240: Eric Larkin of Cohesion Approaches Lager Expression Through Limitation

Eric Larkin enjoys constraints. Through his brewing career, he’s been drawn to breweries that have set up their own guardrails around the styles of beer they brew—Allagash’s Belgian style focus, or the hazy IPAs of Odd13—and with Cohesion in Denver, he and his wife have fully embraced Czech-style lager. The presentation is top notch, with a focus on foam and a variety of beers and pour styles, but narrowing down the beer approach has given Larkin a tight range to work with in, and that challenge is one he thrives on.

Don’t call them “authentic,” though—these beers are traditional, and reverent, even, but they don’t need to lean on that difficult “A” word to be worth drinking. Instead, the experience of drinking them at the brewery clearly expresses their intentionality. The presentation and care is evident in every pour.

In this episode, Larkin discusses their approach to brewing Czech-style lagers, including:

• The importance of dialing in soft water
• Developing an under-modified pilsner malt with a local craft maltster
• The necessity of decoction, and levels of decoction for specific beers
• Adjusting for mash temperature impacts of decoction
• Working with lower-attenuating Czech yeast in open fermenters
• Whole cone versus pellet hops
• The range of possibility within the seemingly narrow style

And more.

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