Comments on: This is the world’s most interesting beverage http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/ Just another Thegazz.com weblog Thu, 4 Dec 2008 21:50:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 by: Rich Ireland http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-1106 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 01:22:40 +0000 http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-1106 Chris, I think your "style" comments must be directed to "Rood". The point of my posting was to point out the extremely wide flavor range of beer. I agree with you that styles or guidlines or even beer purity laws, should get in the way of the art of brewing. Chris, I think your “style” comments must be directed to “Rood”. The point of my posting was to point out the extremely wide flavor range of beer. I agree with you that styles or guidlines or even beer purity laws, should get in the way of the art of brewing.

]]> by: Chris Workman http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-1101 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 22:28:08 +0000 http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-1101 No, but overloading people on minute details about proper glassware, what kind of yeast is used, etc is only going to turn people off. People don't care if a beer was made by magic elves who live in a shoemaker's house that is best consumed from a glass that was designed by trolls who live under the bridge that goes to the shoemaker's house. They care about whether it tastes good. Do I care if a beer is a perfect example of an American IPA? Not really. All I care about is that it has enough grapefruity hops in it to kill a small horse and a decent amount of alcohol. Saying that beer has more "styles" than wine is not the way to get people to try good beer. No, but overloading people on minute details about proper glassware, what kind of yeast is used, etc is only going to turn people off. People don’t care if a beer was made by magic elves who live in a shoemaker’s house that is best consumed from a glass that was designed by trolls who live under the bridge that goes to the shoemaker’s house. They care about whether it tastes good. Do I care if a beer is a perfect example of an American IPA? Not really. All I care about is that it has enough grapefruity hops in it to kill a small horse and a decent amount of alcohol.

Saying that beer has more “styles” than wine is not the way to get people to try good beer.

]]> by: Rood Cervical Zymurgist http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-976 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 16:10:53 +0000 http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-976 Chris, there has to be a starting point/ or a general classification. Yes, part of it is for competitions. Think about it having A Begian Lambic, Doulble IPA, Pilsner, Whit & a Porter put in a b&w generic cans & labeled "BEER". Is that what you want? Chris, there has to be a starting point/ or a general classification. Yes, part of it is for competitions. Think about it having A Begian Lambic, Doulble IPA, Pilsner, Whit & a Porter put in a b&w generic cans & labeled “BEER”. Is that what you want?

]]> by: Chris Workman http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-891 Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:39:47 +0000 http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-891 "Beer" doesn't have style guidelines. Homebrewers have style guidelines so they can have their little competitions. “Beer” doesn’t have style guidelines. Homebrewers have style guidelines so they can have their little competitions.

]]> by: Rood Cervical Zymurgist http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-807 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:46:31 +0000 http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-807 Rich is right. Beer is infinitely more variable that wine in ingredients & thus flavors. He barely touched on grains(cereal grains incl. Rye & Wheat even Sorghum). Wine is limited to the terrior, grape variety(although there is cross breeding {e.g: Symphony} & blending), the barrel' wood type or country of origin, toasted or not or it can be made in stainless steel. Some Chardonnays have Malo-lactic fermentation. Then there is the 'Noble Rot' & first frost{Ice Wine}( there is a cheater version of this). Here is a link to the BJCP style guidelines: http://www.bjcp.org/2004_BJCP_Guidelines.pdf I don't think wine has any guidelines. Maybe a list of fruit & few extra words including but not limited to: as sharp, smooth, Oaky(toasted or not)Vanilla, Jasmine, Smokey, earthy. Not to say wine isn't flavorful or has any varieties. It is just a side to side comparison.:peace Historical note: Beer brewing & selling was written in the Code of Hammurabi. Rich chill? That would be interesting! He-he! Late Harvest Zin!! Huummm, that might be interesting Aperitif! ;-) Rich is right. Beer is infinitely more variable that wine in ingredients & thus flavors. He barely touched on grains(cereal grains incl. Rye & Wheat even Sorghum). Wine is limited to the terrior, grape variety(although there is cross breeding {e.g: Symphony} & blending), the barrel’ wood type or country of origin, toasted or not or it can be made in stainless steel. Some Chardonnays have Malo-lactic fermentation. Then there is the ‘Noble Rot’ & first frost{Ice Wine}( there is a cheater version of this).
Here is a link to the BJCP style guidelines:
http://www.bjcp.org/2004_BJCP_Guidelines.pdf
I don’t think wine has any guidelines. Maybe a list of fruit & few extra words including but not limited to: as sharp, smooth, Oaky(toasted or not)Vanilla, Jasmine, Smokey, earthy.
Not to say wine isn’t flavorful or has any varieties. It is just a side to side comparison.:peace
Historical note: Beer brewing & selling was written in the Code of Hammurabi.

Rich chill? That would be interesting! He-he!
Late Harvest Zin!! Huummm, that might be interesting Aperitif! ;-)

]]> by: Rich Ireland http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-739 Sat, 11 Aug 2007 02:24:10 +0000 http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-739 Thanks for the feedback John...As a fellow blogger surely you agree that we "ain't in it for the money". I write this blog and my articles just like you described, as an "evagelist". I may not be the best one for the job, I am not a trained journalist or even a self proclaimed writer. I am a beer geek, maybe even a beer snob to some. I believe that me (or someone else)needs to inform people as to what they may be missing. I am excited about what is going on in the world of real beer. Heck! even the Senior wine editor at Food & Wine magazine is making the rounds to all of the morning shows under the banner "Beer is the new Wine"; apparently he sees what I see and is using wine to make his point. We are at a "stalemate" right now as it pertains to the beer laws in WV. We need some catalyst to start a reaction for change. If people do not realize that they are being denied something worthwhile, will anything change? Thanks for the feedback John…As a fellow blogger surely you agree that we “ain’t in it for the money”.

I write this blog and my articles just like you described, as an “evagelist”. I may not be the best one for the job, I am not a trained journalist or even a self proclaimed writer. I am a beer geek, maybe even a beer snob to some. I believe that me (or someone else)needs to inform people as to what they may be missing. I am excited about what is going on in the world of real beer. Heck! even the Senior wine editor at Food & Wine magazine is making the rounds to all of the morning shows under the banner “Beer is the new Wine”; apparently he sees what I see and is using wine to make his point.

We are at a “stalemate” right now as it pertains to the beer laws in WV. We need some catalyst to start a reaction for change. If people do not realize that they are being denied something worthwhile, will anything change?

]]> by: John Brown http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-736 Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:45:11 +0000 http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-736 Rich: Great, in-depth column on the complexities of beer. While I don't agree that beer has more flavor components than wine, I do think more people should try "real" beer instead of the "near beer" to which most of us are exposed. The real problem - and it is obviously reflected by your continuing frustration - is that we don't have access to a wide variety of craft brews out there. Unfortunately,your frustration manifests itself in periodic rants (about every other week) about how beer is a superior product to wine. You should understand that most wine lovers are craft beer drinkers (or would like to be). But the fact is our current laws make it easy for citizens to experience a wide variety of wines and a limited number of beers. Hopefully, your craft beer evangelism will result in more and better beers on our shelves. Until that time, raise a glasss of late-harvest zinfandel to your hop-weary lips and chill. Rich: Great, in-depth column on the complexities of beer. While I don’t agree that beer has more flavor components than wine, I do think more people should try “real” beer instead of the “near beer” to which most of us are exposed. The real problem - and it is obviously reflected by your continuing frustration - is that we don’t have access to a wide variety of craft brews out there. Unfortunately,your frustration manifests itself in periodic rants (about every other week) about how beer is a superior product to wine. You should understand that most wine lovers are craft beer drinkers (or would like to be). But the fact is our current laws make it easy for citizens to experience a wide variety of wines and a limited number of beers. Hopefully, your craft beer evangelism will result in more and better beers on our shelves. Until that time, raise a glasss of late-harvest zinfandel to your hop-weary lips and chill.

]]> by: Chris Workman http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-733 Thu, 09 Aug 2007 17:59:02 +0000 http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-733 I have no idea whether Lindeman's uses fruit extract or what, but I do know that they add saccharine to sweeten the beers (or at least that's what Jeff Sparrow says). I have no idea whether Lindeman’s uses fruit extract or what, but I do know that they add saccharine to sweeten the beers (or at least that’s what Jeff Sparrow says).

]]> by: Rich Ireland http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-728 Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:34:22 +0000 http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-728 Mike, fruit beers are somewhat controversial to say the least... I personally like fruit beers that have the essence of the fruit, but remain true to the base beer style. Samuel Adams cherry wheat has varied some over the years. It has never been a favorite of mine, but I can do a pretty darn good clone (if I do say so myself). If you don't like cherry, you won't like the beer. My favorite "fruit" beer was one that I tasted in Belgium made by a small lambic brewery named Giardin. They make a Kriek (cherry)lambic that is very tart and even use a local Belgian sour cherry. You definitely can sense the presence of the cherry, but it's the pit from the cherry that really imparts a nutty (almond) flavor (which is actually cyanide), which goes great with the real barnyard character of the lambic. The only kriek beer locally available is from Lindeman's and is too sweet. They probably use cherry extract and not the whole fruit... Mike, fruit beers are somewhat controversial to say the least… I personally like fruit beers that have the essence of the fruit, but remain true to the base beer style. Samuel Adams cherry wheat has varied some over the years. It has never been a favorite of mine, but I can do a pretty darn good clone (if I do say so myself). If you don’t like cherry, you won’t like the beer.

My favorite “fruit” beer was one that I tasted in Belgium made by a small lambic brewery named Giardin. They make a Kriek (cherry)lambic that is very tart and even use a local Belgian sour cherry. You definitely can sense the presence of the cherry, but it’s the pit from the cherry that really imparts a nutty (almond) flavor (which is actually cyanide), which goes great with the real barnyard character of the lambic.

The only kriek beer locally available is from Lindeman’s and is too sweet. They probably use cherry extract and not the whole fruit…

]]> by: Mike Dillion http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-727 Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:14:17 +0000 http://thegazz.com/gblogs/beerstoyou/2007/08/07/a-closer-look-at-the-world%e2%80%99s-most-complex-beverage/#comment-727 Great posting--very informative. I'm not so sure about that note at the end, though. There may be some hurt feelings out there. As for fruity tasting beer, I've seen Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat, for example,but I'm not sure about that whole concept. Is it distinctly cherry-tasting, or is it very subtle? (I guess what I'm trying to say is, convince me it's worth trying.) Great posting–very informative. I’m not so sure about that note at the end, though. There may be some hurt feelings out there.

As for fruity tasting beer, I’ve seen Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat, for example,but I’m not sure about that whole concept. Is it distinctly cherry-tasting, or is it very subtle? (I guess what I’m trying to say is, convince me it’s worth trying.)

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