A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user2472 — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:09:58 GMT

Really excellent info. Can't wait to get up to st. Vincent's in SF and eventually to Hopleaf. Thank you to the both of you for putting this together

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user7311 — Sun, 13 May 2012 21:03:58 GMT

Rod,

The Oakland World Market property is walking distance to Linden Street Brewery - best small operation in the Bay IMO and Beer Revolution - a great bottle shop and tasting room.

There are a bunch of other spots as well. Obviously you should stop in and see me at St. Vincent. Shoot me an e-mail sayre@beerandsoul.com

-Sayre

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user7311 — Sun, 13 May 2012 20:59:33 GMT

Geoff,

You are exactly correct as to the why.

Lagering is expensive and time consuming. It takes up valuable cold storage space in a small brewery.

Also there is no ego in producing a beer like that. Showy aromatized IPAs and high ABV ales with offensive names are like the younger girlfriend with fake breasts or the red sports car, they will get a new brewery attention.

Subtle, balanced ego-less, brews do very little to generate buzz.

I might suggest looking for local Kolschs and Steam Beers - which can be brewed more cheaply and quickly than a true Helles lager.

Here's a few I like that are being brewed here in CA

Linden Street "The Town Lager" - only distributed by bicycle around the brewery

Craftsman Brewing's "1903"

Marin Brewing's "Hell Lager"

Moonlight's "Lunatic Lager"

Iron Springs's "Kent Lakes Kolsch" - available in bottles

Mission Brewing's "Blonde" - available in bottles

Lucky Hand's Organic Cali Common - available in bottles

Hope that helps

-S

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user4135 — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:17:58 GMT

Sounds like enough of a reason for me to return to California.

Geoff,

After spending the last 2 days at the International Wine, Spirit, and Beer show as part of the National Restaurant Show I have confirmation on some of the things I said about why we don't have hells. It seems the American palate just won't support a nationally distributed beer by, one, the name Helles, or two, one that is called a light lager (craft wise). Another reason that many brewers agreed on was the difficulty of doing the style right and what is involved to do that on only one of their beers. I think it is all very unfair because I love them. You can get some German examples at bigger beverage stores but your at 5 or 6 bucks a bottle, and while good, they still aren't cool off the press at the brewery.

My suggestions for alternatives: Sierra Nevada, Summertime ale Goose Island, Summertime ale New Belgium, Crankshaft Great Lakes, Dortmunder Gold

All of those should be available in California, hopefully. Also, don't drink them at refrigerator temps, let them warm up in bottle or in the glass to the high 40's and you will get more of the malty characteristics across your palate.

Rod,

If you're still watching this string, here is another great resource for draft equipment. Micromatic is one of the largest suppliers of draft system and equipment in the country. They even do draft maintenance schools around the country. They make great deal of information available for free through a sort of online school. Good info on cleaning and troubleshooting.

www.micromatic.com/.../popupvideo.html

Drew

Prost!!

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user2130 — Mon, 07 May 2012 23:36:16 GMT

Stopped in to see Sayre at St. Vincent in SF this past weekend. Great new restaurant, totally unpretentious, and you get Sayre for beer and David Lynch for wine. Highly recommended!

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user4135 — Sun, 06 May 2012 23:37:11 GMT

Rod,

I also remind people that ultimately the best beer is the beer you like best. I have a friend who is the regional brewer for a restaurant called RAM. He makes fantastic beer and he knows the detriment of frozen glasses but the owners demand they be frozen. My point is, if that is what your customers want then it is something to consider. Also, Sayre made the good point about a cold water rinse lowering the temp of your beer. I always encourage people to experiment. In this case, take two identical glasses and put one in the fridge and one in the cabinet, and if you really want to do it up one in the fridge. Now take your favorite beer from the fridge and pour equal amounts into each glass after they have completely reached their respective temperatures. Take a sip or two of each, wait 5 minutes and do the same, etc., to see how the beers progress. You might also notice excessive foaming in the frozen glass. I'd be curious to hear your results because, again, I promote a persons tastes and desires above almost all else.

Happy quaffing and have a great time in Napa!

Drew twitter.com

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user5422 — Sun, 06 May 2012 23:15:42 GMT

Fasinating article! I am rushing to my fridge and removing the beer glasses. And telling my friends to do the same. Three years ago, I was a bartender at Olive Garden, and it was mandatory to freeze beer glasses. They should read your article. Today, I'm a wine buyer for World Market in Santa Fe, NM. Our headquarters is in Oakland, CA. I will be in Napa, Oakland, and San Jose May 16-20, 2012. Sayre, do you recommend any particular beer establishment that is a "must see and taste"?

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user4135 — Sun, 06 May 2012 12:30:42 GMT

Geoff,

Ah Bavaria, the southernmost of Germany’s 16 states is pretty much the undisputed cradle of the world’s lager beer culture. The styles of lager that come from Bavaria include helles, dunkel, märzen, Oktoberfest, kellerbier, rauchbier, schwartzbier, bockbier, and many lesser-known styles. Incidentally, I capitalized Oktoberfest because it is a kind of German equivalent to a protected appellation name. If we separate out all the lagers here that are heavier in body and flavor we have helles (and maybe kellerbier). Helles is the pale golden, every day, session beer of Bavaria; hell actually meaning ‘pale’. I love the style because it has the maltiness of ale but the light quaffable body of a lager. I remember drinking these by the mas (the big one liter mugs), when I lived in Heidelberg. Unfortunately you don’t see helles produced by many craft breweries in the US; especially not on a distribution scale. I think the US palate is on a hop bitterness craze/binge and craft breweries are afraid if they produce a lighter style lager low in hops that people won’t drink it. Worse, in order to describe it we say things like “this is a light lager that….”, you’ve lost craft drinkers at ‘light lager’ believing that to be the style of supermarket beer giants. So we end up with this duality where supermarket giant lager beer drinkers won’t change to, or pay for better lagers, and craft drinkers somehow don’t want to drink things that aren’t hop, malt, or alcohol bombs. I hope this mellows out to a happy medium over the next however many years. Honestly, another possible reason we don’t see the style very much is that it is wicked difficult to brew if done traditionally and correctly, and many breweries may not have the time or equipment to carry out the mash schedules required to be true to the style. It makes more fiscal sense for a Bavarian brewer to do it when they will sell out than a craft brewer worried about selling any of it. Hops, are also a preservative so just for the reasons hoppy beers came to be for better storage and transport a 100 years ago I’m sure that has issue too; to a lesser extent though. I have seen more local brewpubs with a helles on tap than I have in bottle on a shelf. With that said, some breweries may be calling it other things. Try beers that are labeled as Dortmunder Gold or Export; this is another lighter lager that approaches the same style as helles. Another style you will see more prevalently by craft brewers that may hit the spot in the absence of helles is ‘kölsch’. It is basically ale that has been fermented at lower than normal ale temperatures, giving it the same kind of maltiness of ale and crispness of lager. In this case, the Goose Island ‘Summertime’ is made in that style.

Well, that was probably a mouth full and I hope that wasn’t more confusing than helpful. Of course, this is all just my conjecture. Sayre may have a better handle on your local market for these styles; especially in the California climate. Good luck on your search, which is part of the fun. If I find a good helles in distribution I will certainly check back in, in the meantime I usually go for the kölsch.

Prost,

Drew

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user6686 — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:34:13 GMT

Drew, Sayre,

Great Post! I look forward to more of these about beer, cider and everything else on draft.

Thanks for the great insight on how beer is an important aspect of dining.

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user2102 — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:55:10 GMT

Great article. One question for you; my favorite style of beer is a light easy drinking German lager that you get all over Bavaria. Unfortunately it is a style that doesn't seem to be widely made by craft brewers in the US? I would love your take as to why? Primarily the time it to produce lagers for a small brewery? Does a craft brewer have to make an ale with lots of hops to differentiate themselves from the traditional cheap American lager? Does anyone make excellent American lager without a ton of hops?

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user4135 — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:33:44 GMT

Linda,

Glad you enjoyed the article! If you have any questions as you go through the references I'm happy to answer any questions you have.

Prost!!

Drew

twitter.com/DrewDLarson

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user4915 — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:04:30 GMT

Drew & Sayre,

Great post and I will most definitely look into your recommended references.

Prost!

Linda Adams

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user2608 — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:34:47 GMT

Thanks for the info and will be sure to get things prepped this week.

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user4135 — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:17:12 GMT

Corey,

I can't over emphasis how important it is to keep your lines clean. Many a restaurant skimp on this but your customers will, whether consciously or not, know your beer isn't as good. There are specific guidelines as to what cleanings happen every two weeks and with what % of caustic solutions and acid washes every three months; as Sayre was talking about. Check out this guide www.draughtquality.org/.../FrontPage published by the brewers association. If will tell you what the best regimen is; and frankly what is required by law in most places. After that, find a reputable company who will do it for you as these chemicals can be nasty and if it isn't cleaned up afterwards properly you could hurt a customer. With all that said, I again emphasize the importance of cleaning the lines. There is so much profit in draft beer that you want to ensure people want to drink your beer.

Michael,

Tripel Karmeliet is a Hopleaf favorite! We have it on tap right now and I look forward to seeing and meeting you.

Prost!!

Drew

HOPLEAF

Beverage Director

(847) 204-3334

Drew@DrewDLarson.com

Facebook

twitter.com/DrewDLarson

RE: A Sommelier's Essential Beer Knowledge

user7311 — Wed, 02 May 2012 08:01:23 GMT

Every two weeks. With an acid cleaning every three months. I also if you are pouring sour beers or wild ales on tap be extra careful.