Greetings,
The title of this piece may seem unusual but I assure you I have a great deal of confidence that there is a disconnect going on in the beer world in the United States in particular.
There is a disconnect when it comes to the person who looks forward to a “suitcase” of iced cans of refreshing brew and the person who looks forward to a special snifter of twelve-year-old Russian Imperial Stout from a jeroboam sized bottle. (Now how you can pour a four ounce snifter of beer from a bottle that would serve a platoon is beyond me… but that is the point of this piece.) These two poles are emphasized in media and myth. Both sides enjoy their reputations and encourage membership. However… as in politics and the real world…
The rather comfortable place between these two poles is inhabited by folks that like simple good food and beverages. These folks have no time for pretense. These folks have no intention of being intimidated by either cuisine, chef, bar manager or hostess. These are folks who want a comfortable place to celebrate life. They want to be able to enjoy friends, food and beverages that build friendships and eases introductions. Whether banter, political “conversations,” sensual side-glances, trade-talk, show-offs or keeping-in-touch… all of this is part of a shared experience that is essential. This is what has been defined in a number of sources as a “Local”…
When I first heard of this term in literature I was brought to mind of Victorian England and the romantic image of the “Pub”.
Since then I have learned that the “Local” is a special place and means different things to different people. What it means in the end is a place where you can feel special and enjoy life a little more than when you first walked in the door. This has nothing to do with the “Belgian Lace” on the Leffe glass. That would be a good thing if it was there of course. This has nothing to do with the traditional “two fingers” of foam that should crown most brews but never does because the customer will feel cheated. In essence it has to do with the best brew served in the best way and enjoyed with a good heart with good friends.
The “craft” kids and the “farmer brew boys” would better enjoy life and each other if the connection of good food brought them together understanding that they were talking about beer and well… there is no disconnect there.
Cheers!
Peter LaFrance
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Jenlain and Zucchini Soup a la Jules
Jules and I have a history that deserves telling but that’s for another blog… this time I will limit myself to relating my experience involving a heated bowl of zucchini soup and half a liter of Jenlain Ambree Biere de Garde.
I will forgive the owner/chef/friend for icing the half liter stein with a rinse of ice cubes and cold water. I will forgive almost anything for a half liter of Jenlain Ambree Biere de Garde and an hour to enjoy it.
As there were no other customers at that hour and the staff was enjoying house lunch I had all afternoon to enjoy the brew once it warmed up a little. Until then it was educational to sip it slowly and experience the development of flavors as the biere reached cellar temperature. The nutty notes were kept from being cloying by the effects of the effective but non aggressive influence of the hops. These hops were the touch-point for the flavors of the soup.
The soup was a vegetarian, vegetable-stock based, rather thick, potage. Chips of zucchini, well past el dente but not puree, added a hearty texture to a fresh tasting stew, topped with slivers of Parmesan cheese and sliced fresh basil leaves. The latter two ingredients joined in a flavorful dance with the sweet of the malt but even more energetically with the hops of the Jenlain.
The real key was the kinship in flavors that happened between the fresh Basel and the hops of the beer.
When I get the recipe I’ll post it… until then…
Cheers!
Peter LaFrance
Thursday, August 5, 2010
The Ethics of Beer
Greetings,
This morning the newspapers, and the blog-osphere, were filled with stories that had to do with ethics. One story brought ethics into question when it came to the BP oil spill. Charges of ethical indifference were being flung in California between a judge and any number of groups of people. Two Democratic senators are being investigated by the ethics committee of the Congress of the United States. All of this managed to fit on the front page of today’s New York Times. Two of the stories managed to find the top of the Google news. It seems to me it is an awful lot of interest in ethics today.
And so before I drink my first beer at lunch time I’m going to make a conscious effort to understand the ethics of drinking that particular beer.
First of all I’m going to contemplate the economic ethics. If I’m truly diligent I’ll have to review and consider the union contracts handled by the distributors of the beer I will be drinking. The raw ingredients of beer; hops, grain, and water all raise ethical problems. That is to say the ingredients do not have problems but the growing and obtaining of these ingredients certainly raise ethical questions.
In the western part of the United States control of water is very important particularly in the brewing of beer. Participating in projects that diverts water from one area to another raises natural ethical questions.
The ethical question of whether a farmer should be subsidized for not growing a particular type of grain or for growing a particular type of grain in particular, barley, should raise a great deal of interest. In an economy where water can be controlled as well as other economic properties the ability of one or two growers to control the price of hops could raise ethical questions. Here in the United States where everything seems to be transported by truck rather than by rail certain ethical and legal questions can certainly be raised should there be any involvement with particular corrupt labor unions.
I can already hear the arguments saying that this happens in every industry here in the United States or any other capitalist country. I am not arguing that fact. I’m not saying something is good and I’m not saying something is bad.
What I am saying is that 999% of the time I will sit here and drink a beer and not have a second thought about where that beer comes from or how the ingredients are grown where they are grown or who is involved in growing them. This raises the question of how involved should I be in the things that go on in the brewing, production, manufacturing and distribution of that beer. The same question could be asked of anything I purchase. However, because of my particular fondness for beer, it bothers me that I’ve not asked this question about beer before.
For a moment there I was almost caught up in the madness.
Drinking a beer has nothing to do with ethics it has to do with the fact that I enjoy drinking, quaffing, it when I am thirsty. It has to do with the fact that beer is slightly alcoholic and makes the world a little bit better place to live in because of that. It has to do with the fact that I like this particular flavor of beer to go with this particular style of cuisine.
Ethics? As far as throwing stones at the “unethical” I will take the advice of a wise man and not throw the first stone.
Cheers!
This morning the newspapers, and the blog-osphere, were filled with stories that had to do with ethics. One story brought ethics into question when it came to the BP oil spill. Charges of ethical indifference were being flung in California between a judge and any number of groups of people. Two Democratic senators are being investigated by the ethics committee of the Congress of the United States. All of this managed to fit on the front page of today’s New York Times. Two of the stories managed to find the top of the Google news. It seems to me it is an awful lot of interest in ethics today.
And so before I drink my first beer at lunch time I’m going to make a conscious effort to understand the ethics of drinking that particular beer.
First of all I’m going to contemplate the economic ethics. If I’m truly diligent I’ll have to review and consider the union contracts handled by the distributors of the beer I will be drinking. The raw ingredients of beer; hops, grain, and water all raise ethical problems. That is to say the ingredients do not have problems but the growing and obtaining of these ingredients certainly raise ethical questions.
In the western part of the United States control of water is very important particularly in the brewing of beer. Participating in projects that diverts water from one area to another raises natural ethical questions.
The ethical question of whether a farmer should be subsidized for not growing a particular type of grain or for growing a particular type of grain in particular, barley, should raise a great deal of interest. In an economy where water can be controlled as well as other economic properties the ability of one or two growers to control the price of hops could raise ethical questions. Here in the United States where everything seems to be transported by truck rather than by rail certain ethical and legal questions can certainly be raised should there be any involvement with particular corrupt labor unions.
I can already hear the arguments saying that this happens in every industry here in the United States or any other capitalist country. I am not arguing that fact. I’m not saying something is good and I’m not saying something is bad.
What I am saying is that 999% of the time I will sit here and drink a beer and not have a second thought about where that beer comes from or how the ingredients are grown where they are grown or who is involved in growing them. This raises the question of how involved should I be in the things that go on in the brewing, production, manufacturing and distribution of that beer. The same question could be asked of anything I purchase. However, because of my particular fondness for beer, it bothers me that I’ve not asked this question about beer before.
For a moment there I was almost caught up in the madness.
Drinking a beer has nothing to do with ethics it has to do with the fact that I enjoy drinking, quaffing, it when I am thirsty. It has to do with the fact that beer is slightly alcoholic and makes the world a little bit better place to live in because of that. It has to do with the fact that I like this particular flavor of beer to go with this particular style of cuisine.
Ethics? As far as throwing stones at the “unethical” I will take the advice of a wise man and not throw the first stone.
Cheers!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Call of The Wild
Greetings,
The brewers of Brussels, incorporating indigent yeasts and microbes in their fermenting process, produce a sour beer that defines the word “unique”. These beers are called Lambic and Geuze (a blend of Lambic beers aged in wood casks), and are famous world-wide today. These are truly the wildest beers available.
In the same way that the aromas of banana and cloves mark a wheat beer as Bavarian, the unique sour beer tang of the Lambic is the mark of the genuine item.
The appeal of these brews for mature the drinker is in the sharp sour tang that is the unique character of these brews. This flavor also acts as an aperitif and appetite enhancer. Younger drinkers perceive the flavors as exciting and relish the jolt the sour notes deliver. They also appreciate the rather hefty alcohol by volume content. This same “warmth” is also appreciated by the mature drinker as an after dinner treat when sipped contemplatively.
However, it is only the mature drinker, and only those over a certain age, who can remember beer before the Belgians.
Once, a Belgian bier was a rare treat. The bottled Belgian brews sought by United States beer drinkers in the late 1980’s were limited production products in bottles that were neither 12 oz. or 16 oz. or any other familiar size of beverage bottle. A good number of them didn’t even have labels… just different “coloured” crown caps. This drove importers to distraction when the brewers wouldn’t even consider bottle labels… let alone the labels as regulated by state and federal government agencies in the United States.
And then… a change in marketing “Belgian” beer when Stella Artois was introduced to the United States market.
But that’s another story…
Cheers!
Peter
The brewers of Brussels, incorporating indigent yeasts and microbes in their fermenting process, produce a sour beer that defines the word “unique”. These beers are called Lambic and Geuze (a blend of Lambic beers aged in wood casks), and are famous world-wide today. These are truly the wildest beers available.
In the same way that the aromas of banana and cloves mark a wheat beer as Bavarian, the unique sour beer tang of the Lambic is the mark of the genuine item.
The appeal of these brews for mature the drinker is in the sharp sour tang that is the unique character of these brews. This flavor also acts as an aperitif and appetite enhancer. Younger drinkers perceive the flavors as exciting and relish the jolt the sour notes deliver. They also appreciate the rather hefty alcohol by volume content. This same “warmth” is also appreciated by the mature drinker as an after dinner treat when sipped contemplatively.
However, it is only the mature drinker, and only those over a certain age, who can remember beer before the Belgians.
Once, a Belgian bier was a rare treat. The bottled Belgian brews sought by United States beer drinkers in the late 1980’s were limited production products in bottles that were neither 12 oz. or 16 oz. or any other familiar size of beverage bottle. A good number of them didn’t even have labels… just different “coloured” crown caps. This drove importers to distraction when the brewers wouldn’t even consider bottle labels… let alone the labels as regulated by state and federal government agencies in the United States.
And then… a change in marketing “Belgian” beer when Stella Artois was introduced to the United States market.
But that’s another story…
Cheers!
Peter
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
YES WE HAVE NO CASK BEER
Greetings,
The recent mention in the beverage trade press of a “table keg” or “table tap” system has caught the attention of a number of multi-unit casual restaurants. I seem to remember a sports bar in Atlanta, GA for a few years ago tapping that idea and getting mentioned in the same media…
Nevertheless, the concept of fresh brew served from a fresh keg is not a new idea. There is a thing called “cask” beer.
This is beer, or ale, or porter or Lambic or any other fermented malt beverage you beer-police want to be mentioned or not, that is served directly from the container to the glass via gravity from an open tap in the face of the container.
There is an art and science to serving a beverage such as the above mentioned. There is a set of stoppers, pegs, and even engines involved. All of this takes time to get used to if you are serving the brew and even more education if you are going to keep it served at the best it can be served. Knowledge of biology and botany and the life-cycle of yeast are essential if you are a beverage manager and want your customers to enjoy that special beer.
“They have cask beer at my local… How can I be sure it is a real cask beer?”
If it is served from a container familiar to beer drinkers as a wood beer cask or “Firkin” that is sitting at a slight angle behind the bar, and the libation is poured directly to the glass from a tap in the container, it has a good chance of being true cask ale. If there is a trace of yeast in the brew it needs no more identification criteria. Try it…
“This is just like my favorite… just a little more flavor… kinda’ nice though… refreshing…”
Let’s go! Not the real thing my friend…
Or…
“This stuff’s cloudy… and a little flat… and it’s not cold… and…”
Shut up. That’s what real beer tastes like.
Cheers!
Peter
The recent mention in the beverage trade press of a “table keg” or “table tap” system has caught the attention of a number of multi-unit casual restaurants. I seem to remember a sports bar in Atlanta, GA for a few years ago tapping that idea and getting mentioned in the same media…
Nevertheless, the concept of fresh brew served from a fresh keg is not a new idea. There is a thing called “cask” beer.
This is beer, or ale, or porter or Lambic or any other fermented malt beverage you beer-police want to be mentioned or not, that is served directly from the container to the glass via gravity from an open tap in the face of the container.
There is an art and science to serving a beverage such as the above mentioned. There is a set of stoppers, pegs, and even engines involved. All of this takes time to get used to if you are serving the brew and even more education if you are going to keep it served at the best it can be served. Knowledge of biology and botany and the life-cycle of yeast are essential if you are a beverage manager and want your customers to enjoy that special beer.
“They have cask beer at my local… How can I be sure it is a real cask beer?”
If it is served from a container familiar to beer drinkers as a wood beer cask or “Firkin” that is sitting at a slight angle behind the bar, and the libation is poured directly to the glass from a tap in the container, it has a good chance of being true cask ale. If there is a trace of yeast in the brew it needs no more identification criteria. Try it…
“This is just like my favorite… just a little more flavor… kinda’ nice though… refreshing…”
Let’s go! Not the real thing my friend…
Or…
“This stuff’s cloudy… and a little flat… and it’s not cold… and…”
Shut up. That’s what real beer tastes like.
Cheers!
Peter
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
ICE COLD BEER HERE
Greetings,
It is almost instinct that prompts my anticipation for cellar-temperature (50F) ale or a keller-temperature (40F) lager-style brew. It is the same instinct tells me that a cheese, fruit or soup is being presented at its optimum temperature. This instinct has been honed by education and experience to a keen appreciation. Nevertheless… there are times when I truly enjoy ice-cold American mass-produced, straw-colored, lager-style, and fizzy beer.
The scenario must be seaside or mountain rural rustic. The experience should be something shared with no more than three other souls, two of whom may be canine.
The subsistence level should be essential and the cuisine hearty, preparation involving little more than boiling, roasting or grilling.
Any of the four seasons, in any intensity, will suffice. However, I prefer either late summer or mid-autumn.
Rather than a rural lifestyle a la Richard Olney, my preference is for a Jack London slice of life.
This is not a reaction to the effete, rather a reflection of affection for the mountains developed during my years at university. There I also developed affection for ice-cold canned malt beverages a la mode.
Combine the rural setting, the tranquil environment and the rustic cuisine and the subtleties of specialty brews loose to the essential quenching properties of an ice-cold beverage with the mild but not debilitating properties of it being a relatively low-level beverage alcohol. This is the beverage that fits into that experience.
And, as I remember it, the song goes… “To everything there is a season and a beer for every purpose under heaven.”
Cheers!
Peter
It is almost instinct that prompts my anticipation for cellar-temperature (50F) ale or a keller-temperature (40F) lager-style brew. It is the same instinct tells me that a cheese, fruit or soup is being presented at its optimum temperature. This instinct has been honed by education and experience to a keen appreciation. Nevertheless… there are times when I truly enjoy ice-cold American mass-produced, straw-colored, lager-style, and fizzy beer.
The scenario must be seaside or mountain rural rustic. The experience should be something shared with no more than three other souls, two of whom may be canine.
The subsistence level should be essential and the cuisine hearty, preparation involving little more than boiling, roasting or grilling.
Any of the four seasons, in any intensity, will suffice. However, I prefer either late summer or mid-autumn.
Rather than a rural lifestyle a la Richard Olney, my preference is for a Jack London slice of life.
This is not a reaction to the effete, rather a reflection of affection for the mountains developed during my years at university. There I also developed affection for ice-cold canned malt beverages a la mode.
Combine the rural setting, the tranquil environment and the rustic cuisine and the subtleties of specialty brews loose to the essential quenching properties of an ice-cold beverage with the mild but not debilitating properties of it being a relatively low-level beverage alcohol. This is the beverage that fits into that experience.
And, as I remember it, the song goes… “To everything there is a season and a beer for every purpose under heaven.”
Cheers!
Peter
Monday, July 19, 2010
It Tastes Just Like Chicken
Greetings,
“Close your eyes… take a sip and you won’t be able to tell the difference.”
The brand manager was telling me why the fact that his beer, with as much color as a glass of New York City water, was a good beer to drink.
He was right.
Miller Clear Beer tasted just like Miller High Life but without the color.
My question to him was… “Who drinks beer with their eyes closed?”
He had no answer.
This brings me to the observation that although a “beer” can look like many things it should not actually look like water. Water should not taste like the food chemists idea of lemon, lime, cherry or orange. Water should taste like water.
What does water taste like?
Actually there are probably as many “flavors” to water as there are water systems in whatever country, province, state, town or village the water comes from. There is “hard” water, with minerals dissolved in the trip to the surface of the earth, usually a natural spring. However, there are parts of the world where the spring water is saltier or picks up other minerals on the trip from the well to your tap. Of course there are the odors and flavors that water treatment plants add to the ideally “tasteless” beverage.
All of this understood; if the water is ice cold and quaffed with gusto there should be no doubt that it is water you are drinking. If there are flavors they should be trace flavors and not obvious… water should be water.
This brings me back to the Miller Clear Beer.
Yes, it was brewed as a beer is brewed it did not look like a beer.
It looked like water. Eyes wide open, I was expecting water. What I got was what passes for the house-flavors of Miller High Life.
I was confused and my taste buds were also.
When it comes to flavor experiences, any confusion is bad.
It leads to misunderstandings and the next time someone tells you that “It tastes just like chicken.”…
You will never believe them.
“Close your eyes… take a sip and you won’t be able to tell the difference.”
The brand manager was telling me why the fact that his beer, with as much color as a glass of New York City water, was a good beer to drink.
He was right.
Miller Clear Beer tasted just like Miller High Life but without the color.
My question to him was… “Who drinks beer with their eyes closed?”
He had no answer.
This brings me to the observation that although a “beer” can look like many things it should not actually look like water. Water should not taste like the food chemists idea of lemon, lime, cherry or orange. Water should taste like water.
What does water taste like?
Actually there are probably as many “flavors” to water as there are water systems in whatever country, province, state, town or village the water comes from. There is “hard” water, with minerals dissolved in the trip to the surface of the earth, usually a natural spring. However, there are parts of the world where the spring water is saltier or picks up other minerals on the trip from the well to your tap. Of course there are the odors and flavors that water treatment plants add to the ideally “tasteless” beverage.
All of this understood; if the water is ice cold and quaffed with gusto there should be no doubt that it is water you are drinking. If there are flavors they should be trace flavors and not obvious… water should be water.
This brings me back to the Miller Clear Beer.
Yes, it was brewed as a beer is brewed it did not look like a beer.
It looked like water. Eyes wide open, I was expecting water. What I got was what passes for the house-flavors of Miller High Life.
I was confused and my taste buds were also.
When it comes to flavor experiences, any confusion is bad.
It leads to misunderstandings and the next time someone tells you that “It tastes just like chicken.”…
You will never believe them.
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