Beers that taste different

For centuries, brewers in Austria’s southernmost federal state have employed different technology from that used in the rest of Austria.  Until the second decade of the 20^th century, Carinthia had a large number of “Steinbier” stone-beer breweries.  These were breweries that were short of metal brewing vessels and had to use wooden vats to make wort.  This was how they did it: They warmed their brewing water by heating stones in a fire and then throwing them into a wooden vat.  Then they heated the wort in the same way.  The hot stones gave it a caramelized and smoky flavour.  Old Carinthian brewing recipes show that those beers’ bitterness came not just from hops but also from juniper and wild herbs.  Because, in addition, the malt was not kiln-dried, this historical beer tasted completely different from today’s beers.  Alongside brewing barley, brewers also germinated and air-dried oats and crushed them together with the buds.  However, the work of “Steinbier” brewers was felt to be “improper” and they were excluded from the guild of brewers.

Modern brewing technology

Subsequently, technological developments made things easier for those “proper” and—soon thereafter—industrial brewers who could afford metal brewing vessels for wort boiling as well as artificial refrigeration for initiating and controlling fermentation.  However, a new trend has been emerging over the past two decades.  As modern brewing technology has also become affordable for small and medium-sized brewers, specialists among the brewers have been able to develop niches.  Within their niches, they are even reviving historical beer styles.