musing

Not all barleys are born equal

barley manA few years ago a judge rather boldly wrote “Crisp Maris Otter?” in comments about an old ale I entered in a homebrew competition. I did, in fact, use Maris Otter, though it happened to be malted by Thomas Fawcett rather than Crisp.

I was nonetheless impressed.

I thought of this because British UK maltster Robin Appel has begun promoting the idea that not all malts taste the same. He’s taken his case to the British Guild of Beer Writers and barley farmers, commissioning Brewing Research International in Surrey to produced test batches. They seem to be proving his point. From the Guild report:

Robin Appel was determined to put this unexplored question to the test. If winemakers could demonstrate the differences between Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc; and hop growers could define the peculiarities of Fuggles, Goldings and Boadicea – then wasn’t it about time that our maltsters sought to add value and individuality to Britain’s home-grown barley varieties.

In recounting the tasting guild chairman Tim Hampson wrote that Maris Otter is being pushed aside in favor of barleys that are more efficient.

The tasting was enough to impress Hampson. “Robin Appel’s malt-teasers won me over and made me think that the barley from which a beer is made is perhaps something we should pay much more attention to,” he wrote.

Sales director Jonathan Arnold said the company will continue to push the issue: “After the 2007 harvest, we intend to take this trial further by looking at the individual flavors of Maris Otter barley grown in different terroirs and soils – from Norfolk, Yorkshire, Shropshire, the West Country and the South – to see what flavor characteristics will be demonstrated by each.”

OK, the terroir part might sound a little scary – personally, I think breweries already have enough other idiosyncratic qualities that are comparable to what winemakers call terroir – but I’d still love to taste the results.

And this idea isn’t totally new. Brewers on the other side of the English Channel have plenty to say about the importance of barley selection. More about that tomorrow.

America’s #1 rated brewery?

I’m passing this along because even though it’s not exactly new I hadn’t seen it until the other day and it strikes me as too silly not to point out.

The headline in Madison, Wis., reads: “Feud brews between Capital, Bud.”

Capital Brewery outside of Madison wants to trademark the phrase “America’s #1 Rated Brewery.”

Anheuser-Busch objects, and the legal challenge consists of documents totaling more than 150 pages.

Capital’s trademark application is based on an award from the 1998 World Beer Championships, which are held by the Beverage Tasting Institute. Capital ended the year ranked seventh overall with an average score of 90.6. The six top brewers were all from Europe, hence the phrase “America’s #1 Rated Brewer.”

I’ve rambled on enough here (and of course will again) about the folly of assigning numbers to beer. And although the BTI often gives high scores to beers I really like I wouldn’t base a decision to buy a beer based on their scores or tasting notes.

But now I’m thinking, 150 pages of legal documents . . . A-B seems to be taking this seriously. Maybe I should as well.

On second thought, it’s still nothing but silly.

10 beers that changed the Chicago area

By guest blogger Steve Herberger

Stan hit on a thought provoking and fun look into modern brewing history with his “10 Beers that Changed America.” Some of us have different perspectives of the micro revolution, depending on where we experienced the new wonder of good beer. So Stan asked if I wanted to add my 10 Beers and opinions based on a midwest viewpoint, here are my thoughts, though I reserve the right to hedge based on failing memory over 23 years!

Please chime in, especially if you’re from the Midwest.

Spreacher cap1. Sprecher Amber (I believe was their start up brew) – the first Micro I remember hearing about in this area right around the time it opened in ’85. I can remember seeking out the brewery for a tour and purchases, parking in the lot of a closed factory close to where I*knew* the brewery was according to the map (pre-Internet and MapQuest), seeing a train blocking my route, crawling tentatively between 2 coupled cars and announcing, “There it is!” What a great tour and great beer – supplied by Randy Sprecher himself.

2. Goose Island Honkers Ale – from its first intro at 1800 Clybourn to distribution around the world. I was there too, when they opened in ’88 – what a grubby looking neighborhood the Clybourn corridor once used to be. Thanks to GI, it’s now one of the most busy retail areas in Chicago.

3. Bell’s Amber – because it’s their flagship brew and started a mini-revolution of local brewers who brewed for themselves and their customers, not what the market dictated.

4. Capital Garten Brau – the original Helles from Kirby, and what tha’ – lager from a micro?!

5. Alpha King – 3 Floyds. No matter other opinions, I personally think this started the “extreme” trend — at least in hop-bombing.

6. Gray’s Oatmeal Stout – A world class stout from a small micro that’s still going strong after 20 years or so.

7. Mad Hatter – New Holland Brewing, the start up brew from a brewery that continues to produce outstanding products. (A tie with Michigan Brewing who landed the Celis White rights and recipe).

8. Riverwest Stein Beer – Lakefront Brewing, a cross between the upstart Bell’s and Capital’s recognition of the local heritage. Not to mention the Klisch brothers small pilot brewery on Milwaukee’s Northeast side that grew into a larger micro that hasn’t lost its roots in home-brewing. I remember my first taste of the Steinbeer from a tap at the brewery – man, what nectar.

9. The Bitter End Pale Ale – Cask Conditioned/Real Ale from an American micro? In a small Chicago suburb, no less? You betch’a!

10. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout – I have to give the nod to this because it highlights the progression, evolution, and advancement of what’s becoming a world class brewery right in my own back yard.

Runners up – The previously mentioned August Schell Pilsner because its discovery got me interested in good beers that could come from small, regional breweries – in 1984 those were becoming near to extinct. And I’ll even nod to the New Glarus Belgian Red, if for no other reason than it beat its peers at their own game – can’t argue that, not to mention the success and other great beers from the Careys since 1993.

A toast with, and to, Liberty

Good morning and Happy Fourth of July.

I’m almost ready to begin lautering (you start brewing early in the morning on these hot summer days in New Mexico), so two quick suggestions for the holiday:

– Head on over to the Champagne of Blogs and read Our Second Sudsy Salute to America. Topical and regional.

– Drink a glass, or two, of Anchor Liberty Ale. Has there ever better a more appropriate name for a beer to drink today? Remember its place in history. This Cascade-accented beer was essential in setting us free of the U.S. beer monoculture.

To Liberty.

East Coast versus West Coast

Beer chessMissed this story about the difference between East Coast and West Coast beers, most notably IPAs, by Greg Kitsock when it first appeared in the Washington Post a couple of weeks ago.

When it comes to hoppy beers the differences aren’t just East-West. Try an IPA, or Imperial IPA, from the Northwest, then one from Southern California and you’ll find similarly diverse beers. (Last year the San Diego Tribune riffed on Garrett Oliver’s suggestion we make San Digeo Pale Ale an official beer style.)

These are differences we should embrace, rather than arguing if one version is better or that the brewers who make beer to a particular taste are more talented. (This article didn’t do that, just to be clear.)