Archive for February, 2010

Style Profile: Russian Imperial Stout

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

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.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Style Profiles | View Comments

How Yeast Affects Beer Flavor

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

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.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Beer Education, General | View Comments

Hop Variety Guide

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

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.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Beer Education, General | View Comments

Style Profile: Milk Stout

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

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.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in General, Style Profiles | View Comments

Valentine’s Day for the Beer Lover

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

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.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in General | View Comments

Super Bowl Beer Ad Roundup

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

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.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Beer Ad Myths, General | View Comments

Introduction to Lambics

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

Even among serious beer drinkers, many don’t know much about lambics. They tend to be hard to find and expensive, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try them. Lambics are a delicious and often forgotten corner of the beer world. Here’s an introduction to this quirky and delicious type of beer.

One of the reasons for lambic’s relative obscurity is the limited number of brewers who can actually make it. Much like real champagne only comes from the Champagne region in France, real lambic is only brewed in the Pajottenland region of Belgium. The name lambic is thought to be derived from a village in the area, “Lembeek.”

The reason for limited area is the unique strains of yeast used in lambics only grow in this region. Instead of the carefully cultivated and preserved strains of yeast that are added to ales and lagers, lambics get their yeast through spontaneous fermentation of wild, natural yeast. The unfermented beer (known as wort) is laid out by the brewer in the open air and wild strains of yeast and bacteria are allowed to naturally find their way into it. Afterwards the lambic is sealed in huge wooden casks, 10 feet tall and over 6 feet wide that can hold almost 11,220 litters of beer each. There it is allowed to ferment and age, usually for over 2 years. Afterwards it will be released and blended in one of several styles.

Gueuze (pronounced GER-ser)

A blend of young, one-year-old lambic and older two or three-year old lambic which then undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle. These beers tend to be very sour and tart with light and dry mouthfeel, similar to champagne or hard cider. Many find the taste of gueuze to be too overpowering, but it’s really unlike any other beer in the world and has to be tasted to be believed.

Fruit Lambic

This is gueuze which has been blended with fruit juice or brewed with raw fruit. The sweetness of the fruit is used to counterbalance the tart nature of the lambic on its own. Raspberry (framboise), peach (pêche), blackcurrant (cassis), and cherry (kriek) are popular flavors.

Although there are many great “wild ales” brewed in the US and elsewhere which employ some of the bacteria and yeast used in lambics, true lambic has to be from Belgium. When shopping for lambic avoid American attempts at the style like Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic and stick with the imported stuff. Lindemans is probably the biggest producer of lambic. All of their fruit and geuze varieties are worth a try, but their framboise is a personal favorite. Oude Gueuze from Hanssens is probably my favorite gueuze. Cantillon and Boon breweries make some terrific lambics as well.

What do you think of lambic? Next time you try it, let us know by tweeting your beer and adding the #mybeer hashtag.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Beer Education, General, Style Profiles | View Comments

The Mystery of the Beer Boot

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

We’ve covered proper glassware and its importance to fully enjoying beer before. What we didn’t cover is some of the more unusual vessels out there for drinking beer, vessels like the glass boot. The 2006 comedy movie Beerfest brought some attention to this odd drinking cup, but didn’t really explain its history.

The exact origins of the glass boot are unknown, but there are several theories commonly proposed. The first and most popular theory suggests that the glass boot came to be about a hundred years ago. A German general promised his troops that he would drink from a shoe if they won a tough upcoming battle. To his surprise they did, but instead of sipping beer from his actual boot the general had a glass boot made just for him so he could honor his promise without the beer smelling like old socks. After that the practice caught on with soldiers throughout Germany and eventually the rest of the beer drinking world.

There are several other theories that suggest that drinking beer from a leather boot was a test of courage and/or a hazing ritual for men and soldiers dating back anywhere from 500 to 50 years ago. Although we may never know for sure when the boot came to be, the where was probably Germany, where the glass is known as a “bierstiefel.”

Today the boot is popular mostly among younger beer drinkers, especially those in college, who use the boot for various drinking games. Drinking very quickly from a bierstiefel with the toe of the boot pointing down creates a vacuum pocket which will eventually shoot the beer out of the glass. The challenge for these young revelers is to continue finishing the beer without letting the inevitable beer splash slow them down. Although we here at Beeriety don’t support most drinking games, we do support the celebration of ages old beer drinking tradition.

Glass boots come in many different shapes and sizes and are available at some finer beer bars and restaurants. The next time you’re out be sure to ask your server if they have any beer boots for you to try.

Posted in Beer Education | View Comments

Technorati Profile