Hops, barley malt, yeast, and water are traditionally found in beer, but alternative ingredients offer creative ways for brewers to develop new flavours and put twists on classic styles.
That creativity, in brewing with adjuncts, will be showcased Friday, Sept. 29 at the KPU Brew Lab with a special beer release.
Justin Larter, a 2020 graduate of Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s (KPU) Brewing and Brewery Operations program, crafted a beer he calls Ed’s Triticale Keller Pils. It’s inspired by his late grandfather, Dr. Edward Larter, a professor at the University of Manitoba who developed a program for the synthesis and development of the wheat-rye hybrid triticale as a global, alternative grain crop.
Brewed in collaboration with KPU brewing instructors Emily Kokonas and Martina Solano Bielen, this beer builds on a legacy of scientific creativity and curiosity.
“We love partnering with our alumni to create collaboration beers. It’s always an opportunity to showcase the innovative work they’re doing in the industry — how they’ve grown their creativity and skills since graduating — and for us to learn and explore using new ingredients and brewing techniques our students will benefit learning about,” says Kokonas.
“We wanted to highlight the unique properties of this wheat-rye hybrid in a German-style Pilsner. We used un-malted triticale to showcase its rustic characteristics and bring out the ‘breadiness’ of the wheat and spicy character of the rye, which blends really well with cracker notes from the pilsner malt base,” says Justin Larter, who is head brewer of Barnside Brewing, a farm-based brewery in Delta.
The beer was brewed using Barnside’s locally-grown Sterling hops, and fermented at a cold temperature to allow the triticale to shine.
“This particular beer was an opportunity to push boundaries using an alternative grain like triticale, which we haven’t used before in the KPU Brew Lab, and experiment with different brewing techniques, like step mashing at different temperatures, and fermenting at an ultra-cold temperature of 7 C for a traditional European brewing experience,” says Kokonas.
“The result is a beautiful floral hop aroma, crisp bitterness, and notes of honeysuckle and spice. I think my grandfather would have loved this beer,” adds Larter.
Ed’s Triticale Keller Pils will be available for sale in growler fills on Friday, Sept. 29 from 1 to 6 p.m. at the KPU Brew Lab, 20901 Langley Bypass, Langley. It will also be available at Barnside Brewing’s taproom at 6655 60 Ave., Delta, and on Oct. 5 at the Barley Merchant at 20090 91A Ave., Langley.