Alcohol Freaks

Great International Beer & Cider Competition Results

2009-12-20T15:20:00.004+05:30

November 13, 2009 — Providence, RI

Two hundred forty-seven beers and ciders from 53 breweries and cideries representing 15 states and four foreign countries entered the Great International Beer & Cider Competition this year in Providence,RI.

The event was sponsored for the 13^th year by Yankee Brew News. Forty-five professional brewers and beer industry journalists acted as judges in a blind tasting format. First, second and third place awards were presented in 20 categories of ales, lagers and ciders.

WHEAT BEER — BELGIAN

1) Southampton Double White, Southampton Brewing, Southampton, NY

2) Redhook Schmidty’s Vice, Redhook Ale Brewery, Portsmouth, NH

3) Blue Moon Belgian White Ale, Coors Brewing, Golden, CO

WHEAT BEER — GERMAN & AMERICAN

1) Samuel Adams Dunkleweizen, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

2) Rogue Somer Orange Honey Ale, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR

3) Sierra Nevada Kellerweis, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Chico, CA

LIGHT ALES

1) Offshore East Chop Lighthouse, Offshore Ale Co., Oak Bluffs, MA

2) Trinity Kölsch, Trinity Brewhouse, Providence, RI

3) Redhook Slim Chance, Redhook Ale Brewery, Portsmouth, NH

ENGLISH PALE ALE/BITTER

1) Martha’s Exchange McGann’s London Ale, Martha’s Exchange, Nashua, NH

2) Jasper Murdock’s Old Slipperyskin, Jasper Murdock’s Alehouse/Norwich Inn, Norwich, VT

3) Boston Beer Works (Fenway) King’s Chapel Imperial ESB, Slesar Brothers Brewing, Boston, MA

AMERICAN PALE ALE

1) Redhook Long Hammer IPA, Redhook Ale Brewery, Portsmouth, NH

2) Jasper Murdock’s First Pick, Jasper Murdock’s Alehouse/Norwich Inn, Norwich, VT

3) Gardner Chair City Pale Ale, Gardner Ale House, Gardner, MA

AMERICAN AMBER ALE

1) Ithaca CascaZilla Red Ale, Ithaca Beer Co., Ithaca, NY

2) Rogue American Error! Contact not defined., Rogue Ales, Portland, OR

3) Cricket Hill American Ale, Cricket Hill Brewing, Fairfield, NJ

INDIA PALE ALE

1) Willimantic Junk Mail IPA, Willimantic Brewing, Willimantic, CT

2) Trinity IPA, Trinity Brewhouse, Providence, RI

3) Boston Beer Works (Fenway) Slash & Burn Double IPA, Slesar Brothers Brewing, Boston, MA

BROWN ALE

1) Jasper Murdock’s Famous Sidekick, Jasper Murdock’s Alehouse/Norwich Inn, Norwich, VT

2) John Harvard’s Nut Brown Ale, John Harvard’s Brew House, Manchester, CT

3) Milly’s Castlefield Northern English Brown, Milly’s Tavern, Manchester, NH

PORTER

1) Southampton Imperial Porter, Southampton Brewing, Southampton, NY

2) Rogue Mocha Porter, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR

3) Long Trail Imperial Porter, Long Trail Brewing, Bridgewater Corners, VT

STOUT

1) Pike 5X Stout, Pike Brewing, Seattle, WA

2) Rogue Chocolate Stout, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR

3) Rogue Shakespeare Stout Rogue Ales, Portland, OR

LAGER

1) Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

2) Kingfisher Premium Lager, Saratoga Brewing, Saratoga Springs, NY

3) Rogue Kell’s Irish Lager, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR

AMBER LAGER

1) Cambridge House Ominous Forecast, Cambridge House, Granby, CT

2) Boston Beer Works (Canal Street) Black Rider, Slesar Brothers Brewing, Boston, MA

3) Harpoon Munich Dark, Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA

OKTOBERFEST

1) Samuel Adams Octoberfest, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

2) Olde Saratoga Lager, Saratoga Brewing, Saratoga Springs, MY

3) Rogue Maierfest, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR

STRONG BEER — OTHER

1) Trinity Imperial Red, Trinity Brewhouse, Providence, RI

2) Lake Placid Ubu Ale, Lake Placid Brewing, Lake Placid, NY

3) Watch City Pazuzu Ale, Watch City Brewing, Waltham, MA

STRONG BEER — IMPERIAL IPA

1) Gardner Face-off Double IPA, Gardner Ale House, Gardner, MA

2) Rogue I²PA, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR

3) Ithaca Alphalpha, Ithaca Beer Co., Ithaca, NY

STRONG BEER — LAGER

1) Samuel Adams Double Bock, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

2) Rogue Morimoto Imperial Pilsner, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR

3) Boston Beer Works (Canal Street) Double Bock, Slesar Brothers Brewing, Boston, MA

STRONG BEER — MIXED STYLES

1) Samuel Adams Imperial Stout, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

2) Olde Burnside Ten Penny Ale Reserve, Olde Burnside Brewing, East Hartford, CT

3) Southampton Abbot 12, Southampton Brewing, Southampton, NY

FRUIT/SPICE — LAGERS & BELGIAN ALES

1) Southampton Cuvée des Fleurs, Southampton Brewing, Southampton, NY

2) Southampton Saison, Southampton Brewing, Southampton, NY

3) Trinity Belgian Pumpkin, Trinity Brewhouse, Providence, RI

FRUIT/SPICE: ALES

1) Watch City Beejeezus Hop Crisis BPA, Watch City Brewing, Waltham, MA

2) Trinity Baltic Porter, Trinity Brewhouse, Providence, RI

3) Boston Beer Works (Canal Street) Cherry Bomb, Slesar Brothers Brewing, Boston, MA

CIDER

1) Original Sin Pear Cider, Original Sin Cider, New York, NY

2) Woodchuck Draft Cider Oak Aged, Green Mountain Beverage, Middlebury, VT

3) Tulip Valley Red Barn Fire Barrel Cider, Tulip Valley Vineyard & Orchard, Mount Vernon, WA

source: allaboutbeer

Homebrewing

2009-12-20T15:04:00.004+05:30

Homebrewing is highly rewarding. There is nothing like the satisfaction of flipping the tap and drawing a tall, sparkling brew, tailored to the season, the only beer of its kind on the planet, tasting the pleasures of self-gratification. And of course, it’s even better if you can pass it around. Sharing a homebrewed beer is an act of kindness, grace, and civility.

Passive entertainment is out. People want to do something, not just sit around and have their experiences spoon-fed to them. It’s time to get our hands dirty and make things. This cuts across all types of cultural activities; beer certainly falls into that bucket.

This desire to make something and share it has created an industry―craft brewing―successful enough to shake the foundations of beer in this country. Sometimes, if you just believe in something and keep pushing and going where the spirit takes you, amazing things happen. Craft beer is still a long way from being the top dog in the market, but who would have thought it would get to where it is? For sure, it’s here to stay.

So, if you’ve been thinking about brewing, get busy. Start thinking about what you’re going to brew, beer by beer, season by season. Picture a great tasting beer that you brewed, foamy and cool in your hand. It’s way worth it. Set a date, buy a kit, get a good book and start brewing.

The process is simple. Beginners use malt extract syrup or powder as the base, which skips the more complex and time-consuming mashing process. To this are added small amounts of various specialty grains and then at different times during the boil, bittering and aromatic hops are added. When cooled, yeast is pitched and fermentation takes place. A few weeks after that, the beer is bottled. It’s not that hard. You can do it in a kitchen in an apartment, and you don’t need to learn to weld. Not for a while, anyway.

You will need to learn the basics of cleaning and sanitation, because everything else rests on them. Beyond that, the rest of the science, technology, culture and art behind brewing is rich and fascinating, well worthy of pursuit. You don’t necessarily need to learn it all―in fact you can make perfectly fine beer without it―but the background stuff will enrich your brewing and yourself.

Making beer is the best way to learn about our favorite beverage, and gives you insight you can’t get anyway else. Cooking up a recipe for a kitchen-brewed beer is pretty much the same as at a craft brewery. You’re trying to coax 900 flavors out of a pile of grains, a handful or two of hops and some yeast. You’re going to get an education in tasting, too. When you brew, you know for sure where all those flavors come from and you’ll become more aware of the subtleties in your―and everybody else’s―beers. You will learn to be especially vigilant of flaws and off-flavors that can ruin all your hard work.

As you grow as a brewer you will learn to concoct a recipe that will give you just the profile you were looking for. After a few batches, you may want to step up to all-grain mashing. It takes more time and a little more equipment, but gives you total control of the recipe, since it’s just a scaled down version of commercial brewing. You might find difficult brewing techniques like decoction and Belgian slijm mashing worth a try. You could grow your own hops, malt your own barley and, yes, even weld up some of your own equipment. You may, like many, decide to keep things very simple. There is no one way to pursue homebrewing.

source: allaboutbeer

Budweiser Freaks

2009-12-18T14:39:00.005+05:30

A Crown for the king

A fan that deserves to be in every beer-freak's home

Friends + Budweiser = Fun

A Social Service

Crab's up for Grabs

Budweiser Jalopy

Cheers to all Budweiser freaks:

sex drugs rock 'n' roll
weed speed birth control
lifes a bitch but so am i
so fuck the world
And lets get high

Budweiser India

2009-12-18T13:51:00.007+05:30

Crown Beers India, the joint venture between Anheuser Busch and Crown International, has launched the first locally produced Budweiser in southern and western India.

The medium-bodied lager, which retails in 330-ml and 650-ml bottles, is brewed using a blend of imported and classic American aroma hops as well as barley malts and rice. "As the Indian beer market continues to experience tremendous growth, our goal is to best position Budweiser as leading brand in the premium category," said Stephen Burrows, CEO and president, Anheuser-Busch Asia Pacific Operations. "Brewed locally, Budweiser will distinguish itself with Indian consumers as a great-tasting beer with unmatched quality and freshness."

Budweiser is currently sold in hotels, retail outlets and bars in Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai. Crown Beers said it plans to expand Budweiser's distribution across southern and western India throughout the summer. Budweiser's launch follows the joint venture's May introduction of Armstrong, a new premium strong beer, which contains 7% alcohol by volume. The brand is sold in 650-ml bottles at retail outlets and bars across southern and western India. "Strong beers account for nearly two-thirds of beer sales in India, and the segment continues to grow at a rapid pace," said KVD Prasad Rao, chairman, Crown Beers. "This incredible segment growth provides Armstrong with an opportunity to become the brand of choice for Indian consumers who want a stronger beer with a distinct taste and a premium look."

Last February, Anheuser-Busch International and Crown International formed a joint venture to brew, market and distribute Budweiser and other brands in India. The joint venture includes the new 500,000-hectoliter Hyderabad brewery completed in March. Both Anheuser-Busch and Crown International each have 50% ownership of the joint venture and collaborate on all local management, marketing and sales decisions.

Budweiser arrives in North India too

NORTH India just got a new beer to guzzle, the American Budweiser.

The world's largest beer brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev has already introduced the beer in the southern part of the country including in the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka after InBev bought out USbased Anheuser-Busch (AB) in November 2008 in a $52 billion transaction.

Over 1.5 million cases of Budweiser were sold in 2008-09.

The American lager was only available as an import in hotels before its launch in south India.

Budweiser would compete with Copenhagen's Carlsberg and Tuborg beers, which retail for Rs 35 a pint. The price difference between these foreign-origin beers may benefit Budweiser.

"Pricing is a factor that may help Budweiser eat into other beers' market share that are priced in the same segment," says Sandeep Verma, director of Delhi-based Institute of Bar Operations and Management. He added the international acceptance of the beer will soon create a different segment altogether in the Indian market.

AB InBev India sells beers like Stella Artois, Beck's, Leffe and Hoegaarden, among others at the moment.

These beers are brewed in Hyderabad along with Budweiser, where the company has a brewery.

The company is expected to ramp up production of the beer, following its launch in north India on Wednesday.

Bars are also optimistic about Budweiser's acceptance among beer guzzlers.

"Foreigners coming into the bar will opt for Budweiser when they see it listed on the menu. The young crowd too, which opts for beers Carlsberg and Kingfisher will start settling for a Budweiser once its available," said Nikhil Davda, assistant manager for marketing at Galaxy Entertainment, a company that owns Gurgaon-based The Sports Bar. The bar would price a pint of Budweiser at Rs 129.

“As the Indian beer segment has witnessed double digit growth year-on-year, the country offers an important market with immense potential.The launch of Budweiser in north India will further enhance our influence in this crucial market,” said Anheuser-Busch India chief executive Raja Mukherji.

The announcement comes after the successful integration of Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Indian subsidiaries, which was initiated following $52-billion acquisition of the American beer giant Anheuser-Busch by the European brewing major InBev last November.

Anheuser-Busch InBev India currently owns and manages three breweries with a total capacity of more than 700,000 hectolitres — Regent breweries in Madhya Pradesh, Bangalore-based Dasappa and Crown brewery in Andhra Pradesh.

The brands Budweiser and Tennent’s Super are manufactured locally.

The company invests on an average about $10 million year-on-year in its breweries, Mukherji said, adding that “Indian laws on alcoholic beverage are cumbersome. The industry is to fighting to get simpler norms and hope we achieve that.”

Source: santabanta.com

Budweiser

2009-12-17T14:01:00.033+05:30

Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch) is an American-style lager and is one of the most popular beers in the United States. Budweiser is made with a large proportion (up to 80%) of rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the United States and the rest of the world. It is a filtered beer available in draught and packaged forms. In the USA, it has 5.0% alcohol by volume and 145 calories per 12 oz., except in Utah, Minnesota, Kansas and Oklahoma where a 3.2% alcohol by weight (4.0% by volume) strength is available due to state laws. Minnesota and Colorado require 3.2% alcohol by weight beer only at select public events and beer being sold in grocery stores and gas stations.

Name origin

In 1876, Adolphus Busch and his friend Carl Conrad, a liquor importer, developed a "Bohemian-style" lager, inspired after a trip to the region. Brewers in Bohemia generally named a beer after their town with the suffix "er." Beers produced in the town of Pilsen (Plzeň), for example, were called Pilsners. Busch and Conrad had visited another town, only 104 km (65 miles) south of Pilsen also, known for its breweries: Budweis (or Böhmisch Budweis). Beer has been brewed in Budweis since it was founded as Budiwoyz by king Ottokar II of Bohemia in 1245. The name Budweiser is a locative, meaning "of Budweis." In most European countries American Budweiser is not labelled as Budweiser but as Bud or Anheuser-Busch B, and the name Budweiser refers to the original Czech beer. The United Kingdom is the exception to this, and both companies use Budweiser there.

Anheuser-Busch has a market share in the United States of 50.9% for all beers sold. This is primarily composed of Budweiser brands. In 2008 Budweiser/Anheuser-Busch sold the majority of their stock to Belgian-Brazilian beer giant InBev, to create the largest brewing company in the world. The company's 2005 annual report cites figures which demonstrate Budweiser brands are proving to be quite successful in markets outside of the U.S. including China, and Canada, where Labatt Brewing Company brews and packages Budweiser and Bud Light for the Canadian market.

Budweiser is also widely available in Mexico due to Anheuser-Busch's half-ownership of Grupo Modelo, through which Budweiser and Bud Light are distributed. In Ireland, Budweiser is one of the leading lager brands; it is brewed, marketed, and sold by Guinness. Budweiser is also available in Italy, UK, Brazil, Argentina, Finland, Germany, Panama, Paraguay, Japan, India and Russia because of partnerships Anheuser-Busch has with major brewers there.

Budweiser, under the name "Bud," is also available in Belgium and is imported by Corsendonk breweries and is distributed by Carrefour, the second largest retailer in the world.

Budweiser was recently launched in India, where it is slowly gaining market share from the leading Kingfisher, Fosters and Royal Challenge.

Dispute over right to use the name

Anheuser-Busch cites prior registration of the trademark in the US and battles for the right to use it worldwide in many legal disputes against the Europe-based companies in several countries. The Europeans wish to maintain or regain their right to market their beer under their traditional trademark. Bürgerbräu has marketed its beer as Budweiser Bier since 1876, while Budvar has marketed its product this way since 1895. The two companies in Budweis point out that Budweiser is not a generic name, but refers to a beer actually made in the city.

The existence of several beers with similar names has caused problems in some markets. In 1907 the US and Czech brewers made an agreement that Anheuser-Busch could market its beer as Budweiser only in North America, while the Czech brewers had the rights to the European markets. Anheuser-Busch markets its product as "Bud" (in France and elsewhere) and "Anheuser-Busch B" (in Germany), where the beer brewed in the original city retains the rights to the name. The United Kingdom is one of the few places where both Anheuser-Busch and Budvar beer are sold under the name "Budweiser." In the U.S., the original beer from Budweis is sold under the name "Czechvar".

In 2007, Anheuser-Busch announced it had signed a deal with Budejovicky Budvar, the maker of the Czech Republic's Budweiser, to import Budvar Budweiser into the United States and sell it under the name Czechvar.

In 2009, the European Court of First Instance upheld a ruling that refuses AB InBev, the new owners of the US Budweiser brand, permission to register the Budweiser brand as a trademark. After the ruling, AB InBev decided to keep the Budweiser or Bud name in 23 of 27 European countries. In the U.K., courts have ruled both companies can call their beer Budweiser. In Germany, Budvar has exclusive control over the Budweiser brand name.

Marketing

Budweiser emphasizes humorous advertising campaigns, such as the "Real Men of Genius" radio and television commercials for Bud Light.

The Budweiser from Budějovice has been called "The Beer of Kings" since the 16th century. Adolphus Busch is said to have changed the slogan to "The King of the Beers". The Czech Budweiser is sold in some countries as "Budejovicky Budvar" but is known as Budweiser throughout.

Some Bud advertising campaigns have entered the popular culture in the United States. They include a long line of TV advertisements in the 1990s featuring three frogs named "Bud", "Weis", and "Er" (The commercial is often listed among the best Super Bowl advertisements in history, ranking at #5 at MSNBC's list.), and a campaign built around the phrase "Whassup?". The company is known for its sports sponsorships, video game sponsorship Tapper (a 1983 arcade game released by Bally Midway. The goal of the game is to serve beer and collect empty mugs and tips.), and humorous advertisements. Advertising campaigns have also included a nude Ganymede (a divine hero in Greek Mythology whose homeland was Troy. He was a Trojan prince, son of the eponymous Tros of Dardania, and of Callirrhoe, and brother of Ilus and Assaracus. Ganymede was the most attractive among mortals, by reason of which he was abducted by Zeus in the form of an eagle to serve as cupbearer to the gods and as Zeus's beloved.) grasping a beer bottle and borne aloft by a bald eagle, lizards impersonating the "Bud-weis-er" frogs, and a team of Clydesdale horses commonly known as the Budweiser Clydesdales.

Budweiser has a vast presence in motorsports, from Bernie Little's Miss Budweiser hydroplane boat to sponsoring the Budweiser King Top Fuel Dragster driven by Brandon Bernstein. Budweiser has sponsored the CART championship, is the official beer of NHRA and was the official beer of NASCAR until 2007. Budweiser has sponsored top NASCAR teams such as Junior Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports and DEI . In 2008, Budweiser became Kasey Kahne's primary sponsor. Budweiser has also sponsored many races, including the Budweiser Shootout, and previously The Bud at the Glen, Budweiser 500, and Budweiser 400.

Budweiser is an official partner and sponsor of Major League Soccer and Los Angeles Galaxy and was the headline sponsor of the British Basketball League in the 1990s, taking over from rival company Carlsberg. Budweiser is also an official sponsor of the English Premier League.

In the early 20th century, the company commissioned a play-on-words song called Under the Anheuser Bush, which was recorded by several early phonograph companies. Budweiser continues to use popular music in advertisements. Some commercials feature the song "Galvanize", by The Chemical Brothers.

In August 2009 the company partnered with popular Chinese video-sharing site, Tudou.com for a user-generated online video contest. The contest encourages users to suggest ideas that include ants for a Bud TV spot set to run in February 2010 during the Chinese New Year.

Containers and packaging

Containers

Over the years, Budweiser has been distributed in many sizes and containers. Through the early-1950s Budweiser was primarily distributed in just three packages—kegs, 12-ounce bottles and quart bottles. Cans were first introduced in 1936.

From 1936 to 1955, cans were slow to catch on. In 1955, August Busch Jr. made a strategic move to expand Budweiser's national brand and distributor presence. Along with this expansion came advances in bottling automation, new bottling materials and more efficient distribution methods.

These advances have brought to market many new containers and package designs. Presently, Budweiser is distributed in four large container volumes: half-barrel (15.5 US gallons), quarter-barrel, 1/6 barrel and beer balls (5.2 gallons). In smaller consumption volumes, Budweiser is distributed in eight, ten, 12, 16, 22, 24, 32 and 40 US ounce containers. Smaller containers may be made of glass, aluminum or plastic.

Packages are sometimes tailored to local customs and traditions. In St. Mary's County, Maryland, ten ounce cans are the preferred package. Budweiser drinkers in the western stretches of Ottawa County, Michigan prefer the eight ounce can. This Ottawa County preference for the eight ounce can may stem from a long-standing blue law held in many Western Michigan cities that prohibit sale of beer and wine on Sundays. In response to this blue law, brewers and distributors presented the eight ounce can as a smaller alternative.

Budweiser has introduced many can designs with co-branding and sports marketing promotional packaging. Today, most of these promotional programs are represented only on the 16 ounce aluminum bottle container. However, many major league baseball and NFL teams also promote 24 ounce cans marked with team logos.

Bottle

The Budweiser bottle has remained relatively unchanged since its introduction in 1876. The top label is red and currently reads "Budweiser". The top of the main label is red with a white banner with a pledge on it, which has changed three times. Below the banner is a coat of arms of sorts, which features an Anheuser-Busch stylization. Below that is a large white box.

Beer

Budweiser is brewed using barley malt, rice, water, hops and yeast. It is lagered with beechwood chips in the aging vessel which, according to Anheuser-Busch, creates a smoother taste. Rice is used to produce a "clean finish." While beechwood chips are used in the maturation tank, there is little to no flavor contribution from the wood, mainly because they are boiled in sodium bicarbonate [baking soda] for seven hours for the very purpose of removing any flavor from the wood. The maturation tanks that Anheuser-Busch uses are horizontal and, as such, flocculation of the yeast occurs much more quickly. Anheuser-Busch refers to this process as a secondary fermentation, with the idea being that the chips give the yeast more surface area to rest on. This is also combined with a krausening procedure that re-introduces wort into the chip tank therefore activating the fermentation process again. By placing chips at the bottom of the tank, the yeast remains in suspension longer, giving it more time to reabsorb and process green beer flavors, such as acetaldehyde and diacetyl, that Anheuser-Busch believes are off-flavors which detract from overall drinkability.

While some drinkers prefer the lightness of beers like Budweiser and consume it as a refreshment or for its inebriating effects, some beer writers consider it to be bland. The beer is light-bodied with faint sweet notes and negligible bitterness, leading to reviews characterising it as a "...beer of underwhelming blandness". Based upon sales, however, it is the most popular of the American Style Lagers among North American beer consumers.

Budweiser and Bud Light are sometimes advertised as vegan beers, in that their ingredients and conditioning do not use animal by-products. Some might object to the inclusion of genetically engineered rice and animal products used in the brewing process. Recently, Anheuser-Busch has brewed a version of Budweiser with organic rice, for sale in Mexico. They have yet to extend this practice to any other countries.

Anheuser-Busch was one of the few breweries during Prohibition that had the resources and wherewithal to convert to "cereal beer" production—malt beverage made with non-fermentables such as rice and unmalted barley and rye, and able to stay under the 0.5% limit established by the Volstead Act. Following the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the major breweries continued to use unmalted cereal grains to provide the full body and mouthfeel of a "real" beer while keeping the alcohol content low.

Budweiser brands

In addition to the regular Budweiser, Anheuser-Busch brews several different beers under the Budweiser brand, including:

Bud Light

Budweiser's flagship light beer with 4.2% ABV and 110 calories per 12 ounce serving.

Bud

A version of Budweiser available in Europe.

Budweiser Select

Budweiser Select, or Bud Select, a light pale lager that contains 4.3% ABV and 99 calories per 12 ounce serving. Anheuser-Busch aggressively promoted Budweiser Select. Its slogan was "The Real Deal". It hired Jay-Z as a spokesman for the brand. Bud Select is featured alongside Budweiser and Bud Light in most of the family advertisements and point-of-sale material.

Budweiser Select 55

A version of Budweiser Select that contains 55 calories per 12 ounce serving is "a direct counterstrike to Miller's MGD 64" according to Annheuser-Busch officials. Budweiser currently claims that it is the lightest beer in the world. The calories in both Miller's MGD 64 and Budweiser's Select 55 have been reduced simply by lowering the fermentables content. MGD 64 has only 2.8% alcohol content and Select 55 has an even lower 2.4%, by comparison, while most beers have around 5%.

Bud Ice

Introduced in 1994 as "Ice by Budweiser", it has more alcohol (5.5% ABV) than Budweiser. It is best known for an advertising campaign that involved a malevolent penguin that stalked Bud Ice drinkers and stole their beer.

===Bud Ice Light=== Bud Ice Light contains 5.0% ABV and 115 calories. It undergoes fractional freezing, which Bud Light does not undergo.

Budweiser Brew Masters' Private Reserve

Budweiser Brew Masters' Private Reserve is an all-malt lager with a honey color and robust taste. It is based on a Budweiser brewmaster holiday tradition of collecting the richest part of the brew as it is tapped to the brew kettles to toast the holiday season."

Bud Dry

Bud Dry was introduced nationally in the U.S. in April 1990 with the slogan of "Why ask why? Try Bud Dry." It was originally successful in test markets and was expected to be a popular beer with the rise in light lager popularity. However, with the introduction of Bud Ice in 1994, Bud Dry wasn't as heavily marketed. It has declined in mainstream popularity and no longer receives commercial attention.

Bud Silver

An attempt to appeal to the tastes of beer drinkers in the United Kingdom, this specially brewed beer contains 4.1% alcohol by volume.

Bud Extra

A beer with caffeine, ginseng, guarana and alcohol. It contains 6.6% ABV as indicated on the label. It was marketed as a caffeinated malt beverage, similar to Sparks. On June 26, 2008, Anheuser-Busch announced that it would remove the caffeine and guarana from the beverage in response to concerns that the product was being marketed to consumers under the age of 21.

Budweiser/Bud Light Chelada

A blend of Budweiser or Bud Light and Clamato. This beverage became available nationally in late 2007.

Budweiser American Ale

American Ale debuted in September 2008. The beer claims to offer complex taste without much bitterness. Budweiser American Ale has a distinctive hoppy flavor. Budweiser American Ale is the first beer under the Budweiser name that is brewed as an ale (brewed with top-fermenting yeast) rather than a lager. The beer's darker color is a departure from the other Budweiser brands.

Budweiser NA

Non-alcoholic version of Budweiser developed for the Middle Eastern market. Also available in Green Apple and Tropical Fruits versions

Bud Light Lime

Bud Light with lime flavor added. It has 116 calories. Released in May 2008.

Bud Light Golden Wheat

On October 5, 2009 Budweiser officially released Bud Light Golden Wheat, a response to the increase in the amount of golden wheat obtained from craft brewers around the country. This beer has 118 calories, 8.3 grams of carbohydrates and 4.1% alcohol by volume. It is an American version of the hefeweizen wheat which is based on German hefeweizen style beers. German wheat beers are also referred to as weizen ("wheat") aka hefeweisen beers.

source: Wikipedia

Carlsberg

2009-04-23T01:00:00.007+05:30

The name given in the heading needs no introduction. As the name is too common between the beer lovers. Even some would say that this is the No.1 beer of the world, which tastes ummm...

So if you have never tasted it, then go out now to a shop and have one. I am sure that you will really like it.

Now lets talk about the Carlsberg Group.

The Carlsberg Group is a Danish brewing company founded in 1847 by J. C. Jacobsen after the name of his son Carl. The headquarters are in Copenhagen, Denmark. The company's main brand is Carlsberg Beer, but it also brews Tuborg as well as local beers. After merging with the brewery assets of Norwegian conglomerate Orkla ASA in January 2001, Carlsberg became the 5th largest brewery group in the world. In 2009 Carlsberg is the 4th largest brewery group in the world employing around 45,000 people.

History

Carlsberg was founded by J. C. Jacobsen; the first brew was finished on 10 November 1847. Exportation of Carlsberg Beer began in 1868; foreign brewing began in 1968 with the opening of a Carlsberg brewery in Blantyre, Malawi. Some of the company's original logos include an elephant (after which some of its lagers are named) and the swastika. Use of the latter was discontinued in the 1930s because of its association with political parties in neighboring Germany. Carlsberg founder J. C. Jacobsen was a philanthropist and avid art collector. With his fortune he amassed an impressive art collection which is now housed in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in central Copenhagen.

Jacobsen set up the Carlsberg Laboratory in 1875 which worked on scientific problems related to brewing. It featured a Department of Chemistry and a Department of Physiology. The species of yeast used to make pale lager, Saccharomyces carlsbergensis, was isolated at the Laboratory and was named after it. The concept of pH was developed there as well as advances in protein chemistry. The laboratory was part of the Carlsberg Foundation until 1972 when it was renamed the Carlsberg Research Center and transferred to the brewery.

The old brewery in Copenhagen is open for tours and famous visitors have included Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II.

Carlsberg acquired Tuborg breweries in 1970 and merged with Tetley in 1992.

Carlsberg has two breweries in China - Huizhou and Shanghai. It used to have one in Hong Kong, but shut it down in 1999 due to high costs. Carlsberg's Shanghai brewery started production in 1998.

Baltic Beverages Holding

Baltic Beverages Holding is a Russian brewery owned by Carlsberg. The company is a significant operator in the brewing industry in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic countries and Kazakhstan. In 2007 the companies revenue increased by 31% to 10,4 Bn DKK. A significant increase in revenue and profit is also expected in 2008.

In 2007 Carlsberg and Heineken International announced that they would make a bid for Scottish & Newcastle. After much negotiation, Scottish & Newcastle agreed to the sale in early 2008, and it was completed in June 2008 after receiving shareholder approval, for an amount close to 8 Bn £. Most of Scottish & Newcastle operations in China, Vietnam, France and Russia & Eastern Europe were transferred to Carlsberg, including Scottish & Newcastle's share of Baltic Beverages Holding.

Carlsberg as a Brand

Carlsberg
Semper Ardens
Kuche Kuche (Malawi)
San Miguel (UK)
Mythos (Greece)
Wusu (NW China)
Elephant
Special brew
Tuborg (Regional)
Dick (Regional)
FuZzi (Regional)
Carls (Regional)
Tetley (UK)
Halida Beer (Vietnam)
Chang Beer (Thailand)
Holsten (Germany)
Lav (Serbia)
Feldschlösschen (Switzerland)
Cardinal Lager (Switzerland)
Baltika (Russia) - through the 50-50 joint venture BBH
Pripps (Sweden)
Carnegie Porter (Sweden)
Falcon (Sweden)
Karhu (Finland)
Koff (Finland)
Ringnes (Norway)
Frydenlund (Norway)
Dahls (Norway)
Arendals (Norway)
Nordlands (Norway)
Tou (Norway)
Okocim, Bosman and Harnaś (Poland)
Pan (Croatia)
Pirinsko and Shumensko (Bulgaria)
Saku (Estonia)
Splügen and Bock 1877 (Italy)
Ramlösa (Sweden)
Troy and Venüs (Turkey).
Saxon Beer (Gluten-free beer)
Jacobsen
Vole (Turkey).
Astra (Germany)
Carlsberg (Portugal)
Carlsberg (Portugal)
Behnoush (Iran)
Kronenbourg (France)

South Asia Breweries Pvt. Ltd.

South Asia Breweries Pvt. Ltd., Plot 52, Sector 32, Gurgaon , India is Foreign direct investment company formed to brew, market Carlsberg brand beer in India. Carlsberg beer from South Asia Brewries is launched at various states in India, including Delhi / NCR, Maharashtra, Punjab, W Bengal, U.P., Goa with three operationl brewries one in Rajasthan and one at Maharashtra and one at Himachal pradesh.South Asia Breweries Pvt. Ltd. currently employ over 200 professionals and demonstrates strong market presence in share of premium beer sector in India.

Carlsberg pilsner

Carlsberg Pilsner or Carlsberg Lager is the beer most people expect when ordering a Carlsberg. A German style pilsner, first brewed in 1904. In Denmark the beer is often known as HOF (court) due to its Royal Warrant. This nickname was adopted into the brand in 1931 but discontinued in 1991.

Special Brew

Special Brew is a very strong lager (sometimes known as premium lager) brewed in Denmark and the United Kingdom. It comes in a can with a distinctive gold and red colour.

Special Brew was first brewed by master brewer, Thomas Marfleet, and was brewed by Carlsberg to commemorate a visit to Denmark of Winston Churchill in 1950. In May 1951 two crates were delivered to Churchill's London home. In a thank you letter Churchill called the drink "Commemoration Lager". In Denmark the drink was called Påskebryg (Easter Brew), but the Easter Brew has been replaced by a weaker beer (Carls Påske). For the British market Carlsberg called the drink Special Brew and production was started in Northampton in the 1950s.

At 9% alcohol, Special Brew is one of the strongest lagers freely available in the United Kingdom, without going to a specialist shop. As such it is often the butt of satire, being associated with vagrancy and underclass culture.

Elephant beer

In 1901, on brewer Carl Jacobsen’s initiative the Architect, Professor J.L. Dahlerup created a tower resting on four elephants carved in granite from the Danish island Bornholm. Brewer Jacobsen was inspired to this gate by the obelisk supporting elephant on the Minerva Square in Rome. The four elephants each bear the initial of one of Carl Jacobsen’s four children: Theodora, Paula, Helge and Vagn. This became known as The Elephant Gate and is a landmark entrance to the brewery. To the west of the gate, Carl Jacobsen’s motto was inscribed: Laboremus pro Patria (Let us work for our country). Since then the Elephant has been a famous part of the Carlsberg Family, especially after the strong Elephant Beer was created in 1955 under the name “Export Lager Beer” and featuring the Elephant label. Marketed in Ghana, the Gold Coast, Nigeria and on promotion in Malawi. Launched on the Danish market as Elephant Beer on 9 November 1959. The Elephant is still brewed in Carlsberg Breweries in Copenhagen and exported around the world. A few markets brew their own Carlsberg Elephant beer locally according to the original recipe.

Vintage No. 1 beer

This limited edition beer, unveiled in 2008, is probably the most expensive beer in the world, at roughly US $400 (2008 Dkr) per bottle. Brewmaster Jens Eiken says that "We believe that there are people out there who are willing to part with this amount of money just so that they can taste an amazing beer or to keep it on their mantelpiece."

San Miguel Lager

A result of the take over of Scottish and Newcastle Brewing, Carlsberg now control the San Miguel brand in the United Kingdom.

source: wikipedia

Beer Freaks

2009-04-23T00:51:00.002+05:30

Drink Beer the Natural Way

Beer Girls

See more beer girls, here

Powdered Beer

2009-04-06T01:58:00.001+05:30

Completely revolutionary, Powdered Beer has been formulated by Munich-based research chemist, Hans Schattenhose. All hail Prof. Schattenhose! No really, because unlike most boffins this visionary egghead has put his mind to something the world actually wants: instant lager. All you do is empty a sachet into a glass of chilled water (tap or mineral) and give it a stir.

source

http://lyfstyle-zone.blogspot.com/

Thought of the DAY...

2009-03-24T22:49:00.004+05:30

Alcohol may not be the answer to all the questions.....

Swami Vivekananda

But alcohol helps u to forget the entire question itself........

Mr. Vijay Mallya

Taylor Fladgate

2008-11-23T21:18:00.002+05:30

Another magnificent and finely-balanced tawny of outstanding richness and complexity. The additional ten years of aging produces a fine balance between the rich, raisiny fruit and the nutty, honeyed finish - a taste to linger over. This rare port is traditionally enjoyed as a dessert wine or at the end of the meal.

Wine Advocate It is my opinion that Taylor's tawny ports are the best of their type. When tasted against other tawnys, they all exhibit more aromatic personalities, greater fruit and ripeness, and a wonderful sweetness and length. Although I find the Thirty Year Old Tawny admirable, I prefer the richer, more vibrant Twenty Year Old Tawny.

Wine Enthusiast Although this famous name has produced quite a light 20-year-old, that lightness is more than made up for by the beautiful, smooth flavors, the taste of lemon jelly, dried apricots and peaches, and fine, fresh acidity.

Warre's Warrior

2008-11-23T21:14:00.003+05:30

The oldest brand of Port in the world: a classic Finest Reserve Port with dark, intense fruit. A superb Port in the traditional style. One of the finest Ports available for everyday drinking.

Wine & Spirits Fresher in style than the Warrior of the 90's, this blend is bright and vibrant, filled with luscious fruit inflected by the black pepper of schisty tannins. It's like a small-scale vintage, beautifully balanced.

Wine Enthusiast A sweet, delicate wine that has a fine balance between ripe fruit and tannins, produced by one of the main houses owned by the Symington group. It has some herbal flavor, with gum Arabic and eucalyptus. Even if it is not an intense wine, this is poised and fresh.

Veuve Clicquot

2008-11-23T21:07:00.003+05:30

Clicquot's signature brut non-vintage is loved the world over for its crisp, full flavors, consistent quality and celebratory yellow label. This classically-styled, dry Champagne is a blend of two-thirds black grapes (Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) for body, balanced with one-third Chardonnay for elegance. It has a fine persistent sparkle and golden Champagne color. Its complex nose of apple, citrus and caramel is followed by full flavors with elegance, crispness and a slightly spicy finish.

Cloudy Bay

2008-11-23T21:04:00.003+05:30

An enticing fragrance of dusky dark fruits - black cherries, plums and berries intermingles with rich earthy aromas, mocha and exotic spices. The intensely varietal palate of ripe red and black fruit has charry oak flavours and plush velvety tannins that clothe a tautly structured frame. The 2006 Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir reflects the benefits of a naturally low-cropping season and finishes with great length and depth of flavor.

Food Matches: Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir is very happy alongside slow-cooked star-anise pork belly. Alternatively, both duck and lamb enhance the fruit sweetness of the wine, and a wild mushroom risotto will enhance the wine's savoury side.

Wine Advocate The 2006 Pinot Noir has a lovely nose with superb delineation: black cherries, talcum, plum and a touch of violets (far superior to the somewhat disappointing 2005). The palate is medium-bodied, very well-balanced with very good acidity. There is a natural quality to this wine, a personality that I find difficult to find in other Cloudy Bay releases. Crisp cherry, strawberry and a little iodine on the finish, nice and crisp, this is a great Pinot Noir that should drink over the next 3-5 years. a

Trapiche

2008-11-23T20:59:00.003+05:30

It is an elegant wine with intense scents of red apples, honey, and cinnamon. Well-rounded flavors offer good body and a mild, harmonious finish.

Wine Advocate The 2006 Broquel Chardonnay. Malolactic fermentation for 25% of the wine occurred in new French and American oak, the balance in tank, followed by 9 months aging sur-lie. Light gold colored, it exhibits toasty oak notes, apple, pear, and tropical fruit aromas. The wine has crisp acidity, excellent balance, and a lengthy finish. Drink it over the next 1-2 years.

Wine Spectator A nice tangy lime note drives the fig and pear fruit through a racy finish in this tasty white. Drink now.

Wine Enthusiast With this wine, you’ll get a solid blast of oak and butter on the nose, which is backed by orange, melon and nectarine flavors. There’s acidity and kick to it, but also some softer butterscotch and citrus pith notes. More than good by Argentine standards.

Saint Clair Family Estate

2008-11-23T13:19:00.003+05:30

Aroma: Intense, powerful aromas of passionfruit, blackcurrant and gooseberry, along with lifted notes of grapefruit, leap out of the glass.

Palate: A full, crisp and powerful wine with intense flavours of passionfruit and blackcurrant along with underlying gooseberry tones. Mouth-watering acidity and an intense mineral note are balanced by a full, yet elegant palate that leads to a long lingering finish.

Food Suggestions: This wine is an ideal match with vegetarian cuisine, fresh seafood or with poultry.

Wine Spectator Oyster shell, wet stone, grass and grapefruit-lime flavors deliver very good concentration, with grass and fleshy guava fattening the finish. Drink now. 10,000 cases imported.

Wine Enthusiast The only problem with this bottling from Saint Clair is that the price just keeps inching up. It’s a plump SB with a mouthwatering finish and varietal flavors of stone fruit, gooseberries and grapefruit and a touch of peppery spice.

Joseph Phelps

2008-11-23T13:14:00.002+05:30

The 2004 vintage marks the first time Insignia has been blended entirely from estate-grown fruit – the fulfillment of a dream that has taken many years to realize. The low-yield vintage produced a wine with syrupy blackberry and blueberry aromas married with seductive spice, followed by velvety tannins, roundness in the finish and outstanding texture, all of which are superbly integrated.

Wine Advocate The soft, opulent 2004 Insignia (a 10,000-case blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot, and 2% Malbec) is already seductive and lush. Offering abundant quantities of cassis, incense, graphite, plums, blackberries, and black currants, it will be hard to resist young, but should age effortlessly for two decades or more.

Wine Spectator Tight and complex, with a deep, potent core of ripe currant, herb, sage and dusty berry fruit, shaded by light toasty, cedary oak. Deftly balanced, intense and concentrated, this is young and closed in now, yet you can taste the depth and richness. Tannic. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Best from 2010 through 2020.

International Wine Cellar ($200; cabernet sauvignon with 14% merlot, 12% petit verdot and 2% minerals) Bright ruby-red. Complex nose melds cassis, black cherry, lead pencil and cedar. Sweet and fat but with a firm structure and very good vinosity. There's a sappy quality to the currant, cedar and chocolate flavors. Boasts the density of the vintage's best examples but, in comparison to the Backus, the tannins hit the palate a bit earlier. The very long finish hints at cedar and graphite. I'd put this aside for a couple of years.

Duckhorn

2008-11-23T13:07:00.002+05:30

The 2006 Sauvignon Blanc has vibrant acidity balanced by toasted oak and a rich mouthfeel. The aroma is a combination of ripe melon, Meyer lemon, kiwi, and pineapple complemented by jasmine, honey, thyme, and a hint of spice. On the palate, the flavors are an intriguing mix of tropical and citrus notes with grapefruit, apricot, lemon grass, papaya, and pineapple that linger on the finish.

Wine Advocate Their 2006 Sauvignon Blanc exhibits a beautiful texture along with aromas of honeysuckle, spring flowers, and hints of sealing wax and background oak. Drink this flavor-filled, complex white over the next year.
Wine Spectator Bright lemon, grapefruit and lime notes are refreshing, with tropical hints of pineapple, mango and passion fruit that gain momentum on the finish. Stylish, with intensity and a spicy quality. Drink now.

Honig

2008-11-23T12:59:00.004+05:30

Bright and lively, a Loire style Sauvignon Blanc with fresh aromas of ruby grapefruit, mango, papaya, and peach. The vibrant citrus and tropical flavors linger on the finish and the texture is crisp and minerally.

Wine Advocate One of California’s top specialists in Sauvignon Blanc, Honig fashions fresh, lively, grapefruit-scented and flavored Sauvignons. Their 2006 Sauvignon Blanc is a classic, fresh, lively example displaying scents of lemon oil and other citrus in a light to medium-bodied style. It offers outstanding flexibility with food, and is best drunk over the next year.

Wine Spectator Pear, peach and lemon-lime flavors mingle witn roasted nut notes, herbal nuances and a straightforward acidity. Drink now.

Testarossa Vineyards

2008-11-23T12:58:00.001+05:30

Castello Chardonnay is a blend of several vineyards which combines more forward “California style” fruit from Santa Barbara, with more “old world style” Chardonnay from Monterey to create a blend that combines rich forward, tropical fruit fl avors, with an underlying backbone of minerals and fi rm acidity. It is a wine that is praised not only for its exceptional quality but also its great value.

Fonseca

2008-11-23T12:53:00.002+05:30

In exceptional years Fonseca will make the decision to ‘declare’ a classic vintage port. Only the finest wines, selected for their great intensity, depth and aging potential, are bottled under these vintage labels. On average this happens three times a decade. Renowned for their voluptuous rich fruit, mouthfilling density, tannic structure and ‘grip’, they are wines of breed, balance and great complexity.

Wine Advocate Dense ruby/purple colored, with an exotic, exuberant perfume of black fruits, flowers, incense and licorice, this unctuously-textured, full-bodied port is one or the most concentrated of the vintage. Sweet,expansive, and succulent, this large scaled, but remarkably well-balanced effort is surprisingly forward and accessible (by Fonseca's stndards). 2006-2025.

International Wine Cellar Saturated medium-deep ruby. Exotic aromas of black fruit liqueur, road tar, smoked meat and hot stones; this reminded me of a great ripe-year Hermitage. Hugely rich and dense, with compelling sweetness and pliancy but also sound framing acidity. Extremely youthful and very long on the aftertaste. Finishes with suave but strong tannins and excellent grip and thrust. Like the best examples of the vintage, this won't injure your palate if you broach a bottle today, but it's structured for extended aging.

Wine Spectator Collectible "Fabulous nose of crushed raspberries, blackberries and licorice. Full-bodied and velvety, with super-clean fruit and a long finish. A beauty. Very harmonious for Fonseca. Best after 2011."

Krug

2008-11-23T12:47:00.003+05:30

"Krug Grande Cuvee is as a symphony, a composition where the instruments all play together, complementing each other in total harmony," says winemaker Henri Krug. The flagship of the house, Grande Cuvee is imposing in character from the first moment in the glass. The "birth" of Krug Grande Cuvee, through its first fermentation exclusively in small oak casks, ensures the unique personality and dimension that is the Krug Style.The composition of the "cuvee" is a stunning mosaic of flavors where the three champagne grapes, 20-25 growths and 6-10 different years, combine to give Krug Grande Cuvee its complexity, elegance and consistency year after year, blend after blend. To maintain this consistency Krug reserves a large selection of unblended still wines from previous vintages, blending them with the youngest crop to create a fully balanced taste. These "reserve" wines may represent between a third and a half of the cuvee. There is no formula or recipe for Krug Grande Cuvee. Each year the Krug family meets to re-create "their" Krug Grande Cuvee. This is done with careful attention to the most minute detail so that after six years of aging, it will be in perfect continuity with previous Krugs. The bouquet is wonderfully creamy, leading to magical combination of weight and balance on the palate. The long, lingering finish is both nutty and toasty, ending with a final flourish of freshness, leaving one longing for more.

International Wine Cellar Very fine mousse Sweetly spicy, soil-inflected aromas of nutmeg, nut oil, toasted biscuit, smoke and minerals, with the ineffable yeast autolysis character of the greatest Champagnes. Huge, rich and ripe; combines an almost exotic character with great nervosite (no one blends old and young juice more skillfully than Krug). Wonderfully full and thick but with vibrant, perfectly integrated acidity. Urgent yet suave. The finishing flavors of toasted bread, nuts, spices and orange zest go on and on.

Wine Spectator The complex nose of grain, biscuit, citrus and honey indicates some use of wood, while the palate is tight and elegant. What's most impressive is the texture, all filigree and finesse, from start to finish. An elegant version, with subtle intensity and length. Drink now through 2010. 5,500 cases imported.

Wine Enthusiast This multivintage blend nails the essence of Krug, intense richness of fruit and flavor without weight. Meaty mushroom and soy aromas are balanced by rich red fruits, citrus, toast and mineral notes. Long finish.

Wine Advocate Oddly, the most consistent Krug wine I have been tasting lately is their non-vintage Brut Grand Cuvee, a big, boldly styled Champagne with smoky, earthy, pear, apple, and spicy aromas as well as flavors, loads of effervescence, and fine body and depth.

Zardetto

2008-11-23T12:42:00.004+05:30

Crystal clear with a hearty white foam and fine perlage. Fresh fragrant aromas, a delicately soft and harmonious taste are the hallmarks of this quintessential aperitif wine. Prosecco is a wine to be enjoyed in the company of friends served with shellfish or in the local way with tasty fried fish. Ancient poets used to praise "Fried sole and wine from Conejan...", but let's not forget white meats and fresh cheese.

Wine Enthusiast Light in color & lithe, with flowery aromas along with hints of orange blossom & lemon-lime. There's a good reason why this Prosecco is so popular: it's SLEEK & smooth, with a graceful mouthfeel & perfect acidity. At restaurants it's the prescribed palate prep, a wine to sip casually before moving on to bigger things. And the flavors of pears, apples & lime soda are just right.
Wine Advocate One of the finest of a bevy of light-bodied, crisp, tasty Proseccos in the marketplace, this blend of 95% Prosecco and 5% Chardonnay is frothy, fresh, and savory. Enjoy it over the next year.

Louis Roederer

2008-11-23T12:38:00.003+05:30

Brut Premier is the incarnation of the Louis Roederer style, and combines the fruitiness and freshness of youth with the vinosity of fully mature wines. It is a structured and fully bloomed wine, with a lively attack and a smooth palate.

Blending: 56% Pinot Noir, 34% Chardonnay, and 10% Pinot Meunier, including 10% of reserve wines from three former harvests and aged in oak vats for two to six years.

Maturation: An average of three years of ageing on the lees, and another six months after disgorging.

Dosage: 12g/L of sugar resulting from the liqueur.
Tasting Notes: It is a gilded color, with fine bubbles and a nose of fresh fruit and hawthorn. A smooth and complex palate, with mingling fruit flavors of pear and apple, and red fruits of blackberry, raspberry and cherry, with notes of toast and almonds. A pleasurable wine, smooth and open.

Food pairing: Brut Premier is an excellent aperitif Champagne that readily accompanies light fish dishes.

Wine Enthusiast A classic nonvintage Champagne, Brut Premier is also a yardstick by which others are measured. In the case of this bottle, that yardstick is working well: the palate is rich and creamy, there is maturity along with great fruit and elegance. Best as an apéritif wine, this could also go with light foods.

W.H. Smith

2008-11-23T12:31:00.004+05:30

The color is deep, bright cherry with elegant, classic aromas of dark berries and exotic spices. Flavors of plums and a hint of cardamom excite the palate. It is rich and intense, with firm tannins yet supple and delicious.

Food Matches: Wood-roasted or braised meats compliment this wine. Any dishes with an ‘earthy’ flavor, like wild mushroom risotto or truffle oil pasta would also be a perfect match.

Wine Enthusiast Raspberries, cherries, cola, tea, rhubarb pie, licorice, vanilla and sweet leather flavors flood the mouth, wrapped in a delicately silky, complex texture, and the finish goes on and on in oak-inspired fruit and Asian spices. Compellingly delicious; drinks now and through 2009.

Bond Winery

2008-11-23T12:23:00.002+05:30

Saturated medium ruby. Super ripe aromas of currant, minerals and exotic herbs, with suggestions of date and iodine. Sappy and super concentrated, with lush but delineated flavors of black raspberry, bitter cherry and tobacco. Mounts slowly and impressively on the back half, with the wine's extremely fine tannins buried in fruit.

Wine Spectator Fresh black cherry, currant and plum aromas are pure and riveting. Firm, rich and polished, with hints of nutmeg, rose petal and wild berry that are deep and complex. Intense, focused and concentrated, this is beautifully balanced, deep and persistent, with ripe, integrated tannins. Drink now through 2018. 573 cases made.

Wine Advocate Readers looking for a fruit-forward vintage should check out the 2004 Melbury. A sensational wine with an inky bluish/purple color, fabulous blueberry and blackberry fruit with hints of lead pencil, acacia flower, pain grille, and spice, the tannins are supple and the wine exuberant, flamboyant, ripe, rich, and long. This is sensational stuff that can be drunk now or cellared for 20-25 years.

Wine Enthusiast A dark, rich wine, this opens with ripe, sweet aromas of fresh blackberries, cedar, cigar box, pencil lead and cinnamon. Brings to mind a classified Pauillac, rather hard and tannic now, but sweetly ripe and refined, and very rich in mulberries, cherries, licorice and mocha. A magnificent young wine. Best now, with decanting, through 2012, at least.

Château Belair

2008-11-22T16:29:00.003+05:30

Belair's incomparable soil and long history are telltale signs that this is indeed a great Bordeaux wine château.

Wine Enthusiast Pascal Dalbeck has triumphed with this impressive wine, very concentrated and spicy, layering powerful dark fruits. There’s a sense of authority here, from a wine that has all the elements in the right place. Wait at least 10 years.
Wine Spectator Very perfumed, with crushed blackberry and vanilla character. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and tangy fruit. Balanced and refined, with a racy finish. Not quite as exciting as from barrel, but outstanding. Best after 2011. 3,000 cases made.

Colonial Estate

2008-11-22T16:22:00.003+05:30

Green-harvesting, handpicking, along with meticulous winemaking ensures a wine that explodes at the back of the palate after a subtle and restrained attack, resulting in a huge finish as well as loads of richness and extract.

Wine Advocate The 2005 Alexander Laing Old Vines Grenache was sourced from 100-year-old vines in the Greenock subregion of Barossa. Dark ruby-colored, it has a complex bouquet of damp earth, sage, smoked herbs, espresso, cassis, and kirsch. Velvety-textured with superb depth, it also has well-concealed tannins which will allow the wine to evolve for another 4-6 years. It has a pure, 45-second finish. This outstanding Grenache will drink well through 2020.

Wine Spectator Distinctive, with a particular minerality infusing the fresh cherry, pomegranate and orange peel flavors, lingering nicely. Drink now through 2012. Wine Enthusiast Like a couple of other Colonial Estate 2005s, this has a lifted nose that flirts with volatile vinyl and acetone scents, then settles down to deliver spice and chocolate. This is really fudge-like and dense, picking up hints of pepper on the finish along with some dusty tannins. Should be long-lived for Australian Grenache; drink now–2015.

Continuum

2008-11-22T16:18:00.003+05:30

There are 1000 cases of Tim Mondavi's debut wine, a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. An excellent beginning, this 2005 exhibits a dense ruby/purple colore followed by a beautiful nose of lead pencil shavings intermixed with creme de cassis, wood smoke, and hints of bay leaves as well as spring flowers.

Wine Advocate There are 1,000 cases of Tim Mondavi’s debut wine, a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This is the first wine Tim has produced since Constellation purchased the Robert Mondavi winery. An excellent beginning, this 2005 exhibits a dense ruby/purple color followed by a beautiful nose of lead pencil shavings intermixed with creme de cassis, subtle wood smoke, and hints of bay leaves as well as spring flowers. Full-bodied with lovely purity, nicely integrated wood, tannin, acidity, and alcohol, and a long finish reminiscent of a classic Bordeaux Pauillac, while accessible, it should age effortlessly for 15 or more years.

Wine Spectator Complex and savory, graceful and elegant, this unfolds to reveal spicy herb, dried currant, mineral, anise, mint, sage and tarry notes, then firms up nicely on the finish, giving this structure and traction. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2009 through 2016.

Reininger

2008-11-22T16:08:00.003+05:30

This is a more classic, northern Rhone style syrah that flexes a little muscle with its tannin structure. Complete with blueberry, apricot, and a touch of earthiness, this syrah is bound to make the traditionalist in you smile.

Wine Advocate A winner from Reininger, the 2003 Syrah (1034 cases), explodes from the glass with roses, black raspberries, black cherries, strawberries, and a myriad of spices. Aged entirely in new French oak barrels, this Syrah reveals only a hint of wood spice in its black cherry and dark raspberry-dominated personality. Flush with fruit, its silky character glides across the palate. This is a beautiful, sensual wine to drink over the next 4-5 years.

Wine Enthusiast This is pure Syrah, done in a classy, confident style showing the dense, tannic, peppery fruit first and foremost. It hits you upfront with big, youthful, sappy flavors, then follows with barrel notes of toast, light leather, tobacco and roast beef. Very palate friendly.
Wine Spectator Big, rich, broad-shouldered style that packs plenty of ripe plum and cherry fruit, shaded with cola and licorice notes as the finish persists. Drink now through 2013. 1,034 cases made.

Shafer

2008-11-22T16:01:00.002+05:30

Aromas of black, chewy fruit, cedar, chocolate, and dried herbs, followed by rich, juicy flavors of blackberry, dark chocolate, and tobacco, with a nice long finish. The tannins are ripe and supple.

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five (99% Cabernet and 1% Petit Verdot) is a meatier, more structured wine, but slightly deeper than the 2004, with broad black currant fruit flavors intermixed with some spice box, crushed rock, and spring flowers. It is characteristic of Stags Leap in its elegance and finesse. The wine has good acidity and freshness, but is long and seamless. Drink it over the next 12-15 years.

Oliverhill Winery

2008-11-22T15:56:00.003+05:30

A dry winter, followed by heavy rains in spring resulted in healthy vine canopies across all varieties. Mild early summer lead to a warmer period during veraison resulting in less vegetative growth and then some vine stress in late summer. There was low disease incidence with all varieties ripening at once, resulting in a quick vintage. The 2006 wines show rich fruit characters with fine mouth filling tannins. The use of French oak has added structure and balance giving us a wine with a full mid palate and extremely good length. Our Shiraz vines are a combination of 1127 and 1654 clones, planted predominately on sandy loam over limestone soils, with sections of sandy loam over ironstone. The vines are hand spur-pruned and the fruit hand picked when ripe.

Wine Advocate The 2006 Shiraz “Jimmy Section” is slightly muted aromatically but with coaxing aromas of pain grille, tar, blueberry, and blackberry emerge. This leads to a full-bodied wine with gobs of spicy black fruits, ripe flavors, and for a wine of this size, surprising elegance. Give it 4-6 years in the cellar and drink it through 2027.

L'Ecole No 41

2008-11-22T15:52:00.002+05:30

Rich with aromatic aromas of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon, this spicy Merlot shows red cherry fruit, black plum, blackberry and dark fruit flavors encased in a peppery, chocolate, black cherry finish.

Wine Enthusiast Beautifully dark and plummy, with smoky, opulent fruit. Though full and fleshy, it has complex layering—it’s not just a fruit bomb. Berries and spice, chocolate and herb work in sync, creating a complete, rich and toasty wine with excellent depth.

Wine Spectator Bright and distinctive, offering red cherry and currant flavors that just won't quit as this lean, lithe wine zings across the palate. Finishes with silky texture. Drink now through 2012. 6,082 cases made.

Kaesler

2008-11-22T15:40:00.004+05:30

Kaesler Old Bastard Shiraz

Colour: Arterial blood.

Nose: Once opened, and when it’s young, exhibits soy sauce, vegemite, mandarin rind and flowers. After a few hours with
air, and more suggestive of its future, it leans slowly towards dark chocolate embedded with black ripe yet still sour cherries. After 5 hours or more, small berried fruit, black and red start streaming though, vanilla lift adds a nice topping and ethereal afterglow.

Palate: Intensely ferrous and austere upon opening but this trait will become complex over time. The savoury qualities, pronounced by this vineyard persist until about 4 hours into the bottle.

Wine Advocate As good as the preceding wines may be, they pale in the shadow of the 2005 Shiraz “Old Bastard,” sourced from a 114-year-old vineyard, and which spent 22 months in new and one-year-old French oak. It presents a superb perfume of cedar, violets, lavender, smoked meat, game, black raspberry, and blueberry.

This leads to a voluptuous, velvety-textured, layered, super concentrated Shiraz in perfect balance with well-concealed tannins and a 60-second, pure finish. Give it 6-8 years and drink it through 2035.

Wine Enthusiast From vines planted in 1893, this wine combines spicy complexity with size and ultraconcentrated fruit. It tips the scales at 16% alcohol, but wears it well, hiding it under hints of licorice and subtle wood spice and layers of blackberry and blueberry fruit. Yes, it’s big, but it’s not inelegant, finishing lush, long and spicy. Terrific stuff that should drink well from 2010–2020.

Wine Spectator Big but graceful. Offers a plush mouthful of ripe cherry, blackberry, pomegranate and cardamom, mingling beautifully on the rich, expressive finish. The tannins are beautifully integrated and refined, but definitely worth cellaring to soften. Shiraz. Best from 2010 through 2020.

Turkey Flat

2008-11-22T15:34:00.003+05:30

Each small parcel of Shiraz was vinified separately and matured in French oak barrels. The result is a firmly structured, elegant Shiraz, with lifted ‘primary‘fruit aromas of red current and plum and ‘secondary aromas’ of dark bitter chocolate, black pepper, aniseed and suede. The full-bodied palate has flavours of plums, red fruits and cedar, which will improve with careful cellaring of up to 10 years.

Wine Advocate Cut from the same mold as the 2004, the spectacular 2005 Shiraz exhibits an inkier purple color as well as a deeper, richer, more nuanced style. Cropped at .8 tons of fruit per acre, which no doubt accounts for its awesome concentration, it is even better than the 2004, and should be longer lived, evolving for 15 or more years.

Wine Enthusiast Owner/winemaker Peter Schulz has taken a little-known page from Hermitage, using a small amount of Marsanne to add a rich, glyceric mouthfeel to this impressively endowed wine. Savory, spicy notes give complexity to the ripe blackberry fruit flavors, which linger elegantly on the finish, couched in soft tannins. Drink now–2020.

Wine Spectator Smooth, polished and distinctive for its sassafras- and cardamom-scented blackberry flavors, lingering against refined tannins as the finish sails on. Best from 2009 through 2017.

Swanson Vineyards

2008-11-22T15:30:00.003+05:30

This Merlot is estate-grown in the heart of Napa Valley's Oakville appellation. Aged primarily in American Oak barrels made from wood seasoned for 3-5 years on the Swanson estate and coopered exclusively for the winery.

Lost Highway Project

2008-11-22T15:24:00.002+05:30

In 2005 the Marsanne on Descendant block at Torbrek had a long and slow ripening period. As a consequence the fruit was picked at the same time as the Shiraz on Roennfeldt Road. Due to Torbrek's success in co-fermenting Shiraz and Viognier, we thought it would be interesting and fun to co-ferment the skin from the white varietal with the Shiraz across the road. Once the juice was gently whole bunch pressed from the Marsanne, the skins were destemmed and added to the fermenting Shiraz. The resulting wine is as unique as it is intense - beautifully lifted and balanced and surprisingly distinctive.

International Wine Cellar Dark purple. Rich dark berry and kirsch on the nose, with a strong graphite accent. Luch, creamy and deep, with powerful, liqueur-like blackberry and cassis flavors energized by a bright mineral jolt. Expnads and gains in sweetness wiht air while maintaining an urgent, vibrant quality. Hightly impressive stuff. These wines are made at Torbreck by David Powell.
Wine Advocate The 2005 Shiraz-Marsanne “Lost Highway” contains 10% Marsanne. Purple-colored, it offers toasty notes, floral aromas from the Marsanne, and plenty of meaty, blueberry fragrances from the Shiraz. At the moment, the wine’s structure is more obvious than the fruit. There is ample tannin which has yet to be fully integrated. It will require significant cellaring of at least a decade.

Clarendon Hills Romas Vineyard Old Vines Grenache

2008-11-22T15:16:00.003+05:30

This vineyard was planted in 1925 in the conventional bush vine manner with no trellising. The vineyard is very steep and faces due east, the soils contain high levels of ironstone, rock and quartz. This is the highest part of the Blewitt Springs Vineyard and also the lowest yielding, about one tonne to the acre. The grapes are handpicked, usually quite early in the season, due to very low crops and the ability of Old Grenache to ripen.

Wine Advocate The top Grenache cuvee (essentially a selection of the finest fruit from the Blewitt Springs vineyard) is the 2004 Grenache Old Vines Romas Vineyard. Cropped at ½ ton of fruit per acre, it boasts a deep ruby color, fabulous density, and a big, earthy bouquet of loamy soil, minerals, black raspberries, kirsch liqueur, flowers, and spice box. With great intensity as well as purity, and an expansive, savory mouthfeel, it is a fabulous offering to drink over the next 10-12 years. Score: 96. —Robert Parker, October 2005.

Wine Spectator Dense and peppery, but not heavy, with an expressive range of blackberry, cherry and pomegranate flavors that sail through the long, open-textured finish. A lovely spicy, peppery component lifts this Grenache's personality out of the ordinary. Best from 2008 through 2020. 500 cases imported Score: 95. —Harvey Steiman, October 15, 2006.

Wine Enthusiast Cropped at a measly half ton per acre, this is Clarendon Hills’ top Grenache bottling. It’s tighter and denser than the other, more flamboyant offerings, needing time in the bottle to develop. For now, it’s loaded with wonderfully pure blackberry and cassis fruit, but it promises to develop more complexity over the years; try from 2008–2020. Long and softly tannic on the finish. Score: 95. —Joe Czerwinski, December 15, 2006.

Landmark Vineyards Overlook Chardonnay

2008-11-22T15:01:00.003+05:30

The aromas of toasted almonds, caramel, and coconut are followed by crisp green apple and lemon rind flavors that convey certain minerality. The acidity will pair well with seafoods and shellfish, and complement pastas with cream sauces, as well as roast chicken and pork roast with fruit. 74% Sonoma County, 16% Santa Barbara COunty and 10% Monterey County.

A reliable winery with a realistic pricing policy, one of Californiaâ€™s finest Chardonnays for the money is Landmarkâ€™s Chardonnay Overlook. The 2005 (74% Sonoma, 16% Santa Barbara, and 10% Monterey fruit) exhibits a light green/straw color as well as attractive aromas of honeyed citrus, tropical fruits, and spices. Excellent acidity, a lovely texture and mouthfeel, and medium body suggest this complex Chardonnay will drink well for several years. It represents a hypothetical blend of a classic white Burgundy and a California Chardonnay. Score: 90. —Robert Parker, December 2006.

Landmark Wines

2008-11-22T14:32:00.006+05:30

Landmark Vineyards may have been founded in the Windsor area of Sonoma County in 1974, but its roots stretch all the way back to 1838 and America’s heartland. It was in Grand Detour, Illinois of that year that John Deere invented the steel plow – an event that virtually revolutionized the business of agriculture. In 1989, John Deere’s great great granddaughter, Damaris Deere Ford, following the family tradition in agriculture, relocated Landmark Vineyards from Windsor, a town that was slowly being smothered by urban sprawl to a spectacular piece of land at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain in the Sonoma Valley. Damaris believed that Landmark could be a small jewel of a winery and built a Spanish mission style winery equipped with state-of-the-art winemaking equipment capable of producing 20,000 cases of wine per year. With the help of renowned Landscape architect, Morgan Wheelock, she developed the 20-acre site into a lush, gorgeously landscaped wine estate.

Damaris convinced her son, Michael Deere Colhoun and his wife Mary to move from the east coast and join her as partners in the winery. Once settled, the Colhouns set in motion a plan that would truly make the winery a landmark. In 1993, they hired world-renowned consulting enologist Helen Turley to work with winemaker, Eric Stern. This collaboration led to some excellent winemaking. Under Eric’s direction, Landmark’s wines have consistently garnered rave reviews from the wine writers. Their signature wine, the Overlook Chardonnay, has appeared on The Wine Spectator Top 100 list 6 times since 1997.

The names of Landmark’s wines reflect their John Deere heritage. Landmark and Overlook were family homes. The Grand Detour Pinot Noir is named for the location of John Deere’s blacksmithing shop in Illinois. And with a nod to the beginning of it all, the Syrah is aptly named “Steel Plow.”
Landmark’s mission is “to make great wines that enhance the joy of life.” Quality and flavor begin in the vineyards. In addition to the estate vineyard, Landmark sources grapes from a range of different vineyards and those selected are among the finest in the highly diverse microclimates of California’s winegrowing regions. While the variation of the wines from vintage to vintage can be dramatic or subtle, the crafting of each year’s wine is guided by a single overriding philosophy at Landmark: “less is more.” According to Winemaker, Eric Stern, “The less the wine is manipulated, the more flavors and aromas remain to enjoy.”

Landmark Vineyards’ wines are distributed throughout the United States and are available in some foreign markets. The wines are available from their Tasting Room and from on-line stores.

Beer good for sex life

2008-09-04T02:07:00.002+05:30

Czech doctor says two beers a day may fight impotence
July 22, 2002 - A Czech doctor says that by drinking beer every day men may keep their sex lives active.

"If men drink two beers a day they can stave off impotence," says Dr. Pavel Zemek of the Czech Center of Gerontology in Prague.

Zemek says his research shows beer can have a "powerful effect" to stop the arteries becoming blocked. "On the basis of clinical tests we can say moderate amounts of beer lessens arterial sclerosis, one of the causes of erectile dysfunction," he told a local newspaper.

As others do when discussing beer and health, he warns against excessive drinking. "Drink too much beer in one go and the positive effects are negated," he says, "but, as the saying goes, a little bit of what you fancy does you good."

Does the world understand Czech beers?

2008-09-04T01:53:00.003+05:30

Speech by Michael Jackson at the Czech Embassy in London, at reception for the Budweiser Budvar brewery (in the U.S., this brewery's beer is labeled Czechvar).

What makes a great beer? Great ingredients and great brewers.

Everyone knows that wine is made from grapes, and that some varieties taste better than others, but consumers do not necessarily understand what beer is.

What grapes are to wine, barley is to beer. The classic barley varieties used in lager brewing worldwide have their origins historically in Moravia.

The sweetness of malted barley is balanced by the aromatic dryness of the hop blossom. The most delicately aromatic hops, and the variety most prized in lager brewing, come from Bohemia.

Moravia and Bohemia together comprise the Czech Republic.

Bohemia has a brewing tradition going back to the beginning of the last millennium, and some of the earliest writing on the art and science of beer-making. Its great brewing cities are Prague, Pilsen and Budweis.

The world's first golden lager was made at Pilsen, in 1842. The overwhelming majority of the world's golden lagers are modelled on the Czech original. Certainly every internationally known golden lager is derived from the Czech style.

Some consumers know, but many don't. Some associate the former Communist countries with poor quality products.

Czech raw materials are used throughout the world, but usually "diluted" with cheaper ingredients. The most famous Czech breweries employ more painstaking, and slower, production methods than the majority of other lager brewers.

What is the original meaning of the word "Budweiser"? It means "from Budweis". This brewing city has inspired more than one beer. If you wish to taste malt and hops, those flavours are more evident in the beers brewed in Budweis than in beers from other countries. Budvar is produced in Budweis, and nowhere else.

The original malting barley; the classic lager hop; the creation of golden lager, the world's best-known beer-style; the city that inspired the best-known brand-name in beer worldwide ... that's an extraordinary record of brewing achievement from one country.

The Czech Republic has a long history of exporting beer, but it is a small country, and can sometimes take a parochial view of its own assets. Only recently has it attempted to explain to the consumer why its beers are renowned among connoisseurs. The earlier speakers this evening touched upon these qualities, but in a piecemeal manner, and with insufficient robustness. These points need punching home, even to a friendly audience here at the embassy.

I am glad that attempts are being made to communicate the qualities of Czech beer. At the same time, the qualities must be present before they can be communicated. There is always a danger of shifting the emphasis; making concessions on quality in order to give more attention to communications and marketing.

Depend on quality, and your product will succeed even if the marketing is less than perfect. Sacrifice quality, develop a marketing dependency, and you have an escalating addiction. Marketing may give a short-term boost, but in the long term a weakened product will die of exposure. That happened in Britain to Watney's Red Barrel, and in the U.S, to Schlitz.

Budweiser Budvar is a great beer because it has great raw materials and great brewers. They produce it in a slow and painstaking way. Its integrity is best served by its being produced in its town of origin, in a region with pride in its beer.

Please keep telling the world that your beer is produced in Budweis. Most consumers do not understand this. Tell them that it is produced only in its hometown. Tell them about the way beer is made in Budweis ... in Bohemia ... in the Czech Republic.

Most of all remember that the beer's birthplace is worth proclaiming only as long as it is synonymous with those qualities. Guard the quality and you will not need to guard against foreign namesakes.

You have Budweiser Budvar beer. They don't.

They have only Budweiser.

Published: MAY 20, 2002
In: Beer Hunter Online

Czech Lager Redux.

2008-08-14T01:38:00.003+05:30

October 15, 2002 -- Back in the spring, I reported on 'Round One' of a tasting of Czech beers brought to Toronto by my friend Honza Kocka, with a promise of posting the remaining reviews later on in the month. Unfortunately, that never happened. But rather than list excuses, I thought it better to post beer reviews, so here are the rest of my notes from a Spring tasting of some of the Czech Republic's lesser-known lagers.

The Korbel brewery in Maly Rohozec provided a trio of lagers ranging in strength from 4.5% alcohol by volume to 6.1%, and in colour from light gold to brassy copper. My favourite sat in the middle, the Korbel Svetly Lezák, with 5% strength and a medium gold colour with a slight haze. The nose is soft and balanced, with some notes of fresh-mown grass and sweet grain. The body starts with a hint of sweetness leading into a fairly robust, faintly herbal flavour accented with just a hint of citrus and something I could best describe as sweet alfalfa. The finish is quite dry, quenching and very well-balanced.

A similar but lighter beer is the Korbel Svetly Vycepni, which also showed a slight haze on its light gold colour. As well-balanced as the Lezák, its aroma is more herbal and its body thinner, with a faint spiciness on the palate and a dry, dry, dry finish. The stronger Korbel Svetly Special, at 6.1% alcohol, has more all-around sweetness, with some sugary and caramel notes in the aroma and flavour, but still sports a hint of what I now feel is a house herbal character.
This trio was followed by another trio, this one from Bernard. Two I had tasted previously -- the Svátecni Lezák, which offered little different from what I sampled in Denver last year (please see http://worldofbeer.com/ktt/cezch1.html) and the Bernard Special, which is essentially the same beer as the Ox, also tasted in Denver. What did impress, however, was a bottle-conditioned version of the Svátecni Lezák, actually billed as having been bottled "with the addition of fine yeast." It sports a very aggressive carbonation and offers a richer aroma for it. As well, the body on this beer seems crisper and fresher than its filtered counterpart, which makes complete sense because of the drying power and preservative quality of the added yeast.

The appetizing and 'more-ish' quality of the Bernard only served to accentuate the flaws of the following beer, Jezek from the Pivovar a Sodoukarna of Jihlava. Filled with butterscotchy aromas and flavours, it ended up tasting quite cloying even despite its relatively dry finish. The sample, however, may have been harmed by age.

The final beer was the Primator 21 from the Náchod brewery in the town of the same name. A deep burnished copper colour, this 9% alcohol by volume lager has a whisky-ish nose so pronounced that it almost seems the beer could have been aged in wood. Its very sweet start shows brown sugar notes and leads to a sweet and sugary body with notes of fresh grass and toasted malt. The warming finish left me acutely aware of having just sampled a strong beer, but the taster in me longed for more complexity and flavour.

Central European Beer

2008-08-14T01:31:00.003+05:30

Climbing up Poles to sniff the first hops
In Poland, passionate enthusiasm for Lublin and Marynka

Since Britain's hop-growers realised, in the last year or two, that they should publicise their fine product, they have been rightly praised for their efforts.

Even as an established hophead, I have been reminded to spend more time sniffing the magic blossom, both here and abroad: the soft Fuggles of Hereford and Worcester, the earthy Goldings of Kent, the rounded Record hop of Belgium, the delicate Hallertau hop of Germany or Saazer of the Czech Republic, the orangey Styrian of Slovenia and the spicy Lublin of Poland.

Only in Belgium, where brewers are typically eclectic in their use of the hop, have I frequently encountered the Lublin. It is, for example, one of the varieties used in the fruity and drily appetising Ginder Ale.

The Lublin hop is also employed in a Belgian ale called DAS, a name recently revived by the Hoegaarden brewery.

The original, perhaps intended to suggest something similar to Bass, was made by a brewery in the town between the wars. The new incarnation is an amber, bottle-conditioned ale spiced with coriander and Curacao orange peels. It is a light refresher, very aromatic, with juicy, fruity flavours.

Why are these beers hopped with Lublins? As is often the case, the brewers find their reasons for their choice hard to put in to words. Recently, I had an opportunity to visit the Lublin region of Poland and sniff at source.

Having flown into Warsaw, I was driven south-east for the best part of 100 miles, with a rather taciturn representative of Agros, a state-owned company trading in farm products.

We were roughly following the river Vistula: first across heathland, then past fields with haystacks, and men scything by hand, then into countryside with apple orchards. When I saw the apples, I knew the hops were not far away.Orchard fruits and hops are neighbours in Poland as they are in Kent, Hereford and Worcester. I was also reminded that, even in Communist times, Poland retained small, family-owned farms.

Near Deblin, we had to swerve to avoid a drunken man on a bicycle. Much more often, despite being on a main road, we were slowed by horses or tractors pulling carts shaped like shallow baths. One carried a pile of potatoes, another a lone pig, a third an entire family, followed by a panting dog. On another occasion, our progress was severely retarded by a lady escorting a flock of geese.

Our destination was Pulawy, a county town about 30 miles from the historic city of Lublin.

On arriving, I was immediately struck by the amount of lush, well-kept parkland, with decorative trees and pavilions.

This turned out to be the former estate of the Czartoryskis, a powerful family of noblemen. I was driven to their 18th-century palace, a Georgian-looking building, painted cream, forming a gated square round a stand of lime trees. The palace now houses the Agricultural Institute of Poland, with a department specialising in hops.

In his modest office, the director told me Poland had 2,500 hectares of hops, farmed by 1,600 growers, 80 per cent of them in the Pulawy-Lublin area. He showed me several new and experimental varieties in the Pulawy-Lublin hop families, originally bred from the Czech Saaz.

Emphasis was given to a variety called Marynka, with a good bitterness and a powerful bouquet. The Polish hops overall character was cedary, rooty, almost licoricelike, and very aromatic.

As I rubbed and sniffed each variety, another would be proffered by Mieczyslaw Stasiak, who designs equipment for the picking, kilning and packing of hops. One of his machines picks the fashionable new dwarf varieties.

No Slavic melancholy here: Mr Stasiak has a passionate enthusiasm for hops. He drove me over the fields to see gardens in a nearby broad valley dotted with rowan trees.

he hops were still being harvested in early September. The delay was due to conditions like a rice paddy, caused by the same heavy rain that flooded the opposite corner of Poland.The hops looked none the worse for it: plump, green, resinous and freshly aromatic.

From Pulawy, we headed another 100 miles southwest, criss-crossing the Vistula, to taste the finished product: to Brzesko, a hillside town near Poland's old capital, Cracow, in the province of Galicia. Down the hill from Brzeskos town centre, in a loop in the Uswica river, is the district of Okocim.

In 1845, when Galicia was a province in the Austrian Empire, a Viennese called Jan Gotz built the Okocim brewery at the foot of the hill.

That was only three years after Pilsner Urquell (in Bohemia. then also an Austrian province) set the pace for industrial-scale brewing in Central Europe.

The sprawl of the Okocim brewery fills the valley and cuts into the hillside. It still has its original maltings, and its 1845 chimney.

With a locomotive shunting in the yard, one building looking like an engine shed, another like a woollen mill, a third like a city hall. With corners like a public park, the odd flower bed or set of iron railings, it reminded me very much of Pilsner Urquell.

The "Austrian" breweries of this period are classic sites in the modern history of beer-making.

At Okocim, a newer, 1950s maltings block, topped with a sign in Art Deco type adds its own flourish. By then the brewery was state owned the last member of the founding family died in Africa in the 1960s and Okocim is today a public company one third owned by Carlsberg.

Here there are three brewhouses, all still in use, spanning the history of Okocim. Two are in copper, with vessels in the traditional shape. The third, dating from the early days, has curiously bevelled vessels, painted green.The fermenters are open squares in Gothic arched cellars.

The lagering vessels are a mixture of traditional horizontal and modern cylindroconicals.

I first tasted the basic lager, called simply Browar ("Brewer"). It has a soft head and good lace, a firm, smooth, lightly malty body a lingering hop bitterness and 4.4 per cent alcohol or more.

Then came the hoppier Pilsner-style, Zagloba, at more than 30 units of bitterness and 5 per cent-plus ABV and an aromatic, perfumy, well-rounded Strong Beer, at 6.0 per cent. All bear higher figures on the label, because Polish law demands the highest margin of error is shown.

A curiosity of the brewery is a product similar to a German Malzbier. This style of brew, less of a beer than a malt extract, is served to nursing mothers or as an energy drink.

Okocims example, sweet, toffeeish. and claret-coloured, has an original gravity of 1040-42, but an alcohol content of only 1.2 per cent. It is called Karmi, a name from the epoch of the Pharaohs.

The high spot of the tasting was Okocim Porter, bottom-fermenting, but in the vein of a Baltic or "Imperial" Stout.

This has a pillowy head, a purply black colour, a sweetly hoppy, almost minty. menthol-like aroma a firm, smooth, lightly oily body, a medicinal start, devel-oping cinnamon and raisin notes, and a balance of woody dryness.

It has a gravity of 1088; is brewed from pale, Munich, crystal and dark malts; and emerges with an ABV of 8.1.

Its bitterness is in the range of 34-45... and the hops? Ah, yes - they are regular Lublin and Marynka.

Published Online: APR 27, 2000
Published in Print: JAN 1, 1998
In: What's Brewing

6 questions for a beer Prince

2008-08-14T01:24:00.003+05:30

Prince Luitpold von Bayern, the Crown Prince of Bavaria, was in Cincinnati this past weekend to help celebrate the 27th Oktoberfest Zinzinnati.

A replica of the prince's Bavarian castle was erected for the festival, and he posed for pictures with people, signed autographs, and talked about his König Ludwig Weiss at the Warsteiner Festival Tent. The castle he lives in was built in in 1670 and remodeled in neo-Gothic style in the mid 1880s. Commercial production of beer there began in 1872, and Prince Luitpold has run the brewery since 1976.

The prince took a few minutes to answer six questions from Realbeer.com.

1. Why are you in Cincinnati this weekend instead of at the opening of the original Oktoberfest in Munich?

Prince Luitpold: I thought this was a good occasion to go to the second largest Oktoberfest in the world (about 500,000 attended Oktoberfest Zinzinnati during the weekend), and talk about our new product.

Our family started it (the royal wedding of Ludwig I - inventor of the biergarten - in 1810 was the foundation of Oktoberfest), my three times great grandfather, but we not allowed to serve our beer there. Only the beer from Munich breweries is sold.

2. Why did you choose to make Weiss the first beer you exported to the United States? (Shipments began earlier this year.)

Prince Luitpold: We did quite a bit of research, including at our brewpub (the Kaltenberg Castle). For an imported beer, we think it is an excellent choice. We believe Weiss is an authentic style for import and there aren't that many true Weiss beers available.
Why did you choose Warsteiner to be the importer?

Prince Luitpold: We already have a distribution deal with them in Germany, since they are in the North and we are in the South. Warsteiner has an excellent network in the United States and we are able to put our beer in the same container (shipments). Up to now, our sales have gone very, very well.

Do this mean we will see more König Ludwig beer in the United States? Perhaps the (highly praised) Dunkel?

Prince Luitpold: I think you will see us come to the United States with more styles, but that is a ways off. (About the Dunkel) we will wait and see. It is available at the brewpub and has done extremely well.

3. When you aren't drinking your beer, what do you drink?

Prince Luitpold: It depends very much on the situation. When I travel I test other products, look for good ideas. It depends what country I'm in. In Eastern Europe they want to give you vodka at lunch, but we are doing a good job to educate them that beer is better for you.

I'm always a friend to the small brewer. I think there are some excellent small breweries in England. As a German, people think I wouldn't appreciate English beer.

(In the United States) I have many quite good friends. I think Dan Gordon (of Gordon Biersch) is a very good brewmaster. I've had excellent beers (in the U.S) - it's really a question of if people care about what they are brewing.

4. Is the Reinheitsgebot (the German beer purity law of 1516 that states that hops, malt and water should be the only ingredients in beer) relevant to today's beer drinker in Germany? Elsewhere?

Prince Luitpold: I think so. Who wants a beer that is not 'rein'? That is not pure? The imported beers no longer have to meet the law, but up until now they have not made any progress in our market. The only imported beers that have (succeeded) are some Czech beers, and they are pure.

5. Which is cooler? Living in a castle or living over a brewery?

Prince Luitpold: I think the combination is ideal. The castle can be quite cool at times and it is nice to be able to walk down and get a beer. In a winter we do a bock beer of 22° gravity. It's sold only to pub to sell on draft, but I will go down to the cellar and get a beaker right out of the cask. That's where beer tastes best.

6. What lessons have you learned from working in the beer business?

Prince Luitpold: First you have to be 100% honest about the beer you sell and make it a quality product. Product quality is No. 1, No. 1, No. 1. We believe it doesn't make sense to save on (raw) materials.

You have to be very close to the consumer. I tend to be out in the marketplace as much as I can and see how the consumer reacts to our products. Name doesn't really matter to a customer if you serve him a bad beer - he will never drink your beer again.

Bavaria's best advice is -- try the Weiss

2008-08-14T01:16:00.002+05:30

Anyone who appreciates a good ale is enjoying a fruity complexity of flavours. This derives not so much from the basic raw material barley that has been malted or the seasoning of hop flowers, as it does from the top-fermenting yeasts used in the making of ales (as opposed to the bottom type employed in lagers).

If, though, the barley is augmented with wheat, that raw material will impart a fruitiness right from the start.

Wheat beers also use top-fermenting yeasts (they are not lagers, contrary to widespread belief), and this renders them doubly fruity. Some taste apple-like, and others are reminiscent of plums, or even bananas.

There may be more complexities, too. There is a distinct style to the wheat beers made in South Germany, especially the state of Bavaria, and notably the region to the east of Munich.

The combination of malted wheat and the type of yeasts used by this region's brewers can sometimes make for a spicy, clove-like character.

In Bavaria I have been served the paler, lighter type of wheat beer as a refreshingly tart, acidic, Champagne-like summer refresher, or even as a dessert beer, with elderberry fritters (how about apple pie with cinnamon and cloves?), but there are also darker and stronger versions more suited to autumn and winter.

I have been banging on about South German wheat beers for years, and I am delighted to see that they are becoming more easily available in Britain. The most visible examples are perhaps those from the Erdinger Weissbräu brewery.

Erding is an attractive country town near Munich. The town was originally a ducal seat. It was founded in the late 700s, but most of its present buildings (pastel-coloured and timbered, and punctuated with onion-dome towers) date from the reconstruction in the late 1600s and 1700s, after the 30 years war.

The easiest way to make the journey, of just over 20 miles from Munich, is by the suburban railway (S-Bahn), one of whose lines ends at Erding.

I went this year, during the towns autumn festival, which always starts on the last Friday of August and lasts for 10 days.

The festival is held on parkland conveniently next to the railway station. Behind the fairground attractions stands the customary tent, capable of holding 3,500 people, served by waitresses capable of holding ten litre-sized steins of Erdinger Weissbräu's Festbier. (For the brewery's other wheat beers, it is necessary to walk into the town.)

Weisse, meaning white, is one designation often applied to wheat beers. In the days when most types of beer were dark, wheat brews were seen as being relatively pale and often cloudy.

The term Weissbier may be used. Or, in the Munich area, the colloquialism Weises. Or the label may bear the similar-sounding word Weizen, meaning wheat.

The same brewer may use both terms: sometimes Weissbier on his pale, or cloudy (unfiltered) version and Weizen on the darker interpretation, but the terms are interchangeable.

Dark white beer sounds contradictory but some brewers, including Erdinger, use that form.

Some brewers feel that Weissbier sounds more traditional, because it is an older term; others argue that Weizenbier is more precise.

A Munich brewer told me derisively that Weissbier was a local term from Swabia (to the west). Another said Weizenbier was a term used by ignorant Franconians (to the north).

I have also heard it argued that the term Weizenbier offers a better guarantee that the beer was made according to the convention that specifies a minimum of 50 per cent wheat.

It is necessary to use some barley both for its natural enzymes and its husks, which form a filter in the mash tun. Erdinger says it uses more than 50 per cent wheat, but declines to be more specific. I will guess 50-60 per cent.

The brewery was founded in 1853, started to make wheat beers in the 1890s, and has produced nothing else since it came into its present ownership, the Brombach family, in 1935. At the time, it was making 3,500 hectolitres a year.

When I first encountered South German wheat beers, in the early to mid 1960s, they were regarded as an old-fashioned, rustic style, favoured by old ladies with large hats. The beer was at that time customarily garnished with a slice of lemon.

People have told me the lemon was to mask the taste of the uneven products made at that time by unscientific country brewers; I do not believe that. Some of the wilder wheat beers might taste odd to the uninitiated, but not to people who grew up with them.

I have also heard it said that the lemon reduced the foam to manageable proportions, but why would anyone want to flatten a naturally sparkling drink?

I believe the lemon accentuated the tart, refreshing character of the beer, and I am sorry that it is so rarely seen in Germany today.

Apparently the green movement is worried that the rind may carry pesticides; a new generation of beer purists dislike the lemon; and it does not go so well with the heavily sedimented style currently favoured.

In the early 1960s, wheat beers had only 1 or 2 per cent of the Bavarian market, or at most 2 or 3, reckons Erdinger's second generation owner, Werner Brombach. At the time, his brewery was making 20,000 hectolitres a year.

In the late 1960s, the cloudy, rustic version began to be replaced by the filtered type, sometimes identified as Kristall. This Champagne image helped it recover.

Then, in the 1970s, the pendulum of style swung back to the cloudy, sedimented type, which is seen as a more natural product by today's young audience.

If the cloudy type is made in the traditional way, as Erdinger is, the sediment is yeast left during a secondary fermentation in the bottle.

Some examples from non-specialist brewers are simply sedimented with the residual protein that would normally be removed after brewing.

The latest trend has been towards the darker types, still usually sedimented, and today wheat beer has a good 25 per cent of the Bavarian market.

Brombach confesses he gulped when he found it necessary in 1983 to invest 45 million marks to make a quantum leap to a capacity of a million hectolitres, at a new brewery on the edge of town.

The brewhouse he installed then is now being replicated in mirror image to double that capacity.

Both are spectacular show brewhouses, in matte stainless steel, with vessels of traditional shapes though in more singular, stylised renditions. Erdinger is by far the biggest wheat-beer producer in Germany (about twice the size of the other famous specialist, Schneider Weisse).

Erdinger contracts with local farmers to grow some of its barley and all of its wheat, and provides them with seed. All the barley is of two-row, summer varieties.

Two varieties of wheat are used. A double decoction mash is employed.

There are three hop additions, using Perle, Hallertau and Tetnanger, with the accent on aroma. (Hop bitterness does not sit well with the wheat beers particular style of fruitiness.)

A top-fermenting yeast is used in primary fermentation. The brewery has only horizontal tanks, in which the fermenting wort is a mere 2.8 metres high.

People in Bavaria say it is crazy not to have tall cylindro-conicals in a wholly ultra-modern brewery, says Brombach, but I think that kind of vessel sets up a convection that makes for dirty beer.

Clean beer is something of an obsession at Erdinger, which works to tolerances of a tenth of a degree of temperature, from mashing to fermentation, and is coy about revealing the details of either.

The filtered beer is tank conditioned, but the greater part of output has a secondary fermentation in the bottle. For this purpose, it is primed with wort, and pre-yeasted with a bottom culture.

This beer then spends from two to four weeks of warm conditioning at temperatures of up to 15¡C.

I was shown a conditioning warehouse that can hold 15 million bottles and in which pallets are moved by robot lifts that run on tracks. It was the most advanced warehousing I have ever seen, even in Japan.

The popularity of Erdinger's products is no doubt partly due to their clean, easy, drinkability and to a slight residual sweetness that is an intentional house characteristic.

For a systematic tasting, I went back to Erdinger Weissbräu's original premises, a 1537 house that is still the brewery tap, at Number one on the High Street, Lange Zeile.

First, there were two bottled beers at around 1050': the filtered Erdinger Kristall, sweetish, with a hint of vanilla; and the sedimented Erdinger Mit Hefe (with yeast), which has a fruitier (apple-like) character.

The Erdinger Weissbier Dunkel (dark), at 1050-52', had a spicier character. This is a style of wheat beer that I especially enjoy, with its teasing counterpoint of tartness and chocolate-malt sweetness.

Finally, the strong version of the dark: Pinkantus Weizenbock, at 1070', smooth and liquorice-tasting.

Published Online: OCT 1, 1997
Published in Print: SEPT 1, 1991
In: What's Brewing

Bock brings the Germans rushing to the beer garden

2008-08-14T01:09:00.003+05:30

After the dark months of winter, the Bavarians are now venturing cautiously into their beloved beer gardens, even though the weather is not yet reliably warm enough to ensure comfort.

They can always give themselves a little central heating with a Bock Beer. In Germany, this is a brewery's strongest beer, unless - as is often the case - it also has a "double" Bock.

Both variations are seasonal specialities for cool weather, and the Doppelbocks are especially associated with Lent. Extra-strong beers were originally made at this time of year by monastic breweries as "liquid bread" to see the brothers through the weeks when their diet forbade not only meat but also fish.

The notion of beer as liquid bread is not fanciful. In the dawn of civilisation, bread was baked as a raw material for brewing and in some corners of the world "traditional beers" are still something of an alcoholic porridge.

A rich, malty beer like a Doppelbock is quite filling and does not, like the lighter, hoppier styles, further arouse the appetite.

The most famous Doppelbock is the one first made by the monks of St. Francis of Paula. The saint's town is in Calabria, but the monks had crossed the Alps and founded their community in Munich, in 1634.

They began to sell their beer commercially in 1780 and named their Doppelbock after the Sayiour - in Latin, Salvator. Other brewers copied the name until trademark laws were introduced. After that, competitors began to devise other names ending in -ator.

During the Napoleonic period, the brewery was secularised but the tradition has continued. These days, the Paulaner brewery makes its Salvator available year round, but still has a ceremonial tapping in March or April for the new spring season.

The ceremony is two weeks after Ash Wednesday. The Prime Minister of Bavaria and the Mayor of Munich attend the event at which the invited elite of Munich is entertained to a topical cabaret but the public flock to the brewery's beer garden to drink the beer.

In heavily Catholic Bavaria, where the most popular Christian name is Joseph, that saint's day, on March 19, is often regarded as the beginning of the "strong beer " season. Going to the beer garden at the Paulaner brewery is sometimes referred to "as taking the beer cure," as though it were water that was being sipped, at Tunbridge Wells, Malvern or Harrogate, perhaps. (Innerleithen used to be a spa - maybe Traquair House should start a "beer cure season").

Like many monasteries, the Paulaners' was on a hill, a defensible point overlooking the city, and in the 1880s much of the present brewery and garden was built there. The hill is known as the Nockherberg, after a wealthy man who had his home there.

The Salvator, with a gravity of 1072-4 degrees and 7.5 per cent alcohol by volume, is a dark-brown lager with a malty aroma and palate rounding out to a dryish finish. As the weather warms, attention will drift from the Salvator to the lighter, sharper, more quenching Weissbier wheat brews of summer.

That might be the moment to sample the unfiltered products at Paulaner's brewpub in the centre of town at Kapuziner Platz.

Every Munich brewery has these styles, but one associated with both is the Hofbrnuhaus. It was the first brewery in Bavaria to use the term Bock, well over 300 years ago.

Its annual tapping ceremony, again private, is in the last week of April, again usually on a Wednesday, at the Hofbranhaus tavern (no longer a brewpub, though it was in the 1500s), on the Platzl, the square that is the heart of the town.

The beer tapped in April is available throughout the next month and is called May Bock. In a slight gesture to the more summery weather it has a gravity of a mere 1072-3 and an alcohol content of 7.2. It is an amberred lager with a malty fruitiness in its aroma and palate, without being over-sweet, and is perilously easy to drink.

Head north from Munich past Nuremberg and Bayreuth and you will hit the Bock-producing town of Kulmbach. This pretty little town of half-timbered buildings sits at the foot of another of those defensible hills which has been topped by a castle since the beginning of this millennium.

For those who enjoy such treats, the castle has the world's biggest collection of toy soldiers (sorry, tin figures).

Kulmbach is at the meeting point of two small branches of the river Main and was an early centre for the distribution of beer. Its propensity for strong styles may date from the days when their potency protected them on their travels. The most famous examples are the Reichel's "Ice Bock" and the Kulminator of the Erste Kulmbacher Union Brewery.

Both Reichelbrau and EKU are now large, modern breweries. Reichel, founded in 1846, has wooden lagering vessels ranged as a memory of tradition outside its white-painted tower. Its Risbock, sub-titled Bayrisch G'frorns ("Bavarian Frozen") has a gravity of 1096 and is made from five malts, one with an intentionally-sour, lactic character.

After a conventional bottom-fermentation, the brew is frozen for 11-14 days. Between 5 and 7 per cent of the volume of the brew stays behind as ice. Because water freezes before alcohol, this concentrates the brew, which then has six months' lagering.

The beer is released at about 7 o'clock in the evening at a public festival in Kulmbach town hall on the last Saturday in March. If you have missed it for this year, perhaps you should think about booking a trip for 1994.

The festival opens with the ceremonial hacking open of an icebound wooden cask. The beer that emerges is very complex, with a deep, reddish-brown colour; a malty aroma; a smooth palate; a warming, faintly bitter, finish reminiscent of a coffee liqueur; and a strength of 10 per cent ABV.

On the last weekend in July, Kulmbach has a beer festival on the town square, but the only brews served are specials for the occasion, at a respectable 5 per cent. The more potent products can, of course, be found around the town. Reichel and its sister brewery Kuimbacher Monchshof (known for its "black" Schwarzbier, a dark lager) and EKU have ties on most of the local taverns.

EKU makes a dark (cherry-to-brown), creamy, malty Doppelbock called simply Kulminator, at 7.6 per cent, and a paler (pinkish amber) but famously strong version, at 11.5-12 per cent which has the subtitle "28." That figure refers to degrees Plato, the German system of original gravity. Call it 1120.

The brewery claims that this beer has nine months' lagering, dropping in temperature until it begins to freeze, but the amount of ice left behind in this instance is not regarded as being a significant factor in its potency.

Kulminator 28 is even more creamy and malty, slightly ora ngey-tasting and instantly alcoholic. At the brewery I was offered it in a cocktail with orange juice and rum. After a hard night's drinking, this would be the perfect breakfast.

EKU was a union of two smaller breweries, which linked in 1872. Its 1890s makings building still stands, a classic of the period, with modern equipment inside, and makes a marvellous contrast to the post-modernist brewery of 1990.

This northern part of Bavaria, known as Franconia, is the most densely breweried corner of Germany, and is endlessly interesting for the beer lover. Turn west and you are heading for Bamberg, better known for smoked beers than for Bocks, though it does have the odd strong brew from mid October through November and December.

At either end of the year, Bock beers are usually considered to be winter warmers. I believe they are also a remnant of the days before artificial refrigeration, when it was impossible to brew in summer because of wild yeasts.

A high gravity brew was made in March and laid down as a provision to be drawn upon during the summer months. When the warm weather was over, in September and October, the last of the stock was ceremonially consumed.

This may explain the resilient folklore that Bock beer is made from the sediment taken from vessels during spring cleaning. A laughable story, but perhaps based on a misunderstanding of the truth.

Bocks are usually stronger than the Marzen (March) and Oktoberfest beers, and the traditions are now distinct from each other, but surely they all have their roots in the original seasonal nature of brewing.

Published Online: SEPT 2, 1998
Published in Print: APR 1, 1993
In: What's Brewing

Beer from Germany

2008-08-14T00:49:00.004+05:30

The birth of lager

Brewed in March, matured until September

Around this time of year, brewers start to send me malty, amber-red March beers. Some are labeled in French, Biere de Mars; more in German, as Marzenbier. Most beer lovers realize that brewing was once seasonal, but a March beer is a particularly poignant reminder of that. Throughout most of beer's history, March or April was the end of the brewing season. As I sample this season's beers, I am reminded how old and elemental an activity brewing is - and how intertwined are the nineteenth-century roots of today's lager beer styles.

When human beings stopped being nomadic hunters and gatherers, and began to farm, they grew cereal grain, especially wheat and barley, and brewed beer. Farmers were the first brewers, tilling, sowing and harvesting in spring and summer, brewing in fall and winter. Those seasonal imperatives apart, beer could not be fermented in summer, because the air was too full of stray yeasts.

Not that yeast was understood for most of the history of brewing. The first beer-makers simply left their brew I open vessels, in which airborne wild yeasts settled. The brew foamed, fermented, and turned into what I imagine was a very winey-tasting beer. Brewers didn't realize that the foam on top of fermenting beer comprised millions of yeast cells. They did, though, learn to scoop off that foam and use it as a starter for the next batch. Empirically, they were breeding, by selection, top-fermenting yeasts.

The Road to Munich

The first farmer-brewers were in the Middle East, in the fertile crescent from what is now Egypt to Iraq. As the cultivation of cereal grains spread, people to the south (in Africa) grew grains like millet, the lands to the east (in Asia) were more suitable for rice, but the north and west (Europe) favored wheat and barley. I believe that one of the paths of brewing led north and west through Armenia and the lands that became southern Russia, the Ukraine, Slovakia, Bohemia and Bavaria.

The last two became famous brewing regions. Both have plentiful supplies of good water from snowy mountain ranges, and each has the soil and climate to grow excellent barley and hops. All they needed to achieve greatness was a more scientific approach to brewing.

For that we have to thank St. Benedict (480-547 A.D.). Inspired by Jesus' time in the wilderness, St. Benedict fathered modern monasticism. His rules said that monks must support themselves. The early abbeys, in Italy, farmed, grew grapes and made wine for their tables. When the movement spread north across the Alps, the cooler climate favored barley and beer. As the church and the monasteries were the early seats of study and learning, so were they the birthplaces of brewing science.

Munich, the Bavarian capital, is known in German as Munchen, which means "monks." Among today's Munich breweries, the names Augustiner, Franziskaner and Paulaner bear witness to monastic origins. Just to the north of the city, the former Benedictine monastery of Weihenstephan ("Sacred Stephen") accommodates what is claimed to be the world's oldest brewery, said to date from 1040, and the most famous university faculty of brewing. Half a dozen or so breweries in Bavaria are still owned by religious orders.

From Ice Caves to Microscopes

The rivers that flow from the Bavarian Alps form broad, fertile valleys winding around small hills. The abbeys favored the isolation of hilltops, and carved beer cellars into the rock beneath. These could be packed with ice from the rivers, lakes and mountains. Some Munich brewers took their beer to ice-cold Alpine caves to store it during the summer for later use as needed. When stored (in German, lagered) in such cold temperatures during the summer months, the beer became inherently more stable. The yeast sank out of harm's way; empirically, the brewers were breeding bottom-fermenting cultures. It has been argued that the lagering of beer is mentioned in statutes of the city of Munich as long ago as 1420. This suggestion derives not from direct, dated evidence but from a book written almost four centuries later by Lorenz Westenrieder. The same book implies that yeast especially suited to this treatment came to Bavaria in the 1500s, from Bohemia. At the time, there was no clear distinction between brewers' and bakers' yeasts.

The difference between types of yeasts could only emerge as it was possible to view the microscopic cell structures. The first microscope was developed by the Dutchman, Anton van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723), but it was a couple of centuries later before yeasts were truly understood.

One person credited as the "father" of modern brewing is Benno Scharl, born in 1741 in Seefeld, Bavaria. The basis for his renown is an early textbook on brewing techniques in which he referred to lagering, although the descriptions of yeast are vague. Scharl identified his beer as being "brown." Other references to malting at this time suggest that direct heat and high temperatures were employed in the kilning, and that would naturally produce a dark color.

The importance of Spaten

The most significant German brewery in the development of lager brewing was Spaten ("Spade"), which began as a brewpub in 1397, in the Old Town of Munich. It takes its name from George Spaeth, who became owner in 1622, but the most famous proprietors were the Sedlmayr family. Gabriel Sedlmayr I had been the brewmaster to the Bavarian royal court before he took over at Spaten in 1807.

Just as the abbeys were natural homes for breweries, so were royal palaces. Any big household would have a brewery, along with a bakery and a butchery to supply its estate. But by the 1800s the Industrial Revolution was under way, changing every aspect of life. It was from this period that so many of today's beer styles arose.

Before the invention of steam power, all breweries were in abbeys, big houses or pubs. It was difficult in those days to have a brewery on anything larger than a household scale. There is a limit to how much beer can be made if the sacks of grain have to be hoisted, the mash stirred, and the pumps operated by hand. Nor, before steam, could beer be transported farther than a horse could carry it.

The steamship and railway era changed all that. It also meant that brewers could travel farther to study brewing techniques. Such travels were traditionally a part of the beer maker's apprenticeship. In the manner of the day, Sedlmayr's son, Gabriel II, traveled to Prussia, Bohemia, Austria, Switzerland, Baden-Wurttemberg, the Rhineland, Belgium, The Netherlands and the British Isles. He formed a long-term friendship with an Austrian, Anton Dreher (whose name survives in beer brands in Hungary and Italy).

Sedlmayr's journeys continued for six years or more, in the late 1820s and early 1830s. Gabriel II noted that, as compared to the Bavarians, the Belgians and British has gentler techniques for drying the malt. The Prussians and British knew more about the extraction of fermentable sugars in the mashing. The English brewer, Bass, provided him with his first saccharometer, but elsewhere in Britain, Gabriel II and Dreher recalled that they "stole" samples of wort and yeast. They even commissioned the manufacture of a metal tube, with a hidden valve, for this purpose. "It always surprises me that we can get away with these thefts without being beaten up," Gabriel II wrote.

The British probably did not care. The island nation had used its sea power to explore and colonize half the world. Britain was a prosperous and industrially sophisticated nation. British brewers, never far from the coast, were already shipping beer to northern Europe and the Empire. There were still countless brewpubs in Britain but there the era of industrial brewing had already dawned. British brewers were far more advanced in the application of biochemical research, in temperature control throughout the production of beer, and in the use of steam power.

Gabriel II and Dreher went on to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, Edinburgh, and Alloa, among other brewing cities, picking up what knowledge they could. I have heard it argued in continental Europe that this British trip provided the foundation for the first methodological production of lager.

Later, when Gabriel II helped other German brewers, a notable participant in his work was Heinrich Boettinger from Baden-Wurttemberg. At college, Boettinger had known Justus von Liebig, the great chemist who had done pioneering work on yeast. Boettinger at one point worked in Britain, helping the Burton brewers, Allsopp, perfect a pale ale, the precursor of Double Diamond. Boettinger subsequently returned to Germany as a stockholder in Stuttgart Hofbrau, which still operates.

In 1836-39, after the death of Gabriel Sedlmayr I, his son took over the Spaten brewery, along with brother Josef. In 1840, he began a program of modernization, and in 1844, introduced steam power. In 1845, Gabriel bought out Josef.

The brewery was at this time perfecting dark brown lagers, the style you get in Bavaria today if you ask for a Dunkel or Dunkles. In the international brewing world, it is known as a Bavarian- or Munich-style lager. It became widely popular in German-speaking Europe during the 1830s and '40s. This style typically has the cleanness and roundness of a lager, married to the flavors of dark malts, perhaps slightly coffeeish and dry, even very faintly smoky, but not overtly roasty.

Lager brewing in Munich took a further leap forward later in the century with Von Linde's work on refrigeration, notably at the Paulaner brewery. This meant that cold lagering no longer required icy caves, and cold temperatures could be guaranteed at any time of year. Brewing need no longer be seasonal, though that notion never entirely faded. Often, the new equipment was installed in natural cellars that had previously accommodated ice. I have seen several such natural cellars in many of today's Bavarian breweries, and, for example, at the Yuengling brewery established in the Delaware Valley by a family from Baden-Wurttemberg.

Sedlmayr and Carlsberg

One of Gabriel Sedlmayr's students was Jacob Christian Jacobsen, who founded Carlsberg in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1845. He started his famous brewery with Spaten yeast, and at first made dark lagers.

At Carlsberg, a single-cell, pure-culture yeast was finally isolated nearly a half century later by a young brewery scientist named Emil Hansen, helped by the work of Pasteur. The exchange of information at this time formed an intricate web. One of Pasteur's collaborators was with the Marseilles brewery of Eugene Veltens, who had also spent time with Gabriel II.

The circumstances in which Jacobsen obtained the Spaten yeast are not clear but he and Gabriel II seem to have remained in friendly correspondence. Gabriel's friend, Anton Dreher had less easily acquired his family's brewery, in Vienna in 1836-39. He had to buy it from his mother. After trying unsuccesfully to borrow the money from relatives, he finally succeeded after marrying the daughter of a rich landowner.

In 1840-41 Dreher began to brew lager in Vienna. Unfortunately, accounts of brewing at that time are always vague about the aroma, color and taste of the beer. It is recorded that Dreher was concerned that his beer should be bright. Brews subsequently made to commemorate this period have always been amber-red, and I have always believed that was the color of Dreher's lager. Judging from what little we know of his process, and from the beers that have since proclaimed themselves to be of the Vienna style, I believe these beers typically to have been malt accented, perhaps with some barley-sugar aroma and flavor, but with a good hop balance.

The Austrian beer writer, Conrad Seidl, recently wrote to me with three historical references that in various respects bear out this belief. He feels that the beer nearest to this style currently being produced in Vienna is the Marzen of the brewpub, Siebenstern, in the street of the same name. Dreher's beer was very successful, and within a couple of decades, he had bought a castle brewery at Michelob, Bohemia. Later, he bought a brewery in Budapest.

In 1842, the town of Plzen, Bohemia, produced the world's first golden lager. This town perfectly illustrates a typical brewing history. Brewing began there in a monastery in the 1200s, but by the early 1800s was being carried out in brewpubs making top-fermented beers. The owners of several brewpubs had joined forces to build an industrial brewery. This brewery, today's Pilsner Urquell, produced the golden beer from its inception Accounts seem to suggest that the pale color-which made the beer so startlingly different at the time-was a happy accident. Similar stories are told of many famous drinks, and they usually strike me as being exaggerations. The owners had recruited their brewer, Josef Groll, from Vilshofen, Bavaria, to make a lager beer. He is depicted as a rough-cut, rural character, and not a natural innovator, but he had circumstance on his side.

The local barley was very low in protein, and that would have helped clarity. The brewery, which was brand new, had British-inspired maltings, using indirect heat, which produced a pale kilning. While other brewing cities had water high in various minerals, Plzen's was very soft. In particular, it was innocent of limestone, which brings color from the malt into the beer. The plentiful local hops were used lavishly, and that would have helped clarify the beer as well as give it the aromatic accent that we now associate with a pilsner. Huge cellars had been cut for lagering. The Plzen golden style of lager would spread to other cities such as Budweis (the original home of Bohemia's royal court brewery) and to Bavaria, but not immediately.

Josef and the Oktoberfest

As late as 1871, Bavaria's lagers were all still dark. In that year, Gabriel Sedlmayr's brother Josef brewed in Munich a trial version of a Vienna-style lager. In the meantime, Josef had become a commercially successful brewer. He owned the Franziskaner brewery, which later merged with Spaten. He gathered a circle of distinguished citizens to sample his new beer, an amber-red brew that was a novelty in Munich and a step on the road to paler lagers. The first regular Vienna-style batch was made in March 1872 and lagered until September. It was thus identified as a Marzenbier and was ready in time for the Oktoberfest.

Marzenbier remained the principal style of beer at the Oktoberfest until the last couple of decades. In recent years it has been largely replaced by malt-accented beers of a similar strength (around 4.5 percent alcohol by weight, 5.75 by volume) but a bronze or golden color. Munich's everyday beers also began to turn gold in the 1890s, with Spaten again claiming credit for that innovation. Paulaner claims to have popularized the golden style of Munich beer in the 1920s and '30s. Munich's interpretation, usually identified as a Hell or Helles ("pale"), is again malt accented, but typically with an alcohol content of 3.7 percent by weight, 4.6 by volume.

By the 1870s, golden lagers had spread from the southeast of Germany to the northwest, where the city of Dortmund, in Westphalia, was developing its own style. The classic Dortmunder lager is firmer bodied and drier, with an alcohol content of around 4.4 percent by weight, 5.5 by volume. Golden lagers began to gain popularity when opaque stoneware steins gave way to mass-produced glass. When brewers of German origin introduced lager brewing to the United States, the trend toward paler colors and lighter body (two separate characteristics, though often linked in the mind of the consumer) continued for 100 years.

When Miller made Clear Beer, the trend had gone as far as possible. Now, the movement in America is in the opposite direction. It is America's turn to teach the Germans something: to show them that traditions can be rediscovered.

The great British pub crawl

2008-08-14T00:27:00.012+05:30

We had marched beyond Hog Hill, across Ashton Farm and past Four Barrow Hill, bound for the Dorset Coast Path and surprised by the cool bite of the breeze on our faces. Suddenly, the English coast rested at our feet.

Or so it seemed from the crest on which we stood, gaping.

Straight ahead was Weymouth, the Isle of Portland and the English Channel. To the right, the coastline disappeared into the horizon, to the left, the same, and we could distinguish the shape of the land as it appears on maps. We were 160 meters above sea level, but it seemed like the top of the world, as if we could see all the way from Dover to Penzance.

We had come expecting stunning views but weren't prepared for this. It was dazzling. And the fact that the three of us had hiked here and were sharing the scene with only a few sheep made it all the more extraordinary.

Although you often see advertisements for organized pub crawls and walking tours in Britain, you may not realize how easy it is to set out on your own. Rambling is the second-most popular hobby in the country, and England and Wales have more than 100,000 miles of footpaths, public rights of way that allow ramblers to traverse farms, golf courses and forests. Since walking is so popular, detailed maps and guidebooks are plentiful.

What's more, an English ramble can double as a beer vacation, although we hadn't planned it as such. Our intention was to find an England that foreign tourists usually neglect. We chose Dorset county because writer Thomas Hardy had immortalized its scenery in novels such as "Far From the Madding Crowd." Additionally, journeying in Dorset is a form of time travel, with sights ranging from Iron Age forts to Roman amphitheaters to Victorian seaside pavilions. When we learned Dorchester was home to Eldridge Pope & Co., brewers of Thomas Hardy's Ale and Royal Oak, we arranged for a tour. Beer gradually became a touchstone, as we anticipated drinking locally made real ales. And, after comparing hotel prices to pub lodging prices, we decided to sleep where we drank.

So it happened that we were in a busy London train station on Sunday morning and in a country pub called the Digby Tap on Sunday afternoon, sipping our Shepherd Neame Bitter and Smiles Best Bitter, watching a man entertain his young daughter while his mates rolled cigarettes and played darts.

Prelude to a walk: Sunday in Sherborne

A British Rail train took the three of us -- Stan, Daria and Stan's 16-year-old son, Ryan -- to the village of Sherborne, about 130 miles southwest of London. It is best known for Sherborne Abbey, founded in 988, and the abbey's 15th century church, which has an incredible Britannia Innfan-vaulted roof, ornate crypts and tombs, and a monks' washing place. Also here are two Sherborne Castles, one built in the 12th century and now consisting of ancient ruins, the other built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594. Many of the town's buildings are between 200 and 500 years old. We stayed at the Brittania Inn, which formerly was a home for wayward girls. Our "family room" was clean and large, with a bathroom just down the hall.

We dined at the Brittania and drank Tetley's and Wadsworth 6X alongside locals who had come straight from church. Younger patrons played pool and listened to loud music in the smoky second barroom. Royal Oak and Dorchester Bitter were an after-dinner treat at the nearby Cross Keys.

Throughout the trip, we drank real ale, as defined by the Campaign for Real Ale. It is unpasteurized, cask conditioned beer with natural carbonation. Most pubs also offer keg ale, including various stouts, as well as keg lager and cider.

Day One, Monday: When you're on foot, 12 miles aren't 12 minutes, they are a day

After a full English breakfast -- bacon, sausage, cold cereal, eggs, toast with jam, coffee, tea, orange juice -- we restuffed the backpacks, slipped into hiking boots and set out for adventure. Since our destination for the day was 20 miles away in Dorchester, we took a bus eight miles south to Minterne Magna.

Although Stan had been studying the walking maps for months, it was still a bit scary to be dropped off in the middle of a foreign land. Fortunately, we had bought a book called "Dorset Walks" in Sherborne, and it included our first morning's walk. The directions made it easy for us:

Field "Go through a waymarked metal gate a few yards in front and head straight across a large sloping field (no path), keeping roughly parallel to and about 100 yards above a fence to the right. Go through the next metal gate and keep in the same direction across the next field, parallel to a wire fence on the right, along a narrow but discernible path that bears slightly left to pass through another metal gate."

And so forth, taking us safely across meadows, under trees and through gates to the Cerne Giant. The giant, a 180-foot-tall, well-endowed man cut into the side of a chalk hill, is believed to be a prehistoric fertility symbol. He overlooks Cerne Abbas, another ancient town built around an abbey, and a former brewing center.

The fireplace in the Red Lion, one of the town's 13 original pubs, dates back to the 14th century. Today, 60 percent of its business comes from selling food, but the publican literally put his arms around four handpumps when he said, "These determine if I make money or not." The Red Lion is a free house, serving Wadsworth IPA and 6X plus two guest beers.

After a half-pint, it was on to Godmanstone and the Smiths Arms, known as England's smallest pub. We were no longer on the path in the "Dorset Walks" book, but relying on an Ordnance Survey map. Walking rights of way are marked by red dots on the map, but there were no red dots on the ground ahead of us. Sometimes the path looked like a trail, and other times it was little more than beaten-down grass. An occasional sign, such as a yellow or blue symbol posted Turnstile on a fencepost, horse droppings (walking and bridle paths often co-exist), or a stile -- a way through (turnstile) or over a fence -- indicated we were on the right track. We found six tables inside the thatched-roof Smiths Arms, with more outside by the River Cerne. The Ringwood Best Bitter is dispensed by gravity from casks turned on their sides. The food here, as everywhere in Dorset, was good to excellent.

The journey on to Dorchester was challenging. We completely lost the trail, had to backtrack and ended up reaching town via a busy highway. Those famous English hedges are no fun to walk beside when they take up the shoulder of the road.

By the time we reached town, the 35-pound backpacks felt like 135. Our lodging for the next two nights was at a bed and breakfast, which was as cheap as any of the pubs. Arriving at the door, anxious only to lose our gear, we were greeted by the smiling owner, June Priddle. "Do we want tea?" she asked.

It had been a long day, but after giving our feet time to recover, we headed out to explore the beer choices. At Tom Brown's, we drank Flashman's Clout and Midnight Blinder, made on premise in the Goldfinch Brewery. At the White Hart, we sat on sofas and quaffed Badger Best and Tanglefoot Strong from Hall & Woodhouse. Dinner was in an Italian restaurant where the "house bitter" also was made by Hall & Woodhouse.

Day Two, Tuesday: Opportunity knocks

eldrige Pope Brewery We spent the morning touring the Eldridge Pope brewery, then visited the Old Ship for lunch, Royal Oak and Thomas Hardy Country Bitter. That afternoon, we walked to Hardy's cottage in Higher Bockhampton and stopped at Stinsford Church, where his heart is buried. (The rest of him went to Westminster Abbey.)

We planned to spend the remainder of the day exploring Dorchester and dining at the Kings Arms, featured in Hardy's "The Mayor of Casterbridge." When we returned to the B&B, however, Christopher Pope, the chairman of Eldridge Pope, called to invite us to dine with him and his wife, Sylvia, and to walk. Pope had called Stan before we left the States. An avid rambler, he was intrigued that we were walking on our own in a foreign country.

He and his dogs led us through a tree-lined valley where Hardy had once rambled and to the family hunting lodge. As the sun set, the sheep actually glowed. "Very Hardy-ish," Pope said. Back at Wrackleford, the Pope estate, we sat on the terrace and dined on pheasant eggs, Dorset knobs (biscuits) and Stilton cheese, while he helped plot our remaining walking days.

Day Three, Wednesday: Reality exceeds expectations

The day began with a trip to Dorchester's weekly market, where the bargains include vegetables, white socks and antiques. We made room in the backpacks for a Flowers Best Bitter advertising light, an Eldridge Pope & Co. pitcher and five pub towels. Next stop was Maumbury Rings, a Roman amphitheater where gladiators battled, then on to Maiden Castle. No stone turrets here, for this is an Iron Age fort, enclosing an area of 47 acres with triple ramparts more than 60 feet high. Roman invaders drove the Durotriges tribe from the fort in 69 A.D. Today, the castle is left to those who make the steep climb to the top and sheep who tend to the grass.

Another great view The Hardy Monument was our guidepost for the rest of the morning. It honors Admiral Thomas Hardy, Lord Nelson's right-hand man at the Battle of Trafalgar, and not the author. The towering obelisk, perched on a hill that makes it seem even taller, would fall from view as we dipped into valleys to walk beside cows and sheep and reappear as we mounted hilltops. Passing through a wheatfield, Daria sent a startled pheasant flapping up as loudly as a helicopter, and a huge hare sprang out in front of us.

Soon after we reached Ridge Hill and first saw the spectacular coastline, we spied a group of monument-bound walkers coming up another path. Below the tower, a couple stood near a station wagon, cutting bread and cheese on a table loaded with food. Having already calculated we wouldn't make it to the pub in Portesham in time for lunch, we might briefly have wished we were spending $600 a day to walk with the pampered. Instead, we munched cookies from the Dorchester market and drank water from a canteen.

We crossed pine woods and pastures and saw a sign that read "Hell Stone Only" on the way back to high ground. Every couple of hundred yards, Ryan would declare the current view of the Sheep's view of Abbotsburycoast the best yet. From afar, our destination of Abbotsbury resembled a village from a fairy tale, with its shimmering swannery and ancient St. Catharine's Chapel perched regally on a hilltop. Upon reaching town, however, we encountered a tour bus lumbering down the narrow main street. Fortunately, the town's tourist attractions don't detract from its charms, among them a giant tithe barn, where 14th century Catholics delivered crops and livestock to support the church.

We stayed at the Ilchester Arms, Abbotsbury's only inn, where a reserved table for dinner came with the room. The walkers who had lunched at the Hardy Monument showed up at the bar. Two of them complained about always having to stay with the group, while another was amazed to learn we were walking on our own. "It seems like we're just walking across fields," he said.

After a fine meal of seafood and beef-and-Guinness pie, we settled into plush sofas and had more Boddingtons and Flowers while admiring some of the 1,000 prints that decorate the walls.

Day Four, Thursday: Good for what ales you

Up and back down We headed up a path monks once traveled, then west to Abbotsbury Castle. The "castle" is nothing more than a mound of dirt with a superb view. June is a fine time to travel on the Dorset Coast Path, because wildflowers decorate the countryside: bellflowers, dandelions, poppies, Queen Anne's lace and more, running the spectrum from vivid red to delicate lavender to deep violet.

Our plan was to hike on the beach into West Bay, the day's destination. Once we reached West Bexington and beach access, however, we discovered that "Chesil Beach" is composed of sea-smoothed pebbles. Walking on it is like plodding through snow, difficult even without backpacks. "That looks like work," a fisherman observed. We agreed and returned to the Coast Path.

Around lunchtime, Stan was stung by something unfriendly, and his right arm began to swell and itch unbearably. He applied salve and suggested we find a pint, for medicinal purposes. We hiked through a caravan (mobile home) park and into Burton Bradstock. At the Three Horseshoes, we had our first taste of Palmer's Centenary 200, a wonderful strong ale specially brewed by the Bridport brewery to celebrate its 200th anniversary. Nostalgic World War II veterans wearing their old uniform shirts reminisced at the bar.

The walking path led us to the West Bay golf course and alongside fairways. We felt goofy passing the golfers as we headed to the edge of the cliff, from which we could see the West Bay beach, the thatched roof pub where we'd sleep, and the curve of the coast to Lyme Regis.

Palmer's Brewery Our room at the Bridport Arms opened right onto the beach, and Ryan was delighted to discover topless women bathers. The guest register revealed it had been several months since another American had stayed there. West Bay is a tourist town, with fishing excursions, fish-and-chips stands and souvenir shops, but the tourists are all British.

Stan and Daria walked a few miles north to investigate the pubs of Bridport, passing Palmer's thatched roof brewery. Our favorite pub was Ropemakers, where we had more Centenary 200 and watched Wimbledon. We ate the most expensive meal of our trip (including London) at an excellent seafood restaurant in West Bay.

Day Five, Friday: Expect the unexpected

As we left the Bridport Arms, the owner asked, "Where are you off to today?"
"Lyme Regis," Stan said.
"Oh, lots of this," he responded, making up-and-down, hilly motions with his hand.
He wasn't kidding. The packs never felt heavier than when we climbed up and down those windy Dorset cliffs. By now, Daria had lost all feeling in her upper back, the pack having temporarily deadened some nerves.

Our first high point was Thorncombe Beacon. "That's a bit steep of a one there, eh?" said a passing walker.

Leaning tree, sheep Nestled below the cliff was Seatown and the Anchor Inn. We sat on the beachfront patio and drank more Palmer's. Then it was back up, to Golden Cap, the highest point on the south coast. Although 626 feet above sea level sounds modest, the climb was so steep that even the sheep stood at a slant. Golden Cap offered 360 degrees of the scenes we had savored throughout the walk, from seacoast to chalk cliffs to rolling farmland. Having scaled the heights, we looked forward to a leisurely hike into the resort town of Lyme Regis.

Unfortunately, it was not to be. Signs just past Charmouth reported that part of the path had been washed out since 1989, and we would have to detour. Dismayed at having to leave the pastoral for the urban, we trudged, clueless, through residential neighborhoods, along a busy highway and across a motel parking lot, looking for the detour path. We eventually discovered it in the woods and followed it across the Lyme Regis Golf Course and down a steep street into town. Thankfully, the Angel, our pub for the night, was easy to find.

The Angel keeps traditional pub hours, closing every afternoon as all pubs did before 1989. That afternoon, the owners needed the rest, for a busload of CAMRA members had stopped by at noon. Yet publican Ed Bignal still took time to step out the front door and point out the sights, such as the Leper's Well a block away. Lepers once lived along the Angel's street, Mill Green, a narrow alley on which monks had led horsedrawn carts centuries ago.

We eagerly explored the town, the setting for John Fowles' "The French Lieutenant's Woman" and the film of the same name. We scaled steep, twisted, narrow streets, walked along the beachfront promenade past a Victorian pavilion and strolled on the Cobb, the stone barricade that Meryl Streep trod in the movie. We even heard Lyme Regis' traditional town crier proclaiming the day's news.

Narrow street Town pubs included the Royal Standard, which had an enclosed outdoor seating area, and the Harbour Inn, with a patio opening onto the beach. Both welcomed children and served high tea. Dinner was at the Volunteer, a free house with several new-to-us real ales.

We returned to the Angel to find it bustling. Patrons constantly paraded between the skittles alley out back and the back door to the pub, where they refilled their pints. When the skittles shut down, the singing began. It sounded like something out of a bawdy English musical, with the leader singing the verses and the rest of the crowd joining in the choruses.The two house dogs barely stirred, and while most patrons participated in the singing, one couple sat at a table and played cribbage.

Near closing time, townsfolk headed home after a night out walked by the Angel. Alerted by the din, one pressed his nose to the windowpane, then turned to the others and said, "It's just the skittles crew."

Epilogue, Saturday: Is there real ale at Stonehenge?

On the train back to London, we eavesdropped on another group of Americans making plans for their remaining stay in London. Their trip to the country had been a race against time -- two hours at Stonehenge, an hour in Salisbury, etc.

We, on the other hand, were already wishing we were back in Dorset, far from the madding crowd.

This story was written after a trip to England in 1994.

There's no finer spot for a pub crawl

2008-08-14T00:19:00.001+05:30

There's no finer spot for a pub crawl

It was once one of the world's greatest brewing cities; it still has more beer pumps per head than any other in Britain, and there is nowhere I would rather pubcrawl. When the pub, an English institution, finally flings itself across the Cheviot Hills and into Scotland, it becomes quite florid. Edinburgh has some spectacular examples along with boxy little bars, identified by their founders' surnames, that would not look out of place in Ireland.

As a teenage immigrant, I took two buses across Edinburgh to the Canny Man's (237 Morningside Road) because I liked the Belhaven beer.

As a teenage immigrant, I took two buses across Edinburgh to the Canny Man's (237 Morningside Road) because I liked the Belhaven beer. No one understood why in those days, long before that brew became fashionable with the birth of the Campaign for Real Ale. Thirty years on, the beer still has that remarkably light malty dryness, and the pub's accretion of bric-a-brac has extended into the garden and former stables.

A tabloid newspaper dubbed the fastidious owner "Dickensian" for making his staff address regulars by their surnames, but such are the dynamics that make Edinburgh pubs a delight; aristocrats and democrats, gown and town, Scots and Irish, earnest debates and often free newspapers behind which the eavesdropper can hide. See the Canny Man for lunch, and make sure you try the home-baked bread and olives in virgin oil. Or have a pint before the Dominion Cinema or a fringe performance at the Church Hill Theatres the Mad Abbot or George Watson's.

Down the road I found a gentle pint of Sandy Hunter's at 159-161 Bruntsfield Places in Montpelier's, a newish combination of pub, French cafe and American diner. It is open from 9 a.m. for breakfast, ranging from black pudding to bagels.

Among Edinburgh's classics is Bennet's, founded in 1839, next to the King's Theatre in Leven Street. The stained-glass doors show swing-top bottles of Jeffrey's Lager, a reminder of Scotland's early devotion to the continental style. Inside are arts-and-crafts tiling, a back-bar full of rare malt whiskies such as Glenburgies Mosstowie and Lochside and the malty 70/- ale from Caledonian, the city's finest brewery. Those shilling ratings, applied by the barrel in Victorian times, represent ascending strengths. The Caledonian 70/-evokes the beer of Bernard's, one of the peat Edinburgh breweries lost in the merger mania that scarred my youth. Look out for Caledonian's yet-maltier Double Amber inspired by the past glories of Campbell, Hope and King.

Duck into the 1700s and the Old Town, at Cowgate and Niddry Street, to visit Bannerrman's in a cellar-like warehouse under South Bridge. This is the most studenty of pubs, with folk music. I had a hoppy pint of Deuchar's, named for an-other long-gone brewery but again produced by Caledonian. Where South Bridge meets High Streets a bank has been turned into a bar and elegant but moderately priced hotel. The tellers' counter dispenses the hoppy Greenmantle Ale from casks in the former safe. The manager's office is a dining area. The Bank Hotel is at 1-3 South Bridge (031 556 9043).

Down from George IV Bridge is Victoria Street and the Bow Bar (80 West Bow), opposite lain Mellis's wonderful cheese shop. With its mirrors and enamels, the Bow Bar looks like a comfortable veteran, but it is a relatively recent conversion. It is one of my favourites for knowledgeable service and for its dry, faintly roasty, Edinburgh Real Ale. In the West End I have a soft spot for Bert's Bar (29-31 William Street, behind Shaudwick Place), with Arrol's soothingly medicinal beer, hot bridies and sauce bottIes on the tables: itis one of the most pleasant chain-owned pubs I know.

At the same end of town, T G Willis (135 George Street) is a sumptuous food hall, but upstairs tea and breakfast is served from 7 a.m., cocktails and serious beer from 8 a.m. Behind the bar is a tiny "snug" favoured by locals. As I sipped my fruity Harviestoun 70/- in mid-morning, I was eyed suspiciously by a man in tweeds. "Are you a tax inspector?" he demanded. "That's a disgraceful suggestion!" pronounced a dignified lady with white hair.

I sneaked into Rose Street, a shadow of its former sins, and headed east. Once, it was scarcely possible to have a half at every pub and reach the other end; today, it has been turned into Carnaby Street. But at number 55, the Rose Street Brewery serves its strong 90/- downstairs. Farther along, the Abbotsford is still pleasant, though not quite the literary spot it was. Across in tiny West Register Street, the pub part of the Cafe Royal is worth a visit for guest beers and spectacular tiling, but I prefer to head round the bend to the Guildford, with its minstrels' gallery. When I was there the other day, the Guildford (1 West Register Street) had a flowery, hazy Heather Ale (brewed in a railway station near Oban) and the richly malty Dark Island (produced in a school house in Orkney).

My favourite Edinburgh pub? Currently, the Cumberland, at 1-3 on the street of the same name in the New Town. Many of this area's Georgian houses now accommodate law firms, architects' practices and other professionals. I hope the architects like publican Ian Whyte's allusively maritime woodwork. I certainly appreciate his perfumy Summer Ale, so popular that it stays on tap all year round. If you are in a hurry, do not ask him about the advantages of the Scottish tall fount in producing a genuine head on your beer.

Published Online: SEPT 2, 1998
Published in Print: AUG 14, 1993
In: The Independent

A Visit to the Griffin Brewery

2008-08-14T00:08:00.004+05:30

When I first began drinking beer in southern Ontario, several years before I reached legal drinking age, there was precious little in the way of British beer available to Canadians, and only a very small percentage of that could be found on draught. In fact, as an underage regular in my local pub over two decades ago, about the only choices available to me and my friends in terms of premium, imported draught were Double Diamond, Bass and Worthington E. (The last, as much a symbol of the decline of British beer during the 1970's as was Watney's Red Barrel, is mercifully long out of production, although Double D remains rather inexplicably popular in certain quarters in my home province.)

And so, save for the occasional pint of Bass, enjoyed only when my student budget could afford the extravagance, my experience with English ale remained slight until well into the 1980's. Then things started to slowly change, first with one or two, mostly major brewery brands reaching Canadian shores, followed by a moderate influx of keg beers such as Flowers Mild and John Smith's. But the biggest shift in the landscape came a short while later when an importation deal was struck between a local microbrewery and the London brewer Fuller, Smith and Turner. At last, Pride had come to Ontario.

(Alas, Fuller's flagship London Pride and excellent ESB did not stay in the province long, as the deal withered and died within an all-too-short time, making Ontario yet again a Fuller's-free zone for most of the 1990's. Within the last couple of years, however, the brewery has returned to Canada with not only the Pride and ESB, but also their very fine London Porter.)

Fast forward a couple of decades and, after at least a half-dozen trips to London, I finally managed to make it to Fuller's Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, west London. It was a visit far too long in the making.

My first challenge was to actually find the brewery, since I had rather foolishly paid heed to the desk clerk at the Fuller's-owned hotel where I was staying in central London and ridden the tube to Chiswick Park station rather than Turnham Green. I quickly rectified that problem with a call to Fuller's North American sales director Stamford Gallsworthy, in town as I was for the Great British Beer Festival, and soon I was standing on the site where brewing has taken place for closing on four centuries.

Although it is most surely one of the U.K.'s most recognizable regional breweries, Fuller's produces only a relatively modest 205,000 barrels of ale per year, some 80% of which, I was told, is served in cask-conditioned form. Of the remainder, a portion is kegged for export trade and, to a very limited extent, domestic consumption, while the rest is largely filtered and bottled. (Fuller's only bottle-conditions two of its line: 1845, a strong ale of considerable rich maltiness tempered by a good dose of Golding hop, and the age-worthy, annual edition Vintage Ale.)

Having enjoyed the Fuller's brands for many a year, in particular the robustly malty, spicy ESB, I was surprised to learn from Fuller's head brewer John Keeling that it was not ever thus. In fact, said Keeling, around about the mid-twentieth century, the firm of Fuller, Smith and Turner was rather sarcastically referred to as "Full of Shit Turnips" and their wares were supped by only the most regionally loyal of Chiswick drinkers. That sad situation had completely changed long before he first came on board the Fuller's ship, Keeling hastily added.

Another surprise was furnished by the declaration that ESB, Pride and the standard Chiswick Bitter are all crafted from the same two worts, although combined in decidedly different ways. The way this works is that the brewer takes two runnings from the same bed of grain, the first yielding a more fermentable sugar-rich wort and the latter picking up whatever sugars remain in the grain. These worts are then differently hopped during the boil and combined in varying proportions to create the three ales. Aging times also contribute to the disparate characters of the beers, with Chiswick getting as little as a week, London Pride doubling that and ESB receiving a full month of conditioning. And finally, both ESB and Chiswick are dry-hopped in the fermenter and the cask, while Pride is not.

In the end, these three core brands give Fuller's a powerful trio through which to address both the domestic and export markets, and judging by the success this brewery appears to be enjoying, it's also a trio that is doing its job very well. Certainly, to the ale-drinking public beyond British shores, they are a far more flavourful and enjoyable introduction to the beauty of English ale than were the sad collection of beers I had available in my early days.

- Stephen Beaumont

Beer in the United Kingdom

2008-08-14T00:02:00.004+05:30

A great British beer tour

British tourists on holiday in France often wander into wineries though there is not always a great deal to see before the sampling. Whisky-makers have realised the consumer is curious about the contents of the bottle and there is a good story to be told about their craft, so at least 600,000 people visit Scottish distilleries each year.

Sometimes the entire populations of France and Italy seem to be nosing around Aberlour, Bowmore or Cardhu, or raiding the Glenfiddich gift shop for bottles of whisky, malt-flavoured mustard and marmalade, branded golf umbrellas and tweed jackets. This is good for whisky and wine, tourism and Scotland, but what about England and Wales? Who organizes a bottoms-up in a brewery?

I asked the question of the Brewers' Society and the answer surprised me. The society reckons more than 200,000 people a year visit breweries. Most are in organized groups, though an interested individual who phones in advance can usually be added to one of these pailies.

The tours are often on midweek afternoons (Friday is customarily a clean-up day at small breweries). Many, befting their barley malt

and hops in cramped buildings, seem uncertain whether they should be flattered by consumer interest or treat it as a nuisance. Only a few are organised to receive a constant flow of visitors (as the whisky distilleries usually do), but the number is increasing.

Fired by the growing interest in beer, the Brewers' Society is encouraging its members to open their doors to the public. A "Brewery month" has been announced for September, after this year's barley and hop harvest.

I would start the month in the most important barley-growing region, East Anglia. On the borders of Norfolk and Suffolk at Southwold, the pretty Adnams brewery is opening its doors to the public for the whole of next month, though visits must be booked in advance (by letter, to Adnams' Sole Bay Brewery, Southwold, Suffolk 1P18 6JW).

When Adnams has run the juices from its barley malt, the spent grain goes to feed the pigs, sheep and cattle on the brewery's

own farm, which will also be included on the tour if visitors have an eye and nose for such arrangements. My own nose is more attuned to the wonderfully aromatic Adnams' Extra and a pint at the Harbour Inn. I would be inclined to make a day of it, and book dinner and a room at the brewery's hotel, The Crown (0502 722275). Adnams also has its own wine shop and kitchen store.

In the waiting town of Bury St Edmunds, monasticism began brewing. Tours of the Greene King brewery fill quickly, but some places are always reserved for booking through the local tourist board (0284 764667). Like most breweries, Greene King offers a sample or two, but has no licence to sell take-home beers. While you are in Bury, pop into a pub and buy a bottle or three of the brewery's cellar-aged Strong Suffolk to take home for a holy moment. The cellars lead to tunnels where the monks are believed to have hidden in turbulent times.

After the infusion of the barley malt comes the seasoning of hops. In the heart of Kentish hop country, England's oldest brewery, Shepherd Neame, is organising an open house on the bank holiday Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The brewery, in Court Street, Faversham (0795 532206), was founded in 1698, though parts of its buildings are 13th century and others are Georgian and Victorian. The office door is surrounded by mouldings depicting hops.

On those days the brewery will be open to visitors with no reservations necessary (l0am-4pm). Like so many of Britain's old established independent breweries, it is full of antique equipment that is still in use. The barley malt meets the brewery's own well water in a teak mashtun such as I have never seen elsewhere. It is probably even older than the bulbous copper kettle which dates from 1897 (if it ain't broke, don't replace it ..).

Families will be welcome and there will be an open day at the nearby Homestall Hop Farm, which grows soft fruits and apples for the pick-your-own enthusiast. There will be dray and tractor rides at the hop farm.

The brewery is also providing a map of the hop-growing district, with a key showing which varieties are grown where. For the less botanically inclined there are the addresses of a dozen pubs, including one or two favoured by hop-pickers in the days before machines did the job.

In the Weald, Kent's other hop-growing district, the Larkins' hop-farm and tiny brewery at Chiddingstone welcomes visitors by appointment on Saturday mornings (0892 870328). The name dates from the farm's owners in 1250 and has nothing to do with any television series. Try the happy Larkins Bitter at the Castle Inn.

In London, once the centre of the hop trade, the Young's brewery is a virtual urban farm with drayhorses, guard geese, peacocks for a spot of colour, and the brewery's (live) ram emblem. Tours must be booked in advance (081-870 0141). If you pop into one of the local Wandsworth pubs afterwards, snap up a bottle of the wonderfully happy Young's Export to take home as an aperitif.

A couple of miles up the Thames at Chiswick, the Fuller's brewery will tack you on to one of its tours (081-994 3691). These end in the 200-year-old cellars, which also house a small bar and museum. You can buy a beer to take home. I recommend a bottle of the strong, fruity Golden Pride to save for a winter's night.

Which is the most interesting brewery in Britain? Candidates must include Brakspear's on the Thames at Henley (with a tasting room full of angling trophies) and Hook Norton, a classic Victorian tower brewery at Banbury, Oxfordshire. Unfortunately the prettiest brewery, Donnington (with waterwheel, millpond and wild fowl) at Stow-on-the-Wold, is too small to cope with visitors.

And what is the most interesting brew? It could be the one you make yourself. Bass's Welsh brewery is inviting guests to help make beer: if you would like to join in, explain why in a letter to the brewery, to "Brewer for a Day", The Brewery, Crawshay Street, Penarth Road, Cardiff CFI 1TR.

Published Online: SEPT 2, 1998
Published in Print: AUG 15, 1992
In: The Independent.

Facts & Fun.

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Fast Facts

Milwaukee was once touted as being "the beer capital of the world." Indeed, the city has been home to some of the greatest names in brewing history -- Schlitz, Pabst, Miller, Blatz and others. But what was it about Milwaukee that led it to become one of the world's most notorious brewing centers? Find out at The Beer Library.

Classic Beer Book

In 1911, John P. Arnold set out to fill a void that existed in brewing literature. The result was Origin and History of Beer and Brewing — a global study of beer throughout history. Up to that point, there had been no such comprehensive study of beermaking. Arnold, a writer and historian, was particularly well-suited to tackle the collossal job of assembling a world history of brewing. He was a long-time writer/editor for the Chicago-based brewing journals Der Braumeister and Siebel Technical Review. In recognition of Arnold's contribution to the study of brewing history, BeerBooks.com has reprinted this groundbreaking book from an original 1911 edition. You can read more, here

#1. What is the oldest active brewery in America?

D.G. Yuengling & Son has been brewing beer at Pottsville, Pennsylvania since 1829, ranking it as America's oldest brewery. Founder David Yuengling carved aging cellars deep into the rocky hillside on which the brewery is perched. During prohibition, the company made near beer (de-alcoholized beer) and dairy products. Today, the brewery is still in the hands of the Yuengling family, and is experiencing its greatest success yet.

#2. What brewery was America's largest in 1895?

The Pabst Brewing Company of Milwaukee was the nation's largest brewery in 1895. (Anheuser-Busch was number 2, and Schlitz was number 3.) At the helm of the Pabst brewing empire was the colorful Captain Frederick Pabst, a former Lake Michigan steamship captain. His vision and relentless drive for expanding markets carried Pabst to the top. Near the end of the 19th century, the Pabst Brewery was turning out more than one million barrels of beer annually, and using some 300,000 yards of blue ribbon each year to tie around the bottle necks of its popular Pabst Blue Ribbon brand. Though Pabst no longer brews in Milwaukee, its flagship "PBR" remains an American favorite still today.

#3. What was the first American brewery to sell beer in cans?

In 1935, the G. Krueger Brewing Company of Newark, New Jersey became the first brewer to market beer in steel cans. In that year, only about 25 percent of beer was packaged in bottles and cans -- the rest was kegged. Today, however, about 90 percent of America's beer production is consumed from bottles and cans.

Beer factoids

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The oldest brewery in Munich, the Augustiner Brewery, was founded in 1294, when, on the order of the bishop of Freising, an Augustinian monastery was established at the Haberfeld, just outside the gates of the city. Munich was famous for its breweries operated by monks.
A true pilsner comes from the Pilsner, Czech Republic. The original pilsner was Pilsner Urquell (Plzensky Prazrod), meaning "The Original Spring of Pilsen." It still is one of the most popular pilsner in the world.
The first beer brewery in the US opened in Manhattan in 1623. But the oldest contiuing brewery, running since 1829 is Yuengling in Schuylkill County in Pennsylvania.
The first Octoberfest was held in 1810 in Munich, Germany. It started as a wedding celebration.
Löwenbrau of Munich was founded 1373.
The Czech Republic has the highest per capita beer consumption in the world, at 155 litres (40 gal).
Sake, the Japanese rice brew, is closer to beer than wine by its production method.
The English word "brewer" refers to a male beer-maker; "brewster" to a female.

Beer brands, types, styles and brewing

Beer and ale volumes

4 gills = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
9 gallons = 1 firkin
2 firkins = 1 kilderkin
3 kilderkins = 1 hogshead
2 hogsheads = 1 butt

20,000 Brands

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Worldwide, 20,000 brands of beer are brewed in 180 styles, from ales, lagers, pilsner and stouts to bitters, cream ales and iced beers.

Beer has been a popular beverage for a long time. Babylonian clay tablets show detailed recipes of beer making in 4300 BC. Beer was also brewed by the ancient Chinese, Assyrians and Incas.

An Egyptian text of 1600 BC gives 100 medical prescriptions using beer. A few years ago, the New Castle Brewery in England brewed 1,000 bottles Tutankhamun Ale from a 3,200-year old recipe found in the sun temple of Queen Nefertiti.

Commercial beer making was established in 1200 AD in present-day Germany. In 1506, the German Purity Law is issued, specifying that beer ingredients must only be water, barley, wheat and hops. Bottling of beer started in 1605.

Making beer

Brewing is the process of changing water and grain into beer through a yeast catalyst. The quality of the water is extremely important. Hard water produce a bitter ale, soft water produce bitter lager. Barley or hops, or a combination of them, is used for the grain.

Getting dry grain ready for fermentation is called malting. The grain is steeped in water until it sprouts. The sprouting or germination is not allowed to end naturally but is interrupted either by drying or roasting in kilns.

Barley
Barley has been a grain of choice for thousands of years. The longer the roasting of the malted barley, the darker the beer. Barley, or wheat beers have a sweet taste.

Hops
Hops are herbaceous climbing vines and look like a cross between pine cores and artichokes. The bitter, dry flavour of hops counterbalance the sweetness of malt.

Yeast
Sugars in the malted grains are converted into alcohol by yeast. Different yeast ferment sugars into different flavours. For ales, top fermentation yeast is used, while bottom fermentation yeast is used for lagers.

The beer making process starts by germinating the grain, then steeping the resulting malt in hot water to get the wort. Base wort contents means the percentage of wort in the beer before fermentation. The alcohol contents is roughly one third of the base wort contents.The wort is boiled (brewed) and hops are added. After brewing, fermentation starts by adding yeast. After fermentation, the wort is drown into tanks where it is allowed to condition or age. Yeast and hops are sometimes added in a secondary fermentation process.

Ales and Lagers
Ales, stouts and several other types of brews, like porter, are top-fermented. The top-fermentation yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, usually produces stronger alcohol contents than the bottom-fermentation yeast, Saccharomyces carlsbergi, but the latter produces more quality-consistent brew. Lagers are bottom-fermented.

Ales usually are heavily hopped, and include bitters, brown ales, cream ales, mild ale, pale ale, India pale ale, barley wine and several other types. There are two types of the aboriginal ale still brewed in Europe. They are Belgian "lambic" and Finnish "sahti", which is brewed from rye malt. They are brewed on wild yeast and spontaneous fermentation. Both have very distinct tastes.

The word "lager" is German and means "storage", which refers to the lager (storage) fermentation. The main fermentation of both ales and lager are done on the similar temperature for 7-14 days. After that time the ale, depending on the type, may be ready for bottling. With lagers, this is only the start. After the main fermentation the beer is pumped into lager (storage) tanks with temperature some 10 deg C lower than room temperature. It is then let to mature and ferment for several weeks, usually 6-10 weeks. At 270 days, the longest lager fermentation is for that of Budejovicky Budvar brewery's Bud Strong.

Best taste
The best taste usually is acquired at an alcohol contents of 4.7% ethanol per volume. Less than that results in a beer with a bland taste. More than that and the higher alcohols (butanol, pentanol etc) become overpowering and spoils the taste.

The strongest beer type by alcohol content is doppelbock, which is usually 8%-10% ethanol by its volume content. The strongest beer brand in production is German "Eisbock", with some 14% ethanol by volume.

Ice beer is produced by freezing the brew and filtering the ice crystals, increasing the alcohol content. This process was already known in the Middle Ages to "cold-distil" brandy from wine, and the ancient Chinese produced rice hooch that way. The Canadians adopted the cold-distillation method for ice beer.

Comparison

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Profit-to-Sales ratio of Leading Brewers.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

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The Sierra Nevada Brewing Company was established in 1979 (with its first Beer sold in February 1981) by homebrewers Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi. Camusi retired in 1998 and sold his share in the company to Grossman. Located in Chico,California, Sierra Nevada Brewing is one of the most popular Craft Breweries currently operating in the United States. Their Pale Ale is world renowned, and the brewery produces almost 700,000 barrels of beer per year. Their specialty brews include the winter brew Celebration, like the pale ale only hoppier with hints of oak and cinnamon, and Summerfest, which is citrusy and sunny. Their beer is consistently rated high in BeerAdvocate.com's Top 25 list, and has been featured on many television shows, including Friends and Sex In The City. In 1989, after moving the brewery to its current location, Ken added The Sierra Nevada Taproom and Restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner. More recently the brewery opened "The Big Room", a live music venue located inside the brewery's facilities, and featuring world-class acts from country, bluegrass, folk, rock, blues and other musical genres. The facility is to be entirely Fuel cell powered by 2007.

The Sierra Nevada Brewing Company's Pale Ale is the second best-selling Craft Beer in the United States, behind the Boston Beer Company's Samuel Adams Boston Lager.

The Brewmaster is Steve Dresler who has been with the brewery since 1983 when their output was 25 to 30 barrels a week. While commonly referred to as a microbrewery, their production has outgrown that label and they are more properly called a craft brewery.

Sierra Nevada has sponsored a professional bicycle racing team since 2001, now co-sponsored by Kodak EasyShare Gallery.

Redhook Ale Brewery

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The Redhook Ale Brewery headquartered in Seattle,Washington, is a brewer of craft beers, with operations in Woodinville,Washington and Portsmouth,NewHampshire. It was founded in Seattle in 1981 by Paul Shipman and Gordon Bowker. Their flagship beer is the ESB (5.8% ABV).

Anheuse-Busch owns 25% of the business, as well as Widmer Brothers.

Pyramid Brewing Company

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Pyramid Breweries, Inc. headquartered in Seattle,Washington, is a brewer of craft bers, ales, and lagers under the Pyramid label. It has operations in sacraento, berkeley, and Walnut Creek, California, in addition to Seattle.

Founded in Kalama, Washington, in 1984 as Hart Brewing, Inc., the company bought Thomas Kemper Brewing of Poulsbo in 1992. (Thomas Kemper had been founded in 1985 on BainBridge Island, and began making soft drinks in 1990). In 1994, Hart Brewing introduced Apricot Ale which went on to win a gold medal from the Great American Beer Festival where they were dubbed innovators in the Fruit Beer category.

Hart Brewing changed its name to Pyramid in 1996 after its best-known brand. Pyramid's shares trade on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol PMID. The company went public in 1995. Pyramid used to feature one of the single largest selections of beer types among a single brewer. They made beers covering all the major types including, ales, lager, weizens, ciders, porters, and IPAs. Nowadays, the selection has been pruned to six styles, three of them weizens (wheat ales).

In 2007, Pyramid sold Thomas Kemper to Adventure Funds of Portland,Oregon. In 2008, Pyramid agreed to be acquired by Magic Hat Brewing Company for $2.75 per share, a total of about $25.2 million. Magic Hat will "maintain offices in Seattle" after the merger.

Portland Brewing Company.

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From the brewery that brought you pioneering and award winning beers like MacTarnahan’s Portland’s Original Amber Ale and Black Watch Cream Porter comes an innovative new beer. Sling Shot Extra Pale Ale is a crisp, clean, full-bodied brew available for a limited release. Light and golden in color, but richly hopped with Cascade and Nugget hops and composed of the choicest malts, Sling Shot lives up to its claim of being “a mischievous ale that hits the spot.” Available in six packs, 22-ounce bottles, and on tap, Sling Shot is perfect for the warm days ahead, but suitable for any occasion where select hand crafted beer is expected. At 6.2% ABV and with 30 IBU, this enterprising new beer is a welcomed edition to MacTarnahan’s sophisticated yet approachable repertoire.

Mactarnahan's Amber Ale wins gold medal at 2008 World Beer Cup.

Portland, OR – April 22, 2008 -- MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale won a gold medal at the 2008 World Beer Cup in the Classic English Style Pale Ale category this past weekend, in addition to taking First Place in the Amber Ale category at the 2nd Annual Montana Beer Festival, also held last weekend.

“MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale has been an award winning beer since its debut in Portland 16 years ago,” said Tom Bleigh, Head Brewer, MacTarnahan’s Brewing Company and Pyramid Breweries in Portland, OR. “The gold medal this past weekend for Mac’s Amber Ale is a great credit to our brewing team and the combined craft beer expertise of MacTarnahan’s and Pyramid.”

In addition to the medals won this weekend at the World Beer Cup and Montana Beer Festival, MacTarnahan’s Amber Ale won a gold medal in its debut year at the Great American Beer Festival (1992) and a silver medal in 2006 at the Great American Beer Festival.

Pete's Brewing Company

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Pete's Brewing Company was founded by Pete Slosberg in 1986. Its major product line is Pete's Wicked Ale, an American Brown Ale that is 5.3% alcohol by volume. The company was acquired by The Gambrinus Company in 1998, a corporation that primarily imports beers such as Corona from Mexico and Moosehead from Canada. In 2004, Pete's Brewing Company was number 42 in America for sales by volume.

Slosberg was one of the pioneers of the craft beer movement in America, along with others such as Jim Koch of Samuel Adams and Larry Bell of the Kalamazoo Brewing Company, now Bell's Brewery Inc. These new upstart brewers were committed to using all malt recipes, and highlighting the hoppy flavors in their beers. Their approach stood in contrast to the larger U.S. breweries, which commonly use adjuncts such as corn and rice, and downplay the role of hop flavor and bitterness in their products.

The signature product has been largely responsible for establishing the American Brown Ale as a commercially viable beer style and category for beer competitions.

The entire product line is brewed under contract by Matt Brewing Company in Utica,New York.

Full Sail Brewing Company

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Full Sail Brewing Company is a craft brewery in Hood River, Oregon, United States. It was one of the first of Oregon's microbreweries. Founded in 1987, Full Sail was the first commercially successful craft brewery to bottle beer in the Pacific Nortwest for retail sale. The first beer packaged was Full Sail Golden Ale, followed in 1988 by Full Sail Imperial Porter, Full Sail Amber Ale, and Wassail Winter Ale.

The first year's total production of 287 barrels was brewed by four employees, followed by 2200 barrels the next year. In 2007, Full Sail brewed more than 120,000 barrels.

In July of 1999, Full Sail became an employee-owned setting up an Esop to share equity with the 47 employees.

In May of 2005, Full Sail introduced Session Premium Lager, a tribute to pre-Prohibition beers and bottled in a stubby bottle. In 2007, Full Sail introduced a line of Limited Edition Lager Beers, called LTD#1 and LTD#2.

The Full Sail Brewery is known for its quality microbrewed beers, most notably its trademark Amber Ale. Full Sail is located in Columbia River Gorge in the city of Hood River, which is known for its view of Mount Hood. The Full Sail Brewery and Pub is located in downtown Hood River.

In July 2003, Full Sail began contract brewing three beers for SABmiller under the almost 150 year-old HenryWeinhard's brand: Henry Weinhard's Hefeweizen, Northwest Trail Blonde Lager, and Amber Light. SABMiller had purchased the brands from Stroh's in 1999, and for a few years had moved their production to its Tumwater,Washington brewery until it closed that location in 2003.

The Full Sail brewery has earned many honors for its beers. These honors include:

Ten Gold Medals for Amber Ale at the World Beer Championships.
A Bronze Medal for its released lager.

Boston Beer Company.

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The Boston Beer Company is America's leading brewer of handcrafted, full-flavored beers. Founder and Brewer, Jim Koch, brews Samuel Adams® beers using the time-honored, traditional four-vessel brewing process, and the world's finest all-natural ingredients. With 18 distinctive, award-winning styles of beer, Samuel Adams offers discerning beer drinkers a variety of brews. The brewery has won more awards in international beer-tasting competitions in the last five years than any other brewery in the world. Samuel Adams is an independent brewery and has half of a percent of the domestic beer market. The Company's flagship brand, Samuel Adams Boston Lager®, is brewed using the same recipe and processes that Jim Koch's great-great grandfather used in the mid 1800s. The result is a beer renowned by drinkers for its full flavor, balance, complexity, and consistent quality.

The Samuel Adams brand began with Samuel Adams Boston Lager. The original recipe was developed in 1860 in st. Louis, Missouri by Louis Koch, who sold under the name Louis Koch Lager until prohibition, and again until the early 1950s.

In 1985, the recipe was reformulated by Louis Koch's great-great grandson, Jim Koch, with the help of Joseph Owades, the man credited with the invention of light beer in the 1970s. That April, the beer was re-introduced as Samuel Adams Boston Lager, at the re-creation of the first battle of the American Revolution on Patriot's Day. Three months later, it was voted best beer in the United States at the Great American Beer Festival, in which 93 national and regional beers competed. The publicity that followed helped the Boston Beer Company's sales grow to 7,393,000 liters (63,000 barrels) in 1989.

The company's success occurred as the U.S. Craft Brewery Moment was exploding. By 1995, some 600 craft breweries were producing specialty beers in the United States. That year The Boston Beer Company went public, selling shares of Class A Common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under SAM. Despite the appearance of competitors, the firm remained the largest craft brewer in the United States with nearly 141 million liters (1.2 million barrels) sold in 1996. Sales leveled off after that, and Boston Beer tried to continue its growth by offering alternative beverages, such as Hardcore Cider (1997), and Twisted Tea (2000).

The brand was first produced under contract by the Pittsburgh Brewing Company, best known for their Iron City brand of beer. Over the years, the brand has been produced under contract at various brewing facilities with excess capacity, ranging from Stroh breweries, Portland's Blitz Weinhard brewery (shuttered in 1999) , Cincinnati's Hudepohl-Schonelling brewery (eventually purchased by the Boston Beer Company in early 1997), and industry giant SABmiller. Today, more than 60% of its beer is produced at its very own, newly renovated, Cincinnati brewery. One-third of Samuel Adams beer is still produced under contract at breweries in Rochester, NY and Eden, NC. According to the Company, its own employees, ingredients and brewing processes are utilized at these contract sites. The Boston Beer Company also has a small R&D brewery located in Boston ((Jamaica Plain), Massachusetts, where public tours and beer tastings are offered.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager was voted "Best Beer in America" by fest-goers at the Association Of Breweries"Great American Beer Festival" several times in the mid to late 1980s, although that award was mired in controversies surrounding accusations of ballot-stuffing. The award was later cut from the Great American Beer Festival as a result of the controversy.

Beer Brands.

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Here we will be discussing about most of the Brands producing beer in different parts of the world. All the parameters associated will also be discussed. we will be giving their sales, prices, all the pros and cons associated with the brand etc.

Hope you will find the stuff interesting.

Beer-Freaks

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Zippy Tomato Cocktail

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In a cocktail shaker, combine several ice cubes, one chilled 9-ounce can vegetable juice, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, dash bottled hot pepper sauce, and dash celery salt. Shake well to mix. Strain over ice cubes in a tall glass. Garnish with a celery stalk. Makes 1 serving.

Orange Collins

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Squeeze the juice from 1 medium orange (about 1/3 cup). Combine the freshly-squeezed orange juice and 1/4 cup chilled collins mixer. Pour over ice cubes in a tall glass. Pour chilled carbonated water (about 1/2 cup) down the side of the glass to fill; stir gently with an up-and-down motion to mix. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. Makes 1 serving.

Lime and Tonic

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Place ice cubes in a tall glass. Add 2 teaspoons lime juice. Pour 1 cup chilled tonic water (quinine water) down the side of the glass; stir gently with an up-and-down motion to mix. Garnish with a lime wedge. Makes 1 serving.

Simple Syrup

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Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 cup sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill in the refrigerator before using; store in the refrigerator.

Wine Spritzer

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Combine 3/4 cup chilled dry white, red, or rose wine with 1/4 cup chilled club soda or lemon-lime carbonated beverage. Serve over ice. Makes 1 (8-ounce) serving.

Whiskey Sour

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In a cocktail shaker, combine cracked ice, 3 tablespoons bourbon or blended whiskey, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons Simple Syrup (see recipe below). Shake well to mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. If desired, add cracked ice. Garnish with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry on a skewer. Makes 1 serving.

Screwdriver

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Place 3 or 4 ice cubes in a tall glass. Add 3 tablespoons vodka and, if desired, 1 tablespoon orange liqueur. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup orange juice to fill the glass; stir to mix. Makes 1 serving.

Rusty Nail

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Place 2 ice cubes in a cocktail glass. Pour in 1/4 cup Scotch whisky and 2 tablespoons Drambuie; stir to mix. Makes 1 serving.

Orange Champagne

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Thinly peel 1/2 of a medium orange into a spiral of peel about 12 inches long; place in a chilled champagne glass. Add 2 teaspoons orange liqueur; pour in 1/2 cup chilled champagne. Stir gently to mix. Makes 1 serving.

Old-Fashioned

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Pour 1 tablespoon Simple Syrup (see recipe below) into an old-fashioned glass. Stir in dash aromatic bitters. Add ice cubes and 3 tablespoons bourbon, brandy, Scotch whisky, or Southern Comfort. Pour in 3 tablespoons chilled carbonated water; stir gently to mix. Garnish with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry on a skewer. Makes 1 serving.1 tablespoon Simple Syrup (see recipe below) into an old-fashioned glass. Stir in dash aromatic bitters. Add ice cubes and 3 tablespoons bourbon, brandy, Scotch whisky, or Southern Comfort. Pour in 3 tablespoons chilled carbonated water; stir gently to mix. Garnish with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry on a skewer. Makes 1 serving.

Martini (classic)

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In a cocktail shaker, combine cracked ice, 1/4 cup gin, and 1 tablespoon dry vermouth. Shake well to mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a green olive or a lemon twist. Makes 1 serving.

Nantucket Martini

Like the island experience the Nantucket Martini is elegant.

Here is an introduction to the concept and show you how to create Nantucket Martinis for yourself and your guests.

If you are a martini lover or connoisseur, you have probably tried the fruity potions that are mixed with gin and vodka to give variety to the martini. They taste like dessert. Much too sweet. So here was a new experiment to have a perfect Martini, that ended up in Nantucket martini.

To have it you need to mix Sake with Gin known as the “Saketini.” The aromas of herbs triggers an epiphany, that will let you martini enjoyment. a sprig of freshly picked Rosemary is also needed.

The richness, depth and diversity of flavors in a Nantucket Martini approaches good wine. It wants to be consumed alone for an intimate herbal experience or in conjunction with a good gourmet recipe for a concert of flavors. The herbs naturally enhance and amplify the herbal character of gin and the tartness of a dry vermouth. They are meant for each other!

The world of herbs is fascinating. Herbs have been used to enhance food and as medicines for thousands of years. Here is a list of some of the herbs that have been used in Nantucket Martini recipes.

Dill, Rosemary, Mint, Tarragon, Fennel, Bay Leaf, Lemon grass, Basil, Marjoram, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Garlic.

source: NantucketMartini

Frozen Margaritas

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In a blender container, combine one 6-ounce can frozen limeade concentrate, 2/3 cup tequila, and 1/2 cup orange liqueur. Cover and blend until smooth. With blender running, add 4 cups ice cubes, 1 at a time, through opening in lid. Blend until slushy. Serve in salt-rimmed glasses. Garnish with lime slices, if desired. Makes 8 (4-ounce) servings.

Margarita

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In a cocktail shaker, combine ice cubes, 3 tablespoons tequila, 2 tablespoons orange liqueur, and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Shake well to mix. For a salt-rimmed glass, rub the rim of a chilled cocktail glass with a lime wedge; invert into a dish of coarse salt. Strain drink into glass. Makes 1 serving.

Dry Manhattan

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In a cocktail shaker, combine cracked ice, 3 tablespoons blended whiskey, 1 tablespoon dry vermouth, and dash aromatic bitters. Shake well to mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. Garnish with a green olive.

Manhattan

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In a cocktail shaker, combine cracked ice, 3 tablespoons blended whiskey, 1 tablespoon sweet vermouth, and dash aromatic bitters. Shake well to mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry. Makes 1 serving.

Kir

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Pour 3/4 cup chilled dry white wine into a chilled wine glass. Add 1 tablespoon crème de cassis; stir gently to mix. If desired, add ice cubes. Garnish with a lemon twist, if desired. Makes 1 serving.

Gin and Tonic

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Place ice cubes in a glass. Add 1/4 cup gin. Pour 1/2 cup chilled tonic water (quinine water) down the side. Squeeze a lime wedge into glass; stir gently. Add wedge to drink. Makes 1 serving.

Gimlet

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In a cocktail shaker, combine ice cubes, 3 tablespoons gin or vodka, and 1 tablespoon bottled sweetened lime juice. Shake well to mix. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Makes 1 serving.

Peach Daiquiris

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Prepare Daiquiris as directed, except use half of a 6-ounce can (1/3 cup) frozen limeade or lemonade concentrate. Add 3 ripe medium peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut up (1-1/2 cups) or 1-1/2 cups frozen unsweetened peach slices. If desired, add 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar. Makes 8 (about 4-ounce) servings.

Raspberry or Strawberry Daiquiris

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Prepare Daiquiris as directed, except use half of a 6-ounce can (1/3 cup) frozen limeade or lemonade concentrate. Add one 10-ounce package frozen red raspberries or sliced strawberries and, if desired, 1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar. Makes 7 (4-ounce) servings.