Brewing Affumicator Rauchdoppelbock with Andreas Gänstaller

Thanksgiving Day 2013 was spent with Andreas Gänstaller at his brewery in Hallerndorf-Schnaid as he went about making the latest batch of Affumicator (9.6%). This meaty and savory melanoidin bomb of a doppelbock has been one of the rare 5.0 perfect ratings in my life.

But we are at Gänstaller Brau to brew beer, not drink it, and even if we wanted to, you can’t find Affumicator in Germany anyways. Franconians just don’t drink 9.6% Smoked Doppelbock. Other than personal kegs pulled for the Zoiglstube, this beer is only available outside of Germany, and the list of places serving it is short: 1) Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà, 2) Akkurat, 3) Ølbaren, and 4) Moeder Lambic Fontainas (the last two sporadically, if ever again).

IMG_3729

IMG_3886

IMG_3744

Three levels in the immediate brewery room, there was certainly some reach to the ceiling. Two levels were reachable above here, and the cellar below was where the horizontal maturation tanks are held. The old Friedels have a hell of an installation.

IMG_3806

IMG_3789

Post-mash standing out in the street. The spent grain is dumped out the side of the building and into a trailer which is hauled to the adjacent town and dropped as feed for cows and pigs and, of course, goose (the “Gans” of Ganstaller is the German to English translation of goose).

IMG_3771

The glorious green maturation tanks of Gänstaller Bräu.

IMG_3803

The lagering tanks sit at basement level, accessed by a concrete staircase spiralling around fresh painted pipework.

IMG_3798

Having witnessed the careful measurements and timing of the hop additions, we were made to promise not to reveal it to anyone, and then we immediately forgot what the hops were anyways, so no risk of trade secrets getting out here.

IMG_3822

The last hop addition just before flameout.

IMG_3892

We climb to attic level and inspect the cool ship, before Andy goes back downstairs to pump the wort.

IMG_3706

Before.

IMG_3915

IMG_3949

After.

IMG_3954

When wort is immediately steamed out in this way, the fine hop pellet micro-granules act as condensation nuclei increasing the amount of resultant steam (with respect to boiling water), and depositing millions of microscopic dollops of wort on every reachable surface, including camera lenses.

IMG_3969

An immediate taste pulled from the primary fermenter. Sweet and bitter, raw, of course. I grimace at the bitter sweet wort soup while Andy, somewhat magically, takes a sip, swishes it deliberately and swallows in a careful manner before remarking,

“Yep, mmm hmm, this is a good batch.”

IMG_3994

BJCP-certified beer judge, photographer, and software developer from Boulder, Colorado. I use this site to chronicle my worldwide beer adventures shared through photography and stories, with a focus on traditional old world brewing practices.

One thought on “Brewing Affumicator Rauchdoppelbock with Andreas Gänstaller

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *