Comments on: New Beer Rule #4: Variation is not a flaw http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/ Tue, 22 May 2012 16:56:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Ilya Feynberg http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/comment-page-1/#comment-340586 Ilya Feynberg Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:09:04 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/#comment-340586 F***** AWESOME!! LOVE this rule! If there is no change in the taste, color, consistency, aroma and so on in the beer from batch to batch, or season to season...than you're doing something wrong. You might as well call yourself "Miller "Brewing"" Company! :/ I'm not even going to start and list the reason behind why there would be some change between batches or seasons. But I think most folks here understand ;) Ilya F***** AWESOME!!

LOVE this rule! If there is no change in the taste, color, consistency, aroma and so on in the beer from batch to batch, or season to season…than you’re doing something wrong. You might as well call yourself “Miller “Brewing”" Company! :/

I’m not even going to start and list the reason behind why there would be some change between batches or seasons.

But I think most folks here understand ;)

Ilya

]]> By: Bob Sylvester http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/comment-page-1/#comment-337136 Bob Sylvester Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:16:18 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/#comment-337136 All hail rule #4! Or else I'm out of business. All hail rule #4!
Or else I’m out of business.

]]> By: Stan Hieronymus http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/comment-page-1/#comment-33203 Stan Hieronymus Wed, 20 Jun 2007 22:12:58 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/#comment-33203 Stonch - My taste buds happily remember walking into the Dove in 1994. Daria had first choice and decided on Fullers ESB, so I walked around to the public side where there were regulars sitting at the bar. While the barman drew an ESB one of the guys at the bar ordered another London Pride. "From that tap," he said pointing to the left. "I'll have a Pride," I told the barman, and when he started to pull one from the right I told him I'd wait for one from the left as well. "Yesterday the one on the right was better," he regular said. When I took the beers outside Daria tried hers and smiled. Then she had mine and said, "Wow! What's that?" The lessons: - That kegged London Pride in the States had little in common with cask. - That some people spend a lot of time at the bar. This was early afternoon and the regular obviously had sampled at least two pints and was on his third. Of course this is 4% abv beer. Stonch – My taste buds happily remember walking into the Dove in 1994.

Daria had first choice and decided on Fullers ESB, so I walked around to the public side where there were regulars sitting at the bar. While the barman drew an ESB one of the guys at the bar ordered another London Pride.

“From that tap,” he said pointing to the left.

“I’ll have a Pride,” I told the barman, and when he started to pull one from the right I told him I’d wait for one from the left as well.

“Yesterday the one on the right was better,” he regular said.

When I took the beers outside Daria tried hers and smiled. Then she had mine and said, “Wow! What’s that?”

The lessons:

- That kegged London Pride in the States had little in common with cask.
- That some people spend a lot of time at the bar. This was early afternoon and the regular obviously had sampled at least two pints and was on his third. Of course this is 4% abv beer.

]]> By: Stonch http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/comment-page-1/#comment-33147 Stonch Wed, 20 Jun 2007 14:25:48 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/#comment-33147 I'm on board with this too. Consistency is difficult and a brewer who acheives it is probably very skillful. But some of the most consistent beers are also the most mass produced and unappealing. I’m on board with this too.

Consistency is difficult and a brewer who acheives it is probably very skillful. But some of the most consistent beers are also the most mass produced and unappealing.

]]> By: Loren http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/comment-page-1/#comment-32409 Loren Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:43:55 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/#comment-32409 You should amend this to include "Variation, within a theme as well," which should help to squelch all the constant arguing and bickering of NEW styles, substyles and subsubstyles. No? :-) Great rule though...as it SHOULD kill all the "Celebration SUCKS this year!" opinions. You should amend this to include “Variation, within a theme as well,” which should help to squelch all the constant arguing and bickering of NEW styles, substyles and subsubstyles. No?

:-)

Great rule though…as it SHOULD kill all the “Celebration SUCKS this year!” opinions.

]]> By: The Beer Nut http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/comment-page-1/#comment-32405 The Beer Nut Fri, 15 Jun 2007 15:56:22 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/#comment-32405 Totally agree with this. My local brewpub have a weiss which used to be a completely different beer with every batch: some great, some poor. Sadly, it's now always the same, and mediocre. I'd much rather have the thrill of the gamble than get the same beer every single time. Totally agree with this. My local brewpub have a weiss which used to be a completely different beer with every batch: some great, some poor. Sadly, it’s now always the same, and mediocre. I’d much rather have the thrill of the gamble than get the same beer every single time.

]]> By: Bailey http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/comment-page-1/#comment-32297 Bailey Thu, 14 Jun 2007 19:12:03 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/#comment-32297 Great post. There are so many British beers which have been around for years on end which must surely be entirely different creatures now than they were when the first batch was made. Some beers evolve to suit consumer tastes; others change because, say, it's a bad year for East Kent Goldings; and it does add to the variety. Great post. There are so many British beers which have been around for years on end which must surely be entirely different creatures now than they were when the first batch was made. Some beers evolve to suit consumer tastes; others change because, say, it’s a bad year for East Kent Goldings; and it does add to the variety.

]]> By: Jeff Alworth http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/comment-page-1/#comment-32279 Jeff Alworth Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:38:03 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/#comment-32279 Consistancy is the hobgoblin of ... little beers. When the McMenamins first started brewing, they touted variation as a hallmark of handcrafted, artisinal small-batch beer. Early McBeer was of varied quality, so this might have been slightly self-serving, but I think their intention was true: variation is natural and wholesome. Who wants a bush that produces identical roses? I believe the McBrothers still allow their brewers to adapt recipes to their own proclivities. Terminator tastes different in every pub. If it's a really good batch, I ask about the brewer's name and keep an eye on him. In Oregon, the McMenamins is an amazing farm club for brewers. Actually, I shouldn't limit it to Oregon--with so few opportunities here, I think the folks who cut their teeth on batches of Termie end up all over the country. Viva la difference-- Consistancy is the hobgoblin of … little beers.

When the McMenamins first started brewing, they touted variation as a hallmark of handcrafted, artisinal small-batch beer. Early McBeer was of varied quality, so this might have been slightly self-serving, but I think their intention was true: variation is natural and wholesome. Who wants a bush that produces identical roses?

I believe the McBrothers still allow their brewers to adapt recipes to their own proclivities. Terminator tastes different in every pub. If it’s a really good batch, I ask about the brewer’s name and keep an eye on him. In Oregon, the McMenamins is an amazing farm club for brewers. Actually, I shouldn’t limit it to Oregon–with so few opportunities here, I think the folks who cut their teeth on batches of Termie end up all over the country.

Viva la difference–

]]> By: Beer Links for June 13th » Hail the Ale! Beer Blog http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/comment-page-1/#comment-32170 Beer Links for June 13th » Hail the Ale! Beer Blog Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:31:07 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/#comment-32170 [...] Appellation Beer: Beer From a Good Home » Blog Archive » New Beer Rule #4:... - Why variation in beer is good. [...] [...] Appellation Beer: Beer From a Good Home » Blog Archive » New Beer Rule #4:… – Why variation in beer is good. [...]

]]> By: Alan http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/comment-page-1/#comment-32134 Alan Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:37:00 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/new-beer-rule-4-variation-is-not-a-flaw/#comment-32134 We may have forgotten that bottle variation is a subset of reality. I had a pal in undergrad who one winter Saturday sat down in the cafeteria across from me and said: I friggin hate "winter milk". To him, a farmer's kid, milk had a quality that expressed the season depending on the feed the cows ate. Cheese grows mold, bread goes stale and beer does change batch to batch as well as month to month as it sits and ages in the stash. We may have forgotten that bottle variation is a subset of reality. I had a pal in undergrad who one winter Saturday sat down in the cafeteria across from me and said: I friggin hate “winter milk”. To him, a farmer’s kid, milk had a quality that expressed the season depending on the feed the cows ate. Cheese grows mold, bread goes stale and beer does change batch to batch as well as month to month as it sits and ages in the stash.

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