Let's Brew Wednesday - 1911 Heineken (Rotterdam) Gerste

Look at this. A Let's Brew Wednesday on . . . . a Wednesday.

This is another recipe I've knacked together for another project. Why waste it? Even though I doubt many of you will ever brew such a deeply unfashionable beer as this. Despite it being an extinct style. Doubtless peach and coffee infused versions will be appearing soon "inspired by" Gerste.

Who am I kidding? This beer ticks all the wrong boxes. Not that strong. Dark. Lightly hopped.


Gerste is an oddball beer from the early days of bottom-fermentation in Holland. It was originally a top-fermenting style, but Heineken used the name for a cheap and cheerful type of Dark Lager. It was incredibly popular. There's a fair amount of sour grapes in how Baartz, of rival Oranjeboom in Rotterdam, described Gerstebier in 1884:

"although a bottom-fermented beer, it is of a low gravity and not lagered, and is a beer quick to make for a significantly lower price" ("een weliswaar ondergistend bier, maar van licht gehalte en geen Lagerbier, maar een bier van snelle confectie en tot belangrijk lager prijs").
"Korte Geschiedenis der Heineken's Bierbrouwerij Maatschappij N.V. 1873 - 1948", by H. A. Korthals, 1948, page 96.

Bottom-fermented, but not really a Lager. Presumably that's how Heineken could bang it out on the cheap. This shows you how much cheaper:

Heineken retail prices in 1895
Beer	per bottle (cents)
Export	20
Münchener	20
Pilsener	18
Gerste	12
Tafelbier	9
Source:
Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad 22nd February 1895, page 4.

It's only when you look at the specs of the beers that you realise how good value Gerste was:

Heineken Rotterdam beers in 1911
Bier	OG Balling	FG Balling	app. degree attenuation	% ABV	Colour	kg hop/hl
Pils	13.2	4.15	68.56%	4.8	6	0.2
Lager	9.8	3.3	66.33%	3.4	9	0.16
Gerste	12	5	58.33%	3.7	13.5	0.18
Beiersch	13.1	5.3	59.54%	4.2	13	0.18
Bok	16.7	7.5	55.09%	5	14	0.2
Source:
Heineken brewing record held at the Amsterdam Stadsarchief, document number 834-1752.

Not not that much lower in ABV than Beiersch, but less than half the price. The obvious choice for the cost-conscious boozer. Which is reflected in the sales figures:

Heineken Rotterdam production by type in 1911
type	no. of brews	size of brew (HL)	total amount	% of total
Lager	226	270	61,020	36.13%
Gerste	356	220	78,320	46.37%
Beiersch	28	200	5,600	3.32%
Pils	107	200	21,400	12.67%
Bok	17	150	2,550	1.51%
total	734		168,890
Source:
Heineken brewing record held at the Amsterdam Stadsarchief, document number 834-1752.

It was almost half of what they were brewing, in the Rotterdam brewery at least. A really important product for Heineken.

One last technical note. Heineken had two yeast strains. The posh beers like Pils and Beiersch were fermented with the posh A strain. Gerste was brewed with second-division Heineken’s D strain..

Almost forgot. In Dutch "gerste" means barley.





Over to me . . . . ..

1911 Heineken Gerste
pilsner malt 2 row	10.00 lb
Carafa III	0.40 lb
Hallertau 60 mins	1.50 oz
OG	1048
FG	1019
ABV	3.84
Apparent attenuation	60.42%
IBU	24
SRM	17.5
Mash double decoction
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	48º F
Yeast	WLP830 German Lager