I've never even gotten it fresh here in the US. And in green bottles...no bueno.
Process-wise, much debate over that... brew with degassed water, keeping dissolved O2 low throughout process, step mash 30 minutes at 145F, raise to 162F for 30-60 minutes. Boil 60 minutes, chill to 45F, ferment at 48F for a week or so. Raise to 60F for a day or two, then keg or drop it down slowly to the 30's and lager.
You'll have many different opinions on this.
Is that what Jever does?
Does anyone know what Jever does? This is what I would do. And I'll bet Jever does at least 50% of that.
Not trying to be argumentative or derail the thread, but I've stopped following those threads. Are people making better beer following this process? Is there any consensus? Or is it still a hotly debated theory? Just curious. I have some lagers planned for my line up but I don't really plan to follow this method anyway.
They claim they're better, yes; fresher malt character. I believe it. But I'm trying it out for myself to see if there's a difference. I still have yet to get a spunding valve though, so that might be the kicker for me right now. Can't hurt to try it, is all I'm saying. There's been a lot of push back on it that I don't understand. Try it or don't. That simple. Jury's still out for me.
But I think the main point is: if you like the beer you're making now, your way, stick to it. But, like me, I'm not very happy with my lighter styles after fresh ingredients, pH control with Bru'n water, fermentation temp control; I'm looking for an improvement in my process...this might just be it.
I've got a 2.5 gallon batch of helles on tap now that was fermented in a keg, close transferred to a purged 2.5 gallon keg and it just tastes stale to me...shouldn't have been any O2 pickup in the transfer... makes me wonder, ya know?
Alright, back to the thread at hand! Sorry OP.