The Art of Beer: The Importance of Beer Logos

In advertising terms, beer logos are as important as a logo for any other consumer product. A logo defines the company and the product, giving the customer an immediate visual image and association. As with the marketing of any product, brewers have to persuade consumers to buy (and continue to buy) their products rather than those of their competitors.

Common Themes in Beer Logos

Traditionally, beer logos have been based on two main themes, either beer ingredients (e.g. hops, barley) or the geographical location of the brewer. Although these types of logos are still common, many modern beer logos are designed to be lifestyle statements rather than anything connected directly with brewing.

Beer art, in the form of beer labels and posters, has a long and fascinating history. Numerous classic beer logos have been created since the start of the mass marketing of beer.

Origins of Beer Art

Simple printed beer labels started to appear on bottles in the 1840s and, by the 1860s, some brewers were adding logos to their beer labels. The Guinness Irish harp and the Bass red triangle logos appeared widely on beer labels from the second half of the nineteenth century onwards. These beer logos can even be found as details in paintings by well-known artists such as Manet and Picasso.

Development of Beer Art

The development and refinement of advertising techniques have cultivated a variety of beer art and logos. Early examples of ‘breweriana’ such as drip mats, posters, and ashtrays decorated with beer logos, and larger items such as illuminated bar signs are now highly collectible.

Guinness advertising, in particular, has consistently maintained high standards and is very popular with collectors worldwide. The work of artist John Gilroy, who created the Guinness toucan in 1935, is well regarded and is used in Guinness advertising to this day.

Beer Art in Modern Media

Brewers have used newer media to create contemporary ‘breweriana.’ Television advertising and computer screensavers such as Budweiser’s frogs and Guinness’s surfing horses and racing snails have been used with great effect to raise awareness of these major beer brands.

Beer Logos and Globalization

With the consolidation of the brewing industry that has taken place in recent years, beer logos are more important than ever. Multinational brewers such as Anheuser-Busch, SABMiller, and InterBev spend millions on advertising to keep their products’ logos in the public eye to maintain and expand sales growth. Brewers’ enormous advertising budgets reflect the importance of differentiating mass-market beers in the eyes of consumers.

Distinctive beer logos are not restricted to the big brewers. Regional breweries and microbreweries in North America and Europe take pride in their beer logos. Prime examples include Hall and Woodhouse’s badger in England, Felinfoel’s double dragon in Wales and New Glarus’s Wisconsin thumbprint in the USA.

You can safely say that wherever there is a coveted beer, there will be a beer logo associated with it.

Copenhagen, Denmark Walking beer tour

For any beer aficionado, a visit to Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark is a must. Andrew Marshall reports

Don’t forget your ticket for some complimentary beers,” says the attendant inside the world-famous Carlsberg Brewery as I begin my introduction into the beer and bar culture of Copenhagen, Scandinavia’s liveliest and most cosmopolitan city.

The Carlsberg Visitor’s Centre offers a free self-guided tour of Gamle Carlsberg, the oldest part of the Carlsberg Brewery dating from 1847, with exhibits showing beer production and its history.

In fact, Danish beer dates back further than you’d expect after a girl was discovered in a peat bog clutching a jug of well-aged brew and was carbon-dated to 1370BC. The Carlsberg Brewery was founded by J.C. Jacobsen who began his career in the early 1800s working in his father’s small brewery.

In Denmark at the time, only top-fermented beer was brewed and after tasting a rich bottom-fermented Bavarian beer at a merchant’s shop, the young Jacobsen became obsessed with developing a Danish beer along with the Bavarian tradition.

Carlsberg Brewery, the largest exporting brewery in Europe, was the very successful result.

The tour route is well-provided with signs featuring photographs and explanatory text in both Danish and English, exhibiting objects from past and present, bringing the old ways of brewing to life while still impressing the visitor with modern technology using video clips that show production methods of today. There is quite a bit to see.

En-route you pass a steam engine that revolutionized early industrial beer production, antique copper vats used in the brewing process, the former house of J.C. Jacobsen (Carlsberg’s founder) and the stables that still house a team of 12 Jutland dray horses for pulling wagons of beer.

Rather appropriately the tour ends at a small bar in the stables where you can choose two free beers. I order a Carls Special, the local favorite – a beautifully smooth dark malt, and a glass of the globally-recognized Carlsberg lager. They go down well as I gaze out across the wonderful Carlsberg Academy gardens.

Before leaving, it’s well worth checking out the four giant Bornholm granite elephants (Elephant Gates) that guard the brewery grounds entrance – a fine example of world-class industrial architecture.

For a big city, Copenhagen surprisingly easy to get around and it’s a particularly pleasant place for walking.

If your feet get tired, take advantage of the ecologically-minded city cycle scheme (Bycykler) where anyone can borrow one of the city’s 2000 bicycles for free.

The distinctive-looking bicycles are available at more than 100 widely scattered stands in public places and it works rather like the shopping trolley concept at supermarkets.

You simply deposit 20 kroner in the stand to release the bike and when you return it to some other stand you get your kroner back. A pretty cool idea though not recommended if you intend on a leisurely daylong pub crawl.

Before long, I arrive at the picturesque Nyhavn district with its showcase canal, dug in the 17th century to allow traders to bring their wares into the heart of the city. It soon established itself as the place where returning sailors indulged themselves in the numerous bars, brothels and tattoo parlors which populated the area. It was also the haunt of writers such as Hans Christian Anderson who lived at No 67 for nearly 20 years.

Today, traditional sailing craft crowd the canal adding to the salty atmosphere, and it’s still possible to find a couple of sanitized tattoo shops and a seaman’s mission, among the colorful gabled townhouses lining the canal. But of course no seaman’s district would be complete without the ubiquitous taverns and here there are plenty where a thirsty traveler can wet the whistle.

Seated in chairs or simply sitting on the wharf, this is where Copenhageners meet for a quick beer or to laze away the afternoon and I’m in a like mind.

A favorite bar of mine for a fine view of the harbor through the masts of the many sailing vessels tied alongside is Nyhavn 17 with its outdoor seating, a perfect spot for a sidewalk scientist like myself with a penchant for people gazing. There are 15 bottled beers to try here, and in the months from March through to October Nyhavn 17 hosts a beer tasting every month.

Danes down some two billion bottles of beer a year, ranking them sixth among the greatest beer drinkers worldwide. A century ago there were literally hundreds of Danish breweries though today there are only 13 left along with a couple of ‘micros’. Even so there are scores of beers to choose from, the most popular being pilsners or lagers (around 4.6% alcohol content) especially from Carlsberg or Tuborg, but there are also dark lagers, draught beers and hearty stouts that kick in at a mighty 8%.

It pays to have a basic understanding of drinking terms in Danish. Beer ‘ol’, can be ordered as fadol (draught beer), pilsner (lager), lyst ol (light beer), lagerol (dark lager) or porter (stout).

The most popular spirit is akavit, better known as snaps and spiced with heady caraway. It is neither an aperitif, cocktail nor liqueur but goes together with food and is served ice cold.

The rule of thumb here is not to sip it, but to throw it back in one shot followed by a beer chaser. For a thoroughly Danish experience, try it with herring, perhaps at the traditional canalside pub and cafe favorites, Nyhavn 17, Cap Horn or Nyhavn Foergekro where you can have your herring baked, marinated or in rollmops with the ubiquitous boiled potatoes.

A short walk from the Nyhavn district is the beginning of Stroget. Billed as the world’s longest pedestrian street it is in fact five continuous streets: Nygade, Vimmelskaftet, Amagertorv, and Ostergade. Running right through the city center, it’s crammed with shops, eateries, bars, and cafés. You are bound to find yourself here at some point on a visit to Copenhagen.

There are several good watering holes in the area, including Absalon’s Bar, Café Norden, the trendy Café Krasnapolsky which boasts the longest bar in Copenhagen and Café Sorgenfri, a cozy corner cafe with abundant local character down a side street off Stroget.

I detour from here to Charlie’s Bar down another side street at Pilestraede 33, in search of a beer from some of the more obscure Danish breweries.

This bar has three genuine hand pumps and a cask on the bar serving beer by gravity. I order another favorite of mine, a pitch-black Limfjord’s Porter.

Although all these more cosmopolitan-style cafés serve beer, wine, and spirits and play a leading role in the social scene of Copenhageners, my taste in watering holes leans towards the more traditional Danish pub for a drinking atmosphere and there’s plenty to choose from. The traditional Danish pub is known as a ‘bodega’, and you will find these cozy local bars, often in cellars, the length and breadth of the city.

A good example is the 94-year old Pinden, down a side street near the railway station. Favored by actors in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the Pinden is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city center and attracts a mixed crowd.

There’s also the Peder Oxes Vinkaelder on Grabrodre Torv 11, which was built on the remains of an ancient monastery. A modern restaurant serves great Danish fare on ground level but the place for a tipple is the vinkaelder (wine cellar) located not surprisingly, in the wine cellar of the monastery remnants below; an old traditional low ceilinged whitewashed room filled with long tables and bench seating (pine of course).

A really interesting spot to visit right in the center of town is Café & Ol-halle on Romersgade 22. It is a restored beer hall from the end of the 1800s housed in the Arbejdermuseet (workers museum). This is an authentic watering hole with a good selection of foreign beers but for a Danish one try the bottled Stjerne Pilsner complete with its original 1947 label.

Another authentic pub well worth checking out is the Hvide & Lam founded in 1807 and a short stroll from Stroget.

As I enter the small doorway, a warm glow is cast over a bar oozing with character. I have the feeling that the whole place is filled with locals from just around the corner. All the right ingredients are here – cozy atmosphere, bearded characters smoking pipes or chewing tobacco, and as an added bonus, a three-man jazz band performing a snappy number in the corner by the billiard table.

Jazz first came to Copenhagen in the 1920s and the Danes took to it with gusto. In 1978 the city hosted the first Copenhagen Jazz Festival and today this is the biggest musical event of the year. Ten days of indoor and outdoor concerts with jazz booming from practically every park, square, club and café throughout the city starting on the first Friday in July. Most open-air events are free as are many held in cafes though some charge a small cover charge.

Beer aficionados will think they have staggered into paradise here. As they say in Copenhagen… “skol.”

Details

When to Go

The months of May, June, July and August are the best times to visit Denmark though you can expect to see some rain. On average there’s 11 days of rain in July, the month with the least precipitation. May and June can be good months with the weather warming up, the beginning of longer daylight hours and less tourists beating a path to your chosen hotel door or bar. After mid-August school holidays are over meaning less crowds.

Accommodation

Good accommodation is available in every price bracket and unlike some main cities you don’t have to pay a premium to be in the city centre. The City Tourist Office (Wonderful Copenhagen) near the Central Station books unfilled hotel rooms at discounted rates (tel: +45 7022 2432). Most hostels have private rooms and as such can be a good saving alternative to hotels. If you don’t already have an International Hostel card you can buy one at a hostel for 160 kr (annual) or pay 30 kr extra per night.

Contact

The City Tourist Office,
Bernstorffsgade 1, is just north of Central Station.
Tel: +45 7022 2442 / Fax: +45 7022 2452.
Email: touristinfo@woco.dk
www.visitcopenhagen.dk

Read

Lonely Planet Denmark and also its Copenhagen guides are excellent reference guide books. The latter has a great bars and cafés list.

Beer Tour of Munich

Relaxing with a few beers – oh, and maybe a chicken – is part of the Bavarian way of life for men and women, young and old. Andrew Burnyeat reports

Imagine a public park filled with row upon row of tables and benches. Now imagine those benches heaving under the weight of the collective backside of the local populace.

The weather is bright and sunny, everyone has a two-liter jug of beer and is chatting quietly to the people around them. Away from the tables, children are playing happily on the grass. A brass band is playing under a large bandstand.

Sat on the chairs are young women, old men, young men, and old women – everyone seems to be here.

Our dream takes us to the Chinesiche Turm, the beer garden known in Munich as the Englischer Garten. The bandstand is a large pagoda by a tiny, rather a makeshift-looking bar which serves several different types of beer and a range of delicious meals to crowds of up to 7,000. It’s a remarkable feat, reminiscent of a certain story involving loaves and fishes.

The people of Munich are proud of their beer and occasions such as these are commonplace. In the United Kingdom, it would be an annual beer festival; the glasses would be plastic; there would be twice as many men as women and there would be litter everywhere.

And the scene is not restricted to the park. Right in the center of the city, another makeshift bar is selling chicken and beer to rows of local people.

What strikes the British tourist is that everyone is represented – it’s not just football fans or middle-aged men – and the volume of the crowd is strangely muted. People are talking, but not in an animated, drunken way, which seems odd, as everyone is drinking out of two-liter jugs.

And it’s replicated again inside Munich’s bierkellers. The Hofbrauhaus on Am Platzl is extremely handy if you’re staying at the best hotel in Munich, the Vier Jahreszeiten (‘Four Seasons’), which is on Maximilianstrasse. You just can’t beat the service there and the concierge can find you absolutely anything you want. It’s owned by Kempinski, which runs the Bentley and the Courthouse in London.

Hofbrau is a typical Munich beer – there are a certain balance and a softness about it and a sweet, honeyish note which actually makes it the perfect accompaniment to the spicy chicken dishes available at its bierkeller.

There is a large hall of tables, while outside is a cobbled garden area which catches the sun in the afternoon.

All of the leading Munich breweries have their own bar, restaurant or bierkeller. The Lowenbrau version next to the main market is a restaurant, while the Paulaner version is a more modern bar restaurant used by hen nights at weekends and by an older, somewhat quieter, lunchtime crowd on Sundays.

A word about the staff in these places. They are friendly and capable of dealing with a broad range of customers but they brook no-nonsense.

Failure to wait your turn in one of the larger bierkellers can cause you to be being totally ignored, but if you’re polite and make a little effort to brush up your German, the outcome will be the smiles and sunshine.

There is much more to German nightlife than bierkellers, however. Some of the best clubs in Europe are here, including Maxsweet and P1, though the latter is going through something of an image problem at the moment.

Both are extremely difficult to get into unless you arrive early and are stylishly dressed. Oh, and if you’re young, that helps, too.

But between the bierkellers and the trendy nightclubs are a strata of modern bars which serve a good mix of local beers.

One of the best of these bars is Glockenspiel on the Marienplatz. It serves wheat beers, dark beers, and pilsners, and is a great place to begin your introduction to the delights of Munich.

You might think such a place would attract a younger crowd, and you’d be right – but like the beer gardens, you’ll also find older people.

Dress smart in a way many Brits might find slightly stuffy – shirt tucked into belted trousers (for men, anyway). Wear a bandana and the police will most likely stop you and ask for identification, though the attire is not actually illegal.

The sociable Schwabing area of northern Munich is packed full of bars and has a relaxed, suburban feel to it.

Among the bars, there is Gunther Murphy’s Irish Pub on Nikolaistrasse. It serves a very decent pint of Erdinger and you can watch English football or Irish hurling on the big screens. If you’re in Munich during the World Cup and can’t get a ticket, get here two hours before the match.

The people of modern Munich are relaxed and easy-going. Their whole culture is based on enjoying life in a relaxed manner.

The beers of Munich come in various forms – many are light-colored lagers brewed with just four ingredients – water, hops, yeast, and barley. Each of the brewers uses its own strain of yeast, its own water, and specially sourced hops and barley, so they all have distinctive flavors.

Lowenbrau, for example, is an attractive yellow/golden color. The hoppy aroma comes from the special combination of Hallertau hops grown just 30 miles north of Munich.

As it reaches the mouth, there is a noticeable softness in the texture, which comes from the Bavarian well water used in the brewing. And the flavor lives up to the promise of the aroma. It’s refreshing, moreish and the aftertaste is pleasant and enjoyable.

For whatever reason, Lowenbrau tastes much better in Munich than the imported version does elsewhere, even though it’s the same beer. Work that one out!

There are only four ingredients because that’s the law and has been since 1516. No added sugars, no E-numbers – perhaps this is why everyone here seems so relaxed.

But Munich is also known for its dark lagers. Among the best is the lightly hopped, dark amber beer from Lowenbrau. Bavarian beers typically weight in just above the 5% ABV mark, equivalent to, say, Stella Artois or Kronenbourg.

Translated, Lowenbrau means Lion Beer and it takes its name from the lion symbol of Bavaria. Brightly painted lion statues of all hues can be seen on many a street corner and public square in the city and are just the right height for falling over while attempting to read a map.

Belgians criticize the Bavarians for their lack of variety (only four ingredients allowed in the beer) and for using two-liter jugs. The practice, say the Belgians, means that the beer is warm at the bottom of the glass. The Bavarians reply that the thickness of the glass keeps the beer cool, and that beer served too cold has no flavor.

Cologne, a German city between Belgium and Bavaria, seems to have adopted the worst of both worlds. The city’s one beer, Kolsch – great though it is – is served in tiny 20cl glasses. Asked for an explanation, a Cologne barman explained: “It’s so you can’t tell we’re all alcoholics!”

Everyone has their own culture, and the Bavarians are not going to change theirs for anyone.

 

Avery The Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale

Well, imagine that here I am with a beer that is actually available in TX and can still be found fresh. This beer is priced quite well for what you get. 8 bucks and some change and you get one of the best Imperial IPA’s available in TX. Easily obtainable at any “better” beer store I would imagine as well. This beer is well known for its overabundance of hops and packs a mean punch while you drink it. A hefty 10.54% abv is tagged along with the 102 IBU’s of hop juice.

Avery brewing hails from Boulder, Co and is quite a well-known brewer for many good reasons. Too many to list right now though, you’ll just have to find out for yourself.

The beer pours a nice dark amber color and has a nice creamy head that dissipates fast into a ring of froth. The hops literally jump out of your glass and coat your nose with citrus, pot, and sticky, danky hops. Even though the high abv is there you wouldn’t even know if you smelled the beer casually.

Onto the good stuff now. The very nice thickness for an Imperial IPA and incredibly smooth on the palate. Once you swallow it’s everything you smelled but, in your mouth. Ridiculously hoppy with flavors of bright citrus and pot with very nice hop bitterness. No alcohol burn on the way down at all but, after a few sips, you sure can feel it. If this stuff was available year-round and fresh I’d definitely need a sponsor for all the beer I would be drinking.

Overall if you’re a hophead and you haven’t tried this beer, I’d suggest rethinking your title as a hophead. Great beer, great price, and an even better hop experience. Go buy it now while it’s still fresh, it’s been out for about 3-4 weeks now.

Stone IPA Review

I’ve been wanting to try Stone IPA from Stone Brewing Company in San Diego for nearly a year, and I finally found it about a week ago…I’m not disappointed! I bought it at the liquor store,  but I’m sure you can find it in most stores that carry a lot of interesting beers.

It’s got kind of a neat label and an overly dramatic description on the back.  The kind that goes on and on about the “Big-Hop Aroma” and how it moves you to “Rejoice Aloud”.  It would be laughable, but the first thing you notice when you crack it open is that the hops actually reach out of the bottle, grab you by the throat, and punch you in the face!  The (relatively) high alcohol content (6.9%) helps with that as well.

Unfortunately, I’m currently living in a hotel room, so I can’t show you a proper picture of the beer in a glass. You’ll have to make do with the one I grabbed off of Google.

It’s a not-quite opaque, orangey-yellow color…About par for most IPAs.  Once you get it into a suitable glass, take a moment to shove your nose in.  Many beers that are so hop-heavy sacrifice a bit on the ever-important flavor balance, but you’ll definitely catch several distinct fruity and floral aromas in this one.  If you aren’t a fan of hoppy beers, you’ll make an ugly face at this point.

On to the part you actually care about…The taste!  Like I said before, I’m impressed by the balance in this beer.  It’s definitely on the hoppy, strong, bitter side of the beer world, but as long as you don’t hate these types of beers, you’ll like this one a lot.

The first thing you’ll notice as it hits your mouth is the hops.  Once you let it sit for a moment and finally swallow, you’ll taste a fruity flavor that I can’t quite place.  It seems to be an apricot/pear type of flavor, but I can’t say for sure.  The typical flowery flavor that most hoppy beers have is also present.  The alcohol is hidden well, but not perfectly…Especially after you finish your second or third one.

The only real negative I can come up with is that all of the flavors seem just a bit underpowered for what the beer is trying to do.  Almost like they dialed the quantity down a bit so they could get the balance right.  This isn’t necessarily bad though, it makes the beer that much easier to session (binge) with.

There are other IPAs and Pale Ales that do a better job of showing off one certain characteristic of hoppy beers, but this one puts them all together very well.  I would recommend it to anyone, as long as they like hoppy beers (This isn’t the one to start with if you’ve never tried them). If you want to try it with a meal, I would recommend a somewhat spicy, lighter meat.  It would probably overwhelm the flavors of a dark, heavy meal.

Belhaven Scottish Ale

This beer is from the Belhaven Brewery Company in Dunbar, Scotland. I got it at a beer/liquor store off-base, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find.

Belhaven Scottish Ale

It pours a thick, cloudy coppery-orange color with a creamy off-white head.  The head fizzles out rather quickly, but it does leave a bit of residue on the glass.  It smells very strongly of caramel, with malt bringing up a close second.  There are hints of nut and fruit as well.

Like the smell, this beer tastes of caramel and malt…not much hops to be found, although there is a noticeable hint in the aftertaste.  It also has a nutty, slightly fruity flavor that I would compare to Fat Tire if they weren’t so different in every other aspect.  When it first hits your mouth, it feels thick, creamy, and heavy.  You will wonder “Oh dear, what have I gotten in to?” but you’ll notice, as it sits in your mouth, that it isn’t quite as heavy as it seems.  The darker flavors lighten up as you swallow and you are left puzzled by the complexity and balance of the many flavors you tasted, but couldn’t place, and you will immediately have another sip.  By this point, my bottle is nearly empty for this exact reason.

I would heartily recommend this beer to anyone who likes real beer.  It’s easy to drink, complex in flavor, and not too heavy on the alcohol.  It is kind of thick so that it will fill you up…but not after one or two.  It would be a great intro to the real beer world for a friend who sticks to Bud Light and Corona.  If you have it with a meal, I would recommend meat on the lighter side, but not spicy.  Maybe chicken or turkey with a red wine or tomato sauce.  Beef or spicy sauces would probably not fit well.

New Belgium La Folie

Oh lord, another beer available in TX from me. At least it will not be available in this format long; soon it’ll come in it’s little “Lips of Faith” bombers and these 750’s that are hand-bottled will become a thing of the past. If the beer weren’t $20.56 with tax, I’d buy another to age, but alas, we can’t have all the good beer in our cellar eh? Well anyways onto what you came here for.

New Belgium is a very widely known brewery, and they come to us from Ft. Collins, CO. Within the past few months, TX has slowly been getting some of their brews other than Fat Tire. I know that’s crazy but, they brew more than just Fat Tire. Most of their offerings available here in TX are decent and satisfy the palate of people looking for something different but not too off into the deep end, which is all fine and dandy until you come across this jewel of a beer.

La Folie is a wood-aged beer that sits in french oak barrels anywhere between 1-3 years and gets a nice sour flavor that is incredible. Not only is this beer exclusive because it’s aged in French oak, but it’s also hand bottled, numbered and corked, which is a rare treat in the beer world if you ask me.

New Belgium La Folie

So here we go, off into the world of sour beers with a great example of the style. This bottle was bottled in January of this year, so it’s semi-fresh. Color is deep brown with an off white/cream head that fades to a ring in no time at all. The nose is tart cherries, sour apples, oak and barnyard (funk), along with a crapload of things I can’t even dwell into. I could sniff this beer for hours honestly, and the list would keep on going.

Wow, so incredibly smooth with a very tart cherry flavor backed with oak and barnyard. For those not familiar with the term barnyard, please check out this link. On its way down you can taste the sour cherries and apples until it hits your stomach, then you get the slight acidic burn from eating too many Sour Patch kids at one time. That feeling fades quite fast, and then you’re left with a gorgeously coated mouth of oak and cherry.

Oh, and as for the abv of this beer, don’t even worry about it. It only weighs in at 6% so finishing a whole 750ml of this is no massive chore unless you’re not into sour things.

So there you go folks, the first sour beer review on thebeerblog.net. As I get my hands on more sours I’ll be reviewing more for you guys but, until then, please search these beers out or request them at your local beer store or bar. TX needs more sour beers.

Real Ale Lost Gold IPA

So where have we been the past 2 years? I figure that we all got caught up in life and kind of put this on the backburner. Now don’t get confused, I’ve still been drinking new beers and reviewing them, just not long reviews like I do here at The Beer Blog. If you’re interested in my shorthand reviews head over to Ratebeer. Once we get back into the swing of things you’ll see more reviews that make you want to drink more beer. Well, onto the review, I apologize for the absence and plan on making it up to you guys.

Whew, 2 years without an entry is quite a long time, so I figured since I was coming back I’d start it off with a local TX beer, granted that it is a limited release. So let’s get onto the beer.

This beer comes from the Texas Hill Country in a town called Blanco. Now, in Blanco there is a river named the Blanco, which just happens to be the source of water for the brewery. They also named their GABF award winning beer after the river, Rio Blanco Pale Ale, if you haven’t had that yet, you’re missing out on a great beer. Lost Gold used to be only available on tap until this year. Over the past year or two Real Ale has been bottling their “tap only” beers and they’ve been very well received by the public. You’ll have to pick up some Devil’s Backbone which was just released this week. In the fall you can pick up their delicious Coffee Porter and find barrel aged versions on tap. Well let’s move onto the review.

The beer pours a gorgeous golden amber color with a cream colored head that lasts for a little while then dissipates into a small ring. The aromas really pull you into the beer with loads of citrus, followed by pine, chewy passion fruit (not real good with fruit aromas), and a faint stickiness that seems almost resinous from the hops.

On the palate you’ve got a beer with a great medium palate. It’s not real thick and it’s not thin by any means. Honestly, it’s quite perfect for an IPA. The hops definitely shine through with their citrus and fruity flavors, these are followed by a very resinous after flavor. There’s something a little different though, when you think IPA you think hop bomb, not this one. The malts are a big player in this beer. The malts are definitely bringing out a lot of the sweeter characteristics of this beer. They’re giving it an almost chewy feel honestly. As much as I love my huge IPA’s that kick you in the face with hops, this one is quite fitting for how I feel right now.

Well that about sums up my review for this beer, while I wrote this I managed to drink a bottle of it. Then it occurred to me that I had to actually finish the review and opened a second one. Thanks Real Ale for the great beer, and thanks for bottling it so I don’t have to pay 5 bucks for a pint of it.

Beer Tasting Party Tips and Ideas

Looking for an excuse to throw a beer party?

Look no further. Beer tasting parties are trendy and hugely popular on the international party scene. What better way to please your guests than to plan a beer tasting event? Invite your beer-loving friends and any party lovers who would enjoy exploring the contemporary beer scene.

Most adults, at some time, have been to wine tasting events—and the formula is well known. Wine tasting parties tend to be rather restrained affairs that require much effort on the part of the host to “get the party going.” However, beer-tasting events are quite the opposite.

Perhaps the popularity of beer tasting over wine tasting has something to do with the difference in etiquette: where wine tasters are obliged to spit out their samples, beer tasters actually consume the beer in order to appreciate its merits!

In short, beer theme parties seem to attract the types of guests who are keen to party. No wonder the new breed of beer tasting events is so popular!

Choosing Beers for Beer Tasting Parties

Keep things simple. Choose no more than ten to twelve different beers. Aim for a range of different types and styles of beer: pale, dark, hoppy, malty, lambic, non-lambic, etc.

Here are some suggestions for beer samples:

  • Ayinger Bräu Weisse has a fresh, fruity flavor.
  • Celebrator Dopplebock is strong, dark and deliciously rich.
  • Cooper & Sons Ale is a great summer beer from Australia.
  • Marston’s Pedigree has excellent balance between malty and hoppy flavors.
  • Durham Brewery Temptation, formerly called Imperial Russian stout, has dark treacle and coffee flavors.
  • Geary’s Special Hampshire Ale is hoppy with a fruity citrus finish.
  • Lindemans Framboise Lambic is yeast-free beer with an exquisite raspberry flavor.
  • Old Suffolk has a rich chocolate flavor.
  • Orval Trappist Ale has complex flavors and an impressive head.
  • Samuel Smith Old Brewery Pale Ale is an elegant, classic pale ale.

Serving Beer and Food

Serve a buffet-style selection of food that pairs particularly well with all types of beers. Invite guests to cleanse their palates between beer tastings by nibbling on the different foods.

Aim to choose foods that complement your beer menu; avoid serving foods that are too strongly flavored or overly spicy as these may dominate the flavors of the beers. Safe bets include bread-based nibbles, crackers, fruit, crudités, mild cheeses and cold meats.

However, bear in mind that half the fun of a beer tasting bash is the joy of trying out different foods that go well with beer. Provide a few more unusual treats such as patés, pickles, smoked sausages and even chocolate-based creations. You can guarantee that as the evening progresses, the guests will become more adventurous!

Tips for Throwing Beer Tasting Events

The following tips will help you throw a successful beer tasting party:

  • Provide score sheets with a point system. Rate the beers according to appearance, bouquet, flavor, texture, final taste and overall impressions. Add a section for notes and observations.
  • Start the beer tasting session with the subtlest flavored first, progressing to the more intense flavored beers.
  • Pour three or four ounces per sample into the guests’ glasses. Make sure the beer glasses are spotlessly clean to avoid tainting the flavors.
  • Serve ales at a temperature of around 55°F, lagers at a cooler 45°F.
  • Pool your expertise; encourage guests to exchange tasting notes.
  • Don’t rush through the beer tasting session; savor each beer at leisure. Cheers!

Useful Beer Tasting Terms

You may also want to pass out sheets with the following beer tasting terms. Inexperienced beer drinkers may find it helpful as they try to pin down the differences between beers.

  • Amber describes medium intensity colored beers, ranging between pale and dark.
  • Balance, as with wine, describes how a good beer should exhibit a perfect balance of ingredients, bouquet, texture and aroma. Neither the malty sweetness nor the hoppy bitterness should dominate.
  • Bitterness in beer comes from the hops. Generally the higher the hop content, the more bitter the beer.
  • Big beer refers to the richness or fullness of flavor derived from the malt. Big beers often have a high alcohol content.
  • Black describes non-transparent, deep, dark brown beers.
  • Body, as with wine, refers to the “mouthfeel,” the impact and texture of the beer on the palate.
  • Bouquet , another wine tasting term, describes the beer’s complex aromas.
  • Caramel refers to a buttery, toffee-flavored aftertaste.
  • Clean refers to pure, crisp, fresh tasting beer, free of sediment. The opposite of clean is cloying.
  • Clove refers to the flavor of wheat beers that often resembles the taste of cloves.
  • Crisp, often associated with lagers and weiss beers, refers to a beer’s acidity and refreshing qualities.
  • Depth denotes both the beer’s richness and its complexity of flavors.
  • Finish, another wine tasting term, describes a beer’s aftertaste and your final impression of it.
  • Flat refers to characterless, dull, insipid, often insufficiently carbonated beer.
  • Flowery refers to the flowery aroma hops give beer.
  • Fresh refers to a beer free from oxidation.
  • Full-bodied characterizes malty beers with complex flavors.
  • Haze, caused by yeast or protein suspension, refers to a cloudy appearance and slightly musty taste.
  • The head is the frothy top layer that forms when beer is poured into a glass.
  • Hoppy refers to a beer with a high hop content.
  • Malty is the term for sweet, smoky, earthy flavored beers that have undertones of treacle, caramel or molasses.
  • Oxidized, like wine, refers to the liquid’s exposure to oxygen.
  • Smooth characterizes easy drinking beers with great mouthfeel.
  • Spicy refers to a distinctly hoppy flavor or the aroma of herbs.
  • Thin refers to a watery, one-dimensional beer that lacks body or character.

Cooking with Beer: A Winning Formula

Brewpubs across the US, trendy European gastro-pubs and up-market eateries in many countries are all doing it: cooking with beer. Beer is a versatile beverage that can add flair and flavor to simple dishes both sweet and savory.

The benefits of using beer as a staple ingredient in a wide range of recipes are well documented. Beer lends itself to many different food preparation techniques including marinating, deglazing, simmering, poaching, braising, stewing and baking. From casseroles and fish recipes to cakes and desserts, your favorite brew can transform even the most traditional dishes.

Advantages of Cooking with Beer

The main benefits of cooking with beer are threefold:

  • The hop content of beer adds bitterness and acidity.
  • The malt content adds a subtle sweetness.
  • The yeast content produces a light, fluffy texture especially good in batters. Yeast can also help to tenderize tougher cuts of meat.

Use beer in a marinade for meat before cooking on a barbecue. The acidity in the beer helps tenderize the meat.

Tips for Cooking with Beer

The following are some easy ways to incorporate beer into a given recipe:

  • Substitute part of the liquid content in traditional brownie recipes with the equivalent volume of stout.
  • Slow cook beef casseroles in a combination of beef stock and brown ale for a richer meal.
  • Use beer for making batters: deep-frying food in beer batter yields light, golden, fluffy and crisp results.
  • Steam shellfish in beer for wonderful flavor.
  • Deglazing refers to adding liquid to a pan in which food has just been sautéed to make a quick sauce. When using beer in cooking, especially for deglazing, remember that the beer’s natural flavors become more concentrated as its alcohol and water content evaporate.
  • For a professional tasting glaze, baste a ham several times during roasting with the beer of your choice.
  • Avoid flavor overkill: cook with a beer that doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the other ingredients in the recipe.

Tried-and-Tested Beer Recipes

Below are some recipes that make cooking with beer easy.

Vegetables in Beer Batter

(Recipe from Tastes of Wales, by Gilli Davies)

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 100 g (4 oz or 1/2 cup) self-rising flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 150 ml (1/4 pint) best bitter beer
  • 100 g (4 oz or 1/2 cup) cauliflower cut into florets
  • 100 g (4 oz or 1/2 cup) snow peas or mange tout
  • 1 large carrot cut into matchsticks
  • 50 g (2 oz or 1/4 cup) whole button mushrooms
  • 50 g (2 oz or 1/4 cup) baby corn

For the mayonnaise:

  • 4 tablespoons home-made or quality store mayonnaise mixed with 1 crushed clove of garlic and 1 tablespoon chopped sorrel

Method:

  • Prepare the beer batter by sieving the flour into the bowl.
  • Add a pinch of salt and blend in the beer slowly until the mixture reaches the consistency of thick cream.
  • Cover and leave in a warm place while you prepare the vegetables (about 10 minutes).
  • Blanch the cauliflower and snow peas by covering with cold water in a saucepan and bringing to a boil. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
  • Pat dry and coat the cauliflower, snow peas, carrots, mushrooms and baby corn with the beer batter.
  • Deep-fry quickly in hot oil, until golden brown.

Note: You can use any combination of crisp vegetables.

Carbonnade of Beef

(Recipe from Mary Berry’s Complete Cookbook, by Mary Berry)

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):

  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 2 lb (1 kg) chuck steak trimmed and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) cubes
  • 2 large onions, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 tsp light muscovite sugar
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • ¾ pint (450 ml) brown ale
  • ¼ pint (150 ml) beef stock
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • A few parsley sprigs
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and black pepper
  • thyme sprigs to garnish

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
  • Heat the oil in a large flame-proof casserole.
  • Add the beef in batches and cook over high heat for a few minutes until browned. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
  • Lower the heat and add the onions, garlic and sugar.
  • Cook, stirring for four minutes or until browned.
  • Add the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
  • Add the brown ale and stock and bring to a boil, stirring until thickened.
  • Return the meat to the casserole and add the red wine vinegar, parsley sprigs, thyme sprig, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Bring back to the boil, cover and cook in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
  • Remove and discard the herbs. Taste for seasoning.

Welsh Rarebit

(Recipe from Good Housekeeping Cookery Book: The Cook’s Classic Companion)

Ingredients (s erves 4):

  • 8 oz (225 g or 1 cup) cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 oz (25 g or 2 tbsp) butter
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) English mustard
  • 60 ml (4 tbsp) brown ale
  • 4 slices white bread, crusts removed

Method:

  • Place the cheese, butter, mustard and beer in a heavy based pan over low heat.
  • Stir occasionally until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  • Season to taste.
  • Toast the bread under the broiler on one side only.
  • Turn the slices over and spread the cheese and beer mixture on the un-toasted side.
  • Place under the broiler until golden and bubbling.

Rich Fruit Cake with Guinness

(Recipe from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook, by Chris Hardisty)

Ingredients ( makes one deep 7-inch or 18 cm cake):

  • 8 oz (225 g or 1 cup) soft margarine
  • 8 oz (225 g or 1 cup) dark brown sugar
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 10 oz (275 g or 1 1/4 cup) whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 lb 2 oz (500 g or 2 1/4 cup) mixed dried fruit
  • 10 tbsp Guinness

Method

  • Preheat oven to 325 °F (160°C).
  • Cream margarine and sugar together.
  • Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  • Gradually stir in the flour and mixed spice.
  • Mix in the dried fruit.
  • Add 4 tbsp Guinness to mix.
  • Place the mixture into a 7-inch (18 cm) loose-bottomed cake tin and make a deep well in the center (this allows the finished cake to have a flat top).
  • Cook for one hour at 325°F (160°C) and then turn down to 300°F (150°C) for a further 1 1/2 hours.
  • Allow the cake to cool in the tin.
  • Remove and turn upside down; prick the base of the cake all over with a skewer and slowly pour over the remaining Guinness.
  • Store in a cool place for at least a week before eating.

Chocolate Stout Cake

(Recipe from the Great American Beer Cookbook, by Candy Schermerhorn)

Ingredients (makes 1 8-inch or 20 cm 2-layer cake):

  • 1/4 cup (2 oz or 50 g) cocoa powder to dust the baking pans
  • 2 sticks butter or margarine
  • 1 cup (8 fl oz or 240 ml) stout or porter
  • 2/3 scant cup (5 oz or 180 g) Dutch-process dark cocoa powder
  • 1 scant teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (16 oz or 450 g) unbleached flour
  • 2 cups (16 oz or 450 g) sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, sifted
  • 2 extra-large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (4 fl oz or 110 ml) sour cream

Method:

  • Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Lightly dust 2 greased 8-inch (20 cm) spring-form pans with cocoa powder.
  • In a heavy saucepan or microwave oven, heat butter, beer and cocoa powder until butter melts. Cool.
  • Sift dry ingredients together, add the beer-cocoa mixture and beat thoroughly for 1 minute on medium speed. Add eggs and sour cream and beat 2 minutes on medium.
  • Pour batter into prepared pans and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 24 to 30 minutes or until a pick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Place pans on a wire rack, cool 10 minutes, remove the sides, and cool completely.
  • Use a long serrated knife to even tops of the cakes. Using a flexible spatula, spread each layer with a thin coating of chocolate frosting, stack and cover the sides with frosting.