Working Draft Beer Company
Working Draft Beer Company is setting a new benchmark for Czech pilsners with its latest, called “To Those Who Wait.”
What is it? To Those Who Wait from Working Draft Beer Company
Style: The Czech pilsner originated in the 1840s in the city of Plzeň in the western regions of the Czech Republic. It is a light golden or amber lager, topped by a dense, soft white head. Czech Saaz hops lend an earthy, herbal, spicy aroma. Most beer historians consider it the forerunner of German and American lagers made by the big breweries.
Background: Lohman’s first beer through the Working Draft system when it opened in 2018 was a lager. Since, he has tweaked various recipes in developing this beer. An early version was offered last spring. Now, with To Those Who Wait, we’re seeing a Czech pilsner that reflects Lohman’s attention to detail in the brewhouse. “I grew up working at Wisconsin Brewing and Vintage Brewing, and New Glarus Brewing was in my backyard, so this is the [style of] beer I take great pride in making,” he says. Lohman adds that you can’t make a bad lager in Wisconsin “and get away with it.” The state’s legendary big breweries (Miller, Pabst, Blatz and G. Heileman) made Wisconsin brewing famous with their American lagers.
Golden lagers, especially the Czech pilsner style, have little room for error. They require careful attention to ingredients and fermentation temperatures so they finish crisp, balanced and very clean.
Lohman relies on bready German pilsner malt and herbal, spicy Czech Saaz hops. It is fermented with a strain of yeast related to the one in Pilsner Urquell, standard-bearer of the style. The name, To Those Who Wait, is also a nod to allowing the beer to mature slowly and cold-condition nearly eight weeks before it sees the taproom.
To Those Who Wait finishes at 4.2 percent ABV and about 30 IBUs. It sells in the Working Draft taproom for $5.50/16-ounce glass, $3.50/8-ounce glass and $11/crowler.
Working Draft Beer Company celebrates its second anniversary on Feb. 29 and in addition to the release party for To Those Who Wait, there will be several limited beers debuting that day including a special dry-hopped Czech pilsner called “To Those Who Fish,” a rye whiskey barrel-aged imperial oatmeal stout named “Rich Uncle,” a white Scotch ale called “Liquid DeLite,” and an imperial version of the brewery’s flagship Pulp Culture.
Tasting notes:
- Aroma: Herbal and spicy notes. A touch of bready maltiness.
- Appearance: Bright yellow-golden color, with a slight orange hue. Bubbly white to light tan head.
- Texture: Medium-bodied and crispy.
- Taste: Begins with a light breadiness, yet it’s the crisp herbal notes that rise above everything. Solid crispness, spicy and dry.
- Finish/Aftertaste: Light lingering herbal spiciness from the Saaz hops.
Glassware: The dimpled mug as a sign of respect to the origins of this beer.
Pairs well with: a wide range of options. The style is versatile with food. It goes especially well with grilled veggies and fish.
The Verdict: This is a beer to appreciate for its perfection. The Czech pilsner is the pinnacle of what makers of golden lagers strive for. If you want to know how good a pilsner can be, go to Working Draft for this one. To Those Who Wait offers wonderful herbal accents of Saaz hops. It has a clean, lightly bready backbone from the pilsner malt. This is no everyday pilsner. It is exceptional – a perfect pint.
