It’s the stuff of legend, the muse of poets, the nectar of the gentry. Strong beer, brilliant as topaz, sweet as dew, and dripping with the perfume of hops, was for centuries a revered icon of English culture. In typical language-loving English style, these beers had nicknames such as angel’s food, clamber-skull, huffcap, dragon’s milk,... View Article
Don’t you just love American beers these days? They’ve lost none of their aggressive, in-your-face pugnaciousness, but many now wrap that big personality in a velvet glove. It’s an elegance not much valued in the early “Just gimme some hops” days of the craft beer scene. And it’s the big, hoppy flagship beers, the beer... View Article
Sometimes, one sip of a beer can transport you back through the centuries, a sort of liquid time machine. The sour beer of Flanders, with its unique tangy, fruity aroma, magical ruby color, and refreshing yet earthy taste, can do just that.
Holiday icons seem to settle into the same old routine; beers are not immune. And while I enjoy the wassail-inspired brown brews that return every year, much of the fun of homebrewing lies in the surprising, the fun, the new.
The cellar door startled the cat with its hoarse creaking, and I felt the rush of cool, earthy air from within. Reaching carefully through the cobwebs, I plucked a seemingly innocent bottle from its long repose and pondered the sleeping golden liquid in the dim subterranean twilight.
Imperial is a term normally applied to beers that were brewed in Britain, then shipped to the court—the Imperial court—of the Russian Empire during the 19th century. Imperial pale ale is an obscure but delicious style has nothing to do with that bit of history.
The beer we know today as “bitter” has a long, low-profile history as the everyday drink of the common jamoke. While there is an ancient tradition of making weaker “small beer,” hopped beer didn’t make its mark in England until about 1500, with waves of Flemish immigrants. With the introduction of hops—an effective preservative—beers could... View Article
One of the great pleasures of homebrewing is its social aspect. Like a magic magnet, it attracts interesting, passionate people. If you’ve been brewing for some time, you probably know what I mean. If you’re new to the hobby, I urge you to get in touch with other brewers through your local homebrew shop, through... View Article
Here’s a recipe, described as a “London Ale,” adapted from John Tuck’s 1822 Private Brewer’s Guide. 5 gallons at 1058 (calculated at 80% efficiency) 9 lbs Pale ale malt 1 lb Amber/biscuit* malt Mash with single infusion at about 153° F for an hour. Sparge and collect wort normally. or 7 lbs amber liquid (or... View Article
