The Case For Traditional Styles in Your Portfolio

During a discussion of their newest release, called Kegle Brau, with the head Brewmaster of Third Street Brewhouse, Karl Schmitz, we focused on classic styles and why craft breweries across the country have “come back” to the style and added them to their portfolio of beers.

More often than not, for the vast majority of beer drinkers, that “go-to” beer is a Lager or a Pilsner. So it makes sense for a brewery to have something for the “average” beer drinker as well.

“We love the innovation and creativity that comes along with creating new, unique brews – and our consumers love to sample different styles, too,” Schmitz said. “But at the end of the day, everyone is just looking for “their beer.” That beer they can always keep on hand in the fridge. Something drinkable and refreshing, not too light or too heavy. A beer that goes great with home-cooked meals, takeout, midnight pizza, ramen noodles — you see where I’m going here.”

With the Historic Beer Series, Third Street Brewhouse wanted to showcase their past (which includes Cold Spring Brewing mainstays) in a modern way.

“Very few breweries have been around as long as us, and the fact that we had access to some of our original recipes was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up,” Schmitz said. “There’s a reason Brewmaster Hermanutz was so sad to see his Pre-prohibition-style Lager destroyed in the early 1900s. There’s a reason why our founder, Michael Sargl, wanted to brew German-style Pilsners when he first immigrated to the United States.

“There’s a reason we could hardly keep Kegle Brau on shelves in the 1960s and 1970s. People want to drink this style of beer.”

Cold Spring Brewing Co. has been around for over 125 years, and throughout the brewery’s history the most popular beers have been Lagers and Pilsners. Of course, more recently, IPAs, flavored Stouts and different types of ales have become more popular.

“We’ve had a blast making these types of beers. Our customers have really enjoyed Hop Lift and Sanity Break – our own IPAs,” Schmitz said. “They go nuts when we release our Cool Beans Imperial Coffee Porter and our Sugar Shack Maple Stout. Free Speech Red Ale and Lost Trout Brown Ale are always good sellers – but our Minnesota Gold Lager (and the Minnesota Gold Light) are staples that were developed after years of history brewing Lagers.

“The craft beer industry has grown quickly in the past few decades as have the number of craft beer enthusiasts. Who says that traditional Lagers and Pilsners can’t be craft beers?”

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