Taste the difference a long view makes

 

There were no shortcuts or short-term plans when creating the beer you’re about to enjoy.

 

The latest lager from 9 Mile Legacy Brewing features AAC Synergy, a malt barley variety 10 years in the making. The seed is grown in soil carefully tended by generations of farmers and the beer is crafted in a brewery built on a lifelong friendship.

 

Longview Pilsner was born of a unique collaboration between malt barley seed developers, growers and brewers who are in it for the long haul. They all share a long-term business philosophy that results in top quality products. 

 

“We take similar views of our respective businesses, and that is the long view. We’re not just in it for the short term, we’re in it to develop long-standing customer relationships,” says Rod Lessmeister, District Manager with Syngenta, the company that brought AAC Synergy barley to market. 

 

Syngenta is an input collaborator, not a producer of the beer. That task is left to the experts at 9 Mile Legacy in Saskatoon. “Syngenta’s ‘long view’ take on relationships and quality really fit with our ethos and our business,” says COO Garrett Pederson. He credits CEO Shawn Moen, his childhood friend and business partner, with naming the beer. 

 

The can labels feature the rolling hills of the grasslands in southwest Saskatchewan – a tribute to the farming area where Pederson and Moen grew up (nine miles apart) as well as a nod to the long view business approach. 

 

Lager worth the wait

 

Longview Pilsner is the third beer that 9 Mile Legacy and Syngenta have developed in partnership to share with the farmers who grow AAC Synergy barley – the star ingredient.

 

A Czech-style Pilsner, the lager is a departure from the other two collaborative ales.

 

“A lager-type beer takes a lot longer to ferment. So that also fits well with the Longview name and the concept of long term versus short term,” Lessmeister explains.

 

Brewmaster Pederson adds: “I can turn over two to three beers in the time it takes me to turn over one good lager. But anything worth doing takes time.” The whole process takes up to 40 days.

 

When it comes to taste, beer buffs are sure to be impressed with Longview.

 

“It’s a nice, light beer that will be perfect to enjoy on a hot August day,” Pederson says. “With a Pilsner, you can’t hide any imperfections. It’s really clean, crisp, and fairly hop forward.”

 

Locally sourced ingredients

 

In order to stay true to the European-style beer, Saaz hops were imported from the Czech region. The rest of the ingredients, however, are from the local supply chain.

 

“We sourced AAC Synergy malt barley grown right here in Saskatchewan and then malted it at Maker’s Malt in Rosthern,” Pederson says.

 

“The thing that really excites me about using local barley in our beers is getting it into the hands of the people who actually grew it. Even if the barley is from a neighbour’s field, it’s pretty exciting to know what the beer is made from,” he says.

 

Lessmeister says the 9 Mile Legacy beers have become a tradition for Syngenta customers at crop tours and other events. “They kind of expect that we’re going to come out with another beer, so it’s nice that we fulfill their expectations that way.”

 

Go ahead and taste the result of taking a long view. It’s nothing short of Pilsner perfection.