Fiddle Me This
Collab w/ Fiddler’s Inn, Latona Pub, and Hopvine Pub
We recently got together with Bob Brenlin—WA Beer Hall of Famer and longtime owner of Latona Pub, Fiddler’s Inn, and the Hopvine Pub—and got talking about brewing something together. So what ideas did we discuss? Were they double dry hopped IPAs, barrel aged pastry stouts, or co-fermented saisons? No. We were talking about pilsner. So riddle me this: in an era of constant innovation, with new styles rising and falling every year, how did our conversation lead back to a 180 year old beer style? Well as the Fiddler’s Inn has shown, sometimes great things are just great, and don’t need to bend to the trends of the moment.
Fiddle Me This takes inspiration from the original lager brewed for the city of Plzeň. In 1839, Martin Stelzer was commissioned by that city to build a new lager brewery, incorporating both German-style cold storage cellars for maturing lagerbier, and English-style indirect-fired malt kilns capable of producing pale malt. Though pilsner malt has drifted lighter and lighter in the intervening years, we wanted to bring back the impact of the English-style malt. We decided to reach for a blend of modern
Bohemian pilsner malt paired with English floor malted pale malt.
For hops, we turned to Saaz, the variety most closely tied to Czech pilsner since its inception and a landrace variety native to the Czech Republic. We used a blend of Saaz grown in Germany, which brings a brighter lemon citrus character, and traditional Czech-grown Saaz which leans more toward warming spice. As with the malt, layering the two adds depth to what is, on the surface, a very simple recipe.
The result is what you would expect out of a Czech pilsner: pale malt with a soft breadiness and clean fermentation garnished with a delicate bouquet of lemon and spice. It’s classic. It’s beautiful. And there’s a reason this kind of balance has stood the test of time.
You can grab a mug of Fiddle Me This on tap at Fiddler’s Inn, Latona Pub, or the Hopvine Pub, as well as at Watts Brewing Company while supplies last.
Czech Pilsner
Alcohol
4.8% ABV
Bitterness
22 IBU
Malts
Bohemian Pilsner, Floor-Malted Maris Otter, and Munich Malts
Hops
Saaz
Yeast
German Lager
About the Collaborators
The Fiddler’s Inn is one of the last free standing taverns in the city, built after prohibition ended in 1933. The original owner Walter Haines brought music to the Fid early on because of his background as a musician, and the name quickly became the Fiddler’s Inn. In 1995, a group of soccer friends—including Brenlin—bought the Fid. At the time it was in complete disrepair, so they renovated the Pub to keep the historic feel and neighborhood tradition alive. It remains a Wedgwood favorite and many stories have been written there over the years.
The Latona Pub is located in Seattle’s Green Lake neighborhood, a short walk from the Roosevelt Light Rail Station. The iconic pub has been the scene of many craft beer collaborations and special releases since 1987. The Latona food is renowned with a seasonal menu sourced with ingredients from the Pacific Northwest.
The Hopvine is one of the only Post Prohibition taverns on Capitol Hill. It has been a tavern since 1933 but was completely renovated in 1995 to create the comfortable watering hole we know today. The dramatic cherry wood bar top and back bar design, as well as the use of select hardwood throughout, give the space its classic personality. Historic beer bottles and the framed burlap of hop names adorn the back wall. For over two decades it has been a true community gathering place, known for its carefully curated selection of craft beer.
Watts Brewing Company is a small, independent brewery from Woodinville, Washington, dedicated to brewing better beer. We take pride in brewing flavorful, nuanced beers that combine the best of old-world sophistication and American craft beer swagger. Our brand takes inspiration from the family bee business, started over 60 years ago by Roger Watts, supplying bees to farmers to sustainably pollinate their crops.