I’m taking my time reading Hops and Glory, enjoying each page and reading some of them twice. So it may be a while before you get a review out of me. You’ll find early returns at the link above, as well as Stephen Beaumont’s take here.
I’m a little surprised that nobody has mentioned (though in fairness Adrian Tierney-Jones sort of does in passing) this most interesting statement:
“(Eighteenth century) IPA was more similar to a modern filtered and pasteurized beer than it was to traditional cask ale.”
Given a certain predisposition among beer lovers that filtration and pasteurization are modern and bad and that Brown and Martyn Cornell have established everything your mother taught you about IPA is wrong mighty interesting statement indeed.
Yeah, that was certainly something that jumped out at me. Fermentation in the cask caused the barrels to explode so it had to be filtered at the brewery. I’m not sure I get the supposed slow-cook pasteurisation though, but I’m no scientician.
“(Eighteenth century) IPA was more similar to a modern filtered and pasteurized beer than it was to traditional cask ale.”
BLASPHEMER! 😉
“scientician” 😀
It does sort of seem unlikely it would have been true pasteurization because, as Pete points out, that occurs as 60C. But his details make it all the more astonishing that the beer could have improved during the trip – as most agree it did – rather than being demolished.
“…that the beer could have improved during the trip – as most agree it did…”
You don’t suppose that this is an example of “My GAWD — We have BEER!” or “any port in a storm” syndrome back in the 18th century?
I can remember hiking Isle Royale on Lake Superior, 3 days and 3 nights without beer (the packed in pints of whiskey just weren’t cutting it) and on the last day some fisherman took pity on us (okay, me) and gave us 3 cans of Leinenkugel original — right there and then I’d have sworn it was the Gods’ Nectar.
No, quality control was very careful in India and the papers are littered with ads for auctions of spoiled beer. And it’s not like it was the first beer there: Porter had been exported to India for decades before anyone thought to ship Pale Ale.
By which I mean: read the book 🙂
“the papers are littered with ads for auctions of spoiled beer”
Odd concept, what can you do with spoiled beer, make sourdough? Porter and the Indian climate don’t seem like a good pairing.
I’ll read the book when I have more spendable cash, times are tough man. Maybe I can get my library to order it.
According to p. 310 you can add molasses, water and spices, referment it a bit, and sell it as a new cheap drink. Or use it as a base for making ketchup.
Yeah, go ask your library.
Thanks dad. 😉
(If I recommend people use libraries I get to count commenting here as work.)
Even U.S. libraries? 😀
We are all but aspects of the One Great Library.
OMMMMMM[shhh]MMMMMMMM
I think Pete didn’t fully understand how beer was prepared for export. It might have been racked and deliberately flattened, but it wasn’t filtered and it wasn’t dead. These preparations were made because they knew the beer would start “working” again on the boat.
I thought the descriptions of the exact nature of IPA and how it was brewed was the weakest part of the book.
Why does everyone think Porter doesn’t go with a tropical climate? What is the only style of beer other than pale lager regularly sold in the Caribbean and Asia? Aged Porter, because of its stability and keeping qualities was perfect for export to distant, hot countries.
A quick note about libraries. This is certainly a book that belongs in US public libraries, but first it has to be for sale in the US.
Ron – excellent point about IPA continuing to “work.” What would be the point of talking about how the beer changed/matured during the trip if it were like a filtered/pasteurized beer designed to take all sorts of abuse without changing?
“…but first it has to be for sale in the US.”
Something I discovered last night when I asked my library about it. However, they’re going to try ordering it from Amazon UK — so BeerNut’s karma seems to be working! 😉 OMMMMMM
“What is the only style of beer other than pale lager regularly sold in the Caribbean and Asia?”
A phenomenon I’ve never understood either. Lighter bodied and cleaner flavored beer just seem more refreshing to us in a hot climate; whereas bolder, heavier (I know that can range widely with Porter & Stout) beers seem more bracing for cooler weather.
OTOH — I’ve been known to enjoy a nice SN Porter while working in the backyard in summer.
SteveH, I understand it. Strong Stout is the perfect accompaniment to spicy food. It retains flavour when chilled. And it’sway more delicioscrumpcious
“A quick note about libraries. This is certainly a book that belongs in US public libraries, but first it has to be for sale in the US.”
A quick shout out, lo these many weeks later, to my local public library here in Grayslake, IL, USA, for ordering and purchasing Hops & Glory to have on their shelves.
I am the first to borrow the book this week and am anticipating the read.