And what I failed to mention yesterday about Green Lakes Organic Ale is that it poured with a billowing head that left elegant lacing on the sides of the glass. That certainly added to an impression the beer was fresh and alive.
I thought of this yesterday evening while I was reading “Grape vs. Grain,” a book by Charles Bamforth due out in May. It is subtitled “A Historical, Technological, and Social Comparison of Wine and Beer.” Once I finish it and then “He Said beer, She Said Wine” I will review the two of them together.
Before wandering off on a discourse about what constitutes a good head on a beer and why it happens, Bamforth writes:
“There is no question that foams impacts drinker’s perception of a product. Show customers images of beer with good or poor foam and those with superior foam are declared to be better brewed, fresh, and better tasting. All this is based solely on appearance; not a drop has been drunk in making this evaluation.”
(In the interest of honesty, the photo is not Green Lakes. It’s a picture of nice beer lace I happen to have on hand. No, I do not carry it around in my wallet.)
Thanks for mentioning that Charlie has a new book out in May, I wouldn’t have known otherwise.
Beer foam is horribly intricate, and far too much of it depends on what’s inside the glass before the beer goes in. I was a student of Charlie as an undergrad.
When we brew an Organic beer here at our brewery, I always receive some very interesting comments. “It just looks and tastes better.” “The head lasts longer, and the nose more pronounced.” I have always thought that the organic grains we get were much more plump and gives us a better extract and the comments confirm it…we are on the right track.
For all of those in Portland, Oregon, at the end of June, do not forget the North American Organic Brewers Festival. We will have our Organic Saison there as well as the best organic brews on this continent.
Prost!
the confucian brewer