Belgian beer is really rather special. Whether it is the fruity Lambics or the Abbey or Trappiste beers that you prefer, there are certainly hundreds from which to choose.
Don’t think that the Stellas, Jupiler and similar Interbrew mass produced draft beers are typical of the region. When you drink a real Belgian beer, you will know the difference. The trouble is, although becoming increasingly popular, it is still not too easy to find a pint of Belgian beer being sold outside of Belgium. Well, now you can brew your own and they are surprisingly good.
Several homebrew companies now produce beer kits which produce very good imitations of the more well know Belgian style beers. Belgian beer kits generally take a couple of weeks longer to brew than the average beer kit to achieve a higher alcohol content and subtle Abbey beer style flavours.
Brewferm now produce 13 different styles of Belgian beer kits, each of which will make between 7 and 20 litres of beer. As well as the more common Pils, Gold and Wheat beer styles, you can also try the more adventurous Gallia, Diabolo, Abbey, Ambiorix, Triple, Old Brown, Grand Cru and not forgetting their rather superb Christmas ale. Or, if you like a fruit beer, then the Lambic Kriek or Framboise may be for you. I have known a lot of women who thought they didn’t like beer, who then tried a Kriek cherry beer or a Framboise raspberry beer and quickly changed their minds.
Be warned though. Some of these beers are not for the faint hearted, such as the Grand Cru and Triple at about 8,0% abv, although this isn’t exceptional for a Belgian beer. Having said that, the Pils and Wheat beers are a more everyday tipple at 4,5% and 5,0%. These kits are reasonably priced and very straightforward to brew at home.
Milestone Crusader is another increasingly popular Belgian style beer kit. This is a blond style Beer with a zesty clean finish and at about 4.4% very drinkable. The kit makes up to 40 pints, and at less than £20, makes a very reasonably priced pint.
Finally, I want to mention the Beers of the World kits. The Trappist Tripel is pale and strong with a fruity character. Although high in alcohol its body remains light due to the inclusion of genuine Belgian “candi sugar”. They also make a Belgian Witbier. Wheat beers, whilst deservedly popular all over the world, have until now been rather difficult to brew at home. This kit puts that right.
Beers of the World kits are really designed as refills for the Brubox starter kits. However, there is nothing to stop you from making it up as a normal beer kit. It will make 10 litres of excellent beer for the price of about £13. Try finding a Tripel for that price in your local.
So that gives you a quick overview of the Belgian beer kits which you can try at home. It’s a lot easier than you may think and the results drink for themselves. And if this is your first time trying homebrew, remember that your second batch will be much cheaper without the start-up equipment costs.
So what are you waiting for? Show your friends and family what a real Belgian beer tastes like.
Phil is a keen home brewer and a big fan of Belgian beers. He runs his own homebrew beer site. You can read more about making your own Belgian beer and where to find all of the homebrew equipment that you need at http://www.beerinthemaking.co.uk
Author: Phil Agate
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Beer, hearing the term mind directly strikes the scene of a beer pub where people are holding mugs filled with beer and the foam is coming out of the glasses. Beer is not a new term since time immemorial, world’s most widely consumed and probably the oldest of all alcoholic beverages. Beer is the third most popular drink after tea and coffee. Beer is prepared by brewing and fermentation of starches which are derived from the cereal grains particularly malted barley but wheat, corn and rice are also used. Generally beer is flavoured by the addition of hops which adds a bitter taste to beer and also acts as a preservative. Apart from hops some herbs and fruits are also used for flavouring the beer. Literature from the olden times suggests that there was a Code of Hammurabi which was concerned with the laws of regulating beer and beer parlours and the Hymn to Ninkasi was a prayer to Mesopotamian goddess of beer serving both the functions of prayer as well as remembering the recipe of beer preparation. Presently, brewing industry is a multinational business providing employment to thousands of individuals in the form of small pubs to large regional breweries.
There are two categories of beer. First is the pale lager and the other regionally distinct ales which share further different varieties like pale ale, stout and brown ale. The alcohol content of beer is around 4% to 6% alcohol by volume (abv) which may be sometimes less than 1% abv to 20% in rare cases. Beer forms a part of culture of beer drinking nations and is also found to be associated with the festivals as well as with games. Beer is one of the oldest known beverages prepared since 9000 BC and has its record in the history of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The chemical evidence of beer belongs to circa 3500-3100 BC from the site of Godin Tepe in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran. In China around 7000 BC beer was prepared from rice by malting. Any substance containing carbohydrate like the sugars and the starch usually undergoes fermentation and this laid down the foundation of beer production throughout the world. The production of beer and bread had generally resulted in the development of human civilization as well as technology but this fact is argued strongly by various scientists.
Beer was spread through Europe by the Germanic and Celtic tribes around 3000 BC back and at that time people don’t call it beer. Beer produced before the Industrial revolution was on domestic scale but today beer production is a global business and according to a report of 2006 around 133 billion liters of beer is sold every year which costs billions of dollars. The process of making beer is termed as brewing. A edifice dedicated strictly for making beer is called as brewery although beer can be prepared in homes also as known from the ancient literature. A company producing beer is called as a beer company. Beer produced on domestic scale is termed as home brewing regardless of the fact how it is prepared. Beer production is strongly under the rules and regulations of the government of the country and the producers have to deposit the taxes and fulfill the necessary documents in order to run a brewery successfully.
The main purpose of brewing is to convert starch into sugary liquid called wort and later on this wort is converted into alcoholic beverage called beer which is fermented by the action of yeast. The first step in making beer is mashing where the starch source (malted barley) is mixed with hot water in a mash tun. Mashing process is complete is 1-2 hours and during this time period the starch gets converted into sugars and becomes sweet in taste. This sweet liquid now called wort is drained off form the grains. Now the grains are washed and this step is called sparging. Sparging helps the brewer to obtain as much as fermentable liquid from the grains as possible. The process of filtering spent grain from the wort and sparged water is designated as wort separation. The traditional process of wort separation is called as lautering where the grain itself acts as filter medium. Modern breweries use filter frames for this step. The sparge obtained from second and third run contains weaker wort and thus weaker beer. Brewing with several runnings is called as patrigyle brewing.
The sweet wort obtained from the sparged water is now kept in the kettle and boiled for 1 hour. Boiling evaporates the water of the wort but the sugars and other components remain as such and this allows efficient use of starch sources in beer. Boiling also inactivates the enzymes left after the mashing process. Hops are now added as source of flavor, bitterness and aroma. Hops may be added more than one time during boiling. If the hops are boiled for a longer time then the bitterness of beer increases and the flavor and the aroma content of beer declines. After boiling the hopped wort is allowed to cool and is now ready for yeast action. During fermentation the hopped wort becomes beer and this step may take a week to months depending upon the type of yeast and the strength of beer. When fermentation is over the yeast settles leaving the clear beer. In some cases fermentation is carried out in two steps, primary and secondary. Once beer is produced through primary fermentation it is transferred to a new vessel and is allowed to undergo secondary fermentation for certain period. Secondary fermentation is generally used when beer requires long term storage before packaging or greater clarity. When beer has fermented it is transferred into casks for cask ale or in aluminium cans or kegs or bottles depending upon the varieties.
The key ingredients of beer are water, a starch source like the malted barley and brewer’s yeast which is responsible for fermentation and flavouring agents like the hops. Apart from malted barley other sources of starch may be used like the corn or rice and then the term adjunct is used as they serve as a lower cost substitute for barely. Other inferior sources of starch include sorghum, millet, cassava root in Africa, potato in Brazil and agave in Mexico and other nations. Grain bill is the total amount of starch source in the beer making process. The major composition of beer comes from water. Water of different regions has different mineral components so the beer prepared from different regions shares unusual taste and variety. Water in Dublin is hard so it is best suited for the production of stout, Pilzen has soft water so famous for the production of pale lager. Water from Burton is rich in gypsum so is suitable for the production of pale ale. Sometimes the brewers add gypsum to the local water for the production of pale ale and this process is termed as Burtonisation.
The starch source in beer is the key source which provides the material to be fermented and is responsible for the strength and flavor of beer. Most common starch source used for beer preparation is the malted grain. Gran is generally malted by soaking it in water and is then allowed to start germination and finally the half germinated grain is allowed to dry in a kiln. Malting process produces enzymes which are responsible for the conversion of starch into fermentable sugars. Different colours of malts are prepared from the same grain by allowing the grain to roast at different times and temperatures. Dark malts produce dark beers. Majority of beers have malted barley as starch source as its fibrous husk is not only important in the sparging process but also contains amylase, a digestive enzyme which converts starch into fermentable sugars. In the recent years brewers have produced gluten-free beer from the malted sorghum especially for those individuals who are unable to digest gluten-rich beer derived from malted barley, corn and rice.
The foremost components of flavouring of beer are the hops which are derived from the hop vine. Hops are actually the flowers of hop vine which act as flavouring agents as well as preservative. Apart from hops certain herbs and berries are also used as flavouring agents. Hops add a bitter taste as well as balance the sweetness of the malt. Bitterness of beer is measured on International Bitterness Units Scale. Hops add floral, citrus and herbal aromas and flavours to beer. Hops have an antibiotic effect and allow the use of lesser number of micro-organisms and have a preservative action. The micro-organism responsible for the fermentation of beer is the yeast. Yeast converts the sugars obtained from malted grains into alcohols and carbon dioxide and therefore turns wort into beer. It also imparts character and flavor to beer. The dominant strains of yeast used in fermentation are the ale yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae) and the lager yeast (Saccharomyces uvarum) which produce ale and lager beers respectively. Some brewers also add clarifying agents to beer as they precipitate out of the beer along with the protein solids and are found in traces only in the finished product. These agents make beer fine and clean instead of the cloudy touch as that obtained from wheat in the olden times. Commonly used clarifying agents are isinglass obtained the swim bladders of fishes, Irish moss from seaweed.
There are many varieties of beer found all over the world but the basic concepts of their preparation are always shared among different nations. The traditional European brewing regions like Germany, Belgium, and United Kingdom have local varieties of beer. Brewers from Canada, USA and Australia are so much inspired by the European style of beer preparation that they have developed their own different indigenous varieties of beer. Apart from the different varieties beer can be classified into two major types depending upon the temperature of brewing which affects yeast activity during fermentation. Beers may be lagers brewed at high temperature and regionally available ales brewed at low temperatures. Ales may be further divided into pale ale, brown or dark ale and stout. Beers are basically classified on the basis of yeast action used in fermentation. Beers which require fast acting warm fermentation leaving behind residual sugars are classified as ales while beers utilizing slow acting cold fermentation where the yeast removes most of the sugars are lagers. Steam beer, Alt and some modern British Golden Summer Beers use elements of both ale and lager beers for their preparation.
Limbic is a variety of beer that is prepared in Belgium by using wild yeast rather than the cultivated one. Many of the varieties of yeast used for making lambic are not the strains of S.cerevisae so they impart different flavours and aroma to beer. Strains of yeast like Brettanomyces bruxellensis and Brettanomyces lambicus are used for making lambics. Lactobacillus is basically responsible for the sour taste of lambics where it produces acids. Stout and porter are dark beers prepared by using roasted malt or roasted barley and brewed by slow fermenting yeast. There are other varieties also like the Baltic porter, imperial stout and dry stout. The term Porter was used for the first time in 1721 to describe a dark coloured beer popular in the streets and river porters of London. This beer was later on got famous by the tag stout. The history of stout and porter got intertwined later on.
Another variety is wheat which is significantly obtained by the use of wheat but it also contains certain proportion of malted barley also. They are usually top fermented and the flavour of wheat beers vary considerably according to the style in which they are brewed. Ales are prepared by warm fermentation by using brewer’s yeast that clumps and rises to the surface so they are called as top fermenting beers and also require higher temperatures and get fermented more quickly in comparison to lagers. The suitable temperature for carrying out fermentation of ales is 15-24C. in this temperature range yeast produces suitable esters and flavours along with aroma products resulting in a beer with fruity touch like that of apple, pineapple, banana, plum and others. Hops were introduced into England in the 15th century and after the addition of hops in brewing the term beer was used. The term Real Ale was coined by Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) in 1973 for the beer brewed by using traditional ingredients and secondary fermentation without use of carbon dioxide.
The cool fermenting beers of European origin are termed as lagers. The pale lagers are the most popularly consumed beers all over the globe. The word lager has got its origin from a German word lagern which means to store because the brewers used to store the beers in cool cellars and caves during the hot summer months and they observed that fermentation process continued in the stored beers and this resulted in better quality of beers. The yeast used for fermentation of lagers is very much active at lower temperatures and it carries out primary fermentation at the temperature range of 7-12C and then a long secondary fermentation at 0-4C. After the secondary fermentation is over lagers become clear. Cooler temperature also inhibits unusual production of esters and other byproducts resulting in production of a tasty lager beer. The modern method of lager production was put forward by Gabriel Sedlmayr the Younger, who clarified the dark brown lager at Spaten Brewery in Bavaria, and Anton Dreher brewed an amber-red coloured lager in Vienna in 1840-1841. With the improvement of yeast strains modern lagers get ready within a very short time period say from 1-3 weeks.
Malt is responsible for the particular colouration of beer. The common colour of beers is pale amber which is basically produced by the use of pale malts. Pale lagers and pale ales are prepared from the malt dried with coke. Coke was used for the first time in 1642 for roasting the malt but this step was prohibited in 1703 but the term pale ale came into existence. In terms of sale and volume the majority of the beers are based on the pale lagers brewed in 1842 in the town of Pilsen in the present-day Czech Republic. The pale lager consumed in the present scenario is very light in colour passed through carbonation with alcoholic strength of around 5% only. Pilsner Urquell, Bitburger, and Heineken are the common brands of pale lager beers and Budweiser, Coors, and Miller are common American brands of pale lager beer. Dark beers are generally brewed from pale malt or lager base malt along with certain proportion of dark malt to achieve a desired colour. Caramel, roasted unmalted barley are also used for achieving a dsired shade of beer.
The alcoholic strength of beer ranges from less than 3% by volume (abv) to around 14% (abv) although this strength can be further increased up to 20 % (abv) by use of champagne yeast and 60% (abv) by freeze distillation process. The alcohol content of beer varies with style and practice. Alcohol in beers comes from the sugars that metabolized during the fermentation process. The quantity of fermentable sugars in wort and the strain of yeast used for the fermentation of wort are responsible for the alcoholic content in the finally obtained beer. Sometimes fermentable sugars and enzymes are also added for increasing alcoholic strength of beer. Alcohol is produced as a byproduct of yeast fermentation and is toxic to the yeast. Low temperature and too little fermentation decrease the activity of yeast and so as the alcoholic content of final beer. The alcoholic content of beers has increase in the last few years of 20th century and a Dutch brewery has produced the strongest beer with alcoholic content of 60% (abv).
The brewing industry is a multinational business in the modern world and it works in collaboration with regional as well as national breweries. Microbrewery is a modern brewery that produces a limited amount of beer every year around 15,000 barrels. A brewpub is a microbrewery serving beer along with some edible materials also. Draught beer from a pressurized keg is the most frequent method of dispensing beers in the bars. A metal keg is generally used which is first filled with beer and then pressurized by using carbon dioxide. Nitrogen is also used sometimes for sealing beer kegs. Cask ales are unconditioned and unpasteurized beers. When a cask arrives in a pub it is kept horizontally in a frame called stillage which is designed to hold it at 90 and then allowed to cool at the cellar temperature before being tapped and vented.
Beers are basically cleared off from the yeasts before they undergo packaging in bottles and cans. Bottle conditioned beers however retain some yeast that is left unfiltered so beers should be poured slowly. Many beers are typically sold in cans all over the world. People drink directly either from cans or by pouring into the glass. Cans protect beer from coming in contact with light and there is little of no risk of leakage. Plastic bottles are also used for packaging beers. Temperature of beer strongly influences the drinker’s experience. Warmer temperature reveals flavour of beer and cool beers are more refreshing. Most drinkers prefer to consume pale lagers chilled while imperial stouts are generally preferred at room temperature.
The beer writer Michael Jackson has proposed a five level scale for serving beer. He has suggested following types like chilled for light beers, chilled for wheat beers, lightly chilled for dark lagers, cellar temperature for British ale, stout and room temperature for strong dark ales. The consumption of chilled beer began in 1870s and spread to all parts of the globe where pale lager was preferred on high scale. Chilling the beer adds a refreshing taste to it but chilling below 15.5C reduces the taste and at 10C awareness and taste both decline. Beers served at room temperature have a wonderful flavour. Cask Marque is a non-profit beer producing organization which has set a temperature range of 12-14C for serving the cask ales. Beers are served either in cans, mugs, glasses etc. The glassware used for drinking beer may influence the character and style of an individual. Many breweries offer branded glasswares for serving beer. Beer is poured in a style in the drinking glasses and opening of beer container releases carbon dioxide as it is opened.
Many social activities have been found to be associated with drinking like playing cards, pub games etc. Beer is most popularly consumed all over the world in a high proportion in comparison to the wine which the second most popularly consumed beverage. The main active key component of beer is alcohol so also affects human health. Moderate consumption of beer reduces the risk of cardiac arrest and cognitive decline. Long term effects of alcohol increase the risk of liver damage. The brewer’s yeast used for the fermentation of beer is a rich source of nutrients like magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, biotin and vitamin B and therefore, beer is sometimes called as liquid bread. According to a study conducted by Japanese scientists in 2005 low alcohol beers have strong anti-cancer properties. Non-alcoholic beers reduce the risk of cardiovascular disorders. But over consumption of anything is injurious so beers must be consumed in a limit.
From the process of preparation till packaging and up to marketing the brewers put so much effort and this effort is the key of the success of breweries all over the world. One must enjoy beer at least once in his or her lifetime.
Author: Navodita Maurice
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Posted 5 days, 1 hour ago at 6:40 pm. Add a comment
You can buy equipments and beer making supply, store them at home and concoct your own product. Sometimes it is not necessary to buy beer from some store to have that bitter sweet tang in your mouth. When the urge to drink beer comes up, you can then go straight to your beer cabinet or your fridge and drink all the beer you want without worrying about the cost of your drinking behavior. Of course – this can only happen if you have the motivation and interest to create and store your own beer.
At first, you might find making your own beer a tedious experience, especially if you are not fond of making your own recipes. You have to first malt and soak the ingredients in hot water. Let them cool down, add sugar, ferment, bottle them and add sugar again for carbonation. It may take a while for you to get used to the process and come up with a perfectly brewed beer, but you can always make a hobby of beer brewing. However, before you can brew beer at home, you need to consider your beer brewing supplies and beer making kits first.
Beer making supply can be bought from home brew shops or you could find good alternatives at the markets or groceries. It’s certain that you will find numerous packs tagged with “Home Brew Beer Kits”. The catch for such is usually the easy 1-2-3 brewing procedure advertised by the said kits. What you do not know is that you still need to buy supplies from a good store to get that great tasting beer you’re craving for. Where do we find these stores? Anywhere, really! There are online and local stores that sell these beer making supplies and would have them delivered to your doorstep. What’s important is to remember that aside from purchasing such kits, you have to understand that the secret to great tasting beer depends on fresh ingredients and clean, sanitized equipments.
Clean equipments include bottles, pots, water filters and scales. Beer making ingredients are grains, hops, sugar, yeast, malt, and water. There are also additives like cinnamon roots and rose hips that you can use to spice your beer.
Beer making supplies are related to your taste and your creativity. The whole point in brewing beer is that you never compromise the freshness and amount of your ingredients for your beer brewing process. Compromising such will yield bad tasting beer and you don’t want that.
The secret to flavorsome beer are good beer making supplies. Beer ingredients from plants like grains may not be the same for all of them, thus you also need to understand the quality of these things. When you get to understand the necessary qualities, your brewed beer will not only have a good tang but will also be one that is consistent.
So, if you want great tasting beer, quality beer making supply is what you need.
Luke Porter is a home beer brewing expert, and you are invited to discover the simple secrets of brewing world class beer from the comfort of your home by visiting his website: http://homebeerbrewingsecrets.com/
Author: Luke D Porter
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Beer and nutrition might appear to be two unrelated terms. Right.
We don’t usually see those words together, but the truth is that perhaps, the drink called beer is a bit misunderstood. It may actually be good for you when consumed in very moderate amounts.
Beer has been brewed for just about as long as humans have been cultivating crops and is actually made with some very healthy ingredients. Those ingredients are hops, brewer’s yeast, barley and malt. There are different styles of beer and each style has a distinctive flavor and color.There are beers with much higher or lower levels alcohol, carbohydrates, and protein.
The first question on my mind concerns how beer compares to other alcoholic drinks like red wine or distilled spirits. The comparison is not that easy to make. In the first place, the main beneficial element that was discovered in red wine is resveratrol, a powerful anti-oxidant. Beer doesn’t contain any resveratrol. But the presence of folate in beer helps lower the risk of heart disease when consumed in moderation. Beer also reduces blood clots and it has been shown to improve mental function in women as well as increasing bone density
It might come as a surprise to those that associate beer drinking with being overweight but there isn’t a trace of fat in beer.
But if there’s no fat, then where does the beer belly come from? Turns out it has less to do with drinking a beer and more about the customs of beer drinking. Think about bar foods. It’s usually salty, greasy, fat laden stuff, right? Plus, drinking a few beers can make even the most energetic of us a bit lethargic. It’s no surprise that inactivity can add to an expanding waistline. But a beer, all by itself, won’t significantly affect your weight one way or anothersome studies have shown that beer helps to reduce triglycerides and LDL (LDL is the bad sort of cholesterol), problems that are often associated with obesity.
If beer has no fat and moderate consumption doesn’t contribute to weight gain, then what’s light about “light” beers? Are they better for you? Actually, not necessarily. There’s nothing significantly different between light and regular beers except a slightly lower calorie count. If you’re trying to lose weight and feel compelled to have a beer, the light beer would be your choice
Of course that doesn’t mean that if one beer is good, three or four must be better. That isn’t true. Drinking more than one beer or any alcoholic beverage per day can put too much alcohol in your system and that isn’t good for you. Heavy drinking has been associated with several health problems, so moderation is definitely the key with drinking beer. The studies also point to one beer per day as being beneficial, not drinking all seven beers in one day per week. That type of binge drinking will overload you system with alcohol too.
The following people should not drink beer, or should speak with their doctor before drinking beer or other alcoholic beverages:
* Pregnant or breast-feeding women should not drink beer. Even small amounts of alcohol can damage a developing fetus.
* People with alcoholism or drug addictions should not drink beer.
* Young people.
* People with liver, pancreatic diseases, or really, any type of chronic disease should speak with their doctor.
* People with gout should avoid beer. Gout is very painful and is triggered by alcohol.
* Diabetics should speak with their doctor.
* People taking any type of medications should speak with their doctor. This includes over-the-counter medications
So, the bottom line is that Several beers each day is definitely bad for health. The key to health with beer drinking is to limit your consumption to one beer every alternate day.
Cheers!
http://dietquery.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/the-beer-truth/
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Author: Dr. Panchali Moitra
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Do you enjoy the delicious taste of beer? Have you ever thought about how proud you would feel to learn how to brew beer? Want to learn the simple truth to the most popular-held myths about brewing beer at home? Well, it’s time to arm yourself with some knowledge to debunk the top beer myths and set the record straight – even with people you know who may think they know more about beer than you.
The top of the list…Myth one: Only men have an interest in homebrewing beer. Drinking or brewing beer is just not popular with women.
This could not be further from the truth! Even though there is a large number of men who both drink and home brew beer, there is also a large number of women who not only appreciate and enjoy the taste of beer, but who are also interested in homebrewing.
Myth two: Drinking beer is unhealthy.
Since beer is an alcohol and alcohol consumption has always been linked to poor health habits, there is a stigma that follows for beer drinking. In actuality, beer contains zero cholesterol and zero fat! Do not let this myth keep you from brewing and enjoying good beer. Always drink responsibly. Moderation is key to really appreciating a delicious beer.
Myth three: Beer is ruined if the bottles are not kept refrigerated.
Actually, assuming the bottle has not been opened, simply pop the warm beer back in the refrigerator. Once it is chilled, it will taste as good as before. Note: some beers, like many traditional English ales and stouts, are not their best when served ice cold. Rather, they are better served closer to room temperature or slightly cool. The only ways to ruin a good beer is to either leave it sitting out open to the air or exposing it to the sun/extreme temperatures for an extended period of time. Once you have made a batch, simply store it in a dark place and it will be just fine.
Myth four: If you want the best results for your beer, you should bottle it using green bottles only.
Absolutely false. Believe it or not, brown bottles work the best because they are better equipped to keep out the most dangerous culprit to your homebrewing efforts – light. Due to a shortage of brown glass in Europe during the 20th century, green glass was used more frequently and it was incorrectly assumed the beer was of a better quality. Truth is, exposure to light is an excellent way to dash your efforts and spoil a good batch of beer.
Myth five: Bitter beer is beer that is ruined.
All beers have a bitter flavor, some just more pronounced than others. And the reason is due to the use of hops, which are essential for an authentic beer taste. Do not worry – if your beer tastes bitter it is fine as is. Tip: when brewing beer you can adjust the bitterness level by the amount of hops you use and the amount of time you boil the hops. The longer you boil the hops, the more bitter tasting the beer will be.
Now that you know the truth to some of these myths, you can confidently venture into the world of homebrewing. However, there is one final, widely-popular myth we need to knock out first: Homebrewing is difficult work. With ready-made malt extracts and six-gallon fermenters available these days, it’s no more difficult to brew beer than to make bread with a bread machine. Simply mix your ingredients, pop the cap on the fermenter and let the yeast go to work making your beer. With a little work and a lot of fun, you too can easily learn how to brew beer.
M. Peterson is a homebrewing enthusiast who enjoys sharing his beer brewing knowledge and favorite recipes. Have fun and start making your own tasty brews. Get your FREE guide to homebrewing beer (including 13 delicious and easy-to-brew recipes). Available at: http://www.delicioushomebrewing.com.
Author: M. Peterson
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Sun splaying out from between tree branches and splashing across a patio in the late afternoon as a pitcher of cool wheat beer, adorned with several lemon slices, sweats on the table.
If the above fits your description of an ideal night of drinking, than you’re my kind of beer lover.
The weather here in Northern New Jersey has turned toward summer and my taste buds have been calling for a pint of chilled wheat to fight off the heat, so I’m kicking off my Reviews of Brews with three summer beers that hopefully will be the perfect filler for that soon-to-be sweating pitcher: Victory’s Whirlwind Witbier, Long Trail’s Belgian White and High Point’s Ramstein Blonde Hefe-Weizen.
As I mentioned in a previous post*, wheat beer is always at the top of my list of which brew to choose when I peruse, but never is that more the case than when spring weather gets less rainy and more warm. This jives nicely with my passion for seasonal beers, as wheat beers are more often than not spring or summer brews. I love the light, textured taste of a wheat and think it is one beer that is always refreshing-think “cold glass of water” refreshing. While a good wheat doesn’t always need a lemon to add a little citrus flair to it, I am usually all for it, especially if I’m drinking outdoors.
Ok, enough jabbering, let’s get on to the reviews already!
Victory’s Whirlwind Witbier
The Victory Brewing Co. caught my attention when I moved to the East Coast with their fantastic Oktoberfest brew in the Fall, so I figured I would try their Witbier when I saw it at a local Whole Foods (which, sidenote, has a great and fairly competitively priced beer selection). Wits are generally very airy with a lot of flavor and of a light yellow and cloudy disposition when you view it in a glass. I often think of Witbier as a gateway beer, of sorts, as they are generally very unoffensive and have a clean and smooth nature that even people who hate beer won’t really be able to argue with.
Victory has won me over again with this one. Whirlwind is exactly the type of beer best suited for a sunset on a warm day. It isn’t filling and is so crisp I could put back sip after sip without any depreciation of the flavor. I wouldn’t mind getting a few splashes stuck in my mustache either, in order to further indulge in the summer smell of it-a distinct pleasure of any beer drinking experience, in my opinion. Now, I know none of that is very specific, but this beer just “feels” good. What this review lacks in concrete description should be a testament to it’s vibrancy, not a shortcoming of its taste.
Long Trail’s Belgian White
Long Trail is another brewery I have sampled frequently since moving East. With plenty of sampler packs to entice me into purchase, I found myself enjoying most of what the Vermont brewery put out. It isn’t always the most memorable of beers, but is always palatable-maybe just a step below truly great beer most of the time, but not too shabby either.
Much more along the lines of the wheats that really ingratiated me to their style, this Belgian White is crisp and tart while still hoppy and full of citrus flavor. Probably my favorite beer from Long Trail, it has the texture I crave from wheat-which, I can only describe as feeling layered thinly and having bite-and the citrus infusion within the beer really makes it a warm weather treat. It’s also considerably less watery than anything else I’ve had from Long Trail and really feels like you are getting more than your 12 ounces worth from each bottle.
Ramstein Blonde Hefe-Weizen
I was extremely excited to try this beer. When you love wheats as much as I do and discover a beer with a box that boasts being from “The Specialist for Traditional Lagers and Weizen beers,” as well as being produced by the High Point Wheat Beer Co., well it’s cause for some serious anticipation and high hopes. Plus, much like my passion for seasonal beers, I also love finding local breweries with good fare. High Point is based in Butler, NJ, so there was one more factor getting me excited for this beer.
Already off to a good start before tasting, Ramstein Blonde is bottle fermented-a process that adds oodles of flavor when done right-and had a picture description on the box about how to pour this wheat beer.
Though wheat fans like me are well aware of this process, seeing this on-box description is always a plus because it not only means the brewers understand their product and have made a complex beer deserving of this process, but that they want the drinker to get full enjoyment out of a product they have pride in.
High Point’s pride in Ramstein Blonde is well founded. It is a great beer.
The bottle fermentation gives this wheat a headier and more complex flavor alongside a spicier taste, but doesn’t lose any of the crisp, clean delight that makes wheat beer so desirable. More of a beer drinker’s wheat, Ramstein Blonde takes all the good attributes I’ve mentioned before-the clean, the flavorful and the citrus-and amplifies them for a gorgeously overwhelming experience. This beer is worth the money and deserves to be savored-the perfect drink for the slow beginning of a warm night with cold beers, or the perfect finish.
The Last Word:
I’d recommend all three of these beers, with Ramstein being the best of the trio. However, for the casual drinker, Whirlwind should be the pick with Long Trail sitting in between the two as simply enjoyable.
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Author: Jim Gibbons
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you have a beer lover on your gift list, then a wonderful basket that is full of the best German beers and foods will be a gift that is remembered for years. There are some wonderful items that you can include in your basket, but the most important are the choice of beer.
The beer lover will know some of the German brands, but you might be able to slip in some that will be a treat for this beer lover that they might not know or have had a chance to taste.
Krombacher Beer is one of the premiere beer companies in Germany. A visit to their website will show you the full product line and allow you to choose a couple of selections for your fabulous gift basket. There are even non alcoholic brews that every beer lover will enjoy.
Bitburger is a great full bodied beer that is also a light and refreshing taste that everyone who loves beer should try. It has a hoppy taste to the beer that is also nice and dry when you are in the mood for something a little more crisp.
Warsteiner has a great selection of beers that you can choose as well as some great products that the beer fan will just adore. Mugs and glassware for drinking the beer can be purchased with the Warsteiner label.
Beck’s is one of the most well known German beers on the market and your collection will not be complete without this brand.
Veltin’s is a great choice for an uncommon taste that not many beer lovers around the world have had a chance to sample. It is one of the German beers that will give your gift recipient a chance to taste something really unusual.
Jever offers a great variety in beers including a light and non alcoholic brew to include in your gift basket. This beer has been around since World War II and it still continues to produce fine quality beers. A dark beer can be added to your collection with this beer brand.
Erdinger is a fine quality wheat beer that should be included with your gift for an unusual taste for the beer fanatic. You will be including a great variety if you choose a couple of the selections of beer from this fine brewer.
Paulaner is another uncommon brand that you might be able to include that your beer lover might not have had a chance to try. This brewer has been around since 1634 using the very best ingredients in their fine quality beers. Starting from the best ingredients this beer will be a favorite among all beer lovers everywhere.
Lowenbrau is a well known brand of beer that most beer lovers will know well. No gift would be complete without the inclusion of this German Beer.
During your research of the fabulous beers of Germany, you will discover that some of the most unique flavors come from the small village breweries. Take a tasting tour of Germany through their outstanding beers.
Visit my Travel Blog to know about more speciality of different places around the globe.
Author: Sam Aam
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Pull out a chair and order a pint, because you’re about to learn the secrets of experiencing a successful beer tasting.
So you’re going to a beer tasting? Congratulations. A beer tasting is a wonderful (some say magical) place where you can sample quality beers from home and around the world. To avoid looking like a newbie, follow these simple beer tasting tips.
Beer Tasting 101 – The drunkenness factor
A beer tasting is an opportunity to sample a wide variety of import and micro-brew beers. Chances are, with all the vendors that usually frequent beer tastings, you’ll have a lot of beer to consume. Unless you happen to be Hank the Tank, you will probably experience the full effects of inebriation. Remember though, a beer tasting is a gathering of gentlemen (and ladies) and your behavior should in turn be gentlemanly. A beer tasting is not the place to whip out your homemade beer-bong and pound an Irish Stout. Save that for another night.
Also, don’t worry too much about what you wear. Jeans and a t-shirt is perfectly acceptable at most tastings. If the tasting is open to the public, jeans and t-shirts are fine. If you are invited to a private tasting (you lucky dog), dress a little more formal, khakis and a polo should do.
Oh, and another thing- this isn’t a wine tasting. Don’t spit your beer out. If you don’t like your beer, swallow what’s in your mouth and pour the rest of the beer into a pot on the table. A word of warning: Be careful about pouring your beer out – there have been reports of confrontational Brewmaster’s pestering unsuspecting beer drinkers for pouring out their beer at the Brewmaster’s table.
We Want Beer – Get beer for “Free”
If you’re like me, going to a beer tasting is like a kid going to a candy shop. I just can’t wait to try all the different Ales and Lagers that are being offered. Sadly, many beer tastings restrict the amount of beer a visitor can consume by forcing visitors to use tickets to get their beer. Ideally, the ticket system works like cash. One ticket=one beer. Hand your ticket to a vendor, the vendor pours you a glass of beer. Seems like the perfect system for limiting the consumption of beer right?
Wrong. Vendors agree to participate in beer tastings because they want beer connoisseurs to put their name down on “the list” (more on that later). Due to the relatively small number of tickets that an individual receives, vendors can maximize the number of visitors they get to their table by giving away “free” (read: not asking for tickets) samples. Generally, during the first two-hours of a beer-tasting vendors offer “ticket-free” samples.
This unspoken rule provides an opportunity for connoisseurs to get their drink on without having to use any of their tickets. A word of caution: During this “two-hour window”, don’t make your tickets visible (this includes offering a vendor your ticket) this is a rookie mistake and vendors will feel pressured into taking your ticket. Keep your tickets in your pocket (or purse) and only offer up your ticket when it is asked for by a vendor. Also, if you really like a specific beer, wait a while (but not too long if it is a popular beer, as it might go fast) until you re-visit that vendors booth. If a vendor has supplied you with a free sample, he has given himself an opportunity for his beer to get on your “list”. If you keep pestering him for more free beer, the vendor will begin to view you as a leech and will certainly begin to charge you tickets.
The List
“The list ” is the holy grail for vendors. Some say that “the list” is the only reason Brewmasters even agree to attend beer tastings.
The list is simply a sheet of paper that beer coinsures carry with them when they go to a tasting. Beers that
the connoisseurs particularly enjoy make it onto the list. At the end of the night, the connoisseur will have a list of beers that he will buy on his next beer run.
*** A tip for digitizing your “list” *** Maybe it’s just me, but once I exceed the 100oz mark, I find the whole pen and paper thing a nuisance. To avoid this annoyance, I use my cell phones camera to record beers that I enjoy. All you have to do is take a picture of either the label of the beer bottle, or the vendors signage to document your new beer of choice. This also provides the benefit of being able to carry “the list” with you at all times, as well as having a visual reference for what the bottle looks like.
Talk with the Brewmasters
Whenever I go to a beer tasting one of the things I always try and do is talk with the Brewmasters. By spending a few minutes talking with these folks, I have learned so much about the beer industry. One such conversation led to some free gear and an invitation to an insider’s only tasting. If you love beer, these guys are the superstars that make that beer possible. Talking with the Brewmasters and learning more about the beer industry is an opportunity and honor that shouldn’t be passed up.
Now that you have a generally idea of what to expect at a beer tasting, you’re prepared to experience a successful beer tasting.
Remember, stay classy, keep your tickets hidden, make a list of your favorite beers, talk with the men and women at the booth, and most of all- enjoy yourself. It is not every day that you get the opportunity to drink good beer and network with other knowledgeable beer coinsures.
This article is courtesy of Tim Smithson from Payday Loans Online and Payday Loans Houston, TX.
Author: Tim Smithson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Home brewing is an excellent option in making your own beer from the comfort of your own home. If you consider yourself somewhat of a beer aficionado, you know that there are heavy, dark beers, as well as light, blonde beers – and you may even prefer one over the other. You have probably tasted the bitter brews, the sweet brews, and the new trend of flavored brews. A good home brewing training guide will provide you with the ability to brew your own beer from home so you can truly find that one special taste you prefer – perhaps even over commercially brewed beer.
Home Brewing Guides And When To Use Them
A home brewing training guide can be used to help you brew your own beer for a party, or any type of social gathering. A home brewing guide can also be used just for your own pleasure, and to save money by keeping your own unique, special brand of beer on the shelf in your house. Making beer at home is fairly simple, especially once you follow and repeat the processes of the directions and the instructions that are included in any home brewing guide. As you experiment, it is recommended that you write down each step you have perfected, as you create the many different types of beer you wish to brew.
Through following and noting your progress, altering recipes and adding your own twists to suit your taste, you will be on your way to quickly mastering the home brewing process. Every aspect you alter or add your twist to must be remembered, such as, boiling time, or what kind of container you are used to store your home made brew – this will prove to make a huge difference in the final result of any home brewed beer that you create.
Home Brewed Beer Storage: Recommended Options
The easiest step in brewing your own beer is in your storing options. Most people who home brew beer believe it is necessary to keep the home brewed beer in the refrigerator – this could pose problems if you have brewed a lot of your own beer and have limited refrigerator space. As long as you keep the beer stored in the buckets in which you made it,so long as the air-tight seal is still intact, then it is perfectly fine to store is as-is. As the beer is under an air-tight seal, it will stop fermenting and the beer remain fresh until it is cracked open. Once it is ready to be opened, pour it into glasses, jars or other containers that can easily be refrigerated, and keep it under seal also – otherwise, the beer will always go flat. Most people consider a flat beer worse than warm beer.
By brewing your own beer from home, you will be saving over 50% of the amount of money you may already spend on commercially brewed beer now. This can represent a huge savings, as you can provide the beverages at a huge bash or gala at only a fraction of the cost – as well as maintain your own personal stash of home brewed beer at your disposal. Now is the time to get on it and start brewing your own beer!
Again, home brewing your own beer is quite enjoyable. It is relatively simple and fast to brew – you can make beer if you are expecting friends over for the big game day, or you can home brew a larger batch of beer a few nights before that big party you may be attending.
This one guarantee is absolutely true: Because you are the one home brewing your own beer, you will know exactly how much you have left, and you can also rest assured that you are not going to run out. If you store beer in a basement, where it can ferment and cool at the same time, you will always prepared for any unexpected visitors.
Robert Ragsdale has been brewing his own beer and making his own wine from home for the last 12+ years.
For more home brewing tips, visit his blog for free online resources, videos, guides, kits and great beer recipes at http://home-brewer.blogspot.com
Author: Robert Ragsdale
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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In Belgium today there are 125 breweries which are able to produce 500 different kinds of Belgian Beer. Beer has been brewed in Belgium since the Middle Ages when originally it was produced in monasteries only. However today this is a country where the most varieties of beer are brewed and can be drunk.
The alcohol content of these particular beers is considerably higher than some of the other varieties available in Europe and in some cases it reaches a level of between 6 and 8 percent. Breweries were forced into making higher alcohol content beers because a law was passed stating that spirits (which beer was classed as) could not be drunk in public houses. However, although this law stood for many years it was finally rescinded back in 1983.
As we have already mentioned there are 500 different kinds of Belgian beer being brewed in Belgium today and they fall into a number of different categories. In this article we take a look at what these different types of beer are.
Trappist Beer – Only beer that is brewed in one of 6 monasteries in Belgium can be classified as being this type of beer. The whole process of brewing the beer should have either been overseen or carried out by the Trappist monks who reside at the monastery where beer is produced. Each bottle of beer that is brewed comes with a label on it clearly indicating that it is the genuine Trappist product and that monastery has complied with rules decreed by the International Trappist Association.
Lambic Beer – Is a very unique beer to Belgium and wild yeasts grown in abundance near Brussels are used in its fermentation process. The actual time that it takes for this beer to ferment is considerably longer than many others. Some forms of this beer the fermentation process lasts between 3 and 6 months and others it as long as 2 to 3 years.
It is this fermentation process which provides this particular variety of beer with its very distinctive flavor, which some people may dislike. It is very dry, vinous and cidery which results in it having a somewhat sour aftertaste.
Fruit Beers – These are made using Lambic beer and will contain either a fruit concentrate or fresh fruit in them. The most commonly produced and drunk of the fruit beers is Kriek which contains cherries, but there are many other varieties including those made using blackcurrants, raspberries and peaches. Once the fruit has been added to the Lambic beer a second fermentation process takes place.
White Beer – This particular Belgian beer is made using wheat hops and spices and will often contain orange peel and coriander. However, each beer that the various breweries around Belgium produce comes with its own distinctive flavor and this will be down to the ingredients and brewing methods used.
There are a wide range of different types of Belgian Beer available to buy online, many of the popular beers are mentioned above such as Blond Beer and Fruit Beer. Trappist Beer is also very popular amongst beer loves throughout Europe.
Author: Patrick Anthony
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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