How Does a Small Handcrafted Beer Become a Big Batch Brewers Series Beer?

ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Genesee brewing team is bringing another premium beer to the market with the release of its Helles lager, which will be on shelves later this week. The Genesee Brewers Series, which launched last year with Imperial Stout, features premium beers that showcase the craftsmanship of Genesee's brewing team. Brewmaster for the Genesee Brew House, Dean Jones and Brewmaster for Genesee Brewing Company, Matt James teamed up, knowing that a Helles lager would be perfect for spring.

In the pilot brewery, Dean Jones brews award-winning craft beer on a small scale. Dean, a German beer traditionalist, created the Genesee Brew House Helles lager that won the Governor's Cup Award, recognized as the best beer in New York, at the NYS Craft Beer Competition in March. On the heels of its success, Dean worked with Genesee's bigger brewery to make a great beer in its image. "There are very few ingredients in this Helles and every subtle change in the brewing process affects the final product. There's a lot at play here, bigger batches of beer require major adjustments in ingredients and processing, especially when taking a beer from the pilot brewery and scaling it up to the main brewery" said Dean Jones, Brewmaster for the Genesee Brew House. "I'm thrilled with the way the Genesee Brew House Helles came out. I can't wait to try the Brewers Series Helles lager!" Beers selected for the Brewers Series represent styles that the brewers enjoy drinking and aren't often made in the large brewery. The Helles, like all Brewers Series beers, is brewed with high-end ingredients. When it was time to scale up the Genesee Brew House Helles for Genesee's larger brewery, Matt James played an integral role. "Brew scaling starts with scaling by volume, but that doesn't give you the whole picture, it's simply a starting point," said Matt James, Brewmaster for Genesee Brewing Company. "From that starting point, we account for the brew size, percentage of fermentable ingredients, hops, even boiling time. It's a labor of love, but we know Genesee fans are really going to enjoy this Helles lager." The Genesee Brewers Series Helles lager will hit shelves next week. Always drink responsibly.