Stuff Every Beer Snob Should Know
()
About this ebook
From classic craft beers to trendy microbrews, beer is booming nationwide. Whether you prefer light lagers or hearty stouts, you’ll find lots to drink in on the pages of this pocket-sized guide, packed with information, how-tos, and trivia for beer enthusiasts of all stripes. Seasoned craft-brew connoisseurs and newbie beer drinkers alike will learn almost everything there is to know about the world’s most beloved beverage, including:
• How to Taste Beer Like a Pro
• How to Store Beer
• How to Pair Beer with Food
• How to Host a Tasting
• How to Drink Local
• And more!
Related to Stuff Every Beer Snob Should Know
Related ebooks
Beer Cocktail Recipes: Ultimate Book for Making Refreshing & Delicious Beer Drinks at Home Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBarrel-Aged Stout and Selling Out: Goose Island, Anheuser-Busch, and How Craft Beer Became Big Business Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cheese & Beer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBeer Tasting Quick Reference Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Travels with Barley: A Journey Through Beer Culture in America Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All About Home Beer Brewing Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Ultimate Guide to Beer Cocktails: 50 Creative Recipes for Combining Beer and Booze Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBrewology: An Illustrated Dictionary for Beer Lovers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beer, Food, and Flavor: A Guide to Tasting, Pairing, and the Culture of Craft Beer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Beer Devotional: A Daily Celebration of the World's Most Inspiring Beers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCocktails on Tap: The Art of Mixing Spirits and Beer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Short Course in Beer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Spirited Perfection: Building Your Bourbon Bar Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBeer: Guidance in Mixology, Pairing & Enjoying Life’s Finer Things Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDrink More Whiskey: Everything You Need to Know About Your New Favorite Drink Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Foodie's Beer Book: The Art of Pairing and Cooking with Beer for Any Occasion Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBrewing Porters and Stouts: Origins, History, and 60 Recipes for Brewing Them at Home Today Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Perfect Keg: Sowing, Scything, Malting and Brewing My Way to the Best-Ever Pint of Beer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMaking Craft Beer at Home Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5The Everything Homebrewing Book: All you need to brew the best beer at home! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBarrel Strength Bourbon: The Explosive Growth of America's Whiskey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cocktail Book - A Sideboard Manual for Gentlemen Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNew York Breweries Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings101 Old Time Receipts for Beer, Wine, Whiskey, other Spirits and Accoutrements Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMaking beer at home: The Home Beer brewing handbook Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBartender Magazine's Ultimate Bartender's Guide: More than 1,300 Drinks from the World's Best Bartenders Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe British Beer Book Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Beverages For You
Fancy Af Cocktails: Drink Recipes from a Couple of Professional Drinkers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Joy of Home Brewing Kombucha: How to Craft Probiotic and Fermented Drinks Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBlackthorn's Botanical Brews: Herbal Potions, Magical Teas, and Spirited Libations Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wine All-in-One For Dummies Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Eat Like a Gilmore: The Unofficial Cookbook for Fans of Gilmore Girls Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Wildcrafting Brewer: Creating Unique Drinks and Boozy Concoctions from Nature's Ingredients Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bar Book: Elements of Cocktail Technique Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Craft Coffee: A Manual Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Bartending For Dummies Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mocktails: More Than 50 Recipes for Delicious Non-Alcoholic Cocktails, Punches, and More Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Detox Juicing: 3-Day, 7-Day, and 14-Day Cleanses for Your Health and Well-Being Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Juice Generation: 100 Recipes for Fresh Juices and Superfood Smoothies Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Complete Cocktail Manual: 285 Tips, Tricks & Recipes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wild Tea: Grow, gather, brew & blend 40 ingredients & 30 recipes for healthful herbal teas Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods, 2nd Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5New Mocktails Bible: All Occasion Guide to an Alcohol-Free, Zero-Proof, No-Regrets, Sober-Curious Lifestyle Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWitchCraft Cocktails: 70 Seasonal Drinks Infused with Magic & Ritual Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Ultimate Bar Book: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Cocktails Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book: From LeFou's Brew to the Jedi Mind Trick, 100+ Magical Disney-Inspired Drinks Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCocktails: More Than 150 Drinks +Appetizers and Party Menus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Good Living Guide to Medicinal Tea: 50 Ways to Brew the Cure for What Ails You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wine: Become A Wine Connoisseur – Learn The World Of Wine Tasting, Pairing and Selecting Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Homemade Ice Cream Recipes: Over 200 Sweet Daily and Seasonal Recipes for Your Homemade Ice Creams with Local Ingredients Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Reviews for Stuff Every Beer Snob Should Know
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Stuff Every Beer Snob Should Know - Ellen Goldstein
AUTHOR
Introduction
In 1965 a man walked into a bar only to find that his favorite beer was about to go out of production. A month later, that man—Fritz Maytag, heir to the appliance fortune—bought a controlling share in the Anchor Steam brewery, one of the last small breweries in the United States. Maytag ran Anchor Steam successfully for forty-five years.
The mid-twentieth century was a dismal time for beer snobs, with generic big breweries dominating the landscape. The revival of Anchor Steam was the beginning of the revival of craft beer—defined as innovative brews produced by small brewers—in the United States. People became more interested in local, fresh food and wanted good beer to drink with it.
Craft beer took off in the 1990s both in the United States and around the world, and today there are more than 4,000 brewers in the United States. With the rise of craft beer came the rise of the beer snob. In the past few decades, beer drinkers have become increasingly knowledgeable consumers, collecting, brewing their own, and reading and writing reviews. But beer snobbery is a mark of pride, not superiority. It’s not about keeping others out, it’s about inviting them in for a pint. From German beer halls to the pubs of Great Britain, beer has always been a beverage to share. (In South Africa, a traditionally brewed beer called umqombothi is drunk out of a communal bowl that is passed around when company comes.)
So whether you’re having a cold one on the porch, in a pub, in your living room, or at your best friend’s house, this little book will help you live your beer snob life to the fullest. Because, in the end, beer is delicious to drink, rewarding to analyze, and a good excuse to hang out with the people you love.
Am I a Beer Snob?
Before we go any further, determine whether you are, in fact, a beer snob. Check all statements that apply.
I have strong opinions about beer and don’t hesitate to make them known. Occasionally at length.
My friends look to me for beer recommendations.
I can spot a good (or bad) pour from across the bar.
I can’t remember the last time I had a generic lite beer. (Okay, maybe it was at my cousin’s BBQ, but only because there was nothing else to drink!)
I have been on more than one brewery tour.
I plan vacations around brewery tours.
I own more than one kind of beer glass.
I own five or more kinds of beer glasses and have rules about what goes in them.
My friends/spouse refuse to go into a well-stocked store with me because it will take me hours to examine the different kinds of beer.
I bought this book.
Someone bought this book for me.
I’m drinking a beer right now.
If you checked three or fewer, you’re a beer snob in training. But with interest and dedication (and a new set of glassware), you’ll become a full-blown beer snob, one pint (or 14-ounce pour) at a time. This book is for you.
If you answered yes to four or more, you are definitely a full-fledged beer snob—but then, you probably knew that already. This book is definitely for you.
What Is Beer?
Sure, you know what beer is—but do you know what it’s made of? Merriam-Webster defines our beloved brew as an alcoholic beverage usually made from malted cereal grain (such as barley), flavored with hops, and brewed by slow fermentation.
The etymology goes way back, as early as before the twelfth century, and likely is derived from the Germanic brewwan, meaning to brew.
All beer consists of at least four ingredients:
water
grain
hops
yeast
But, as you’ll learn in this chapter—and as you no doubt already know from experience—the results of that basic combination can look, smell, and taste drastically different. Think of a crisp, golden, refreshing hefeweizen versus a rich, sweet, smoky, inky-black porter. Variables such as the types and combinations of grains used, when during the brewing process the hops are added, additional flavorings, and even the vessels used during brewing can influence the final beverage that makes it to your glass.
Types of Beer
The beautiful thing about beer that it is a simple beverage—delicious, refreshing, and crowd-pleasing. Still, there are many, many types to know (and try!), so before launching into the delicious details, here’s a rundown of some of the basic styles you’ll see in the following sections.
ALE
One of the two main types of beer, ales are the oldest style of beer, made with top-fermenting yeasts. They have more yeast flavor than lagers and a more complex overall profile. For more on ale, see here. Styles of ale include the following:
• Stout: A type of ale made with roasted barley, which gives it a rich, dark color.
• Porter: Similar to a stout, but made with unroasted barley.
• Pale ale: An ale that, in contrast to a porter or stout, has a lighter, golden, or coppery color.
• Wheat beer: Light-colored ale made with at least 50 percent wheat malt.
LAGER
The other main type of beer, brewed with bottom-fermenting yeasts, lagers mostly have a crisp, clean, mild flavor, though the different varieties will vary. For more on lagers, see here. Types of lager include:
• Pilsner: A pale lager with more hops than traditional lagers.
• Bock: A darker-colored lager with a heavier malt flavor.
Highlights from Beer History
The history of beer is the history of civilization itself. Here are some significant benchmarks in the development of