Monday, January 1, 2007

Bitter

Bitters are the pub beer of Britain. Traditionally, a pale ale poured from a cask at a pub is a Bitter. There are no official designations except that they be bitter. When a Bitter is bottled it is a Pale Ale.

Today that designation is not as clear cut. Bitters tend to be more bitter than a pale ale and usually less than an IPA. They are also more bitter than a Mild. Bitters can be bittered via overhopping, but an overhopped beer doesn't have to be a bitter. It can be an IPA. Bitters come in bottles. Brewers have different classes of Bitters from ordinary Bitter to Special to Extra Special or other designations. Perhaps you have to be English to fully comprehend all the subtleties.

Bitters range in color from golden to amber. They are moderate to heavy in alcohol. They can be malty upfront but must be bitter on finish and dry.

India Pale Ale

England needed a way to ship its beer to far away places in the Empire. A normal pale ale would spoil on the long journey and turn to vinegar. After some experimentation, it was found that adding a lot of hops to the beer kept it from spoiling and turning to vinegar. India Pale Ale was born.

IPAs are extremely hoppy and bitter. Although an IPA is bitter, it is not necessarily a Bitter Ale. IPAs are foremost very hoppy which makes them bitter. A Bitter Ale is foremost bitter which could be done by hops. See Bitter for a complete definition.

IPAs can range in color from golden to amber. The aroma is of strong hops. The taste should be acidic on the tip, and hop/bitter on the back. The finish is dry but should linger a bit. The middle can be various flavors from citrus to floral to honey. It should not taste medicinal.

Pale Ale

Pale ale is perhaps the second widely most consumed beer after pilsners. Pale ales are British ales. They predate the golden pilsners. The color can range from a light straw, to golden, to copper, to amber. Pale is in comparison to the darks that ruled beer since its inception.

Pale ales are crisp, dry, and emphasize the hops over the malt. They tend to be moderately bitter, but not as bitter as the India Pale Ale or Bitter Ale. It can be a bit flowery in aroma. They work beautifully on a hot day to cut through your thirst.

The term can also be used more generically. When a British ale isn't a mild, a bitter, or an IPA, it's a pale ale.


Black

Black lagers are an extremely dark and rich lager. It should be even more intense than a doppelbock. It is more of a dessert beer with its intense dark chocolate flavor. It should be very bitter sweet with a dry and lingering finish.

Bock

Bock is a strong and dark type of German beer. This can cause some confusion as to the difference between Bocks and other dark beers such as Dunkels. Generally they have the same flavor characteristics. More on the sweet side with the malt. A bit of hops. And full bodied in the middle. A very warm and flavorful beer.

Bocks come in various strengths. The Maibock was a lighter, less full-bodied version drunk in Spring around May. Bock is a bit more flavorful. And the Doppelbock (double) is a very strong and intense bock. It was traditionally drunk in late fall and early winter to warm the soul. Another version not often seen is the Eisbock. It is frozen to increase its strength.

Dunkel (Dark)

Dunkel lager is the original type of German beer. In German, Dunkel means dark. This can cause some confusion as to the difference between Dunkel and other dark beers such as Bocks. Generally they have the same flavor characteristics. More on the sweet side with the malt. A bit of hops. And full bodied in the middle. A very warm and flavorful beer.

Imperial Stout

In order for Britain to ship its porters and stouts to eastern Europe and Russia, they had to create an extra strength version. Imperial Stouts were born. Higher in alcohol to survive the trip. Also more intense in flavor. Kind of like a super strength version of a stout.

Oatmeal Stout

Oatmeal Stouts are another sweet-type stout. They have a lot in common with the Milk Stout. They are made with a certain percentage of oatmeal. It gives it a sweet and somewhat nutty flavor along with the chocolate or coffee characteristics. Oatmeal Stouts were also touted as nutritious at the turn of the 20th century.

Octoberfest

Octoberfest style comes from a lager that was brewed in the spring and then drunk during the local German Octoberfests in September and October. This beer is supposed to be more flavorful than the regular beer the brewers were making at the time. A typical Octoberfest beer should be amber to copper in color, although golden is also done. The aroma should be of malt, not hops. The beer should be sweeter and maltier than a normal beer. The hops are diminished. It should finish cleanly.

Milk Stout

Also known as Cream Stout. Milk Stouts are made with milk sugars left over usually from making cheese. Milk sugars do not ferment so Milk Stouts usually are lower in alcohol. In the 1800s and early 1900s, Milk Stouts were touted as nutritious and good for you. Pregnant mothers would drink it during pregnancy to get iron, protein, and other nutrients. Though these claims are a bit exaggerated, there is minor merit in what they advertised.

Milk Stouts are the beer equivalent of a milk shake. They should be sweet up front, a nice rich chocolate flavor in the middle, and a sweet and smooth finish. They should smell of malt and cream.

Stout

There are several styles of Stout. The "generic" version should be extremely dark in color. it should have a nice malty aroma. It should have an intense flavor of bitter chocolate, coffee, or roasted nut. Perhaps a bit of creaminess in the front to mid. It is generally dry in finish. It is a heavy beer and should fill you up and keep you warm.

Porter

Porter is the English style dark beer. It is the slightly lighter version of the Stout. A porter should be dark in color, usually not black. It should range from sweet in the beginning to slightly bitter like dark chocolate. It can be creamy to nutty to chocolate. It may have a roasted or caramel or coffee undertone. It should not be too heavy or too dark or too chocolate. Basically, it can have a wide range of darker flavors but not be too intense.

Pilsner

Pilsner is the most common style of lagers. Originally, lagers were dark in color and generally a bit heartier in flavor. The town of Pilsen, Bohemia in about 1842 created a new lightly colored beer. This ultimately became the Pilsner style of beer.

Pilsners are a golden to straw yellow color. The aroma should be light and flowery from the hops. It should have a nice up front malt sweetness. It should have a medium bitterness at the back. And, it should finish rather cleanly. Often Pilsners are referred to as "dry" to signify this trait.

Most mass produced lagers are Pilsners. But, they do not really exemplify what a Pilsner should be. Most people think Pilsners are bland, light, limited taste, and mostly no hop finish. Luckily, several microbreweries are bringing it back. Also, one can easily look to Europe. Many German beers are Pilsners (Becks, Bitburger). There is no comparison between a Bitburger and Budweiser.

Lager

Lager refers to how a beer is made. Lager in German is a storehouse. The original purpose of lagers was to store the lager for the summer months. In the old days it was near impossible to brew beer in the summer. Beer was stored in caves for many months and cracked open in the summer. To do this, a new way of brewing was needed. The cool temperatures would kill ale type yeasts and spoil the brew. New "lager" yeasts were found and used. They are cool temperature yeasts that do their magic at the bottom of the cask, hence bottom fermentation.

Lagers are generally a smoother and more rounded beer. It is a counterpart to the bright and fresh taste of ales. The should be a bit sweeter on the front end and less hoppy on the back. And a lot of body in the middle.

Many lagers are based off of some specific style, but then are changed to become their own entity. For example, Sam Adams Boston Lager is based off of a pilsner style. It is no way is a cool and crisp pilsner. For these types they are labeled generically "lager". Perhaps over time there will be enough critical mass of beers to create a new style. Until then, lager will be used to describe its production method and leave its style to the imagination.

Index by Type

Ales:

Lagers:
Porters/Stouts:

Wheat

Saison

From France and Belgium comes the Saison. It is a tart beer. It is orange in color. It should be crisp, tart, fruity, citrus, and hops. It's good with hearty, very flavorful meals. It helps cut through and cleanse the palate.

Altbier

Altbier is a German beer. Altbier means old beer. Germany mostly transitioned to lagers in their past. These Altbiers maintain Germany's ale brewing traditions.

It is copper in color. They are malty in the front. A smooth middle potentially with minor fruit undertones. A nice bitter hop finish that isn't too strong. It should be a well balanced flavor throughout and not overpowering or uneven in any stage. A well done Altbier should be savory and delicious.

Belgian

Belgian Ales are in similar character as British Pale Ales. They tend to be a bit more bold. The color is more amber than golden. They also can be spiced by licorice or other herbs. Depending on variation, they can range from fruity to tart.

Trappist

Trappist Ale is a Belgium/Netherlands ale brewed by Trappist monks. There are only 6 Trappist breweries in the world. All of the beers are bottle conditioned. They range from sweet to bitter. From lighter to darker. From weak to strong. So it is impossible to pin down a particular style since the beers are brewed differently.

Scottish

Scottish ale is typically a brown ale. It may have a peat undertone similar to Scotch whiskey. They have a sweet malty start, roasted barley/peat in the middle, and a nice hop finish. It should be full of flavor and keep you warm during the cold Scottish nights.

Irish

Irish Ale is a reddish brew. It should have a sweet malt start. It should have a nice body perhaps with hints of butter or fruit. It should be mildly bitter at the end with a clean sweet finish.

Brown/Black

In the spectrum of British beer, Brown falls between the pale ales and porters. It is of a reddish-brown color. They are a bit stronger in flavor and alcohol than a pale. They have a nice malty start, followed by a dry/roasted nut flavor with perhaps an undertone of fruit. They should have a dry, minor hop finish and finish relatively cleanly. I akin it to the finish of a walnut. They should be very tasty upfront and yet be light at the finish. This makes it a flavorful beer that does not wear on the tongue.

Mild

Beer's in Britain are Mild if they are light in taste and meant for mass consumption. The are generally low in alcohol (<4%). The are also good for thirst quenching since you can down it quick and have another. Mild's should be light in flavor across the board. Mild malt. Mild hops. Quick finish. Color can vary from straw to amber.

Helles

Helles is another style of lager. It is very similar to a pilsner. A good pilsner should have a good balance of malt to hops. In a Helles, it is shifted more towards the malt. It should be sweeter up front, a hint of hops at the end, and finish cleanly.

Wheat

Wheat beers are created by fermenting mostly wheat instead of barley. It gives the brew a much smoother and sweeter taste. Many wheat beers are unfiltered with the yeast left in giving it a cloudy to milky color. Variations include German weisse and Hefeweizen, to the Belgium witbier.

Flavors generally are creamy, yeasty, and bread flavors. Undertones of citrus are also present. In the German variety, the citrus is more of a complement to the beer. For Belgium, many create very tart citrus flavors.

Wheat beers should be refreshing on a hot day. Light and crisp along with smooth and creamy.