St. George’s Brewing
NEW RELEASE: Tupper’s Keller Pils
Just to recap – Bob and Ellie Tupper are the creators of Tupper’s Hop Pocket – a hoppy pale ale that has recently returned from a 2 year exile. Hop Pocket was contractually brewed through Old Dominion until it’s sale in 2008. St. George’s Brewing Company in Hampton, VA picked up the Tupper’s beers Hop Pocket, and Keller Pils. This edition of Keller is unchanged since it’s rebirth, except for a new yeast being used.
What is a “Keller Pils?” Pils obviously stands for pilsner. Keller is German for “cellar.” In German brewmaster terms, Keller means straight from the aging tank – give the drinker the freshest beer in the brewery. Quite a premium when you are talking about lagers. Tupper’s Keller Pils is dry hopped for 3 weeks after the brew kettle, to the fermented beer producing a bold lager. Keller Pils is also krausened – a technique that German brewers use to carbonate the beer. Some of the live fermenting wort is added to the finished product. Essentially as the yeast is working, it’s producing CO2 that is carbonating the beer. Krausening also cuts down on diacetyls, or agents that can cause an off flavor in beer that makes it taste buttery.
Taste Expectations – Keller Pils is a fresh tasting pilsner with grassy and some herbal tones. The malts have a biscuity flavor. Floral hops are prevalent, with some bitterness. Another great one for summer days…
Hops – Mt. Hood, Whole cone Saaz. Dry Hopped – With both also.
Availability – 12oz/4pks. Draft unspecified.
5% ABV
Fun Facts: Before it’s hiatus, Tupper’s Keller Pils won a few gold and silver medals at competitions ranging from the World Beer Cup to GABF…
HIATUS OVER: Tupper’s Hop Pocket
After a 2 year hiatus, Tuppers Hop Pocket has returned. The last bottles of Tupper’s were produced by Old Dominion Brewpub in November of 2007. What caused the hiatus? Old Dominion was sold in that year. Tupper’s Hop Pocket was a contract brew there. The new owners found Tupper’s to be too expensive and too time consuming to brew and it was subsequently cancelled. Bob and Ellie Tupper’s beer was finished. Neither gave up in their quest to have it brewed again.
After speaking with numerous breweries, St. George’s Brewing Company in Hampton, VA opted to take up brewing Hop Pocket as a contract brew. Bob & Ellie couldn’t be happier. This new edition of Tupper’s is brewed with all the same ingredients and in the same method as it was once brewed. I say method, because Hop Pocket is fermented over the course of 6 weeks. That’s lager territory, not an ale – especially a pale ale like this one. Hop Pocket is aggressively hopped with 3 different strains introduced at 4 different times. This would be a great way to hop an IPA or DIPA giving you a sharp hop/bitter favor. The extra fermentation time allows this beer to mellow a bit. Hop Pocket begins it’s journey by sitting on hop cones for about 3 weeks. All in all this is a really unique, complex American Pale Ale.
Hops – Mt. Hood, Willamette, Cascade
Malts – Caramel (Crystal) Malt
Taste Expectations – Hoppy citrus, with a malty caramel backbone. There’s more to this beer – but this will get you started.
Availability – 12 oz/4 pks. No draft for now. St. Georges is a very small craft brewery.
6% ABV
