Braxton Brewing to Release Authentic German Lager in Cans: Twisted Bit

Braxton Brewing Co. is excited to begin canning it’s fourth and final core style. Beginning during the first week of May, the Covington-based brewery’s Twisted Bit Dortmunder Lager will be available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans.

Join the taproom can release party here.

“Twisted Bit was the first lager we ever produced at Braxton, and now it is finally coming to cans,” said Evan Rouse, Braxton Brewing Company Co-Founder & COO. “As a team with extensive backgrounds in lager production we were more than excited to get this on tap. After reviewing the market and seeing a lack of craft lager availability, the Dortmunder style truly stood out!”

Twisted Bit is a traditional Dortmunder Lager brewed the authentic German way. Before the beer is brewed, Braxton Brewing Co. infuses Covington water with minerals to match the water profile of Dortmund, Germany.

“The most crucial ingredient, and often neglected ingredient, in beer is water” said Richard Dubé, Braxton Brewing Company Co-Founder & Brewmaster. “Centuries ago, European cities became famous for their IPA, Export Lager, Dunkel, Dry Stouts and more. Consequently, water needs to be adjusted to mimic traditional styles brewed in specific regions. By doing so, the functionality of the mashing enzymes is affected and also the activity and behavior of the yeast during fermentation. All of this, has a significant impact on the final taste.”

Early in the brewing process, Braxton also uses a method called decoction. This is the traditional method for lagers. Decoction is boiling a portion of the mash to create a rich and complex malt backbone for the beer. Only decoction imparts this truly unique malt depth that traditional German lagers are famous for.

“The decoction process is time-consuming, and adds additional complexity to the brew day,” said Adam Rauckhorst, Braxton Brewing Company Head Brewer. “But we have found it to be incredibly important to providing the depth of flavor we wanted for this beer.”

This is the fourth Braxton core style beer to be canned. Storm Golden Cream Ale, Revamp IPA, Dead Blow Tropical Stout and Twisted Bit Dortmunder Lager are all available year round on draft. Storm and Revamp are also available in cans year round. Dead Blow and Twisted Bit will rotate in cans during the Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer months, respectively.

When Braxton opened in 2015, Twisted Bit was not a core style. It began as a small batch, Garage Series beer. Due to its popularity and the brewing team’s lager expertise, the brewery decided to make a commitment to lagers and Twisted Bit is now available year round.

The Dortmunder Lager checks in at 5.8% ABV and 30 IBU. It has the malt profile of a Helles and hop character of a Pilsner but is slightly stronger than both.