Lager doesn’t have to be blanded…

Beer enthusiasts often dismiss lager as bland and tasteless, and I have to say that often I agree. The term ‘lager’ comes from the German word ‘lagerung’ which means to store. Traditionally lager would be stored for at least 3 weeks in chilled vessels. Unfortunately some of the bigger breweries are more interested in selling their beer quickly to follow time consuming traditions like these. As with any process, cutting corners has a detrimental effect, in this case, taste.

Many of us are aware that German & Czech lagers are still traditionally brewed and have far more flavour than mass produced big brand beers. Some of you may also know that there is a huge microbrewery movement in the USA producing some fantastic keg & bottled lagers. The good news is that there are also an increasing number of artisan brewers in the UK producing Real Lager. These brewers have the same level of passion for their product as we have come to expect from Real Ale microbreweries. They are hand picking the finest ingredients, sourcing local malts and storing their beer correctly to allow the beers to mature.

At the beginning of October the new lobby group ‘Lager of the British Isles’ (LOBI) was founded and held its first major event ‘British Lager Week’ from the 12th – 18th. The aim of the event was to change perceptions and raise the profile of British Lager. The artisan producers do not have huge marketing budgets and rely on the quality of their product and word of mouth in order to keep going.

At The Thatchers we stock a selection of draught & bottled beers from artisan brewer Meantime as well as a draught lager from Calvors, only 3.8%, but full of flavour. Calvors has been gaining in popularity since we started stocking it earlier this year and October saw sales overtake Carlsberg for the first time to become our biggest selling lager brand. Try asking your local pub get off of the 'blandwagon' and stock a Real Lager.

Useful links including some of the UK’s finest artisan brewers:

LOBI

Brewdog

Calvors

Cotswold Brewing Company

Freedom

Hepworth & Co Brewers