Which is the best way to dispense beer – draft or bottled? Ask two different beer lovers, and you’ll probably get two different answers. Some prefer draft brews, while others swear by the bottle.
Most serious drinkers prefer draft beer, which tastes and feels more like a “living” substance, has more complexity and layers of flavor, and also presents better in the glass, with the correct head and general appearance. In fact some beer are so distinctly different depending on whether they are draft or bottled, that they are almost two different products; Guiness is a good example of this.
The reality is, it depends primarily three different factors:
Your Personal Preference
Of course, this is the biggest consideration. If you prefer your beer one way versus the other, then by all means, stick with what you like. You’re the one doing the drinking, and you should have it the way you want it, no matter what the hype or this month’s ad campaign might have to say about it.
Condition Of The Tap Lines
Some bars are good about keeping their tap lines clean and clear. Others aren’t so great at it. A dirty tap line will demolish the flavor of even the best beer on the planet. Other than asking the direct question, the only way to find out is to order one from the tap and see what it tastes like. If you’re undecided, do a blind taste test. One bottle of your favorite brew, and one ordered from the tap. Compare and stick with that, but you should also take into account that it’s going to differ from one bar to the next, and sometimes, even from one week to the next at the same establishment.
Storage
A lot also depends on how the bottles, kegs and barrels are stored. Beer should be kept cold as much as possible, although a bit of warmth helps bring out its flavor. Still, if your local bar keeps their bottles in a stock room for days or weeks before transferring to the cooler, it’s going to dilute some of the flavor. Definitely something to keep in mind, along with the tap lines.
At the end of the day, it’s going to require a little experimentation to find out which you like better, which is good in a way, as it means the opportunity to enjoy more beer, and what’s not to like about that?
Hopefully you are not one of those beer drinkers who do not appreciate Porter in all its forms as much as they should. If you’re not familiar with this beer style, let us introduce you. This style of beer is one of the heartiest forms that will make it to your lips, known today as Baltic and Imperial Porter.
For the first couple of decades, Porter was brewed from a blend of a continuous series of mashings. It was actually called the entire-butt beer, referring to the 108-gallon cask it would be stored in. The rough and smoky edge would get tamed during a maturation period of up to a whole year or at least a few months. As a result, tart and wild vinous flavors would be unleashed from their native microflora and wooden butts.
Enough of the history lesson, let us get down to what you can expect if you decide to enjoy this style of beer, which is quite strong compared to standard beers of today.
Appearance:
Once you pour the beer, it will appear to have an almost black, dark brown color with a one-fourth inch light tan head that will quickly ebb away to a ring of foam. You may also spot a patch of large irregular bubbles off to either side or both and the surface of the liquid may have a few very thin patches of foam. As you sip the beer, you may also notice irregular patches as well as speckles of foam on the sides of the glass.
Smell:
The aroma of roasted malt will fill your nostrils once you pour this style of beer. The aroma will probably comprise of the scents of coffee, dark chocolate, dark molasses, and even a hint of herbal earthiness.
Taste:
If your nose predicts correctly, then you will indeed taste some coffee and dark chocolate along with the dark molasses as you sip the beer. The beer will conceal the alcohol quite well and the hop flavors will no t really show because of the almost burnt, dark malt, roasted flavors.
Mouthfeel:
The mouthfeel with style of beer will be medium bodied on the lighter side while the carbonation gives it a light prickly feeling. It has a fairly long finish as it fades in the back of the mouth into dry roasted bitterness.
Overall Impression:
You will quite enjoy sipping your way through any Baltic and Imperial Porter beer and will be more than delighted to have it again. This beer style is interesting and well-maid, and if you taste it for the first time, it might even remind you of a Baltic Porter, an Imperial Stout, and a Porter, i.e. if you have tasted those as well. If you haven’t, then what are you waiting for?
You may not regard Porter as highly as a stout, but don’t forget it was actually a true king in the world of beers once. If you want to drink beer and feel like royalty, then the Imperial and Baltic Porter style beers should be at the very top of the heap.
Beer is affected largely by the quality ingredients that make it up. The importance of water in the quality of a beer cannot be overestated as it constitutes about 95% of the total ingredients. Looking around the world at the established brewing regions, you can see a pattern of good fresh water availability. Great water makes for some great beer. An indepth understanding of the impact water has on flavor is essential and very important to the brewer, here is a quick overview.
There are only four key ingredients necessary for brewing, with so few total ingredients it is easy to see why the water needs to be perfect and is infact the most important amongst them. Water is an integral part of the recipe. The water incorporated into the beer must have a very good taste in order for the beer produced to also have a good taste. /p>
You may have heard the term “Hard Water” before and not been 100% sure of what it means. Basically it refers to the amount of minerals in the water that cannot be removed by boiling or through water softening. This is why defining the taste of water is best broken down chemically.
Calcium
This is a principal mineral and it determines the hardness of water. It helps to promote the flavor and clarity in the finished beer. It is also instrumental because of its enzyme activities on the components of beer and acidifying effect on the wort.
Sulphates
If there is too much sulphur in the water then it will have an unpleasant smell. Sulphur also contributes to the permanent hardness of water. It also emphasizes the hop bitterness and makes the bitterness seem drier and crisper. If there is too much sulphur it can cause sickness.
Magnesium
Magnesium is also essential in brewing liquor as it works with the yeast acting as a co-factor for producing certain enzymes required in the process of fermentation.
Obviously there is much more complexity involved but you can definitely see how important the water source is for beer brewing. As these minerals in the water mix in, they change the chemical process that creates the beer. So if you are considering making a home brew of beer, be sure to consider your water as your most important ingredient! Good luck!
As the festivities continue to scale and people rush to acquire gifts for their loved ones, there is one group of people who seem to be as calm as ever: the beer lovers. Beer is handcrafted, available in over 100 styles, and has its own decorative packaging, which eliminates the need for wrapping. Plus the fact that the recipient will most probably share a glass with you, making it the ultimate gift for this season. However, there are many other good gifts that can be just as pleasing to beer lovers.
Glassware
Proper glassware is a must have for any beer lover, not only for their aesthetic value, but also to enhance the taste of beer and the drinking experience. Just like you need a glass to pour your wine, you also need the right glassware to appreciate the striking characteristics of your beer.
Nuts, Cheese or Meats
There are a few things that pair well with beer to make any drinking experience so much more incredible, and you can never go wrong with some artisan cheeses, nuts and meats. You can expect the recipients to devour them fast owing to their awesomeness, so make sure to purchase enough to last longer than a moment.
Bottle keeper
There is nothing good like a cold beer, and the vacuum-insulated stainless steel growler promises to do just that. The best thing about these coolers is that they can keep your drinks cold, carbonated and safe for longer than 24 hours, allowing you to enjoy your favorite alcohol during overnight trips and long hikes.
Home brewing Equipment
A brewing starter kit makes the perfect gift for home brewers or those aspiring to be home brewers. The kit contains different supplies and equipment that can significantly enhance the home brewing experience. If you are not certain about what the recipient needs, you can purchase a few ingredients, or get them a gift card.
Beer Bottle Cufflinks
Every now and then, everyone needs to dress up when attending a function or celebration. Not many people wear cufflinks, but you may manage to change the minds of a few beer lovers by getting them some with beer bottles on them.
Beer Nerd Board Game
Beer taps into the playful side of the brain, and while one’s attraction to the opposite sex seems to scale significantly, so does the need to interact more closely with drinking buddies. Nothing achieves this better than a trivia board game to challenge your beer knowledge while having lots of fun. It has multiple choices, so you do not have to be so informed to win.
How many times have you stared at those foamy pints of gorgeous, gold-colored alcoholic beverages and wondered, what is the difference between beer and ale?
You’re in luck, my slightly inebriated friend. For today, we will divulge the secret behind this most perplexing of questions.
On the face of it, there appear to be not much difference between beers and ales. After all, both are usually made from just grains and water, and are the by-products of the yeast fermentation process. However, a closer inspection reveals an entirely different story.
Before we delve into the subject, it would perhaps be wise to take a step back and do a little clarification first. You see, the term beer’ is technically the common noun for this class of alcoholic beverage as a whole.
Ales and lagers are the two major subgroups of beer, which can be further classified, among others, into porters, stouts and bitters (ale) and pilsners, bocks and darks (lager).
However, sometime between the late 19th century and early 20th century, the term lager somehow gave way to beer, a shift that remain stuck to this day. So the original question should have been – what is the difference between lager and ale?
Essentially, it has all to do with the type of yeast and fermentation temperatures.
A top-fermenting process using a yeast species called saccharomyces cerevisiae at normal room temperature produces ales. This will yield the lighter-colored ale that the snobbier amongst us have always claimed to prefer.
Meanwhile, lagers are produced by utilizing the yeast species saccharomyces pastorianus in a bottom fermentation process under a considerably lower temperature. The result is lager, also known variously as beer, cold one, brewski, and even Britney (those crazy Irish).
It is worth mentioning that a few centuries ago, the difference between ales and lager were significantly more pronounced. At the time, ales were brewed using barley or wheat instead of hops, which only became a farming staple less than two centuries ago.
However we look at it, there is no denying that beers and ales have evolved into one of the most crucial elements of modern civilization. For many of us, a cold can, mug, pint or bottle of beer is the highlight of our day, bringing us unconditional comfort and joy.
