Brewdog / Cambridge / Stone Juxtaposition Black Pilsner

Several Stone “firsts” are evident in this beer. It’s our first time using Sorachi Ace and Motueka hops (newer, intensely-flavored hop varieties from Japan and New Zealand), our first time using mash hopping and first wort hopping, and our first time using more than two kettle hop additions (we actually had 10 additions throughout the wort boiling process). Perhaps most significantly, this is the first lager ever brewed at Stone Brewing Co. (although this is unlike any pilsner you may have ever tasted before). It’s black, 10% ABV, with over 100 IBUs in wort, making this one of the most assertive pilsners ever brewed–just like we wanted it to be. I’ve known Will Meyers for over 8 years, since the early days of my brewing tenure in New England, and have always been amazed at his creative use of herbs and other non-traditional ingredients in his beers. Will is one of my favorite New England brewers, and his beers are extremely well regarded in the Boston area. Greg and I were introduced to James’ and Martin’s beers from BrewDog about a year ago, when we traveled through Scotland after the release of our Stone California Double IPA in the UK. We were blown away by their ability to brew hoppy, assertive beers and get away with it in the UK, the home of the 4% ale, and it was more than refreshing to taste their BrewDog beers after several days of tasting nothing but traditional British milds and pale ales. It’s been an honor and a pleasure to work with these cutting edge brewers, and I’m proud to call them friends and collaborators. When we started this project, I believe it was Martin who said, “Let’s brew a beer that none of us have ever brewed before...that NO ONE has ever brewed before.” And that’s what we set out to do. Have fun with it.

Cheers,

Mitch Steele
Head Brewer, Stone Brewing Co.