From Saint Arnold :
Of all the hops in the world, only one used in brewing is original.
It is the only hop that has never been hybridized dating back to when it was first cultivated from a wild plant around 1,000 years ago. That hop is Saaz.
We started going to the Czech Republic a few years ago for hop selection for our Saaz hops which we use to finish Summer Pils and Spring Bock. From these trips came the inspiration to celebrate this hop even more with a special pils. Thus was born our new Icon Red: Bohemian Pils. The recipe consists of just pils malt and Saaz hops. Lots of Saaz hops.
This is a light bodied beer, yet it is maltier than you would expect given the grain bill and color. We did a decoction mash for this beer, which means we took part of the mash, boiled it, and then pumped it back. This causes caramelization reactions and forms some unfermentable sugars that give the beer more depth.
There is a wonderful and rare spicy Saaz hop aroma and flavor on this beer. It is reminiscent of the pils found in the Czech Republic, but we emphasized the Saaz even more than they do. We didn't filter this beer to ensure as much of the flavors would come through as possible. This is a beer that can be enjoyed all evening.
For more info on Icon Red Bohemian Pils, click here.
HOUSTON, November 15, 2013 – As supplies of Saint Arnold Icon Gold diminish, the Houston brewery is greeting craft beer fans with a new offering from the Saint Arnold Icon series: Icon Red, a Bohemian Pils. Saint Arnold Brewing Co. (www.saintarnold.com), the oldest craft brewery in Texas, is gradually releasing the light and refreshing brew in 4-packs of 12 ounce bottles and on tap in bars and restaurants throughout Texas and Louisiana.
Introduced in 2012, the Saint Arnold Icon line of beers features a different style available for about three months before a new style is introduced. As the name implies, some Saint Arnold Icon brews are iconic of a beer style. For instance, this Bohemian Pils was inspired by the unfiltered, unpasteurized pilsners Saint Arnold's brewers found on hop buying trips to the Czech Republic. Saint Arnold sought to recreate that beer, but with an increased emphasis on the flavor and aromatic qualities of the hops.
"This beer is very refreshing, starting with the distinctive Saaz hop nose, then a pleasant maltiness for such a light beer followed by a floral, spicy and earthy hop flavor that closes with a focused bitter finish," said Founder/Brewer Brock Wagner.
Specification for Saint Arnold Icon Red:
Style: Bohemian Pils
Original Gravity: 1.053
Final Gravity: 1.014
Alcohol: 5.0% ABV
Bitterness: 33 IBU
Saint Arnold Icon Red features a single malt (pils) and a single hop (Saaz). The brewers took care to use traditional methods for heating the mash to achieve a rich, malty body. They removed a portion of the mash, boiled it, and then mixed it back in. This process causes caramelization that deepens the beer's color and lowers the fermentability of the sugars and results in a slightly richer bodied beer. That traditional approach also extended to the use of Saaz, a very traditional aroma hop that has been grown in the Czech Republic for centuries. It is the only hop used in brewing that has never been hybridized.
Saint Arnold Icon Red is best enjoyed at 40° to 55°F.
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