THE BEER GEEK'S ODDS & ENDS

Brew News, Brew Stories, and Brew Trivia from The Beer Geek

A question for all you hop-heads out there:  which city is the brewing capital of Europe? (answer below)

Here's a cool story I came across during some of my research...

Dateline:  Chicago, Illinois, July, 1911...During the hot summer of 1911, a Chicago jury started getting rather ticked-off as the trial they were assigned to dragged on and on.  Finally, the jury decided they had had enough of this crap and they went on strike.  They submitted a demand to the judge: "It's hot, we are thirsty, and we want our beer."  Because of their rowdy behavior, and desperate to keep them calm, the court provided the jury members with a bottle of beer each day, as well as two bottles on Independence Day.  What a bunch of hip jurors...

Eight years later, a disaster for our country:  the 18th amendment to the Constitution was ratified...Prohibition.  Oh, man...the law read,"...the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited...".

Yeah, yeah, blah blah blah.  We all know what a fiasco that turned out to be.  Jeff's grandfather, who was already working in a bar as a young man in 1919, was quoted as saying, "Uh-huh-huh, this sucks more than anything has ever sucked before."  Finally, in 1933, the 21st amendment to the Constitution was ratified (this is my favorite amendment).  The new law simply read:  "The 18th article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed."  What a cool law; no garbage, one sentence and right to the point.  Prohibition had done major damage to the brewing industry, however, as scores of great breweries were wiped out...the result was the mass produced crap Americans had to drink for so long.  But with the return of great craft brews and great pubs like the Owl Club, the monopoly of the big-bully breweries is over.

Talking about laws, the greatest law ever written regarding beer is of course the "Reinheitsgebot", the German Purity Law written in the year 1516 (I'm always asked about the Purity Law, so here's a brief history of it once again).  Back in 1516, the King of Bavaria decreed that only barley malt, hops, water, and yeast could be used for brewing beer.  This is still the law in Germany today and also sets the standard for micro-breweries in our country.  "Quality, not quantity," that's something the big-bullies of the industry just don't understand.

Answer:  That's right, more beer is brewed in Dortmund, Germany than in any other city in Europe!

The Beer Geek Reviews the Brews

Oh man, it's hot in this town...here are a couple of brews I suggest you have when you first get to the Owl Club; they'll help you cool off:

So again, try these three beers on your next visit to the Owl Club:

Belhaven
Belhaven, Scotland

Boddingtons
Manchester, England

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The Beer Geek Talks Technical

The Correct Way to Pour the Perfect Glass of Beer

Let's talk about pouring beer, a very important step in enjoying the pleasures that a good beer has to offer.  If you really want to enjoy a quality craft brew, you need to get off this drinking out of a bottle kick.  If you drink micros out of the bottle, you're really missing out on the beauty of the beer; so just kick-back, relax, and pour the beer.  Here's some tips on the perfect pour:

The first thing you need to do is procure a nice beer glass.  Ideally, you would want a glass that will hold the entire brew plus have a little more room for the foam crown (notice if you use a German beer glass, you'll always see a mark on the back of it showing the size, like "0,5 L", with still a good inch of room above the mark for the foam).  Next, it's important to have your beer at the right temperature; generally 45-50 for lagers, 50-55 for ales.  If you're taking the beer out of the fridge, put it on the counter for about 10 minutes or so.  Believe me, this is critical, absolutely critical, to getting the full flavor of the beer.  In the U.S. we've been brainwashed by the big bullies (Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.) to believe beer must be served ice-cold.  This is a bunch of crap.  Complete garbage; let me tell you why:  Drinking beer cold kills the flavor.  When drinking beer cold, less carbonation is released which doesn't allow the beer to bloom and give off the nice aroma you expect.  When the cold beer flows over your palate, it basically just knocks-out your tastebuds so you can't taste many of the beers flavors.  (Is this why the big bullies want you to drink their beer cold?  Do they have something to hide?  Yup, their beer sucks)   Do you see any micros using gimmicks like "cold filtered", "double chilled", or "ice brewed"?  Have you seen "Sierra Nevada Ice" in the stores lately?  How about "Double Chilled Widmer Wheat" or "Cold Filtered Anchor Steam"?  Gimme a break.  The taste and aroma of the beer really comes out when you enjoy it at the right temperature.  Back to the pour:  take your craft brew and pour it directly into the center of the glass.  Do not tilt the glass.  As the beer level rises, continue to lift the bottle; about a 3 to 4-inch drop from the bottle to the top of the foam is what you want.  Stop pouring and let the foam rise to the rim of the glass.  Wait.  Let the beer grow.  When the beer separates from the foam and the foam takes on a "dry" shaving cream look, you're ready for the second pour.  Again, pour directly into the center of the glass holding the bottle 3 to 4 inches above the foam.  When the foam rises above the rim (it won't flow over like Bud), stop.  Wait.  Let the beer grow.  Now top it off with another brief shot into the center from 3 to 4 inches.  Stop.  Wait.  Let the crown settle.  It should take on the thick shaving cream look with a firm texture to it.  (With the average beer glass, the beer level will be about an inch below the rim with the foam rising up about an inch and one-half).  The crown will rise above the rim by about one-half inch or so.  Finally, tilt your head back and let the brew flow onto your palate (don't worry, the foam won't flow over).  You'll see how smooth it is.  The hops will dance on your tastebuds!

The reason for pouring so aggressively is to blow-out the carbon dioxide.  This makes the beer smooth as it should be without the bite of the carbonation.  Beer shouldn't be harsh on your tongue like a cold soda, but rather just tingle your tongue.  If you pour the beer out slowly or drink out of the bottle, you're swallowing all the CO₂ and will end up feeling bloated.  If you pour the beer as I just described, the CO₂ is released and the beer becomes smooth, the aroma becomes prominent, and the crown, or head, of the beer cannot be understated.  It tells you a lot about the brew.  The finest brews should have foam with tiny bubbles that is thick and rich, unlike Bud, etc., which has large bubbles that disappear quickly and look like dishwater.

Finally, two other quick notes:  When pouring wheat bears, pour them a little less assertively because they produce more foam anyway.  You can tilt the wheat beer glass at the beginning until the beer level is half way up the glass, then continue to pour straight into the middle.  With bottle-conditioned brews, or home brews, leave the last little bit of beer in the bottle when you pour; this yeast sediment may have too strong a flavor (there's nothing wrong with it, but it will give your beer a more yeasty flavor).

I hope you'll try the correct pouring method with your favorite brews.  Believe me, it is a beautiful experience; I wouldn't steer you wrong.  Of course you could continue to be like a primitive savage and drink Bud Ice from the bottle with your buddies and belch and toot all day, but I know you're more sophisticated.  If you're taking the time to try all the great craft brews out there, take the time to pour them right.  You'll be glad you did!  Prost!

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