The 4.8% ABV ‘Best Pilsner’ was brewed in Port Adelaide (South Australia) using ingredients from the German maltsters, ‘Bestmalz’, and ‘Yakima Chief Hops’ out of Washington State. These two are the most celebrated producers of Cryer Malt who is the brewing ingredient suppliers of Pirate Life Brewing.
Pirate Life have teamed up with Cryer Malt for their second collaborative beer, the SA craft brewery has announced.

Founder of Cryer Malt, David Cryer, had this to say of the partnership:
“I’d been dwelling on the thought that I needed to do something with the founders of Pirate Life, MC, Jack and Red, so I picked up the phone, rang Red, and put it to him, “Let’s make a beer.”
“He connected me with PL’s Head of Brewery Operations, Lewis – it was a delight to chat to him. We quickly came up with a lovely, drinkable pilsner using some tasty BEST Pilsner Malt, BEST Caramel® Pilsner & Acidulated Malt. Then we garnished it with a sprinkle of new-world hops from Yakima Chief Hops, making it a unique blend of old meets new.”

Creating the recipe with PL crew brought back fond memories for David:
“It took me back to trips to the World Beer Cup with these guys and how much fun we had. I’m now counting down the sleeps until this product wings its way from the brewery in Port Adelaide to my garage office bunker so I can taste fruits of our creation.
“After 30 years in the business, it’s wonderful to be able to do something new with old friends like this.”

PL Co-founder, MC, agrees:
“David and I have been mates since we placed our first order with Cryer Malt back in 2014, so it’s great to finally team up for a collaborative beer. So many Pirate Life recipes were built using ingredients sourced by them, and this Best Pilsner tilts the cap to two of their finest suppliers in Bestmalz and Yakima Chief Hops.
“Cryer Malt set the standard for quality and professionalism in the craft industry, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with David and the crew well into the future.”

PL brewer, Tim Kenny, tracked Best Pilsner’s journey from beginning to end. He talks to the beer here:
“The goal with this pilsner was to showcase the malt, first and foremost, and we constructed the water profile to do just that. I love the well-rounded biscuity flavour we got, there’s even a hint of home-made bread there as well. Bestmalz is fantastic gear.
“The hops we used, Ahtanum® and Loral®, are effectively new-world nobles. They’re beautiful strains, showing grassiness and notes of wild berry…it’s like you’re walking through forest in regional Germany.”
After a two-week ferment with German lager yeast, Best Pilsner spent a further fourteen days conditioning at four degrees. The resulting beer is well-balanced, rounded and defined.
“We really wanted to do David Cryer, his crew, and both suppliers justice. We knew that if we produced something to the same quality as the ingredients we were given, it’d come together.”
“I’m really happy with how it’s turned out. It’s clean, crisp and well defined in its flavours and aromas. This is the kind of beer I love to drink, love to make, and I hope the punters get around it too.”

The Pirate Life x Cryer Malt collaboration Best Pilsner will be available at Dan Murphy’s from February.
Contact:
Cryer Malt is BESTMALZ distributor in Australia and New Zealand.