The Dortmunder at Fifth Ward

Fifth Ward released a Dortmunder-style lager last week. It's on now at the brewery's taproom.

Fifth Ward's Dort.

Dortmunder is a style of pale lager that's only been brewed in Oshkosh a couple of times. And until now, only at Fox River. The style occupies a thin slice of territory that sits between Pilsner and Helles. It's not as hoppy as a Pils. And it's not as malty as a Helles. Fifth Ward’s Dortmunder manages to deftly thread that needle. But to appreciate this beer fully, it helps to know a little about the story behind it.

Dortmunder Export Lager originated in the late 1800s in and around the city of Dortmund in the north of Germany. Pale lager was just then coming into vogue. In Dortmund, where they'd been brewing ale for centuries, they abandoned the old ways and began producing a pale lager built around the hard water native to the region. It's that last tidbit that helps make Fifth Ward's Dortmunder so interesting.

Fifth Ward brews with Oshkosh water, which has a bicarbonate level on par with the brewing waters used for those original Dortmunder lagers. That hard water shows all through the drinking of this beer. It lends a firmness to both the malt and hop character that immediately presents itself. This beer is just what it should be. If you've had it before, I'd suggest trying it again with the Dortmund backstory in mind. It'll enhance the experience.

This is just the second lager Fifth Ward has produced on its 10-barrel system. Last spring the brewery released a doppelbock brewed on a pilot system. Fifth Ward's Oktoberfest, which was released early in August was the first lager made in the big kettles. And in October, the brewery will release another lager – a doppelbock – that’s going to come off the large system.

And that looks like that'll be the last of Fifth Ward's lager beers for a while. The longer fermentation/conditioning times of these beers has caused the brewery to run into production disruptions and created gaps on their tap list. However, Fifth Ward is looking to increase capacity next year, so perhaps we'll see more lager brewing there after that happens. More to come...