Master Brewer Phil Markowski sat down for a Q&A to discuss our newest Limited beer: Miles 2 Go Unfiltered Pale Lager.
What does leaving a lager unfiltered do to the flavor?
An unfiltered lager preserves more flavor nuance than a filtered beer. There is more complexity to the aroma, flavor and mouthfeel in an unfiltered beer. The overall impression is that an unfiltered beer is “softer” and “silkier.” These types of beer are especially popular in Germany where they are known as “kellerbier” or “zwickelbier”, a reference to their character that resembles beer served straight from the fermentation tank.
How did this beer come about? What is your philosophy when it comes to designing new beers?
We have been wanted to produce a winter lager for some time. With the growing appreciation of lagers and unfiltered beers it made perfect sense to do an unfiltered lager.
When designing a new beer, no matter what the style, I always look to achieve balance between the malt, hops and yeast flavors. With a traditional lager the yeast is pretty much neutral and is not a major part of the beer’s character. For this reason people consider lagers more “pure” and the approach is more a dance between the malt and the hops. It should always subtle and go back-and-forth between the two in a well-made lager. I often work out recipes in my head on my evening commute. This is how the recipe for Miles 2 Go got its start. I’d like to think I do my best work in traffic!
What comfort food would you pair with this beer?
As Miles 2 Go is modeled after a traditional German-style lager I would say a pork stew would be a great pairing. For vegetarians and vegans a big, fat Bavarian-style pretzel would do the trick!