The Brewer of Wolfersdorf – Bayerisches Böhmisches Brauhaus
“Making a good beer at home,” was the idea that came to Josef Papelitzky, a passionate brewer and founder of the Bayerisch Böhmisches Brauhaus (Bavarian-Bohemian Brewery) at Lindenstrasse in Wolfersdorf. Here, he produces a naturally cloudy pale ale, an amber-coloured dark beer, and his ultra-quaffable Wolfersdorfer Wheat Beer, modelled on the original Huber wheat beer brewing process. On a seasonal basis, you can also savour a full-bodied dark block beer.
“Adulterating” is out of the question for Sepp. His home-brewed beers are produced in superlative quality and with supreme care. The qualified brewer enters into no compromises whatsoever.
The brewhouse consists of a gas-heated mash pan, a lauter tun with a frequency-controlled chopper mechanism, and a gas-powered wort copper.
Primary fermentation is performed in vertical cylindro-conical tanks, post-fermentation in the casks. The brewery’s latest acquisition is a central control system, featuring a specially manufactured mosaic control panel, designed and constructed by one of Sepp’s friends.
The brewing and fermenting processes reflect the latest state of the art. Sepp entertains no thought of compromises here. The regulars who met up at his local pub are the hobby-brewer group, the Freising Brewers, the Wolfersdorfer Goasslschnalzer, the Steinecker pensioners and a brewmaster or two from all over the world. No wonder he’s always abreast of the very latest developments.
Sepp Papelitzky learned his craft in the Weihenstephan experimental brewery, and then spent years working as a master cellarer at Hofbrauhaus Freising. In 1992, following four years of trials, the Bayerisch Böhmische Brauhaus was founded, initially on a very small scale, with 1.5 hl per brew. Meanwhile, the capacity is seven hl per brew. But Sepp isn’t looking to compete with anyone. He makes the beer out of passion and the sheer joy of brewing.
Sepp has to grin when you mention the new craft beer movement, because he and his fellow hobby brewers have already been practising craft brewing for more than 25 years now. Nevertheless, an Amarillo wheat beer was produced this year in Wolfersdorf.
The malt grist has been modelled on the traditional wheat beer, but refined with Cara-Red, the brewing process designed for a high degree of fermentation. The 68-degree rest, used nowadays in only a few breweries, was firmly anchored in the brewing program. Hopping was composed of American Amarillo and Hallertauer Perle, which led to an unusually fruity aroma. The flowery impression was reinforced by late-hopping in the whirlpool. The brew was cast with an original gravity of 14.5 %.
After fermenting and maturing for three weeks, the beer was ready to drink. The result was a reddish-gleaming wheat beer with a superlative hint of bananas, underpinned by discreet mandarin aromas from Amarillo hops. Soon the initial sales figures showed it was being well received. Cheers!
