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The Session #39: Collaborative learning »

Beer myths ain’t exactly new

Two observations related only by beer:

  • We’ve been seeing “microbrews” in television shows for many years — Sam Adams on “Friends,” or more recently Albuquerque-brewed Marble in “Breaking Bad.” But Sierra Nevada showing up in Pearls Before Swine seems terribly mainstream.
  • From a 1975 article in New Phytologist about the early history of humulus lupulus (hops) in Western Europe: “Beer is a popular subject, and the literature abounds in unsupported statements, misleading or inaccurate quotations and inadequate references.” Trust me, some of those sources are still being quoted today.

    • Posted: May 6th, 2010 under Beer culture, Ingredients.

    5 Responses to “Beer myths ain’t exactly new”

    1. Jack Curtin Says:
      May 6th, 2010 at 7:30 pm

      Cartoonist Stephan Pastis has been doing beer references for a long itme. Some years back, he had one of his characters order a Corsendonk in a restaurant.

    2. Jack Curtin Says:
      May 6th, 2010 at 7:35 pm

      Actually, now that I think about it, that Corsendonk thing was by Darby Conley, the “Get Fuzzy” guy. My bad.

    3. todd Says:
      May 7th, 2010 at 6:06 pm

      Any guesses who started the beer myth that “wild hops make nasty beer that nobody will ever drink”?

      Another hop myth- “wild hops fall in the 3-5% alpha acid range and non have been found over a 5%AA.

      I can tell ya,,,these myths are BUSTED! But who started them ,and WHY??

    4. Stan Hieronymus Says:
      May 12th, 2010 at 7:11 am

      Todd – I’m not aware of those “myths.” I am aware of a concern about “found” hops. Not knowing what they are, and what the specs on them would be.

    5. todd Says:
      May 18th, 2010 at 7:16 am

      Stan- Glad you don’t have to waste time “unlearning” any hop “myths”.
      I sure got exposed to more “myths” than just these two.
      Folks have to maintain the status quo don’t ya know!