ANCHOR PORTER: Anchor Brewing, San Francisco, California. Chocolate, licorice, burnt brown sugar, dark fruit, dry finish. 5.6% ABV.
FULLER’S LONDON PORTER: Fuller Smith & Turner PLC, London, UK. Molasses, tobacco, lightly bitter, dry. 5.4% ABV.
OLFABRIKKEN BALTIC PORTER: Bryggeriet Olfabrikken, Roskilde, Denmark. Bitter chocolate, smoke, licorice, leather. 7.5% ABV.
STOUT
As we mentioned earlier, Stout was originally a general term for a strong dark beer. Stouts today range from chocolaty and smooth to bitter and intense. They are often the beers found on nitrogen taps at pubs, benefiting from a creamy mouthfeel and dense head. The implication of strength is really no longer applicable, because the ABV can be quite low. Too many people turn away Stout because they think it is too heavy or too high in alcohol; others feel a sense of overwrought pride because they were “man enough” to drink a Stout. Most people don’t realize that a Guinness is as low in alcohol, often lower, than a Pale Ale. In fact, Guinness, which is classified as a Dry or Irish Stout, is considered light in the realm of Stouts and Porters. This may come as a shock. The rich color, along with the coffee, toffee, and sometimes bitter notes, have confused drinkers for years. Dry Stouts tend to have that coffee, chocolate flavor that Guinness has, ranging from sweet to bitter chocolate or even sour.
On the opposite end of the Stout continuum are Sweet or Milk Stouts—full-bodied English-style Stouts with the same chocolaty/coffee notes but quite low on bitterness and higher on sweetness, due to the addition of lactose sugar. This sugar is not fermentable and therefore hangs out in the brew and imparts a sweet milky flavor. This beer is quite rare these days. Most of you have heard of Oatmeal Stouts, another classic style. Yes, these Stouts do have oats in them—an excuse to have them with breakfast? Why not? The oats are added to the mash, lending a grainy complexity to the flavor and silkiness in the mouth. They are anywhere from sweet to bitter, depending on the brewer’s recipe.
Stouts from other countries that aren’t quite of the Irish Dry or British variety can fall under the term Foreign Extra Stout. This is a fairly general style that includes many versions of Stouts from many countries. These Stouts can range from about 6% to 8% ABV. They can be sweet, bitter, toasty with notes of dried fruit, sour, and dry. Basically, they are all over the place.
NITRO: NOT A CHARACTER FROM THE MATRIX
Many beer lovers crave the milkshake mouthfeel of a Bod dingtons or a Guinness but don’t know what makes the magical creamy head at the top, or the cascading bubbles that flow through the glass. Well, it’s not magic at all—it’s science.
Beer taps (meaning on draught) add CO2 gas to the keg. This puts pressure in the keg, keeping the CO2 trapped in the beer until it is released out of the tap and into the glass, allowing the beer to be carbonated and well balanced. Sometimes an establishment will also add some nitrogen to the CO2. The mix is significantly higher in CO2 than nitrogen, but the percentage varies from bar to bar. This produces a beer that has bright bubbles and fairly good head retention.
Some beers are hooked up to a faucet that has a higher percentage of nitrogen than CO2 (often 75/25). These are called creamer faucets or sometimes nitro taps. The higher percentage of nitrogen creates bubbles that are smaller and more stable than the CO2 bubbles, and these bubbles displace the unstable carbon dioxide bubbles, creating the illusion of a creamy, dense-looking head. Nitrogen is less soluble than CO2 and can take the air pressure without popping too quickly. The nitro tap is the one reserved for Guinness at any local pub, and if you look closely, which many of you have, you can see tiny bubbles cascading down the glass. These are the nitro bubbles. The creamy taste is not just pretty but gives us a weighty mouthfeel, which complements some styles of beer. This is meant to re-create the mouthfeel of a cask-conditioned beer. The widget that has been invented for cans of Guinness Export serves the same purpose. By releasing some nitrogen into the can, the creamy mouthfeel comes through, if not authentically.
Stouts in particular, with their chocolate and coffee notes, handle the weightier, creamier feel quite well. Nutty English Ales become a thing of beauty when the cream is added to their subtle flavor notes. But remember that the creaminess comes from science: it is not actual cream, it does not mean that the Stout on a nitro tap is a meal, it is not higher in calories than it would be if it were on a regular tap. It may seem like a meal because of the perceived milkshake mouthfeel, but it does not have any more calories because it is heavy in nitrogen bubbles.
Nitro taps drive home the fact that the carbonation in a beer has a huge effect on the flavor and entire taste experience of a beer. Try a Guinness on a creamer faucet next to a Guinness from a regular bottle; compare the experience and marvel at science.
Our domestic American Stouts tend to have a bold coffee flavor with chocolate notes. They can stand apart from other Stouts by using
American-bred hops, which have a piney, citrusy, resiny flavor. Breweries may add some oats to these Stouts as well. They range anywhere from 5% to 7% ABV.
And last, for dessert, we have Chocolate Stouts. These have become quite popular among craft brewers, extending the natural chocolate flavors dark malt can give a Stout by adding actual chocolate. This can be of the sweeter variety or in the form of a cacao powder or bitter baking chocolate. A Chocolate Stout after a meal can be heaven. Similarly, brewers have been putting coffee into Stouts for some time as well. They can be an interesting ride, with the alcohol and caffeine giving you a nice freak-out. Both Stouts and Porters stand up well to these additions, and even spices like vanilla can show up in these styles. Succumb to some of these Stouts:
SHAKESPEARE STOUT: Rogue Ales Brewery, Newport, Oregon. Roasted chocolate and coffee, sweet and bitter. 6% ABV.
BARNEY FLATS OATMEAL STOUT: Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville, California. Bold coffee, resiny bitterness. 5.7% ABV.
BELL’S KALAMAZOO STOUT: Bell’s Brewery Inc., Kalamazoo, Michigan. Bittersweet chocolate, licorice, burnt sugar. 6.5% ABV.
MACKESON TRIPEL XXX STOUT: Whitbread PLC, London, UK. Rich caramel character and smooth hops. 4.9% ABV.
YOUNG’S DOUBLE CHOCOLATE STOUT: Wells & Young’s Ltd., Bedford, UK. Sweet, rich, dark chocolate milkshake flavors; a perfect dessert. 5.2% ABV.
All right, Sophomore, hit the showers. Actually, no, hit the pub. Get specific and try some of these darker brews. Embrace the varied and international flavors of beer. We find that once beer lovers cross this threshold and find a roasty, toasty beer they can love, their apprehension dissipates and they are game for anything. Perhaps this is because dark beer suffers the most stereotypes. But once male and female drinkers alike find the nuance of flavor in beers that aren’t pale in the glass, they feel altogether well-educated in brew. So take hold of this confidence. Down a Dunkel or a Stout, wink at the Neophytes, and keep on the fast track to graduation. Who says you can’t be a beer sommelier?
FIVE
The Devout
But if at church they would give some ale.
And a pleasant fire our souls to regale.
We’d sing and we’d pray all the live long day,
Nor ever once from the church to stray.
—WILLIAM BLAKE
The Spiritual Side of Beer
What is that thing that can make some beer greater than the sum of its parts? It’s something we can only explain as the beer’s chi, prana, spiritus, élan vital—whatever you want to call it, the vital life force or essence that elevates a beer to atmospheric heights. At some point, every person searches for it: The Perfect Beer. (Insert choir of angels here.) You can’t always point to it, and you can’t always prove it, but you can feel it deep down in your special place. Sometimes magic occurs in certain beers, and we lowly drinkers are left with a sense of wonderment and awe, not to mention the happiness we feel after a couple of these greats. We remember both the beers that blew our minds and the beers that spoke to us and nourished our souls. We vividly remember the beers that made us wa
nt to get down on our knees and say amen! The brewers behind them seemed to be touched by God; they convinced us to close our eyes and trust their vision.
It’s these kinds of religious experiences that have turned us into believers and fueled our quest for discovering what makes a great beer so great. Once we understand what to look for on a deeper level, we can appreciate beer in a way that we never could have before. The following beers are an inspiration in the beer world. They are often considered the cream of the crop and the beers that newer craft brewers attempt to replicate. Some, the Trappist Ales, are actually made by holy men. So when we say “religious experience,” it’s not just a figure of speech. You are ready to taste these magical brews that some crown as the most balanced, complex beers out there. We know some of these brews will have you giving thanks. Once you have a transcendental awakening like this, you become a part of the Devout. So, are you ready to get religion? Are you open to the spiritual side of beer?
Is It Sinful? Counting Calories and Carbs in Beer
Your body is a temple. So before you can devote yourself to beer and have a truly ethereal experience, you’re going to have to baptize yourself of any residual feelings of guilt related to beer’s original sin: calories. Beer gets a bad rap for being filling, fattening, and heavy. Weight-conscious drinkers assume that they have to wave the beer away. The mega mass-produced beer world has reinforced these stereotypes by kowtowing to these worries. Instead of trying to teach the public that when it comes to calories, beer isn’t as bad as many other alcoholic beverages, they feed the fear. By doing so, they create lowest common denominator beers that tout calories in the 60s and pervade our bars and restaurants (curses!).
First of all, let us say that beer has no fat! But we’re not going to deny that there are calories in beer. And hey, if there were an amazing beer out there that wasn’t watered down and had great flavor and no calories, we’d be drinking that beer, too. Unfortunately that’s not the case with low-calorie and low-carb beers. The flavor simply isn’t there. Just because we are talking about beer doesn’t mean that we have to settle for less in terms of quality or taste. Would any true wine connoisseur in her right mind order a wine by the calorie content (shudder!)? It’s time that we looked at the truth about beer and calories, and the truth shall set us free.
Let’s start with alcohol. If you are going to drink any alcoholic beverage, you are going to swallow calories. The more full bodied and the more alcohol a beer has, the more calories are going to be in that beer. Alcoholic drinks harbor lots of calories and inhibit the body from burning fat. It’s true, we know it’s true. But beer is not the demon here, and we refuse to let it take all the blame! First of all, beer is unfairly associated with lots of unhealthy foods. People think of buffalo wings and onion rings, ribs, and a juicy burger. Okay, those things are yummy and damn good with a beer to wash them down, but one does not need to eat fatty food while drinking beer. And beer is not more guilty than most of the popular beverages out there. Most people just don’t realize how many calories are in their favorite cocktail, soda, or a glass of great Pinot Noir. Google it!
So now let’s talk about carbonation. Some people say that they don’t like beer because it’s too filling and makes them feel, you know... a little gassy. Once again, it’s true. Beer does have carbonation, but carbonation does not equal carbohydrates. Bubbles in beer are not secret fatty things filling up your belly. Yes, you may belch a bit, but why do people sneer at beer bubbles and then happily drink a glass of Champagne, 7-Up, Diet Coke, or Perrier and call them refreshing? Again we think the mass beer companies are to blame for fanning the flame of obsession with light beer, teaching us that all other beer, if not light, is heavy, and that beer is inherently weighty. Carbonation’s function in beer is to lift the beer—to lighten up the sweetness of the malt, the bitterness of the hops, the heat of the alcohol. It is there to add a refreshing balance.
It comes down to this: If you are so concerned with calories and carbs in beer, we’d rather see you give up drinking alcohol altogether than see you drink the lite and low-carb versions of “beer” that are out there today. Sometimes you gotta use tough love.
Have you cast out your notions of beer and sin? Can you now relax and let go of any negative associations with this fine beverage? It’s important to enter into the world of the next few beers with a clean conscience and a prepared palate.
Hear the Calling
The following beers are worthy of praise. If Trappist beers are the breathtaking ancient church of beer, then these next styles are the surrounding beauteous grounds (we’ll withhold the Sound of Music reference for you). They achieve a balance that plays well with food and your palate. These austere beers are a perfect entrée into the elite world of specialty beers. They are not too high in alcohol but they are über-complex, challenging your palate without stabbing it with huge flavors. Once you can appreciate these fine, balanced ales, you will be ready to enter the heavenly world of Trappist brews.
Spirit of the Saison
THIS BEER’S FOR YOU IF YOU LIKE: SEASONS. PEPPER. CITRUS. BALANCE. SMELLING FRESHLY CUT GRASS. CLASSY DRINKS. THE FRENCH COUNTRYSIDE.
Originally brewed around the town of Liège in French-speaking Belgium, Saison beer was almost extinct until fairly recently, but it is now seeing a revival in the craft beer world. Saison, which means “season” in French, was traditionally a beer brewed in the winter and meant for summer consumption. Saisons are now brewed all year round. Usually 6% to 8% ABV, this beer style is considered a farmhouse ale, and is called so because of the rustic, earthy, almost sour quality that it’s famous for. Sometimes overlooked and underrated by extreme beer fans, Saison could quite possibly be our favorite beer style. Straw golden to amber in color, these beers have amazing complexity and a completely unique flavor profile. They are almost a cross between a high alcohol Belgian Witbier, with its herbaceous, citrus qualities, and a Bière Brut, with its malty sweetness and peppery dryness. The spice and dryness make this a great beer style for food pairing (see Chapter 8). Green grassy, biscuity, and fruity on the nose, with a woolish dryness and sour finish, this beer style’s unassuming nuanced goodness always surprises and delights us. Taste our favorite Saisons and be delighted, too.
SAISON DUPONT: Brasserie DuPont, Tourpes-Leuze, Belgium. The quintessential Saison. Perfectly balanced, with spicy hops, high bitter citrus, cloves, and cardamom. 6.5% ABV.
SAISON D’ERPE-MERE: Kleinbrouwerij De Glazen Toren, Erpe-Mere, Belgium. Foggy straw yellow, sparkly and bright, zesty and floral, with a dry burlap finish. 7.5% ABV.
SAISON RUE: The Bruery, Placentia, California. Deep rich amber; unique with peppery spicy notes, tart Brettanomyces, and toast owing to the addition of rye. Nice dry finish. 8.5% ABV.
HENNEPIN: Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, New York. Earthy, dry, nutty, and grassy. Good hop presence with more bitter than sweet notes. 7.5% ABV.
Keeping the Faith . . . in My Stomach! Bière de Garde
THIS BEER’S FOR YOU IF YOU LIKE: KEEPSAKES. NORTHERN FRANCE. FARMS. WOODY FLAVORS. ANISE. THE MONTH OF MARCH.
The French are known for their winemaking abilities, but as we learned while eating bean soup and sausages in northern Italy with not a noodle in sight, European cultures aren’t necessarily defined by hard and fast borders. Take Bière de Garde, for instance. Originally a beer style from the Pas-de-Calais region of France, Bière de Garde, which means “beer for keeping,” is a beer born from an area in France that was too far north to grow grapes but perfect for growing hops. Just like Saison, Bière de Garde was brewed in the cold months, cellared in the warmer months, and meant to last (or keep) throughout the summer. And, just like Saison, this beer is considered a farmhouse ale, having many of the same earthy, rustic characteristics. But Bière de Garde is different from Saison in a couple of significant ways. Bière de Garde usually has a pronounced sweetness and uses darker malts and a different yeast strain, which produces less pepper and citrus and more deep, woody flavors. This
style has complex herbal characteristics, such as anise and fresh rosemary, and lacks the tartness of a Saison.
Currently made year round, this style has several substyles and is featured as Blonde (blond), Ambrée (amber), or Brune (brown). There is also another seasonal variation, a style called Bière de Mars (Beer of March), which isn’t meant for keeping but meant for drinking immediately. (Yeah, now we’re talkin’!) The alcohol content of Bière de Garde is about the same as that of Saison: 6% to 8% ABV. Keep some of these in your stomach:
CASTELAINE BLOND BIÈRE DE GARDE: Brasserie Castelaine à Bénifontaine, Bénifontaine, France. Lighter colored with definite Saison characteristics. The pepper and citrus are there but are much less intense. Reminiscent of spring air. 6.4% ABV.
LA CHOULETTE AMBRÉE: Brasserie La Choulette, Hordain, France. A great example of a French amber. Full-bodied with notes of caramel apples and cinnamon. Dry effervescent finish. 8% ABV.
CRAFTSMAN BIÈRE DE GARDE: Craftsman Brewing Company, Pasadena, California. Deep copper brown, with old-school charm. A good malt profile, warm sweetness, and a pronounced earthiness. Great balance. 7.5% ABV.
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