Beer of the Week: 5th Anniversary Zwickelbier

From the Beer Writer: It was five years ago when an under-the-radar brewing operation burst on the scene and instantly gained a following. As an initial tenant of a miniscule suite at North Park’s lease-to-brew Brewery Igniter facility, Eppig Brewing arrived as the second coming of a nineteenth-century, East Coast brewery revived by a member of the founding family several generations removed. In doing so, they received a quartet of helping hands from a pair of Ballast Point Brewing vets who put out impressive beer from day one. Diversely Old World and West Coast, Eppig’s portfolio has garnered accolades from beer fans and fellow brewers alike for its deliciously to-style lagers as well as its potent, modern-day hoppy ales. So it’s only fitting that, in celebrating a half-decade in the industry, brewers Nathan Stephens and Clayton LeBlanc combined the best of both worlds, canning 5th Anniversary Zwickelbier, an unfiltered lager dry-hopped with German and American hops. Fresh off the line and debuting Sunday, November 14 (ahead of next Saturday’s anniversary celebration at the company’s Vista brewery and bierhalle), it’s green and pithy up front in both aroma and flavor. From there, the hoppiness subsides, allowing a light but pleasing malt bill to make itself known and linger a bit on the palate. It’s not the imperial, barrel-aged or otherwise next-level beer one might expect for a milestone anniversary, but it’s one that perfectly suits Eppig, its brewers and its overriding ethos.

From the Brewer: “To celebrate our fifth anniversary, we brewed a tribute to one of the original beers offered when we opened in 2016: Zwickelbier. The term zwickelbier generally refers to a young, unfiltered lager. This special beer is dry-hopped with Huell Melon and Centennial hops, and comes in at 5% alcohol-by-volume…for obvious reasons. The floral, citrusy and faintly grassy hops combine with cracker-like malts and a delicate yeast character, creating a balanced beer that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. The soft haze is due to suspended lager yeast in the beer. If you grab a four-pack—and I highly recommend that you do—my suggestion to get the desired appearance is to pour half the contents into a glass, then gently swirl the remaining beer in the can a few times. Proceed to pour the rest of the beer into the glass and enjoy. Cheers to five years!”—Nathan Stephens, Co-founder & Principal Brewer, Eppig Brewing