Deathly brews
Andreas Schröfl publishes the fourth case for »Sanktus«
With his 2015 detective novel set in Munich and entitled »Brauerehre« (“Brewer’s Honour”), Andreas Schröfl launched the successful series starring Alfred Sanktjohanser, known as »Sanktus«. The former brewer and ex-policeman repeatedly stumbles unsuspectingly into explosive murder investigations, like in his fourth case “Hop Killer”. The brand-new craft beer shop owner is as an expert tasked with solving the murder of two affluent brewers. His investigations lead him to Munich’s craft brewing scene.
Thus begins the press release for Volume 4 of my Sanktus series. Sanktus, a brewer and ex-policeman, has for four years now been repeatedly involved involuntarily in criminal cases. He is assisted in his investigations by his friend Inspector Bichlmaier and his colleagues at the brewery.
But how as a brewmaster and a Project Manager at Krones do you come to be writing books? As always, the answer is very simple. It’s his wife’s fault. After I had once again complained in my frustration about the quality of a regional detective novel, my wife commented on my rage in a few well-chosen words: “Write one yourself, perhaps you’ll like it better?” No sooner said than done: over the years I got my first Sanktus down on paper. Following just two attempts, I got lucky, and the Gmeiner Verlag publishers took an interest in my novel. And asked for another one straight away. The books have meanwhile become very popular, my readings are well received – I really enjoy them. But Kroxit? Certainly not. I shall of course remain faithful to Krones AG, since writing books is just a hobby, something to relax with after a stressful day’s work on project business.
In the fourth of the series entitled “Hop Killer”, Sanktus acquires a taste for craft beers. He and his friend Hanspeter, likewise a brewer, open the “Haidhauser Bierwerkel” in Munich, a craft beer shop with its own 5-hl micro-brewery. Here, the two of them brew the “Haidhauser Stenz”, a traditional Bavarian lager cold-hopped with Tettnanger, the “Münchner Weissheit”, a wheat beer refined with Amarillo hops and Cara-Red malt, the “Einstein Bitter”, an extreme pilsner with 50 bittering units, and the “Bhupindia Pale Ale“, an exquisite IPA with a lemony note of aroma hops. Sanktus and Hanspeter dedicated this to their Indian friend Bhupinder, the cook at their local tavern. Whether the brewhouse is a Steinecker MicroCube is left open in the novel. I leave it to your imagination. Garreth Vane, an American craft beer icon, opens his first brewery in Munich at this time. He throws down the gauntlet to conventional brewers and the German Purity Law. Soon afterwards, the owner of Munich’s biggest craft brewery is found dead in the River Isar, his competitor discovered murdered in the brewery’s courtyard, and prohibited ingredients are found in Munich’s beer. Is Vane the perpetrator? Inspector Bichlmaier asks Sanktus for assistance. This case pushes Sanktus to his limits. Definitely an exciting read.
In line with the general trend, I’ve added a recipe at the end of this book as well: here it is if you’d like to try it out.
Recipe for Sanktus’ “Münchner Weissheit”, 12.5 % original gravity
Ingredients for approximately 5 hectolitres (brew size at the “Haidhauser Bierwerkel”):
Quantities may vary, depending on the brewing process, yields and raw material qualities involved
53 kg wheat malt, light
34 kg barley malt, light
8 kg Cara Red special malt
215 g Hallertauer Magnum 14 % Alpha-acid
300 g Amarillo hops (pellets)
650 l water (of which 300 l mashing water, approximately 315 l sparging water)
3 – 5 l top-fermenting yeast
Grind the malt and mix it with mashing water at 50°C
Heat mash up to 62 °C at 1 °C/min. and let it rest for 30 minutes
Heat mash up to 68 °C at 1 °C/min. and let it rest for 10 minutes
Heat mash up to 72 °C at 1 °C/min. and let it rest for 30 minutes
For final mash pumping, heat up to 78 °C at 1 °C/min
Lautering the first wort
Add the 315 l sparging water continuously or in 3 casts
Lauter until the 563 l tun-full quantity
Heat up for boiling
When boiling commences, add Magnum to the wort
Boil for one hour until approx. 12.5 % original gravity has been reached
Correct the water if necessary, hot wort approximately 520 l
After the whirlpool rest, cool down to 15°C and add yeast
Aerate the yeast beforehand
Suspend Amarillo hops, thoroughly crushed, in a sterile cloth bag, in the fermenter.
Allow to ferment for 4 – 5 days at a maximum of 25 °C.
After fermentation, remove the yeast, remove the cloth bag, and mix well with 50 l of make-up liquid (hot-filled wort from the last brew)
Fill, and then store for one week at 20 °C, then for two weeks at 0 – 5 °C for two weeks
Good luck and cheers!
Your Andreas Schröfl
