A few words today on our first lager of 2023: Krönungsbier.  Named in German to celebrate the “Krönung” or crowning of the new king in May (he’s German after all), we’re getting this coronation lager out a bit early.  

It was brewed as a celebration of the Heller Bock type beers that come out in the early Spring period in Bavaria under the name of “mai bock” (or May bock if you like). We’ve read that they traditionally hit the market just after winter but before Spring really kicks in. Well here in Sheffield we don’t need to wait for May, that’s right now!

Heller bocks are pale coloured bocks as opposed to the deeper, darker bock, doppelbock and schwarzbock types you normally see. So they are perfect beers to ring in the return of the sun.  We used some inside knowledge to try to get as much maltiness into the beer as we could, from a Franconian brewery we love very much. Because we’re nuts for a bit of smoke - there’s some beechwood-smoked malt in there for you. It’s ever so slightly more bitter than what we’ve brewed in the past, as well as showing off a bit more aroma hop than usual for our strongish lagers. Krönungsbier is a celebratory 6.3% abv.

A quick heads up for those of you who like to be around a bunch of lagers.  We’ll be doing a week-long festival appropriately called “Krönungswoche” during the period of the coronation, this coming May. Lots of lager, würst and schlager music. Stay tuned for further details!