Beers for the Non-Beer Drinker

March 11th, 2010 | by Carleton

Many people the world over love beer, but there are some folks out there who unfortunately, are just not too keen on the stuff. Often this can be because they’ve never had a proper introduction to all the different tastes and variety that beer has to offer. Sadly in America almost all of the beer one will be causally exposed to is exactly one type- the light lager. This is unfortunate because as we’ve tried to show, there is an endless array of different flavors and tastes that beer is capable off.

As the craft beer movement continues to grow steadily throughout the US more and more people are encountering new and interesting beers beyond the pilsner to explore. Unfortunately some folks’ first encounter with craft beer still may not win them over. Perhaps they tried a spicy IPA when hops just isn’t for them, or a rich and creamy Guinness when the sweet taste isn’t their style. Without knowing any better, such an encounter my lead someone to give up on beer entirely. I believe there is a beer out there for everyone. It’s with this in mind that we present some suggestions for how to introduce beer to someone who prefers other types of alcoholic drinks.

Wine – If you prefer wine you probably enjoy subtle, smooth flavors and may find the sometimes brash and bold tastes of beer to be too much. If that is the case I would recommend try some nice Belgian beers. Belgium has a strong brewing history and beers from this small country are regularly regarded as some of the best in the world. The most famous Belgian beers are actually made by Trappist monks in a tradition dating back centuries. The Belgian Tripel such as Chimay Tripel is great for white wine drinkers while the double and quad will be good for red wine enthusiasts. Try Chimay Red or Blue if that’s what interests you.

Gin – I’ve always found gin spicy, slightly bitter and smooth. With this is mind I’d recommend the hoppier German style beers. To start with a real pilsner (not the pale imitation of them passed off by Coors and the like) is a great place to start. Prima Pils from Victory is an amazing American craft pilsner. Sam Adams Noble Pils is also a great new version with a great hop flavor. A Helles lager like Weihenstephaner Original is also lovely.

Burbon/Whiskey – If dark and full flavored is your thing, give rye beer a try, with something like Founder’s Red Rye. Also Barleywine might suit your tastes, try Serra Nevada Big Foot for that, or Old Horizontal from Victory. Give a Dopplebock a try too, such as the classic one, Celebrator.

Rum – Sweeter beers might be good for a rum drinker, so something like a milk stout might be a good idea, such as Left Hand Milk Stout. Wheat wine is also good for this type of taste, my favorite of this style is Smuttynose. Also a dark wheat beer like a dunkelweizen, say Weihenstephaner Dark, would probably go well also.

Vodka – A beer that’s clean and smooth might be a good match for a vodka drinker. For that I’d recommend something like a Belgian wit. This style has received a lot of attention thanks to Blue Moon’s surprising popularity. Because Blue Moon is made by Coors, some are reluctant to drink it. Other great examples of the style include Hoegaarden (owned by Anheuser-Busch), Allagash White and Blanche De Chambly from Uniboue.

I don’t mean to imply with the above recommendations that each type of alcohol tastes similar to beers I’ve paired with them, but rather that someone who enjoys each alcohol might find similar things to enjoy with each beer. If you disagree with any of the above suggestions or have a specific question in mind feel free to ask us, either in the comments below, on Twitter or Tumblr.

Cheers!

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Is Your State Restricting Your Beer?

March 9th, 2010 | by Carleton

Two weeks ago the Alabama Senate passed a bill legalizing the homebrewing of beer and wine. If the bill, which is now being considered by the Alabama House, goes into law, Alabama will become one of the last states in the US to legalize homebrewing. Although homebrewing is legal under federal law there a few states which still ban the hobby. Unfortunately, these aren’t the only restrictive beer laws on the books in many US states.  This includes not just what you can make at home, but what you can buy form the store, such as how strong beer can be. Here’s a quick rundown of some of these prohibitive beer laws.

Iowa – Beer > 5% ABV must be shipped through state warehouse, making it difficult to find and all but illegal.

Utah – Beer > 4% ABV can only be sold in state stores. Only 4% ABV or below beer available on tap. Ban on the sales of kegs.

Pennsylvania – Beer is only available through state run distributors or restaurants. Distributors mainly sell cases and kegs, making it difficult to try new and unusual beers. Six packs and 12 packs of beer can be purchased from bars and restaurants to be taken home, but only 194 ounces (or sixteen 12oz bottles) at a time. Pennsylvania is also one of the few states in which you must be 21 to purchase non-alcoholic (0.5% ABV) beer.  Breweries most also register their beer with the state, last week a controversial raid took place in Philadelphia of three bars selling aged beers not registered because the brewery had gone out of business.

Alabama – Beer stronger than 13.9% ABV is not permitted. No bottles larger than 16 ounces.

Florida – No bottles larger than 32 ounces.

Georgia – 14% ABV cap on beer. A recent development, up until five years ago the cap was 6% ABV

Oklahoma – Beer stronger than 4% ABV can on be sold at room temperature. This refrigeration ban has lead to many craft breweries to skip the state. Homebrewing is also still illegal.

Kansas – Until 1987 selling alcohol to be consumed on site, such as at a bar or restaurant was illegal. Today many counties still require bars and restaurants restaurants make 30% of their profits from food to sell alcohol.

Michigan – Beer made at micorbreweries or brewpubs cannot be served on site

New Hampshire - 14% ABV cap on beer.

New York – Beer and liquor cannot be sold at the same store.

North Carolina – 15% ABV cap on beer.

Ohio – 12% ABV cap on beer.

South Carolina – 14% ABV on beer.

West Virginia – 12% ABV cap on beer.

Washington, D.C. – No singles bottle sales permitted.

Although limits as high at 15% ABV may seem permissive enough, it does ban many of the more experimental beers from Belgian brewers and adventuresome craft brewers. Moreover, it confines brewers from exploring uncharted brewing territory. If distilled liquors which are frequently 40-45% ABV are permitted, why limit how strong beer can be? To find out what you can do to help change the beer laws in your state head over to the Brewers Association Beer Activist site.

What do you think of the current beer laws? Have further details what is and isn’t permitted in your state? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter.

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Style Profile: Scottish Ale

March 4th, 2010 | by Carleton

Scottish ales are wonderfully unique and deliciously dark, making them perfect for the colder months. Here’s a quick look at Scotland’s fine ale tradition.

Like many regional styles, the beers of Scotland are directly related to the geographic conditions of the area. The most distinctive qualities of Scottish beers are their big, malty flavors and lack of hops. This is directly related Scotland’s farmlands being largely inhospitable to growing hops. These plants generally require much warmer temperatures than what is available in Scotland. If Scottish brewers wanted hops for their beers, they would have to import them, something for many years cost-prohibitive. At any rate, Scottish brewers brewed with what they had available and that was barley. There have been some who have recently questioned the historical accuracy of such claims, but the fact remains that most Scottish beers are big on malts with very little hops.

Using huge amounts of roasted barley in their brew and allowing it steep for an extended period of time to caramelize gives Scottish ales their signature sweet, roasted and malty flavors. Because of the lack of hops in the brews, Scottish ales tend to lack any of the bitterness and spice which are common in other heavy styles such as porters or stouts. While this can lead to unbalanced, cloying sweet beers if done poorly, in the hands of a capable brewmaster these beers can be absolutely wonderful.

Scottish ale comes in several varieties based on how sweet and alcoholic they are, using a system based on the now antiquated shilling currency system. Ranging from lightest to heaviest there is 60/- (light), 70/- (heavy) and 80/- (export). (‘/-‘ being the symbol for a shilling.)

When Scottish ales go beyond the 80/- range in sweetness and body, they are no longer refered to as Scottish ales, but Scotch ale or sometimes a “wee heavy”, which can range from 90/- to 160/- using the shilling system. There is no Scotch in Scotch ale, it’s named this because the high level of alcohol per volume and sweetness gives it a flavor akin to fine Scotch whisky.

Whichever variety of Scottish ale you choose to try, you’re in for a treat. Some personal favorites include Belhaven Scottish Ale, Belhaven 80/-, Kilt Lifter and Robert The Bruce. Oskar Blues Old Chub is in interesting American Craft interpretation of the style, with more hops than traditional versions.

What’s your favorite Scottish ale? Next time you try it, let us know by tweeting your beer and adding the #mybeer hashtag.

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Pretty Things’ ‘Once Upon A Time’ Event

March 2nd, 2010 | by Carleton

On Saturday The Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project debuted the first beer in their Once Upon a Time series of beers brewed according to historic recipes. The Beeriety team was lucky enough to be there to try this fantastic new brew at one of Boston’s finest craft beer bars, Deep Ellum.

Pretty Things is a small craft brew project based in Boston, Massachusetts that has already made a strong name for itself among craft beer drinkers in the area since its founding less than two years ago. They are known for bold, unusual brews with equally off-kilter label art. It’s quickly become a favorite brewery of everyone at Beeriety, and we were thrilled to get the chanced to see what they were doing next.
London XXXX Mild Ale was the beer of the hour. It’s an historic re-creation of a beer first brewed on February 27th, 1832 at a Brick Lane London brewery. Using an historic manuscript given to them by beer historian Ron Pattinson, they  brewed the beer exactly as it had been over 150 years ago.

Beers of 19th century London were different than what we drink today in many ways, so although their version is called a ‘mild ale’ as it was originally, it’s anything but mild. It weighed in at 10.5%ABV and packs a super sweet taste. The beer has a rich copper color to it, and a light smell of caramel. The taste is bold and massively sweet, but its body is surprisingly light and smooth for such a heavy beer. The hops impart a bit of a peppery spice to them, different than the usual bitterness associate with hops. Overall the beer was unlike anything I’ve ever had before, and it was absolutely delicious.

In keeping with the theme of the day the beer was served from a wooden cask as would have been common in Victorian England. The brewers, Dann and Martha Paquette as well as the staff of Deep Ellum, all dressed in period inspired clothing with vests, top hats and bonnets. Dann and Martha even generously offered to buy a drink for anyone who came dressed in historical attire. The place was completely packed and by the time they tapped the first cask there was a line out the door just to get in. Clearly we aren’t the only ones who have been keeping a eye on this exciting new brewery.

It was a wonderful afternoon with a wonderful beer. Dann & Martha as well as everyone at Deep Ellum were gracious hosts and it was neat to get a glimpse of what’s next for Pretty Things. Martha was even nice enough to give us a special preview bottle of the stuff. (For a rough video of the cask’s tapping and an introductory speech by Dann, head over to the Pretty Things blog.) We can’t wait to see what’s next in the Once Upon a Time series. Whatever it is, it’s sure to be great.

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Style Profile: Russian Imperial Stout

February 25th, 2010 | by Carleton

Russian Imperial Stout is one of the heaviest styles of beer around, often ranging from 7 to 10% ABV. Much like Baltic porters it’s named not for who made it but who it was made for. Russian imperial stouts were first brewed in the 18th century by brewers in Burton, England to be shipped to the court of Russian Empress Catherine the Great. Catherine apparently became quite smitten by stouts during a visit to England and demanded some be sent back to her when she returned home; unfortunately the first few batches did not survive the long trip to Russia. Catherine demanded that the English find some way to get her beloved porter to her, and being empress, she got what she wanted. To accomplish this goal the Barclay Perkins brewery crafted a stout to survive the trek much sweeter and stronger than anything available in England at the time and a new style was born.

Today, many years after Catherine’s passing, Russian imperial stouts continue to be brewed not just in England, but around the world. In particular the style has caught on among bold and adventuresome American craft brewers, who see the style as an opportunity to flex their brewing muscle and a chance to brew the heaviest, sweetest beer they can. Due to the styles popularity craft brewers in the US the term ‘imperial’ has come to signify any style that’s especially strong in flavor, alcohol or both. The double, or ‘imperial’ IPA is perhaps the most common example of this phenomenon

This style shares much in common with other heavy stouts and porters, like the Baltic porter. They are both sweet and strong, with bold flavors of dark chocolate, roasted coffee and toffee. That being said, there are some key differences between the two styles. The imperial stout tends be much sweeter than the Baltic porter, and it is usually not nearly as dry. Still, don’t feel bad if you have trouble telling the two apart, they are similar.

The are numerous absolutely delicious versions of this style from many different brewers. Perhaps the best known in America is Old Rasputin, from North Coast brewing. Other notable examples include Storm King from Victory and Ten Fidy from Oskar Blues. Rogue, Stone, and Samuel Smith also have great takes on the style as well.

What’s your favorite version? Next time you try it, let us know by tweeting your beer and adding the #mybeer hashtag.

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How Yeast Affects Beer Flavor

February 24th, 2010 | by Carleton

Yeast is a key ingredient in beer. It can account for 70% of a beer’s flavor and without it there’d be no alcohol. With these things in mind we thought it was a good idea to take a closer look at the stuff.

Yeast buds under a microscope

As you may know, yeast is a living microorganism, a fungus. The type used in most brewing and baking goes by the name of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

As we’ve mentioned before, when yeast is introduced to wort (pre-beer) it will eat the sugars for energy and expel CO2 and alcohol as waste products, a process known as anaerobic fermentation. Ale yeast ferments on the top of the beer, while lager yeast usually ferments on the bottom.

However, this is only part of the story of how yeast turns grains and water into beer. In addition to alcohol and CO2, there are other secondary elements which are produced during fermentation and create much of a brew’s flavor. Here’s a quick list of some of the major ones:

Esters – These create fruity flavors, and are frequently found in beers from England and Belgium.

Fusel Alcohols – This is a heavier variation of the standard ethanol alcohol produced during fermentation. They have been linked with hangovers.

Ketones – The most common type of this compound is diacetyl, which gives beer a sweet butter or caramel taste. It’s common in some of the heavier beers of Great Britain, but its tendency to cause stale flavors cause some to regard it as a flaw. Others see it as a benefit, such Samuel Smith Brewery, whose beers all feature strong diacetyls

Phenolics – A type of chemical which can produce spicy notes.

Fatty acids – While these don’t impart a strong flavor on their own, fatty acids can make beer oxidize and grow stale quicker than normal and as a result most brewers try to avoid them

While there is only one main species of yeast used in commercial brewing there are many different varieties, all with different characters and flavors. Most yeast is strained out of beer before it makes it to the bottle as it can produce off flavors. When yeast is allowed in the bottle, as with bottle-conditioned beer it’s still best to avoid pouring it into the glass. That is of course if you’re drinking hefeweizen, or other wheat beers. Consuming the yeast is actually encouraged with style. It all goes to show the tremendous diversity of yeast and beer.

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Hop Variety Guide

February 18th, 2010 | by Carleton

Hops are a key ingredient in beer and as we’ve discussed before, provide much of the spice and flavor that defines many different styles of beer. In our previous article we mentioned that there were a number of varieties of hops grown throughout the world, each having a unique bitterness, flavor and aroma. The bitterness of hops is measured by calculating its alpha acid percentage, a measure of how much bittering chemicals the plant typical carries. The average range is from 2% Alpha Acid (AA) for aroma hops to 15% AA for bittering hops. Here’s a look at some of the most popular varieties of hops.

Cascade – This is by far the most popular variety of hops in America. It’s used in the majority of American made pale ales and IPAs, especially those from the West Coast. It’s noted for its strong aroma of citrus and grapefruit as well as subtle floral elements. One of the reasons for their popularity is the versatility, as it can be used as a bittering, flavoring or aroma hop. Lagunitas IPA,  Sierra Nevada and Hop Devil are some popular brews which use Cascade in their brews. 6% AA

Chinook – Another popular American variety. Primarily used as a bittering agent, due to its high alpha acid rating, usually around 12-14% AA. It is similar to Cascade, but not as citrusy. Redhook Copper Hook Spring Ale makes great use of this type.

Fuggles -  Originally British, but has since been grown by American brewers as well. It has a grassy and somewhat cheesy flavor to it. 5% AA.

Hallertau – A earthy, spicy hop from Germany. Mostly used as an aroma hop due to its relativity low AA rating of 4%. Used in a number of Pilsners and other German inspired lagers. Sam Adams Imperial Pilsners uses this extensively

Mt. Hood – This American hop is very floral in both flavor and aroma, and used accordingly as a flavor and aroma hop. 6% AA.

Spalt – German, fresh smelling and a bit grassy, used as a aroma and flavoring hop 5% AA.

Target – From the UK, strongly herbal and floral. Used as a bittering hop in many lagers and lighter ales. 11% AA.

Tettnang – German, floral and spicy. Used mostly as flavoring and aroma. Anderson Valley ESB, Red Hook ESB and Sam Adams Oktoberfest. 4.5% AA

Kent Goldings - Classic British hop. Mild, but very Earthy, or grassy, with notes of blue cheese. It’s used in many English ales including Fuller’s ESB, Samuel Smith Pale Ale and Young’s London Ale. 5% AA

Norther Brewer – From UK, but adapted grown elsewhere now. It has a clean, grassy flavor. Used as a bittering hop in Anchor Steam. 8% AA

Magnum – As the name might suggest, Magnum is extremely strong bittering hop. Like most bittering hops it’s not very well known for its taste, but it does have a lighter, piney quality. 12% AA

Saaz - Fom the Czech Republic. Like many European hops it tends to be clean and spicy rather than the floral and citrusy American hops. It’s primarily used as an aroma hop and can be found in Czech beers such as Pilsner Urquell. 3% AA

Amarillo – Popular flavoring hop from US. Similar to Cascade, but Earthier, and not as citrusy. Used primarily as a bittering and flavoring hop. 9% AA

Centennial – Moderately popular bittering hop. Similar to Cascade, but stronger. Sometimes known as “Super Cascade” . Used in Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine, and Sierra Nevada Celebration. 10% AA

Simcoe – Popular US bittering hop. Has a spicy, piney aroma. 13%AA.

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Style Profile: Milk Stout

February 16th, 2010 | by Carleton

Milk stout was once thought to be extremely nutrious.

To those unfamiliar with the style, milk stout may sound pretty gross. Pouring milk into a glass of IPA seems like a terrible, terrible idea. Fortunately that’s not what milk stout is at all. It’s actually a tasty and delicious form of stout that is a great way to introduce someone to the world of heavier beers. Let’s take a look at what this style has to offer.

Although the style is known as ‘milk stout’ the name is a bit of a misnomer. There really is no milk in the beer, but rather lactose sugar. This is the type of sugar found in milk and one of the main things that gives it its creamy goodness. During the brewing process most sugar in the wort (pre-beer) is fermented into alcohol by yeast. However, there is always some sugar that the yeast is unable to process. This unfermented sugar remains in the beer and is what imparts a sweet taste to the brew. The sweeter the beer the more unfermented sugar there is in it. During the mashing process a brewmaster is able to control how much sugar will be fermented and how much will remain unfermented. Through this process wildly differing beers can be crafted from similar ingredients.

Lactose sugar simply can’t be fermented by most brewing yeast, so all of it will remain in the beer, giving it a creamy and smooth taste. This makes for a wonderfully delightful brew that’s great in the winter months, or any time of year really. The lactose sugar takes off much of the dry bitterness that many stouts and porters can have, which means that can be good way of introducing someone to the world of stouts and porters if they haven’t enjoyed them in the past.

Although it’s impossible to say for sure, milk stouts seem to be of British origin, having roots somewhere in the sweet stouts and cream ales of old. Mackeson Triple XXX Milk Stout was for many years the most popular version of the stout. With its sweet and smooth flavors it’s a must try for anyone. Sadly it appears Mackeson has been retired by its parent company Whitbread. But fret not, American craft brewers Left Hand also make a delicious milk stout, which is a bit less sweet than Mackeson, but still wonderful. Duck-Rabbit, an up and coming brewing based in Farmville, NC also make a great milk stout, be sure to give them a taste as well.

What’s your favorite milk stout? Next time you try it, let us know by tweeting your beer and adding the #mybeer hashtag.

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Valentine’s Day for the Beer Lover

February 11th, 2010 | by Carleton

Although traditional gifts like chocolate and flowers usually dominate the gift giving on Valentine’s Day, there are plenty of creative ways you can incorporate beer into your gifts for the beer lover in your life.

Chocolate ales – A box of chocolates are the gift probably most closely associated with V Day. A great companion to chocolate candy is of course chocolate ale. There are lots of great chocolate flavored beers out there. Young’s Double Chocolate Stout is a personal favorite. It’s brewed to be velvety smooth and silky with a light but rich dose of chocolate taste. Another great one to try by an American brewer is Rogue’s Chocolate stout. While not nearly as smooth in taste as Young’s, it has the chocolate aromas and flavors to make this one a must try

Floral beers – Flowers are another great gift on February 14th. Roses and tulips look and smell terrific, especially in this cold time of year. Fortunately there are plenty of beers with distinctly floral aromas  courtesy of their hops that will go along great with any bunch of your favorite flowers. Most pale ales and IPAs will have floral notes to them, but for my money no ale captures that fresh floral hop aroma better than Brooklyn Brewery’s East India Pale Ale. The best part is that this beer tastes just as good as it smells. Lagunitas IPA and its stronger cousin Lagunitas Maximus Double IPA also have a distinctly floral aroma to them thanks to their massive amounts of Cascade hops.

AleSmith’s My Bloody Valentine – If the whole Valentine’s Day thing isn’t your thing, perhaps this beer is more your speed. It’s a delicious ale with a distinct blood red color and an alcohol percentage of 6.66% ABV. After a few of these you won’t care if it’s Valentine’s Day or Arbor Day. Be sure to drink with caution.

What do you get for the beer loving Valentine in your life? Hit us up in the comments or on twitter to let us know you thoughts.

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Super Bowl Beer Ad Roundup

February 9th, 2010 | by Carleton

On Sunday the New Orleans Saints came back from behind to beat the Indianapolis Colts and win their very first NFL Championship. It was a great game, but it wasn’t the only reason to watch the Super Bowl. Every year many tune in just to watch the creative and big-budget commercials that are showcased between plays. Beer commercials are always a staple of this yearly tradition, and Super Bowl XLIV was no exception. Here’s a quick look at what beer ads there were this year.

The most dominate beer ads this time  were Bud Light’s “Here We Go” ads. This series features various situations in which people unexpectedly discover large amounts of Bud Light. A spontaneous party erupts regardless of everyone’s current circumstances fun is had by all. Take a look at this one set on a deserted island following a plane crash.

The others follow the same basic template with different settings – an observatory, a book club, etc. The most notable thing about all of these ads is how little they actually focus on the beer or its quality. This was a theme which was also evident in this year’s Budweiser Clydesdale ad, which had almost nothing to do with beer.

Perhaps the decision to focus more on the social aspects of Budweiser beers rather than its taste or quality is indication that Americans are becoming savvier about beer. With craft beer steadily growing in popularity, more and more people are trying quality beer and realizing how much light lagers like Budweiser lack. Anheuser-Busch can no longer get away with bragging about their taste, because people know theirs better things out there.

The other beer ads on Sunday were for two super light beers.

Michelob Ultra:

and Budweiser Select 55:

These are beers which are brewed to be as light as possible, Michelob Ultra was the first, weighing in at 95 calories per serving. The success of Ultra led to Michelob coming out with MGD 64, which has just 64 calories per serving. Budweiser Select is the latest in this category, with, as you might guess, 55 calories per serving.

We’ve looked at these beers in articles before. As we said previously, beer isn’t a sports drink. It isn’t something that should be enjoyed for the dietary benefits, it should be enjoyed for the taste. The caloric difference between these beers are slight to say the least. Are the six calories you save by drinking Select 55 really going to matter much? We certainly don’t think so. As we pointed out before, the caloric difference between Ultra and regular ‘non sport’ beers isn’t that much either. We’re all for staying healthy and watching what you eat and drink, but we feel the amount of calories you save by drinking these super light beers hardly make up for the significant loss in taste.

What did you think of these year’s ads? Let us know in the comments.

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