Propagating Culture Via Propagating Yeast

When I decided to start this beer blog, I titled it 7000 years to remind myself that I am part of a culture that has lasted and endured much. Thru this blog, I get to add my bit to one of the few aspects of our species' culture that survived the evolution from nomadic tribes. The one thing that I did not consider when settling on my title was how fragile that culture can be. The development of one's culture is not necessarily an additive process, but elements within the culture can be setback and even lost. But sometimes, when a tradition, knowledge, or skill begins to fade, something sparks and re-ignites it. This is what has happened to beer. It has happened probably more times than we can tell, but it has happened in a major way in the last few hundred years in our own back yard.

Imagine a restaurant/inn in a small sleepy town in VT that makes its own beer for traveling customers. Now, what is the setting that springs to mind? Is it colonial times? Modern day? Both are believable. During colonial era importing beer from far away was not an option due to spoilage. It also provided health benefits. No known pathogens can survive in beer, which made it an ideal thirst quencher when wary of unknown water sources. Fast forward to today, the U.S. has so many options that people seek even more choices. In a world of thousands of commercially made beers, people begin to desire the homemade. It is like eating out for months, an urge for a home cooked meal begins to swell. Oddly enough, this abundance of variety makes a brewpub's beer a damn special option due to its authentic nature. You know it was handcrafted because you are dining a few feet from where it was made.

So where am I going with this? We had inns that serve beer then and now. Big deal? It is, actualy. In the years separating colonial times and now, a lot happened (duh.). This part of our culture was almost lost, but not at the fault of one catastrophic event, rather many would pave the way. For example, during World War I, there was a large anti-German sentiment, which caused German owned breweries, the majority, to take a financial hit due to boycotts. There has been prohibition which effectively killed off most small breweries in the states. Then along came the scientific era, which brought about massive changes to the way we manufactured and delivered material and food which influenced the method in which beer was made. This was one more stumbling block for the surviving smaller breweries, who could not afford this new way of life and competition. The Second World War left a large female population at home as well as a rationed crop. This lead to the increase in usage of adjuncts like corn and rice, which created a lighter, less flavorful beer. A lighter beer was perfect for business because it was more palatable to the new female work force and cost less than the original formula. All of these events caused a booming American beer culture to dwindle from thousands of small breweries producing local, authentic and varied styles to the few, light, flavorless lagers millions of Americans drink today. This overwhelming popularity of lighter beer have now begun to alter European recipes that have been around for centuries. It is an endless domino effect.

In the mid-70's to early 80's, the American beer culture was in a sad state of affairs. 80 breweries were making beer for only 51 Brewing companies and it was almost all the same style and flavor profile. As nature tends to do, whenever an environment is off balance, some mechanism is tripped to restore the balance. Beer's purging fire was the homebrewing revolution. It eventually sparked thousands of small breweries all producing their own takes on a wide variety of beers, which filled a much need gap in the marketplace. To date, the swell has caused so much stir, that the major companies have realized that this is a growing sector and they, too, need to get back in the trenches and compete with these small creative producers. Today, almost 30 years later, it is a great time to be a beer drinker.

So what is the point of the history lesson? The point was to share with you how it is possible to loose part of your culture. The frailty of one's culture struck me while watching and episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. The episode was in Hong Kong and they were watching a man prepare noodles using a technique that was on its death bed. No more bamboo pressed noodles will ever be made in Hong Kong after this guy dies. I immediately thought of beer and loosing the technique to make a quality malt beverage. While at first, I thought "Good thing that won't happen", but then I thought about the above history lesson and realized that while we were not down to the only quality brewer in the world, we were veering way off course. Sad, but true.

I think what I am trying to say is, pick something that you get passionate about and think of a world that, for one reason or another, its traces have vanished from your life. It is important to think in terms like this because it happens. It has happened in the past and it will happen in the future. If you really care, do something to stop it. The most frustrating thing about that Bourdain episode was these two huge foodies, shrugging their shoulders at centuries of tradition going down the shitter. Nothing to do, but to point at culture circling the bowl with dispair. For me, I drink, I read, I write, and most importantly, I create. I am a homebrewer and should we veer off course again, I will have a homebrew in hand to keep me happy and that is a comforting thought.

The Gateway Beers

I believe that the five most wonderful words in the English language are "Would you like a beer?". But there is a yang to this yin. A horrible concoction of verbal nastiness that is like a piercing sound that only beer geeks can hear and feel as it crawl up their spine no matter where they stand: "No, I don't like beer.". It gives me the shivers to even think about it. For those of you out there that didn't feel it rattle your soul, it probably means you have said this phrase at some point, and if so, then this post is for you.

I am not a beer snob that believes that if you don't worship beer, then there is something wrong with you. I like to think of myself as a beer therapist, a beer counselor, or that matchmaker in Fiddler on the Roof, but for beer. What I am saying is that if you don't like beer, that's fine. But maybe it isn't that you don't like beer, but rather that you just haven't met the right beer yet. That is exactly what this post is all about, walking you or your no-beer-drinking friend thru a few beers that could help them see that there is more to beer than Corona.
**Side note:
I am not saying that these are the best beers ever, but I am saying that these are easy beers for the non-beer drinker to find, enjoy, and possibly get hooked on. This post is not for reader who, while reading, will think, "Shit, these aren't interesting beers." because if you know them, you are into beer. **

Believe it or not, but I used to not like beer. Granted, most of what I knew was the piss American lager from The Big Three, but for me, this first beer was like a first toke on a crack pipe. After one pint, I was hooked on beer.

Brooklyn's Weisse
The thing that shocked me about this beer was that it didn't taste like beer, or at least the beer that I knew. For you newbies, unlike a bud, when you pour it into your glass (if you were served with a lemon, don't squeeze it just yet), stick your nose in and take in the beer's aroma. What do you smell? Probably, the first thing you will notice is the sweeter, fruitier scents. Take a sip. For me, I am hit with bananas and clove. Maybe a bit of citrus and some breadiness, but overall a smooth beer with light bubbles that nip at your tongue that accentuates the zeztiness of the beer. Now ask yourself, is this like any other beer you have had? If you want to, go ahead and squeeze in that lemon. Take another sip.

You have just experienced what is called a Hefeweisen, a German style beer that means Wheat with yeast. The cloudiness within that orange wheat beer is yeast. The style is normally unfiltered. Don't worry, it isn't bad for you. It actually adds some of the flavors in the beer. Many brewers make this style of beer, esp German breweries, and is a perfect beer to drink on a hot summer day.

Unibroue Éphémère Apple
This Ale proves that Canada has more up its sleeve than Labatt's Blue, a beer that once again proves that Canadians have just as bad taste as American.
Éphémère's style is called a fruit beer. It is similar to the Brooklyn's Weise in that it is a light, fizzy beer that is wonderful on a summer day, save one aspect. Fruit! It is teaming with flavors of spiced Grannysmith apples, a slight hint of crisp pear and a touch of coriander. You could compare it to a cider, but it is really all ale.

Unibroque makes other fruit beers that fall under their Éphémère label, such as cranberry, peach, cassis, and framboise (raspberry). Belgian brews, like Éphémère, have a unique sub-style called Lambic entirely dedicated to the use of fruit and wild yeast. Many other breweries experiment with fruit/beer combinations, such as Dogfish Head's Peach and champagne-like whit ale Festina Peshe ( I am really excited to start drinking this beer this summer!)

Bitter
For you men who are fearful that all the beers on this list are going to be "Girl beers", this one is for you. I have already discussed Bitter in an earlier post and how it is a great beer for non-beer drinkers and experienced beer drinkers alike to start exploring. It is light, crisp, and don't let the name fool you, it ain't that biter. There is a wide array of Bitters, everything from light crisp style to an almost apple cider like beer. For the whole rundown on Bitters, read the post: Know Your Beer: Bitter.


OK, last "Girly Beer":

Hoegaarden (Pronounced 'Who-Gar-Den')
What can I say. This beer is super easy to find in New York and many other places. It is another Whit ale and has a unique flavor provided by the brewery's use of coriander and dried Curaçao orange peel. It has a very light flavor and like the Hefeweisen is unfiltered and typically served with a lemon. I like it cause it is simple, refreshing and really easy to find in NYC. Almost all midtown bars have the standard 3 imports: Bass, Guinness, Stella, and many of them rebound this list of monotony by offering Hoegaarden. So for you adventurous types who want to throw caution to the wind and break into beer, this one can be found all over the place and is worth a try.

An interesting side story about Hoegaarden: It was started like many other breweries are started, by one passionate man with a vision, but it ended, at least for him, on a sad note. The brewery caught fire in the mid 80s and a few other breweries pitched in to "help" him out. InBev, the largest beer company in the world, loaned them the money for the repairs. Once they were back up and running, InBev then leaned on Hoegaarden's founder to change his recipe to give it a broader appeal. The owner decided it was time to sever his ties with the brewery as he no longer had true control over the product. Sadly, the beer that you try today is this altered recipe and is owned and controlled by InBev. The founder moved to Texas to found another brewery to keep the original recipe alive. Making a woeful tale even bluer, his new brewery was also consumed by a major megabrewery, this time it was Miller. The true original recipe can be found thru a few small breweries in Belgium.


While this list is in no way a complete list of all the beers I would suggest, it is comprised of some beers that will intrigue new comers and are easy to spot in NYC. So, break the habit of saying No to beer and remember, at one point in time, I, too, had no interest in beers. But after a few pints of gateway beers such as these, I was a changed man and a few (thousand) pints after that, I was hooked in a real bad way. Here's hoping that even if you don't get hooked, you will at least find some beer that you can enjoy. And when that day happens, I can stop shivering every time someone, somewhere says "No, I don't li...." Sorry, I really can't say this awful phrase twice in one post. It hurts too much.

Know your Beer: The Bitter

Sometimes I forget that not everyone is a beer geek. Not everyone has tried many of the styles of beer nor could tell them apart. They just enjoy their beer. I forget this.

But I do like thinking about what makes up a style of beer. I like to think about why there is a divide between say a porter and a stout. I guess that is why I am a geek. Nevertheless, I think if you are reading this blog, then maybe you too might wonder the difference. If anything, knowing these things might make my perspectives on beer a bit clearer. With that in mind, I give you Know your Beer. A simple look into styles of beer and what makes the beer you drink.

To start this new segment off, I am going to discuss one of the least understood styles in the States, the Bitter or more precisely, the Ordinary Bitter. There are actually three types of Bitters: Ordinary Bitter, Best Bitter, and Extra Special Bitter or ESB. Right now, I am only talking about Ordinary Bitter, the other two will be discussed in a later article.

There are two reasons why this beer is misunderstood by American drinkers. First off, the name. With a name like Bitter, it sounds like a beer that is really hoppy and has a harsh bite. Quite the opposite is true. More on that in a minute.

The other reason is that Bitter's style is really hard to lock down. It comes in an array of colors from a golden amber to a darker chocolate. Its flavors are just as various, ranging from sweet, fruity apple and pear to creamy smooth butterscotch. Because it varies so, it can take a slightly adventurous soul to blindly order an unknown pint of Bitter as you might be expecting a different flavor than you receive.

As I said earlier, Bitters are not bitter beers, they are actually referred to as a session beer. Session beers are beers that are easy to drink, light in alcohol, low in carbonation and tend to be very well balanced, just enough sweet to mellow out the hops. People would venture to pubs have a few pints of Bitter and still be able to maintain, albeit more lively, discussion on current events or politics. The K Y Jelly of social discourse. The flavors of the Bitter need to be very enjoyable and the alcohol present, but not overpowering, otherwise it fails as a session beer. Not burping all the time is nice too.

One might think that the unpredictable nature and that mellow flavor of the Bitter is a bad sign, but once you think about it, the combination is the strength of the beer. You get a lot a variety within the style and the chances of you finding an offensive Bitter are low. Also, it is a great beer for those that don't like heavy/big beers or have never ventured past Budweiser. I am thinking about those friends of yours from college that, in beer terms, are still in college or your girlfriend.

Girls, if you are going out for a night on the town with a new man and he wants to stop off at a pub, ask for a Bitter.

Girls, if you are going out for a night on the town with a new man and he wants to stop off at a pub, ask for a Bitter. For one, the guy is going to be super impressed that you want to drink beer, know about something other than Stella, and it just sounds hot. Maybe try it in a British accent. Also, you can keep up with him and maybe even drink him under the table. Just a word of warning, because it is lighter and you can theoretically drink more, makes sure that the restroom in the bar is up to your standards as you will be taking a few trips throughout the night.

Bitters really are a great beer just as long as you understand what a Bitter is and have a better idea of what to expect when the bartender pours you a pint. As I discussed in my 1st post about Extreme Beers, you can't drink many pints that have crazy levels of maltiness, hoppiness, or alcohol. A night of drinking is where the Bitter reigns as champ. This is probably one of the reasons that the Bitter is so popular in the U.K. but it is high time that the U.S. catches up to its neighbors across the pond and get in on some of the Bitter goodness.

Some bottled Bitters you can sample at home are:
Fullers London Pride
Young's Bitter
Goose Island's Honkers Ale

But possibly the best place to try a Bitter is from the cask at a Pub. A good pub will have more options than anything you could find in a bottle. Have fun exploring!