There is no escaping the agrarian history of beer. This relationship was nearly lost a couple of centuries ago, as the Industrial Revolution seized control of brewing, but recently, beer-drinkers have demanded that beer revisit its soul, born of terroir.
Some of the most beloved beers in the world are those that blend distinct styles to create a vibrant and perfect marriage. Obvious examples are the top-fermented lager biers of Germany, kölsch and altbier; and California common from the United States. One style, weizenbock (wheat bock), is not generally recognized as a product of beery... View Article
The addition of adjunct grains to beer can be a target of both scorn and praise. Macrobrewers’ use of corn or rice, though originally practiced out of necessity, is ridiculed by craft-beer lovers. On the other hand, history has shown that adjunct grains have been used as a means to nutritionally fortify, stretch barley supplies,... View Article
It would be hard to deny that Belgian ales are often a spiritual experience—both literally and figuratively. Because of the alliance that many breweries have with religious abbeys, brewing is seen as equal parts technology and divinity, with some of the brews being downright sublime. Even so, many of Belgium’s secular breweries also seem blessed... View Article
Anyone who has been to Scotland would agree that the country embodies an understated, self-confident mentality true to its agrarian roots and hardy inhabitants. Largely rural and natural, the ales of Scotland symbolize both the people and landscape, which can be at once rugged and pastoral. As Scotland lies in the UK, one would assume... View Article
Seasonal brews can be many things: annual releases, even vintages, or some style that fits the season based on its strength. Some seasonal brews are steeped in tradition, born during the fermentation-friendly months, with an eye to the period when they will be served. Amid the winter warmers, summer wheats and festbiers, one is often... View Article
The beer renaissance has spawned an assortment of new beer styles—either seminal in their own right, or redefinitions of classics, often at the expense of some archetypes becoming under-appreciated or ignored. Others, like regional or subtle styles (such as mild ale) are becoming rare or in danger of disappearing altogether. Tabbed “mild” because of its... View Article
Mention Belgium to a beer lover, and that person is likely to think of the quirky and diverse brews of a nation that fairly thumbs its nose at convention. While individuality is certainly at the heart of Belgian brewing, its artisans are also as beholden to tradition as any other brewers around the world. Many... View Article
Born during the Industrial Revolution, out of necessity and fueled by novelty, India pale ale is the subject of a 300-year-old saga that remains an unfinished book. The abridged version of British brewers sending their hoppy, fortified pale ales to troops in India is merely the veneer of this rich legacy.
