Just thought I would take a minute to clarify some potentially confusing terminology. Dry hopping and wet or fresh hopping are both actually pretty easy concepts.
The most important thing to understand is that in this case, wet and dry are not opposites, and in fact don't even refer to the same part of the process!
So let's start with dry hopping.
DRY HOPPING is when hops are added after the boil, usually either during or after fermentation. These hops can be fresh, dried, or pellet hops. Dry hopping eliminates a lot of the loss of hop aroma. That means that dry hopped beers tend to have very fresh, often floral (although depending on the variety, it could also resinous, citric, earthy, or any other hop-derived aroma) smells to them when you pour a glass or crack open a bottle or can. Dry hopping allows less time, however, for the hops' alpha acids to incorporate in the beer (and does it without the added element of heat), meaning that some of the hop flavors (especially the bitterness) don't necessarily carry over. It also means that if a dry hopped beer is left to sit for too long (especially after being opened or poured), the aroma is likely to seep out of the beer faster than hops added during the boil.
WET HOPPING is actually the same thing as FRESH HOPPING. Wet hopping can occur at any stage of brewing (so yes, you can wet/dry hop a beer!!!). Wet hopping refers to the fact that fresh hops, right off the vine, are used, without being dried or turned into pellets or oils. So these beers tend to be seasonally available, shortly after the hop harvest in the breweries' area. The hops can still be added in the boil, or can be used for dry hopping to give really fresh, floral aromas to the beer, or both. Like dry hopping, these beers are best enjoyed fresh, as without drying or processing, fresh/wet hops will love their flavors and aromas quickly.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you all found this informative. If you did, like it, share it comment on it! Also, please feel free to leave questions or suggestions in the comments for any drink-related topics you'd like me to cover!
Showing posts with label craft beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label craft beer. Show all posts
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Sour Beers
So I thought I'd write a bit about one of my favorite "styles" of beer, if it can really be called that, as well as what is certainly one of the most interesting beer styles out there.
There's a lot of confusion as to exactly what a sour beer, or wild ale, is, so I figured I'd run through the way I like to think of sours. In my mind, three things contribute to the making of, or identification of, a sour beer, also called a wild ale: flavor, technique, and the organisms used to make the beer.
Flavor
Sour beers, believe it or not, come in a variety of flavors. I like to think of two main "types" of flavor you can expect to find. On one end of the spectrum, you incredibly acidic and tart notes. This can come in the form of a tart, citric flavor, a tartness similar to a tart apple or berry, or even a vinegar-like acidity. On the other end you have funk. These are the flavors and aromas that wine geeks would call "barnyard, haystack, horse blanket," etc. Both are important parts of sour beers, and can be present on their own, or combined with each other.
On the extreme tart end, you'll find traditional berlinerweiss, as well as many fruit beers. The tartness can come from the fermentation and brewing process, or from the addition of fruit, which can be added specifically to add tartness, or to feed the microorganisms which create tart flavors in sour beers.
On the other end, you have funky wild ales. Think the funky, earthy, flavors of a saison, but on steroids.
Most sours fall somewhere in between the two extremes, with perhaps the best example of both types of wild flavors complementing each other being the Flanders sours, both red and brown.
Technique
Traditionally, sour, or wild ales, were created using spontaneous fermentation. That means a wort was created, and then left to be fermented by the yeast and bacteria that was in its natural environment. While these included some yeasts related to our modern brewing yeasts, which eat sugar and create alcohol and carbon dioxide, they also included all kinds of other things which added their own, unique flavors.
This spontaneous fermentation could come in the primary fermentation (when you're actually making beer out of malt), or could come in the form of a secondary fermentation, where a beer is aged either in an un-sterile oak barrel, or out in the open, allowing wild yeasts and bacteria to eat up any residual sugars. Often, fruit is added after the initial fermentation both to flavor the beer, and to provide more food for these wild yeasts.
The Microorganisms at work
The most important factor is the actual yeast and bacteria involved, especially in modern brewing. In fact, most brewers no longer use truly spontaneous fermentation. Instead, we generally add the same types of yeast which traditionally were responsible for spontaneous fermentation on purpose. One of the things that makes sour beers so interesting is that the three main types of yeast used for this purpose, brettanomyces, lactobacillus, and pediococcus, are traditionally though of as causing flaws in both brewing and wine making. In fact, they are three of the main yeasts that traditional brewers and winemakers struggle to keep out of their tanks.
This explains in large part why these beers aren't really spontaneously fermented any more. First of all, in order to get those yeast strains into a beer, and keep other more harmful beers out, you'd have to find the perfect environment. Second, that environment would pose a huge risk to any non-sour beers you had brewing in the same brewery.
So, instead, these three, and perhaps other, "wild" yeast strains are added by the brewer to the beer (before, during, or after primary fermentation), in order to make sure they wind up where they are supposed to be. These yeasts, however, unlike most modern brewer yeasts, are still unpredictable. They can die unexpectedly, or can go truly wild, turning a good beer into vinegar. Sour beer production requires constant monitoring by brewers and technicians, both to make sure the souring microorganisms are well fed and healthy, and to make sure that the end result is both safe and enjoyable.
Essentially, much like blue cheeses, sour beers may seem scary to some. What is really happening is that a brewer is deliberately spoiling their product in order to achieve a unique and interesting product. Then again, all alcohol and cheese production is essentially the deliberate spoilage of the base ingredients. Blue cheese and sour beers just take it to the extreme, both in process and in flavor.
There's a lot of confusion as to exactly what a sour beer, or wild ale, is, so I figured I'd run through the way I like to think of sours. In my mind, three things contribute to the making of, or identification of, a sour beer, also called a wild ale: flavor, technique, and the organisms used to make the beer.
Flavor
Sour beers, believe it or not, come in a variety of flavors. I like to think of two main "types" of flavor you can expect to find. On one end of the spectrum, you incredibly acidic and tart notes. This can come in the form of a tart, citric flavor, a tartness similar to a tart apple or berry, or even a vinegar-like acidity. On the other end you have funk. These are the flavors and aromas that wine geeks would call "barnyard, haystack, horse blanket," etc. Both are important parts of sour beers, and can be present on their own, or combined with each other.
On the extreme tart end, you'll find traditional berlinerweiss, as well as many fruit beers. The tartness can come from the fermentation and brewing process, or from the addition of fruit, which can be added specifically to add tartness, or to feed the microorganisms which create tart flavors in sour beers.
On the other end, you have funky wild ales. Think the funky, earthy, flavors of a saison, but on steroids.
Most sours fall somewhere in between the two extremes, with perhaps the best example of both types of wild flavors complementing each other being the Flanders sours, both red and brown.
Technique
Traditionally, sour, or wild ales, were created using spontaneous fermentation. That means a wort was created, and then left to be fermented by the yeast and bacteria that was in its natural environment. While these included some yeasts related to our modern brewing yeasts, which eat sugar and create alcohol and carbon dioxide, they also included all kinds of other things which added their own, unique flavors.
This spontaneous fermentation could come in the primary fermentation (when you're actually making beer out of malt), or could come in the form of a secondary fermentation, where a beer is aged either in an un-sterile oak barrel, or out in the open, allowing wild yeasts and bacteria to eat up any residual sugars. Often, fruit is added after the initial fermentation both to flavor the beer, and to provide more food for these wild yeasts.
The Microorganisms at work
The most important factor is the actual yeast and bacteria involved, especially in modern brewing. In fact, most brewers no longer use truly spontaneous fermentation. Instead, we generally add the same types of yeast which traditionally were responsible for spontaneous fermentation on purpose. One of the things that makes sour beers so interesting is that the three main types of yeast used for this purpose, brettanomyces, lactobacillus, and pediococcus, are traditionally though of as causing flaws in both brewing and wine making. In fact, they are three of the main yeasts that traditional brewers and winemakers struggle to keep out of their tanks.
This explains in large part why these beers aren't really spontaneously fermented any more. First of all, in order to get those yeast strains into a beer, and keep other more harmful beers out, you'd have to find the perfect environment. Second, that environment would pose a huge risk to any non-sour beers you had brewing in the same brewery.
So, instead, these three, and perhaps other, "wild" yeast strains are added by the brewer to the beer (before, during, or after primary fermentation), in order to make sure they wind up where they are supposed to be. These yeasts, however, unlike most modern brewer yeasts, are still unpredictable. They can die unexpectedly, or can go truly wild, turning a good beer into vinegar. Sour beer production requires constant monitoring by brewers and technicians, both to make sure the souring microorganisms are well fed and healthy, and to make sure that the end result is both safe and enjoyable.
Essentially, much like blue cheeses, sour beers may seem scary to some. What is really happening is that a brewer is deliberately spoiling their product in order to achieve a unique and interesting product. Then again, all alcohol and cheese production is essentially the deliberate spoilage of the base ingredients. Blue cheese and sour beers just take it to the extreme, both in process and in flavor.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
What's with Hops and Aging?
This is a topic that causes a lot of confusion, and understandably so.
The question usually comes from people who are just getting into craft beer, enough that they have tried various styles, and have done some reading about the history of beer, brewing, and various ingredients.
"If hops are a preservative, why do people say it's best to drink IPAs and other hoppy beers fresh?"
Well, here's where it's important to separate the way hops got into beer from the reason that we use them today.
Hops were originally used as a preservative in beer. This was before pasteurization and refrigeration, and especially refrigerated transportation and storage, were a thing. Hops kept harmful bacteria out of our ancestors' beer, which is the origin of their use in beer.
The safety of beer, however, no longer depends on hops. We now have pasteurization, effective packaging, and refrigeration from the brewery right through the consumer. So while it is true that beer was originally hopped for preservation, this is no longer the case. Yes, it's even true that some popular styles of beer we drink today have their origins (in a loose, rough, kind of way) in beers that were intended to have an incredibly long shelf life while traveling through various climates.
That being said, many beers, and in particular those styles originally intended for long life and travel (IPAs), are now hopped more for flavor and aroma than anything else. In fact, there are hops bred and engineered to emphasize particular flavors. Individual flavors from hops, like any other flower, don't hold up particularly well with age. They don't go bad, per se, they just don't fade.
So the reality of it is, if you were to open two beers, the same in every way, but one hoppier than another, and leave them out for a week, the hoppier beer might be "better," "safer" or "fresher" than the unhopped beer in a scientific way. It is less likely to be affected by harmful bacteria, or to make you sick. On the other hand, while it hasn't necessarily gone bad, it is unlikely to have the same citrus, pine, resin (think marijuana), or grassy notes that it had when it was fresh.
The same principal goes for aging beers still in their containers. Hoppy beers don't go "bad," and in fact, are probably less likely to do so than some of the beers we age (in barrels or in bottles) more frequently, but they also aren't as great. In fact, since many of the beers we age are more malt (sugar) focused, brewers generally have to make sure they have a significant alcohol content, and are also constantly testing barrel aged beers for the presence of harmful bacteria. You probably wouldn't have to be as vigilant if barrel aging an imperial IPA. On the other hand, the very fresh, floral, piney, grassy, skunky, or other flavors that make people go nuts for IPAs would be lost
So, the answer is that hops are, in fact, a preservative. They are, however, used in "hoppy" beers more for flavor and aroma, which fades over time. You would be perfectly safe drinking an IPA that has been in your fridge for a few months. It's just not going to have the clean, bright flavors it would have if drank while fresh.
The question usually comes from people who are just getting into craft beer, enough that they have tried various styles, and have done some reading about the history of beer, brewing, and various ingredients.
"If hops are a preservative, why do people say it's best to drink IPAs and other hoppy beers fresh?"
Well, here's where it's important to separate the way hops got into beer from the reason that we use them today.
Hops were originally used as a preservative in beer. This was before pasteurization and refrigeration, and especially refrigerated transportation and storage, were a thing. Hops kept harmful bacteria out of our ancestors' beer, which is the origin of their use in beer.
The safety of beer, however, no longer depends on hops. We now have pasteurization, effective packaging, and refrigeration from the brewery right through the consumer. So while it is true that beer was originally hopped for preservation, this is no longer the case. Yes, it's even true that some popular styles of beer we drink today have their origins (in a loose, rough, kind of way) in beers that were intended to have an incredibly long shelf life while traveling through various climates.
That being said, many beers, and in particular those styles originally intended for long life and travel (IPAs), are now hopped more for flavor and aroma than anything else. In fact, there are hops bred and engineered to emphasize particular flavors. Individual flavors from hops, like any other flower, don't hold up particularly well with age. They don't go bad, per se, they just don't fade.
So the reality of it is, if you were to open two beers, the same in every way, but one hoppier than another, and leave them out for a week, the hoppier beer might be "better," "safer" or "fresher" than the unhopped beer in a scientific way. It is less likely to be affected by harmful bacteria, or to make you sick. On the other hand, while it hasn't necessarily gone bad, it is unlikely to have the same citrus, pine, resin (think marijuana), or grassy notes that it had when it was fresh.
The same principal goes for aging beers still in their containers. Hoppy beers don't go "bad," and in fact, are probably less likely to do so than some of the beers we age (in barrels or in bottles) more frequently, but they also aren't as great. In fact, since many of the beers we age are more malt (sugar) focused, brewers generally have to make sure they have a significant alcohol content, and are also constantly testing barrel aged beers for the presence of harmful bacteria. You probably wouldn't have to be as vigilant if barrel aging an imperial IPA. On the other hand, the very fresh, floral, piney, grassy, skunky, or other flavors that make people go nuts for IPAs would be lost
So, the answer is that hops are, in fact, a preservative. They are, however, used in "hoppy" beers more for flavor and aroma, which fades over time. You would be perfectly safe drinking an IPA that has been in your fridge for a few months. It's just not going to have the clean, bright flavors it would have if drank while fresh.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Why is my beer hazy, or even muddy looking?
So, you've probably read my post on sediment in beer, but if not, that's okay.
Every once in a while, the sediment or haze gets extreme, or, if you've had the beer before, unusual even for the particular beer you're drinking.
This is usually the case in draft beers which are unfiltered or undergo secondary fermentation in the keg, and there's a few reasons this happens.
First of all, it is perfectly natural, and perfectly normal, and not a sign of a flaw in the beer, and definitely not that the beer is unsafe to drink.
As the post above discusses, sediment or haze is usually caused by the dead yeast cells remaining in an unfiltered or bottle/keg conditioned beer. This is why unfiltered beers, such as hefeweizens, wit beirs, and various Belgian beers are usually hazy and opaque.
On the other hand, sometimes the haze goes beyond opacity to actually make the beer darker, or almost muddy in appearance. While in hefeweizens, these beers usually pour within the normal color range for the style, and unless you are familiar with the particular beer you're drinking, you might not even notice, it can be particularly alarming in Belgian wit beers, golden ales, tripels, etc.
The reason this happens is fairly simple. Dead yeast cells are heavier than water and the other things that make up the majority of your beer. If a keg of beer sits stationary for a while, the yeast will start to make its way toward the bottom of the keg and become concentrated there, causing a darker, more murky appearance.
The way kegs work is that the beer being pulled from the tap is actually coming through the stem of the barrel from the bottom of the keg. This means that, depending on how long a beer has been sitting in a color, and how it was stored, the beer can be darker at either the beginning or the end of a keg.
If a keg has just been tapped, and is pouring with a muddy color, it is likely a sign that the beer has been in the bar's cooler for a while, and has been stored upright. Luckily for us, most unfiltered beer styles are not harmed, and may actually get better, from aging. On the other hand, if the keg gets darker toward the end, it is usually a sign that the beer has been on tap for a while, or was stored upside down before being tapped. In fact, many brewers recommend that their unfiltered beers either be stored upside down, or are agitated just before serving. The reason is that this way, the yeast is concentrated at the top of the keg. If the keg is on tap for a reasonable amount of time (a few weeks), the yeast will slowly settle, and the beer shouldn't pour "muddy" at all. On the other hand, if the beer is particularly popular, and moves quickly, the yeast concentrated at the top of the keg won't have time to settle/spread throughout the keg, and when the end of the keg is reached, the beer which was formerly at the top of the keg will have a high concentration of sediment, and will pour with a murky/muddy appearance.
As mentioned in my sediment post, I have heard (from very unscientific sources, of course), that the dead yeast cells are actually very nutritious. In most draft beers, they may affect the mouth feel of the beer, but honestly, if you were to blind taste the "bottom of the barrel" against a glass from the middle of the keg, you wouldn't know the difference.
So don't let the dirty/muddy appearance of that beer scare you. Enjoy it!
Every once in a while, the sediment or haze gets extreme, or, if you've had the beer before, unusual even for the particular beer you're drinking.
This is usually the case in draft beers which are unfiltered or undergo secondary fermentation in the keg, and there's a few reasons this happens.
First of all, it is perfectly natural, and perfectly normal, and not a sign of a flaw in the beer, and definitely not that the beer is unsafe to drink.
As the post above discusses, sediment or haze is usually caused by the dead yeast cells remaining in an unfiltered or bottle/keg conditioned beer. This is why unfiltered beers, such as hefeweizens, wit beirs, and various Belgian beers are usually hazy and opaque.
On the other hand, sometimes the haze goes beyond opacity to actually make the beer darker, or almost muddy in appearance. While in hefeweizens, these beers usually pour within the normal color range for the style, and unless you are familiar with the particular beer you're drinking, you might not even notice, it can be particularly alarming in Belgian wit beers, golden ales, tripels, etc.
The reason this happens is fairly simple. Dead yeast cells are heavier than water and the other things that make up the majority of your beer. If a keg of beer sits stationary for a while, the yeast will start to make its way toward the bottom of the keg and become concentrated there, causing a darker, more murky appearance.
The way kegs work is that the beer being pulled from the tap is actually coming through the stem of the barrel from the bottom of the keg. This means that, depending on how long a beer has been sitting in a color, and how it was stored, the beer can be darker at either the beginning or the end of a keg.
If a keg has just been tapped, and is pouring with a muddy color, it is likely a sign that the beer has been in the bar's cooler for a while, and has been stored upright. Luckily for us, most unfiltered beer styles are not harmed, and may actually get better, from aging. On the other hand, if the keg gets darker toward the end, it is usually a sign that the beer has been on tap for a while, or was stored upside down before being tapped. In fact, many brewers recommend that their unfiltered beers either be stored upside down, or are agitated just before serving. The reason is that this way, the yeast is concentrated at the top of the keg. If the keg is on tap for a reasonable amount of time (a few weeks), the yeast will slowly settle, and the beer shouldn't pour "muddy" at all. On the other hand, if the beer is particularly popular, and moves quickly, the yeast concentrated at the top of the keg won't have time to settle/spread throughout the keg, and when the end of the keg is reached, the beer which was formerly at the top of the keg will have a high concentration of sediment, and will pour with a murky/muddy appearance.
As mentioned in my sediment post, I have heard (from very unscientific sources, of course), that the dead yeast cells are actually very nutritious. In most draft beers, they may affect the mouth feel of the beer, but honestly, if you were to blind taste the "bottom of the barrel" against a glass from the middle of the keg, you wouldn't know the difference.
So don't let the dirty/muddy appearance of that beer scare you. Enjoy it!
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Tasting Notes: Hangar 24 Gordgeous
Aroma: Smells like when you lick the knife (am I the only one that does this) after cutting the first slice of a pumpkin pie. A hint of pumpkin, a lot of fall spices, and even a little bit of graham cracker which reminds me of the crust. Also do get a whiff of the alcohol on this one, which comes in at 8.5% ABV.
Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light on the palate for me. Goes right down, with no viscosity.
Flavors: The alcohol is the first thing I taste on this one, then it goes into some nice, roasty, coffee flavors very quickly. I get a lot of the pumpkin pie flavors again in the finish, which lingers for some time. It is more of the spices than the actual pumpkin. I get a lot of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and clove, with just a hint of pumpkin.
Overall: I'm not normally a pumpkin beer fan, and I love this one. The combination of the high alcohol and the porter base beer mean there's a lot of strong flavors going on in this beer even without the pumpkin. The flavors are all strong, clean, and pleasant. The alcohol hits hard at first, but doesn't burn or come with cloying sweetness. The beer then moves cleanly into a classic, roasty, almost bitter coffee/porter flavor. It finishes with a wonderful pumpkin pie, fall spiciness. The flavors are different enough that none become overpowering, but because they seem to progress in order, they also never clash. This is definitely one of my fall favorites!
Monday, November 10, 2014
Tasting Notes: Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
Aroma: Strong coffee with a hint of chocolate as well. The aroma is more like coffee beans than already-brewed coffee.
Mouthfeel: Flows pretty freely over the palate for coming in at over 9% ABV, although it does coat the tongue toward the finish, and the astringency dries the palate for the finish as well.
Flavors: Initial flavors are strong on coffee, like a fresh brewed, black coffee. Very strong coffee flavor, and none of the chocolate I picked up in the nose. As the beer rests, the bitterness changes from a coffee bitterness to a hoppy astringency. Finishes with just a touch of heat from the relatively high ABV, and a dry, astringent pucker from the hops.
Overall: Not an easy-drinking stout for sure. At almost 10% ABV, and with a healthy dose of both coffee and hop bitterness, this one is probably better served in a snifter than a pint glass, but hey, I'm at home and not driving anywhere, right? Definitely not a smooth transition from someone whose only exposure to stouts is Guinness or something similar. A serious beer with a lot of complementary flavors. The bitterness is prominent, but not overpowering, and the interplay between the hops, the dark malt, and the coffee is fun. The bitterness never goes away, but it does morph as the beer sits on your palate, which makes it a little intriguing and more interesting than some other stouts, or some other "bitter" beers. Probably not an everyday choice for me, but definitely a great beer for a fall night.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Brewery & Tasting Room Review: New Glarus Brewing Company
Unfortunately I lost my phone between my visit and now, so there's no photos here...
That being said, I recently visited New Glarus briefly, and below are what I think every New Glarus fan should know about their brewery and tasting room:
The brewery is beautiful, both inside and out. It is in a Swiss-looking farmstyle building, situated in the hills above the actual town of New Glarus. The outside is stunning, and definitely worth a photo op. The brewery itself consists of two parts for visitors. The first is the brewery, gift shop, and tasting room (upstairs). When you enter, you're in the gift shop and tasting room. They sell lots of neat New Glarus, Wisconsin, and beer related stuff here, as well as have a small bar at the registers where you can buy their beers by the pint, or in tasting flights. Either way, you get to keep the glass. At $3.50 for three three ounce pours, the flights are a steal. They usually have five or six of their brews on tap, so I always get two tastings so that I can taste them all. When you purchase the tasting, they give you a wristband with little tabs they pull off for each beer. You can refill them at your own pace (more on this later). On both of my visits, they had their two most popular beers (Spotted Cow and Fat Squirrel), a few other year round brews, and at least one specialty beer on tap.
The brewery tour is self-guided. It begins in the back of the gift shop, and then leads you through a small room with their many awards and medals on display (if Dan or Deborah Carey happen to read this, if you keep doing what you're doing, this room will need to move or expand in the not-too-distant future!). You then go into the brewery itself. While most of the equipment is either roped off or behind glass, it is all visible. The staff in the brewery are very friendly, and will explain anything you have questions about. You are free to walk around at your leisure and explore the brewery, beer in hand, and, since it's self guided, you don't have to pace your drinking to your exploring. When your glass is empty, you simply go back, refill it, and start where you left off.
The other part of the facility is their beer depot, located downstairs off the parking lot. Here you can buy their beer for consumption at home or elsewhere. It is minimalist and very functional, but the prices are great!
Pros:
- Friendly, knowledgeable staff throughout the building. They will answer your questions, and can answer both in depth questions or simple ones, without making you feel stupid.
-You're right in the middle of the action.
-It's beautiful. The equipment is well maintained, and the views from both inside and outside of the brewery are wonderful.
-Obviously, the beer.
-Prices: Great beer at amazing prices.
-Walking around on the tour with a beer in your hand
-Since it's self guided, you can time your flight as you'd like.
Cons;
-The self guided tour is best suited for people with intermediate knowledge of the brewing process. For those with little knowledge, there isn't any signage or information about what you're actually looking at. If you don't know what a mash tun, lauder tun, fermenter, bright tank, and packaging line look like, you might not get a lot out of the tour. On the other hand, since it is self guided and they can't have people in the way of making their amazing beer, if you have a more advanced knowledge of brewing, you are kind of far away from the action, and might not get to see or learn the intricate details you're interested in. Both of these are somewhat offset by the friendliness of their staff, who will all (even the brewers) stop what they're doing to answer any questions you may have (if you happen to catch one). I would suggest that they continue to offer the self guided option, but a) put up some signs explaining the brewing process and equipment) and b) offer guided tours with brewery staff for those more interested.
-There's not really a good place to sit and enjoy a beer. If you're shopping for souveniers or wandering around the brewery, this is fine, but if you're not done with your beer or flight when you're through with these activities, a couple of barstools would be nice. In all fairness, I've only ever been in the winter, and they have a great patio off the gift shop which appears to have plenty of seating, and even an outdoor bar, not to mention an amazing view. So maybe this is only a seasonal problem.
-With only 6 taps, and most of them with their more popular and/or year round beers, if you're already familiar with New Glarus, you might not get to try some of their more interesting beers before you buy them.
-The beer depot seems to be out of certain beers every time I've been. I guess this is a good problem to have. Also, the staff are very helpful with this. If you're looking for a particular beer, they can tell you if and when they will have it in stock again. Or, if it's a seasonal beer, they will make recommendations of places nearby that may still have some, since the brewery depot often sells out before other retail locations.
Overall: All of the cons seem to have a mitigating factor, so I would say this is a pretty great experience. Definitely something worth checking out once. Make room in your luggage or trunk, though, because their swag is pretty cool, and the beer is amazing, so it's hard to leave this place empty handed.
That being said, I recently visited New Glarus briefly, and below are what I think every New Glarus fan should know about their brewery and tasting room:
The brewery is beautiful, both inside and out. It is in a Swiss-looking farmstyle building, situated in the hills above the actual town of New Glarus. The outside is stunning, and definitely worth a photo op. The brewery itself consists of two parts for visitors. The first is the brewery, gift shop, and tasting room (upstairs). When you enter, you're in the gift shop and tasting room. They sell lots of neat New Glarus, Wisconsin, and beer related stuff here, as well as have a small bar at the registers where you can buy their beers by the pint, or in tasting flights. Either way, you get to keep the glass. At $3.50 for three three ounce pours, the flights are a steal. They usually have five or six of their brews on tap, so I always get two tastings so that I can taste them all. When you purchase the tasting, they give you a wristband with little tabs they pull off for each beer. You can refill them at your own pace (more on this later). On both of my visits, they had their two most popular beers (Spotted Cow and Fat Squirrel), a few other year round brews, and at least one specialty beer on tap.
The brewery tour is self-guided. It begins in the back of the gift shop, and then leads you through a small room with their many awards and medals on display (if Dan or Deborah Carey happen to read this, if you keep doing what you're doing, this room will need to move or expand in the not-too-distant future!). You then go into the brewery itself. While most of the equipment is either roped off or behind glass, it is all visible. The staff in the brewery are very friendly, and will explain anything you have questions about. You are free to walk around at your leisure and explore the brewery, beer in hand, and, since it's self guided, you don't have to pace your drinking to your exploring. When your glass is empty, you simply go back, refill it, and start where you left off.
The other part of the facility is their beer depot, located downstairs off the parking lot. Here you can buy their beer for consumption at home or elsewhere. It is minimalist and very functional, but the prices are great!
Pros:
- Friendly, knowledgeable staff throughout the building. They will answer your questions, and can answer both in depth questions or simple ones, without making you feel stupid.
-You're right in the middle of the action.
-It's beautiful. The equipment is well maintained, and the views from both inside and outside of the brewery are wonderful.
-Obviously, the beer.
-Prices: Great beer at amazing prices.
-Walking around on the tour with a beer in your hand
-Since it's self guided, you can time your flight as you'd like.
Cons;
-The self guided tour is best suited for people with intermediate knowledge of the brewing process. For those with little knowledge, there isn't any signage or information about what you're actually looking at. If you don't know what a mash tun, lauder tun, fermenter, bright tank, and packaging line look like, you might not get a lot out of the tour. On the other hand, since it is self guided and they can't have people in the way of making their amazing beer, if you have a more advanced knowledge of brewing, you are kind of far away from the action, and might not get to see or learn the intricate details you're interested in. Both of these are somewhat offset by the friendliness of their staff, who will all (even the brewers) stop what they're doing to answer any questions you may have (if you happen to catch one). I would suggest that they continue to offer the self guided option, but a) put up some signs explaining the brewing process and equipment) and b) offer guided tours with brewery staff for those more interested.
-There's not really a good place to sit and enjoy a beer. If you're shopping for souveniers or wandering around the brewery, this is fine, but if you're not done with your beer or flight when you're through with these activities, a couple of barstools would be nice. In all fairness, I've only ever been in the winter, and they have a great patio off the gift shop which appears to have plenty of seating, and even an outdoor bar, not to mention an amazing view. So maybe this is only a seasonal problem.
-With only 6 taps, and most of them with their more popular and/or year round beers, if you're already familiar with New Glarus, you might not get to try some of their more interesting beers before you buy them.
-The beer depot seems to be out of certain beers every time I've been. I guess this is a good problem to have. Also, the staff are very helpful with this. If you're looking for a particular beer, they can tell you if and when they will have it in stock again. Or, if it's a seasonal beer, they will make recommendations of places nearby that may still have some, since the brewery depot often sells out before other retail locations.
Overall: All of the cons seem to have a mitigating factor, so I would say this is a pretty great experience. Definitely something worth checking out once. Make room in your luggage or trunk, though, because their swag is pretty cool, and the beer is amazing, so it's hard to leave this place empty handed.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Tasting Notes: New Glarus Fat Squirrel
Appearance: Pours an opaque, hazelnut brown, with a thin head, which leaves nice lacing, but dissipates from the beer fairly quickly.
Aroma: Malty, bready.
Mouthfeel: Pretty light for a brown ale, and very effervescent carbonation feeling.
Flavors: Coffee, bread, almonds, hazelnut. Pretty balance between the coffee, the malty/bready notes, and the nutty flavors. Finishes with a crisp hoppiness, and a lingering hint of coffee.
Overall: Pretty balanced beer, and not as heavy or full bodied as one might expect from a brown ale. The bottle-conditioned effervescence give it a lightness on the palate which make this a great beer for even a hot summer day. All the flavors one would expect from a nut brown, without the heaviness that usually keeps me drinking these only in the winter.
Aroma: Malty, bready.
Mouthfeel: Pretty light for a brown ale, and very effervescent carbonation feeling.
Flavors: Coffee, bread, almonds, hazelnut. Pretty balance between the coffee, the malty/bready notes, and the nutty flavors. Finishes with a crisp hoppiness, and a lingering hint of coffee.
Overall: Pretty balanced beer, and not as heavy or full bodied as one might expect from a brown ale. The bottle-conditioned effervescence give it a lightness on the palate which make this a great beer for even a hot summer day. All the flavors one would expect from a nut brown, without the heaviness that usually keeps me drinking these only in the winter.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Tasting Notes: Monk's Cafe Flanders Red Ale
Appearance: Pours a dark, opaque red-brown. Very large, very airy light brown head, which lingers and gets more frothy/foamy.
Aroma: Tart cherry, a little bit of butter.
Mouthfeel: Pretty light bodied, although lingers a bit on the roof of the mouth.
Flavors: Cherry, only mildly sour, a little bit of butter/creaminess. Finishes with a very strong metallic, iron note.
Overall: Decent Flanders red. Not as mouth-puckeringly sour as some, but also not overly sweet. A little creaminess/butter from lactic acid, and pretty drinkable for a sour. Overall, not my favorite example of the style, but a good, balanced, drinkable sour.
Aroma: Tart cherry, a little bit of butter.
Mouthfeel: Pretty light bodied, although lingers a bit on the roof of the mouth.
Flavors: Cherry, only mildly sour, a little bit of butter/creaminess. Finishes with a very strong metallic, iron note.
Overall: Decent Flanders red. Not as mouth-puckeringly sour as some, but also not overly sweet. A little creaminess/butter from lactic acid, and pretty drinkable for a sour. Overall, not my favorite example of the style, but a good, balanced, drinkable sour.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
What does gravity have to do with booze?
So, what does gravity have to do with booze anyway? More specifically, what are original gravity and final gravity, and what do they mean?
Basically, these are measurements which relate to the sweetness, the dryness, and the alcohol content of a beer or wine.
Measuring actual sugar and alcohol content precisely and scientifically is a very complicated and expensive process. By using gravity (more specifically, the original (OG) and final (FG) gravities) brewers and winemakers can estimate these measures.
Sugar is heavier than water, so by using a hydrometer, brewers and winemakers can estimate the sugar content of their juice or wort through the original gravity. Water has a specific gravity of 1.000. So, a hydrometer which rests slightly higher than it would in pure water (say, in juice or wort) would measure something like 1.050 or 1.060. The higher the original gravity, the higher the sugar content of the juice or wort.
Alcohol, on the other hand, has a lower specific gravity than water. As fermentation progresses, the specific gravity of the wort or juice drops as well. Through their own and other brewers' and winemakers' past experiences, brewers and winemakers know what the expected final gravity for a given style of beer and wine is, based on the wort or juice, as well as the particular yeast strain. During fermentation, they can use a hydrometer to check the "attenuation" or the degree of fermentation, of their product. Each yeast strain, as well as grain or grape recipe, has a different expected or target attenuation. That is, what percentage of the sugars will be turned into alcohol?
What does this mean for us as beer or wine drinkers? Well, sweetness (as opposed to fruity flavors, which can come from esthers even in dry wine) is a measurement of the sugar remaining in a finished beer or wine. Essentially, this is the result of two decisions the brewer or winemaker makes: how much sugar to start with (original gravity), and the degree to which the sugars will be converted into alcohol (attenuation), which affect the final gravity of a beer.
Final gravity is a direct correlation to sweetness, and is also a good measure of what the mouth feel of a beer will be like, more or less, since the heavier a beer, the heavier the body will be.
All other things being equal (original ingredients, or at least the original gravity of them), a higher alcohol beer or wine will be drier than a low alcohol beer or wine, as more sugar was converted to alcohol. Meaning that if you want to make a sweeter beer or wine, there are three ways to do it.
1) You can add more sugar (malt/grain or grape juice) at the beginning of fermentation, or pull water out of your juice to concentrate sugars. This will result in a higher OG, meaning more fermentable sugars. Even after attaining the same degree of attenuation, this beer will have a higher final gravity, meaning both more sugar and more alcohol, than a beer with a more watered down, less sweet base.
2) You can stop fermentation, by either using a yeast strain with a lower alcohol threshold or lower expected attenuation, or by actually forcing fermentation to stop by removing yeast or changing the temperature or environment to stop fermentation. This will create a lower alcohol, sweeter product.
3) You can add sugars during or after fermentation. Depending on whether the goal is more alcohol and more sugar, or just a sweeter product, this can be done at various times during fermentation. In winemaking, this is known as chapetalization, and is prohibited in certain regions and styles in old world winemaking. If you add the same type of sugar (grape juice for wine, or malt/grain for beer), before fermentation is completed, you will wind up with a higher alcohol, sweeter product. If you add the sugar after fermentation is completed, the ABV will remain steady, and the final gravity, or sweetness of the product, will increase. Alternatively, you can add other types of sugar. This is common in Belgian styles, where candy sugar, which is not fermentable by ale yeasts, is added to the wort to create a sweeter finished product, without limiting the fermentation of the sugars in the wort.
Basically, these are measurements which relate to the sweetness, the dryness, and the alcohol content of a beer or wine.
Measuring actual sugar and alcohol content precisely and scientifically is a very complicated and expensive process. By using gravity (more specifically, the original (OG) and final (FG) gravities) brewers and winemakers can estimate these measures.
Sugar is heavier than water, so by using a hydrometer, brewers and winemakers can estimate the sugar content of their juice or wort through the original gravity. Water has a specific gravity of 1.000. So, a hydrometer which rests slightly higher than it would in pure water (say, in juice or wort) would measure something like 1.050 or 1.060. The higher the original gravity, the higher the sugar content of the juice or wort.
Alcohol, on the other hand, has a lower specific gravity than water. As fermentation progresses, the specific gravity of the wort or juice drops as well. Through their own and other brewers' and winemakers' past experiences, brewers and winemakers know what the expected final gravity for a given style of beer and wine is, based on the wort or juice, as well as the particular yeast strain. During fermentation, they can use a hydrometer to check the "attenuation" or the degree of fermentation, of their product. Each yeast strain, as well as grain or grape recipe, has a different expected or target attenuation. That is, what percentage of the sugars will be turned into alcohol?
What does this mean for us as beer or wine drinkers? Well, sweetness (as opposed to fruity flavors, which can come from esthers even in dry wine) is a measurement of the sugar remaining in a finished beer or wine. Essentially, this is the result of two decisions the brewer or winemaker makes: how much sugar to start with (original gravity), and the degree to which the sugars will be converted into alcohol (attenuation), which affect the final gravity of a beer.
Final gravity is a direct correlation to sweetness, and is also a good measure of what the mouth feel of a beer will be like, more or less, since the heavier a beer, the heavier the body will be.
All other things being equal (original ingredients, or at least the original gravity of them), a higher alcohol beer or wine will be drier than a low alcohol beer or wine, as more sugar was converted to alcohol. Meaning that if you want to make a sweeter beer or wine, there are three ways to do it.
1) You can add more sugar (malt/grain or grape juice) at the beginning of fermentation, or pull water out of your juice to concentrate sugars. This will result in a higher OG, meaning more fermentable sugars. Even after attaining the same degree of attenuation, this beer will have a higher final gravity, meaning both more sugar and more alcohol, than a beer with a more watered down, less sweet base.
2) You can stop fermentation, by either using a yeast strain with a lower alcohol threshold or lower expected attenuation, or by actually forcing fermentation to stop by removing yeast or changing the temperature or environment to stop fermentation. This will create a lower alcohol, sweeter product.
3) You can add sugars during or after fermentation. Depending on whether the goal is more alcohol and more sugar, or just a sweeter product, this can be done at various times during fermentation. In winemaking, this is known as chapetalization, and is prohibited in certain regions and styles in old world winemaking. If you add the same type of sugar (grape juice for wine, or malt/grain for beer), before fermentation is completed, you will wind up with a higher alcohol, sweeter product. If you add the sugar after fermentation is completed, the ABV will remain steady, and the final gravity, or sweetness of the product, will increase. Alternatively, you can add other types of sugar. This is common in Belgian styles, where candy sugar, which is not fermentable by ale yeasts, is added to the wort to create a sweeter finished product, without limiting the fermentation of the sugars in the wort.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Tasting Notes: Uinta Birthday Suit 20th Anniversary
Photo uploader is not working for me right now, so I will put it in later, sorry about that.
Appearance: Pours a deep, hazy, brown, which, when you hold it up to the light, has a ruby tint to it. Decent sized, off white head, but dissipates fairly quickly.
Aroma: All over the place. A little bit of chocolate, a little malty sweetness, and a lot of berry tartness.
Mouthfeel: Light, bubbly, effervescent.
Flavors: A little bit of tartness up front, more green apple style than anything else, and actually a little astringent/bitter, like the skin of an apple (not hop bitterness). To me, after the initial tartness, there was a stale, earthy, and slightly metalic flavor. Crisp finish, although the metallic flavor lingered for a little while.
Overall: Not for me. The sourness is not quite prominent, and instead of balancing or complementing it, their choice of malts played down the tartness, and to me left a lot of flavors that come across almost as off flavors. Stale beer, vegetal, metallic, and earthy. I love sours, and I love some Uinta brews, but this is one I would almost certainly not buy again.
Appearance: Pours a deep, hazy, brown, which, when you hold it up to the light, has a ruby tint to it. Decent sized, off white head, but dissipates fairly quickly.
Aroma: All over the place. A little bit of chocolate, a little malty sweetness, and a lot of berry tartness.
Mouthfeel: Light, bubbly, effervescent.
Flavors: A little bit of tartness up front, more green apple style than anything else, and actually a little astringent/bitter, like the skin of an apple (not hop bitterness). To me, after the initial tartness, there was a stale, earthy, and slightly metalic flavor. Crisp finish, although the metallic flavor lingered for a little while.
Overall: Not for me. The sourness is not quite prominent, and instead of balancing or complementing it, their choice of malts played down the tartness, and to me left a lot of flavors that come across almost as off flavors. Stale beer, vegetal, metallic, and earthy. I love sours, and I love some Uinta brews, but this is one I would almost certainly not buy again.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Flavor Sources in Beer
So, when tasting anything, it's important to know what you're looking for, and what different flavors came from, and what they mean. So here is a basic break down of the main flavor sources for beer. I'll start with the four main ingredients of beer, and then cover some extras.
Water is one of the four ingredients allowed under the German purity laws, and is an ingredient in every beer, and one which is often overlooked. Having pure, relatively soft water is important to the brewing process, because it allows the yeast to act as expected, as well as the hops, malt, and any other ingredients to express fully. Certain breweries like their beer to have certain minerals because it provides or highlights certain flavors. In most beers, water is not a significant source of flavor. If it does provide a flavor, it will be an earthy, mineral, or metalic flavor usually. It's important to understand, though, that the type of water used can make it impossible to brew a good beer, or certainly to brew certain styles of beer. The good news is that modern technology allows impurities to be filtered out, and minerals to be added back in.
Malt is another of the four "pure" beer ingredients. Malt is barley which has been partially germinated in order to release emylase, which in turn converts starch into fermentable sugar. Malt provides the bulk of beer flavor, and is necessary for the production of alcohol. Malt can be dried either just enough to stop germination, or it can be kiln dried and roasted, toasted, charred, or even burnt, to varying degrees. It can also be smoked. The degree of toasting on the finished malt determines the color, as well as flavor, of the finished beer. Malty flavors include cereal, bread, corn, and sweetness. Darker malts can also provide coffee, chocolate, caramel, toasted, nutty, and smokey flavors.
Yeast is the third "pure" beer ingredient. Yeast turns sugar into CO2 and alcohol, in its most basic function. The fermentable sugars which yeast consumes, however, have many components which are not directly turned into CO2 or alcohol. These are protein chains, acids, and other congeners which provide specific flavors, known as esthers. Certain yeast strains digest certain esthers and reprocess those. Others are unable to consume those same esthers. When we talk about yeast flavors, we are not talking about flavors that come from actually consuming yeast. We are talking about the esthers that particular yeast strains were unable to fully break down, and which remain in the finished beer. Common yeast-derrived flavor groups are fruit and certain spices. Almost any fruit flavor is yeast derrived. Black pepper, clove, and corriander are also fermentation and yeast derived flavorings. More extreme examples of yeast flavors, coming from wild or deliberately souring fermentation, are barnyard, funk, leather, and even sour or vinegar flavors. It is important to note that many off flavors are also yeast or bacteria derrived, and these flavors come from processing which has allowed un-intended yeasts access to beer.
Hops are the final "pure" beer ingredient. They were used primarily as a preservative originally, although with modern techniques, they are no longer necessary for that purpose. They provide important flavor and aroma characteristics, depending on the variety, as well as at what stage of the brewing process they are added. Hops can basically provide five things, or, for most strains, and certainly most beers (which use a blend of hops), a combination of them. Aroma, bitterness, citrus, pine/resin and grassy/floral flavors. Hop aroma can span the range of the other four, but it is important to note that certain hop varieties, and ways of hopping a beer, can contribute more to aroma then flavor. It is possible to have a beer with a very in your face hop bouquet which is much more subtle with actual hop flavors. Bitterness is an overall contribution to hops, and all hops provide a certain level of bitterness, but some varieties, and some beers, highlight the hop bitterness rather than the nuances of hop flavor and aroma. Citrus hops tend to lean toward grapefruit, and provide a refreshing counterbalance to the initial bitterness. Pine and resiny hops can vary from straight up spruce/Christmas tree to a skunky, marijuana-like aroma. Grassy and floral hops can provide a nice aroma and flavor as well.
Adjuncts are basically any ingredient not included above that is added to a beer at any stage. Some adjuncts, like wheat, rye, oats, sorghum, or other grains, or fruits (basically anything with natural starch or sugar) can be used along with malt to make the mash before fermentation. Some are added after fermentation. Those ingredients can have very different effects depending on when they are added. Adjuncts can cover a very wide range, from spices to fruits, to chilli pepper, to chocolate, to vanilla, and coffee. Some (fruits, spices, chocolate, coffee, nuts) are meant to enhance or highlight flavors already found in certain styles of beer, while others (chipotle peppers, etc.) can create a whole new flavor experience.
Aging/packaging/processing can also affect flavors. Most obviously, barrel aging a beer can affect the flavor tremendously. The age and the oak itself will contribute a lot of flavor, texture, and aroma contributions. Frequently, because of the expense of barrels, the relatively low retail price of beer, and just because of the special contributions, beers are aged in barrels which previously played host to wine, brandy, bourbon, or other spirits. These barrels can contribute both a higher alcohol content and interesting flavors. Processing beer can affect the flavor as well. Is a beer filtered, fined, centrifuged, or served en lees? Lees are dead yeast cells, which are often left in some beers, particularly wheat beers. If they are removed, the exact method can affect flavor as well. If a beer is bottle/keg/can conditioned, served on cask, or force carbonated, or some combination of them will affect mouth feel and flavor, as will the exact gas blend used.
Hopefully this is a good start to developing a beer palate, and knowing the important contributions that each decision a brewer makes can have on the final product.
Water is one of the four ingredients allowed under the German purity laws, and is an ingredient in every beer, and one which is often overlooked. Having pure, relatively soft water is important to the brewing process, because it allows the yeast to act as expected, as well as the hops, malt, and any other ingredients to express fully. Certain breweries like their beer to have certain minerals because it provides or highlights certain flavors. In most beers, water is not a significant source of flavor. If it does provide a flavor, it will be an earthy, mineral, or metalic flavor usually. It's important to understand, though, that the type of water used can make it impossible to brew a good beer, or certainly to brew certain styles of beer. The good news is that modern technology allows impurities to be filtered out, and minerals to be added back in.
Malt is another of the four "pure" beer ingredients. Malt is barley which has been partially germinated in order to release emylase, which in turn converts starch into fermentable sugar. Malt provides the bulk of beer flavor, and is necessary for the production of alcohol. Malt can be dried either just enough to stop germination, or it can be kiln dried and roasted, toasted, charred, or even burnt, to varying degrees. It can also be smoked. The degree of toasting on the finished malt determines the color, as well as flavor, of the finished beer. Malty flavors include cereal, bread, corn, and sweetness. Darker malts can also provide coffee, chocolate, caramel, toasted, nutty, and smokey flavors.
Yeast is the third "pure" beer ingredient. Yeast turns sugar into CO2 and alcohol, in its most basic function. The fermentable sugars which yeast consumes, however, have many components which are not directly turned into CO2 or alcohol. These are protein chains, acids, and other congeners which provide specific flavors, known as esthers. Certain yeast strains digest certain esthers and reprocess those. Others are unable to consume those same esthers. When we talk about yeast flavors, we are not talking about flavors that come from actually consuming yeast. We are talking about the esthers that particular yeast strains were unable to fully break down, and which remain in the finished beer. Common yeast-derrived flavor groups are fruit and certain spices. Almost any fruit flavor is yeast derrived. Black pepper, clove, and corriander are also fermentation and yeast derived flavorings. More extreme examples of yeast flavors, coming from wild or deliberately souring fermentation, are barnyard, funk, leather, and even sour or vinegar flavors. It is important to note that many off flavors are also yeast or bacteria derrived, and these flavors come from processing which has allowed un-intended yeasts access to beer.
Hops are the final "pure" beer ingredient. They were used primarily as a preservative originally, although with modern techniques, they are no longer necessary for that purpose. They provide important flavor and aroma characteristics, depending on the variety, as well as at what stage of the brewing process they are added. Hops can basically provide five things, or, for most strains, and certainly most beers (which use a blend of hops), a combination of them. Aroma, bitterness, citrus, pine/resin and grassy/floral flavors. Hop aroma can span the range of the other four, but it is important to note that certain hop varieties, and ways of hopping a beer, can contribute more to aroma then flavor. It is possible to have a beer with a very in your face hop bouquet which is much more subtle with actual hop flavors. Bitterness is an overall contribution to hops, and all hops provide a certain level of bitterness, but some varieties, and some beers, highlight the hop bitterness rather than the nuances of hop flavor and aroma. Citrus hops tend to lean toward grapefruit, and provide a refreshing counterbalance to the initial bitterness. Pine and resiny hops can vary from straight up spruce/Christmas tree to a skunky, marijuana-like aroma. Grassy and floral hops can provide a nice aroma and flavor as well.
Adjuncts are basically any ingredient not included above that is added to a beer at any stage. Some adjuncts, like wheat, rye, oats, sorghum, or other grains, or fruits (basically anything with natural starch or sugar) can be used along with malt to make the mash before fermentation. Some are added after fermentation. Those ingredients can have very different effects depending on when they are added. Adjuncts can cover a very wide range, from spices to fruits, to chilli pepper, to chocolate, to vanilla, and coffee. Some (fruits, spices, chocolate, coffee, nuts) are meant to enhance or highlight flavors already found in certain styles of beer, while others (chipotle peppers, etc.) can create a whole new flavor experience.
Aging/packaging/processing can also affect flavors. Most obviously, barrel aging a beer can affect the flavor tremendously. The age and the oak itself will contribute a lot of flavor, texture, and aroma contributions. Frequently, because of the expense of barrels, the relatively low retail price of beer, and just because of the special contributions, beers are aged in barrels which previously played host to wine, brandy, bourbon, or other spirits. These barrels can contribute both a higher alcohol content and interesting flavors. Processing beer can affect the flavor as well. Is a beer filtered, fined, centrifuged, or served en lees? Lees are dead yeast cells, which are often left in some beers, particularly wheat beers. If they are removed, the exact method can affect flavor as well. If a beer is bottle/keg/can conditioned, served on cask, or force carbonated, or some combination of them will affect mouth feel and flavor, as will the exact gas blend used.
Hopefully this is a good start to developing a beer palate, and knowing the important contributions that each decision a brewer makes can have on the final product.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Tasting Notes: North Coast Barrel Aged Old Rasputin
Aroma: Booze, chocolate, caramel, in that order. Smells much sweeter and more chocolatey than the non-barrel aged version of the same beer.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied, but not sticky or syrupy. Creamy texture.
Flavors: Boozy, coffee, just a hint of chocolate and caramel sweetness. Lingering, bitter/burnt coffee finish.
Overall: Definitely a special beer. Complex, with a lot going on both on the nose and the palate. Similar enough to the unaged version that it is recognizable, but definitely smoother, richer, and a little more complex. Definitely not a sweet beer by any means, but also not quite as dry or harsh as an unaged Old Rasputin. Would be a great beer to drink with a special meal or a very special, equally rich dessert.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Tasting Notes: New Glarus Enigma
Aroma: Funky and tart. A barnyard funk, but still a sour cherry tartness to it.
Mouthfeel: Light. Rolls right off the tongue. More carbonation/effervescence than I was expecting based on the small head.
Flavors: Tart at the front, then cherry and vanilla come out. Almost tastes like canned cherry pie filling. Finishes with a little barnyard funk, a touch of vanilla, and a very strong sour apple sourness.
Overall: Not my favorite sour or fruit beer, or even my favorite New Glarus sour or fruit beer. Definitely nothing bad about this brew, but nothing really excited me either. This might actually be my least favorite New Glarus beer so far, and it's hard to put a finger on exactly why. Where their other sours and fruit beers not being overtly or offensively sour, and their hoppier beers being a bit malty comes across as balance and finesse, and even approachability across styles or even to non-beer drinkers, this one just seems too sweet, light bodied, and bland for a barrel-aged sour, but not quite malty or mild enough to make it an approachable session beer. Again, definitely nothing bad about this beer, but if I had a fridge full of the full New Glarus lineup, this would probably be my last choice.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Tasting Notes: New Glarus Raspberry Tart
Aroma: Sweet and tart raspberry. Just a tiny bit of funk.
Mouthfeel: Fairly light, but does leave a little bit of a syrupy sensation behind.
Flavors: Well balanced. Starts out just the right amount of tart, noticeable but not offputting. Gets sweet, without ever being syrupy or sickeningly sweet, with a subtle vanilla note, and rounds out just tart enough to pucker your lips a little bit and leave you wanting more.
Overall: Good beer. Tart enough to please us sour-lovers, but balanced and gentle enough that even people who might not usually drink sours could drink it. Sweet enough to please some unlikely beer drinkers, without being syrupy or tasting artificial like some popular framboise. A great beer to introduce a wine or cocktail drinker to craft beer. And a great fruit/sour beer to introduce a beer drinker who might not usually drink them. Not a lot of malt or hop flavors, but also not quite the same as a lot of better known fruit beers or sours. Definitely will be picking up some more of this when I am back in the dairy land.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Tasting Notes: Avery Samael's Oak-Aged Ale
Appearance: Pours a very dark, toffee brown, with a caramel colored head, which though thin, had pretty good retention.
Aroma: Boozy, sweet, chocolate, dark fruit.
Mouthfeel: Heavy, full bodied, but not as syrupy as I would have expected from a beer with over 16% ABV and as much sweetness on the nose.
Taste: Caramel, chocolate, booze, sweet. Picked up a lot more caramel and less chocolate on the palate than on the nose with this one. Definitely a booziness (as would be expected from a beer with this ABV). Almost a sherry or port flavor. Plum and oak on the finish, which lingers for quite a while.
Overall: Interesting beer, and definitely have to be ready for it and expecting it to enjoy. It mellows a little as it warms up and breathes (as any 4 year old barleywine probably would). Unlike some other barleywines, this beer is not aggressively hopped, leaving the malty, boozy, and sweet flavors in the spotlight. Great beer, and unlike a lot of quads, barleywines, and other sweet and boozy beers, it actually comes in a 12 ounce bottle, which is great!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Tasting Notes: Shipyard Export
Appearance: Pours a light amber with a hint of caramel or orange color to it and a slight haze. Nice medium-bodied white head to it, which went away fairly quickly, but left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Malty. Corn, cereal, no fruit or hops on the nose of this beer.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. Definitely not syrupy or heavy, but also not going to roll through like a lager or some other blondes or golden ales.
Flavor: Definitely get the same malt as on the nose, albeit more cereal and less corn. A little more caramel, fuller malt flavors. Also a hint of spice, maybe allspice or clove. Finishes with a crisp hop bite, and no real lingering flavors.
Overall: Meh. Nothing bad about this beer. It's just probably not something I would go out of my way to buy again. It's got the same flavors and aromas as a macro-brewed adjunct lager, but a little more body, some caramel sweetness, and some spice. After years of associating that corn smell and the malty start with a slightly hoppy finish with the big guys, it's had for me to really think of them differently, even with a little extra sweetness and some spice.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Tasting Notes: New Glarus Moon Man No Coast Pale Ale
Aroma: Floral and grassy, but a decent malt balance on the nose.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied.
Flavors: Balanced, but hoppy. Mostly grassy, earthy, hop flavors. A light floral note, and just a touch of pine. I didn't get much, if any, citrus hop flavor. More malt balance than a traditional American (read: West Coast) Pale would have. Enough hops that they are the first and last thing you taste, but between them being more aromatic, and less bittering, and the smooth maltiness that comes mid-palate, still manages to be balanced and not overwhelming.
Overall: Very interesting and unique beer. I am far from a hop head, and tend to favor other styles over American Pales and IPAs, but this beer is one I would order if I saw it on tap. In a way, hoppy enough that it could please an IPA drinker, but because the hops steer away from the citrus and bittering varieties so popular on the West Coast right now and because of the smooth malty backbone, much more approachable than many West Coast IPAs, or even pales, even for the non-IPA drinkers among us.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Tasting Notes: The Bruery Mother Funker
Appearance: Pours a really bright, lively, golden color. No haze or cloudiness at all. Very little head, and it dissipated almost immediately, with no lacing.
Aroma: Sour. A slight vinegar aroma, a bit of lemon, but overall just a very sour smell.
Mouthfeel: Very light bodied. Also pretty flat, not a lot of carbonation on this one.
Taste: Starts out with a pucker-up, tart, sour ale taste, vinegary with a hint of lemon. Mid-palate I got a moment of funk, barnyard, Brett-like flavor, and then back to the pucker up kind of sour, with a lingering lemony, band-aid-ish finish on it.
Overall: I loved it, and was pleasantly surprised. I tend to like the tart, sour style of sours and wilds more than the funky, barnyardy, Saisony style. Based on the name, I was expecting a lot more funk and less tart from this beer. It has a lot more funk than some other tart sours, but still has a solid tartness to it. If you like sours, this is a great beer. If you're not a fan of sours, I would stay away.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Tasting Notes: New Glarus Hometown Blonde
Aroma: Nice balance. Definitely a lot of bread on the nose, but also some nice hop aromas as well.
Mouthfeel: Light, refreshing.
Flavors: Balanced, as with the aroma. Pretty bready and doughy at the start, then a little bit of grass or hay, and a nice crisp bitter finish. Get a lingering floral hop at the end.
Overall: Nice use of pale malts, and crisp hops to make a refreshing beer. I'm drinking it on a day off, and in the winter, but I bet after a hot day working out in the sun in the summer, this beer would really hit the spot with its malty sweetness, light body, and crisp use of hops. The hops are definitely a major player in this brew, but in more of a German crisp, refreshing way than the in your face bitterness way I've gotten used to from a lot of U.S. craft beers.
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