brewing styles in their mix of beer releases.
“With all the creative beers coming out, it’s always good to remember how we got here from there. Big fruited sours of today were influenced by the classic Berliner Weisse. The hazy look and mouthfeel bears resemblance to the Hefeweizen (obviously not the hop rate). I mean they get crazy too, but usually out of necessity and with a subtle hand like the smoked out Rauchbier. Then there are the refreshing and complex nuances of German lagers through simplicity and time. Getting educated on their history is pretty rad, especially if you can recreate and drink it.”
Five Cities Brewing Brewer, Curt Johnson, echoed the message. “I think we have an excellent balance. Keeping with trends is an important factor to continue to gain traction and stay fresh, but traditional style beers are the heart of it. Really to reach all demographics, it’s important to have a solid variety.”
About the Author:
Charlie Cole is a professional brewer and multimedia beer promoter. He is a graduate of St. Louis University in Brewing Science and Operations, a previous brewer at three different Quad Cities breweries, a certified beer server through the cicerone program, a provisional certified beer judge, and hosts the What’s Tappening podcast and weekly local beer segment on 97X FM.