Danziger Jopenbier

Time for a personal favourite of mine, the crazy Danziger Jopenbier.

It’s unusual in several respects, for a German beer. For a start it’s spontaneously fermented, a technique that mostly died out in Germany a couple of centuries earlier. Then there’s the ridiculously high OG and equally ridiculously high FG. Not to mention the organism that performed the fermentation.

And on that latter point Olberg has made things much clearer. I’ve read descriptions of a slime forming on the top of the beer. Olberg’s explanation of what was doing the fermenting explains that observation.

Off with the paraphrase.

Jopenbier can be considered a type of hopped malt drink. The mashing method employed doesn’t really matter that much. So for reasons of economy a short mashing scheme is usually employed. Per 1500 kg malt 25 to 30 pounds of hops are used. The wort is left to cool in the cooler and then run into fermenting tuns, which hold between one and two barrels. The tuns are 1 to 2 metres tall and built much narrower than usual. The wort remains in the tuns until after about three weeks it begins to ferment all on its own as aa result of spores that have fallen into it. No great value is placed on cleanliness or cleaning in the fermentation cellar, only the cellar floor is kept clean. Though naturally the cellar is kept dry and well ventilated. If I’m not mistaken the spontaneous fermentation is caused by Penicilium glaubum though Saccharomyces Beylink is also present. The fermentation is very violent which is why the tuns are kept closed with the exception of a vent under which a vessel is placed to catch overflowing liquid. When fermentation is complete the tuns are uncovered and the beer left to rest until it is shipped. Before it is filled into the smallest transport casks it is passed through filter sacks. The alcohol content is 3.5% and the acidity (measured in acetic acid) is 0.95%.
Source: Olberg, Johannes (1927) Danziger Jopenbier in Moderne Braumethoden, pp 65-66, A. Hartleben, Wien & Leipzig.

The penicillin will explain the mould, I guess. Unfortunately a search for that particular type threw up nothing whatsoever. It’s probably something that has changed its scientific name over the years. The same with the Saccharomyces – a total blank. Please let me know if you have any idea what they might be.

Interesting that it was fermented in tall narrow vessels. And counterintuitive. Surely if you’re relying on shit dropping into the wort to ferment it you’d want as large a surface area as possible?

That level of acetic acid would result in a pretty sour beer. Though with that amount of residual sweetness, it was probably barely noticeable. That will be 3.5% ABW, by the way.

Here’s the only analysis of Danziger Jopenbier I have:

Danziger Jopenbier
Year	Brewer	OG	FG	ABW	ABV	App. Atten-uation
1906	Unknown	1230.43	1195	3.52	4.40	13.49%
Source:
"Jahresbericht über die Leistungen der chemischen Technologie (1907)", 1907, pages 352 - 353.

The FG is higher than the highest OG I’ve ever seen for a UK-brewed beer. Though the ABV is high enough for Jopenbier to count as an alcoholic drink, Doubt anyone could drink enough of the treacle to get pissed, mind.

Danziger Jopenbier again

I love weird old German styles. One of favourites - probably because it's so odd - is Danziger Jopenbier. Or Joppenbier. It's another of those styles with multiple spellings.

It had a couple of unusual features: a huge original gravity, an almost as huge finishing gravity and here's the best bit, it was spontaneously fermented.

"Top-fermented beers, especially Danziger Jopenbier, are discussed by P. Mumme (W. Brauer, 1906, 13). This is a top-fermented, highly concentrated beer, which is seen and drunk more abroad than at home where often not even its name is known. The peculiar smell and taste, reminiscent of port wine, the production methods, fermentation and treatment give Jopenbier something characteristic, because it greatly differs from all other top-fermenting beers from and stands alone in its type. - The wort is left to sponataneously ferment. First of all a thick blanket forms on the surface on which all sorts of moulds grow. These blankets in various vats are again very different from each other in appearance and strength, depending on the points of attack the moulds have found. Gradually, the yeast has developed so that it is able to cause fermentation. - The head, which is often so strong that a 20 gram piece won't fall through it, begins to lift itself. - This is the time when the vats must be covered, because after 2 to 3 days a very vigorous fermentation begins. Before the mould layer has risen to avoid it collapsing. The lids have at the front a wide, somewhat overhanging outlet; through this channel, for 8 to 12 days the beer often pushes out large amounts of loose foam, which is collected in barrels or tubs placed below, until the primary fermentation calms and peaceful secondary fermentation takes place. The foam subsides, the ejected, very bitter beer is filled after the lid is lifted, and the tub is left to itself again. Now in long-lasting secondary fermentation and slow clarification take place, during which the sediment settles. - An analysis of Jopenbier revealed :

Alcohol	3.52%
Real extract	45.04%
Apparent extract	43.20%
calculated OG	49.94%
apparent degree of attenuation	13.49%
Real degree of attenuation	9.81%"

"Jahresbericht über die Leistungen der chemischen Technologie (1907)", 1907, pages 352 - 353. (My translation.)

49.94º Plato is 1230º in SG. The finishing gravity is 1195º. That's quite an achievement having an FG higher than the OG of a Scottish 160/- Ale.

What can you say about the fermentation, other than that it sounds scary and disgusting at the same time. I wonder what it was that caused the fermentation. The slime sounds like some sort of bacteria, despite being described as mould. Did Saccharomyces play any part in the fermentation?

From the comparison to port wine, it sounds like there was both some acidity and considerable sweetness in the finished beer. Given the description of the fermentation, it would be a miracle if there were no trace of sourness.







Here's the original text in case you don't trust my translation:

"Obergärige Biere, besonders das Danziger Jopenbier bespricht P. Mumme (W. Brauer. 1906, 13). Es ist dieses ein obergäriges, hochkonzentriertes Bier, welches im Ausland mehr geschaut und getrunken wird als in der Heimat, wo es oft nicht einmal dem Namen nach bekannt ist. Der eigenartige, an Portwein erinnernde Geruch und Geschmack, die Herstellungweise, Gärung und Behandlung geben dem Jopenbier etwas Charakteristisches, denn es weicht von allen anderen obergärigen Bieren stark ab und steht in seiner Art wohl allein da. — Die Würze wird der Selbatgärung Überlassen. Zunächst bildet sich auf der Oberfläche eine dicke Decke, auf der alle möglichen Schimmelpilze wachsen. Diese Decken sind wieder bei den einzelnen Bottichen untereinander im Aussehen und in Stärke sehr verschieden, je nachdem die Pilze Angriffspunkte gefunden haben. Nach und nach hat sich die Hefe soweit entwickelt, daß sie im stände ist, Gärung hervorzurufen. — Die Decke, welche oft so stark ist, daß ein 20 Grammstück auf ihr nicht untersinkt, fängt an sich zu heben. -Dieses ist der Zeitpunkt, in welchem die Bottiche abgedeckt werden müssen, denn schon nach 2 bis 3. Tagen beginnt eine sehr kräftige Gärung. Vorher wird noch die Schimmelschicht abgehoben, um ein Untersinken derselben zu vermeiden. Die Deckel haben nach vorn eine weite, etwas überragende Ausfloßöffnung; durch diese Rinne stoßt das Bier oft 8 bis 12 Tage lang große Mengen lockeren Schaum aus, der in untergestellten Fässern oder Wannen zum Absetzen aufgefangen wird, bis dann die Hauptgärung nachläßt und eine ruhige Nachgärung Platz greift. Der Schaum geht zurück, das ausgestoßene, sehr bittere Bier wird, nachdem der Deckel abgehoben, aufgefüllt, und der Bottich bleibt wieder sich selbst überlassen. Es erfolgt nun in demselben eine langandauernde Nachgärung und langsame Klärung, bei welcher die Trubteile nach unten gehen. — Eine Analyse des Jopenbieres ergab:
Alkohol......... 3,52 Proz.
Wirklicher Extrakt...... 45,04 „
Scheinbarer   „   ...... 43,20 „
Berechnete Stammwürze    .   .   . 49,94 „
Scheinbarer Verganingagrad    .   . 13,49 „
Wirklicher „ . . 9,81 „"

Grodziskie - I wish they just wouldn't bother

Over at RateBeer they've added a new style category. Or rather a combined one to include Grodziskie, Gose and Lichtenhainer.

Hang on, I hear you say, how can they lump together Grodziskie with Gose and Lichtenhainer? The latter two are extremely sour while Grodziskie is smoky and bitter.

Well, according to RateBeer Grodziskie is sour:

"Grodziskie/Gose/Lichtenhainer

Sour wheat beers were common in many parts of medieval and early Industrial Europe. Two styles – lambic and Berliner weisse – survived, but many others did not. Gose, Grodziskie and Lichtenhainer are historic styles of sour wheat beer, each a unique style of its own. Gose is seasoned with salt, Grodziskie and Lichtenhainer contain smoked malt. Historical sources are mixed about Lichtenhainer containing wheat, so modern interpretations may vary. Grätzer is an alternative name for Grodziskie. All three will be relatively low alcohol, tart, with a strong wheat character, but will be distinct from classic examples of Berliner Weisse or lambic. As all we have are historical recreations, substantial differences may exist between interpretations."

Here we go again. Didn't I have to argue against a dodgy Grodziskie/Grätzer definition just a few weeks ago? Now here's someone else defining the style incorrectly. What's that emotion I'm feeling? Frustration? Despair? Irritation? A bit of all three.

I'm not sure where they got the stuff about Grodziskie being sour from. The man I trust most when it comes to German top-fermenting styles, Schönfeld, says something very different:

"Under the influence of the supposedly excellent well water, to whose qualities until recently the excellent quality of the beer was erroneously attributed, it was possible to brew a beer of far-reaching fame from pure wheat, which has maintained its reputation through the centuries, as a highly sophisticated beverage which because of its smoke and hop bitter taste was not only earlier highly appreciated, but even now is counted among the best top-fermented beers."
"Die Obergärige Biere und ihre Herstellung" by Schönfeld, 1938, page 162.

Smoky and bitter. No mention of sourness and Schönfeld was an expert in sour beers, having studied and written extensively about Berliner Weisse.

Here's another usually reliable source, confirming an intense hop and smoke flavour as being the defining characteristics of Grodziskie:

"3. Grätzer Bier, a rough, bitter beer, brewed from 100% wheat malt with an intense smoke and hop flavour. The green malt undergoes smoking during virtually the whole drying process, is highly dried and has a strong aroma in addition to the smoked flavour. An infusion mash is employed. Hopping rate: for 1 Zentner (100 kg) of malt, 3 kg hops. Gravity just 7º [Balling]. Fermentation is carried out in tuns at a temperature of 15 to 20º C. Since the beer in the tun, as a result of the expulsion of great quantities protein and resin, doesn't break, it is mixed with isinglass and pumped into barrels. After two or three days it is completely clear and ready to be filled into delivery casks or bottles with the addition of 2 to 5% Krausen."
“Bierbrauerei" by M. Krandauer, 1914, page 301.

Here's a classification of German top-fermenting beers where Grodziskie is placed in a different group to Lichtenhainer and Gose:

"1. Low alcohol content, so easy to digest, an Ausstossbier or filled with krausen into bottles, as free as possible from bacteria, carbon dioxide-rich (Lübbener, Werder'sches, Cölner, Bremen, Hamburg, Grätzer, Munich Weissbier, etc.);

2. the same properties, with a higher lactic acid content (Berliner Weissbier, Broyhan, Calenburger Weissbier, Lichtenhainer, Gose beer);

3. more or less rich in alcohol, poorly carbonated, beers with large amounts of lactic acid (Dortmunder Altbier, called Malzweine);

4. low-alcohol, extra-rich, sweet beers (Braunschweiger Mumme, Danziger Jopenbier, Frauenburger Mumme, etc.)."
"Jahresbericht über die Fortschritte in der Lehre von den Gährungs-Organismen" by Professor Dr. Alfred Koch, 1896, pages 160-161. 

Grodziske is put in the same group as Munich Weissbier and is supposedly as free of bacteria as possible. Doesn't sound like a sour beer to me.

Another smoky and heavily hopped confirmation:

"Sour-tasting beers are Berliner Weißbier and Lichtenhainer, brewed from smoked barley malt, even more so Gose, which is also seasoned with cooking salt. Grätzer Bier, brewed from smoked wheat malt, heavily hopped but of a low gravity, also tastes smoky."
"Encyklopädisches Handbuch der technischen Chemie, Volume 4, Part 1", 1915, page 210.

I'll admit this last one is open to different interpretations. I think it says that Grätzer is another smoky beer.

I can't find any description of Grodziskie in an old text that unambiguously describes it as sour. What everyone agrees on is that it was smoky and hoppy.

In addition, there's a practical consideration. How is a heavily-hopped beer soured? Hops will kill lactic acid bacteria. That's why beers soured with it, like Berliner Weisse, usually contain minimal amounts. There were heavily-hopped German beers that were sour. Dortmunder Altbier, or Adambier is a good example. As is Münster Alt. But they were brewed a different way.

Schönfeld classified sour German styles in two groups:

1. Beers that were lightly-hopped and soured during primary fermentation. Berliner Weisse, Gose and Lichtenhainer were in this group.

2. Heavily hopped beers that only soured during a long secondary fermentation Adambier and Münster Alt were about the only beers in this category.

I don't see how a heavily-hopped beer which was sold relatively young like Grodziskie could have been soured. There were too many hops for it to sour during primary fermentation and there was no long secondary fermentation.

I find the evidence overwhelming that Grodziskie was not sour.

I'm not just doing this because I'm scared the Grodziskie and Grätzer I was involved with will be considered "not true to style". I actually find it amusing when cretins erroneously write that in beer reviews.

The real reason is I don't want history to be perverted and Grodziskie to be lost forever. Because if everyone starts thinking it has to be sour and making versions that way, the authentic style will disappear. And that's something I'd hate to see.






I did bring this up on RateBeer itself first. The admins engaged in a dialogue, but haven't changed the dodgy definition.

Do you recognise this man?

You may recall me mentioning Lew Bryson being under the impression that we had met at the ZBF. At the time of our supposed meeting I was already sitting on a number 2 tram speeding homewards from Amsterdam Central Station.

Who the hell was claiming to be me? Luckily, Lew has sent me a photo of the putative Pattinson. Does anyone recognise him? (He's the one on the left - the other chap is Stephen Beaumont.)


Just for the record, I'm clean-shaven, don't wear glasses and have a full head of hair. And a tendency to rattle off facts from old brewing manuals at the slightest excuse. Without any ant excuse, too. The last few weeks I've been incapable of speaking two sentences without mentioning Danziger Joppenbier.

Obsessing about extinct beer styles is how you're going to have to recognise me. I'm not about to add any images of myself to either this blog or my website. I respect the memory of Stalin too much to do that.

Danziger Joppenbier

I'm always a happy as a pig in muck when I find a new, weird, extinct beer style. Danziger Joppenbier fits my excitement requirements perfectly.

Spontaneously fermented, immensely high gravity, an extremely slow fermentation, an ridiculously long boil. It scores highly in the odd stakes. It sounds like it might be a relative of Braunschweiger Mumm, except with more alcohol.

"Danziger Joppenbier.
Joppenbier is in many respects very interesting. It is made from a highly concentrated wort - the Saccharometer degree is about 49 percent.

From 1000 Kg malt and 5 Kg hops approximately 10.5 HL beer is produced.

The mash is made by the infusion method and the wort which is drawn off is - to obtain the specified concentration - often boiled more than 20 hours. The wort is cooled down to down to 12.5 º.

The fermentation is a so-called sponataneous fermentation. Fermentation usually begins in July - although it is the same whether the beer is brewed in January or April. The wort is first covered with a thick blanket greenish-white mould; when the mould spores are in sufficient quantity to force their way into the wort and to grow to a very characteristic yeast, then the fermentation begins, which only in September subsides enough so that the beer becomes clear and can be drawn off. The attenuation is during this period up to only about 19.

The resulting beer is dark brown, extremely rich (but here also partly arises from not broken down glucose) and sweet - the smell is pleasant (which is probably a consequence of the extremely slow fermentation). It is not possible to drink much Joppenbier - it is full-bodied, extremely suitable for mixing with other beer and is also for such purpose exported to England.

The clear beer can be left a year in the vat on the yeast without being damaged - of course, however, the degree of attenuation will increase."
"Schule der Bierbrauerei" by G.E. Habich, published in 1865, pages 402 and 403.

I'm assuming the gravities mentioned are Balling. That makes the OG about 1196 and the FG 1076. Even more than the craziest Scotch Ale. The hopping rate, at only about half a kilo per Zentner malt (or per hectolitre beer), is very low. About the same as Berliner Weisse, which usually has no hop character at all. My guess is that Joppenbier tasted pretty malty.

How Joppenbier relates to Jopen Bier, I'm not sure. The latter was an early type of hopped beer, which, if I recall correctly, originated in Hamburg. There is currently a version of Jopen Bier brewed for the Dutch market in Belgium.

Here's confirmation that most Joppenbier (or Jopenbier) was exported to Britain:

"Danzig. The demand for Jopenbier was very limited, as in the English manufacturing distrcts, the main sales locations for this article, most workers were unemployed because of the American war. The sale price was 70 fr. per 1/4 T. free on board. Manutactured were 22300, exported 24300 1/4-T. Value of 56700 Th; of the shipped amount a great part was sent to England on credit and stored there unsold. The stock at year-end was 8000 1/4-T.""Preussische Statistik" 1863, page 101.

Tomoorrow much more about Dantzig Black Beer. Much, much more. Really.