hops

Rediscovering Pils

It’s a sleepy Sunday lunchtime in Dobrany, a small town a few kilometres southwest of Pilsen. This is Bohemian beer

American Golden Ale

These brews are golden to light copper in color with a more subtle overall character and lighter body than typical pale ales. English ale fruitiness will probably not be observed. However, the most important qualification is that they are brewed domestically and will have less body and hop and malt character than a pale ale from the same brewery.

Munich Helles

No region is more known for its beer than Bavaria. With summery weissbier and pilsner, autumnal Märzen and bocks for

New Zealand Hops

Size hasn’t only been a major influence in the development of the New Zealand craft brewing industry; isolation has also

Going Native

New Zealand hops are distinctive but brewers are also looking to other native ingredients to give their beer some spice.

Doppelbock

This is a sub-category of the bock style. Doppelbocks are extra strong, rich and weighty lagers characterized by an intense malty sweetness with a note of hop bitterness to balance the sweetness. Color can vary from full amber to dark brown and alcohol levels are potently high, typically 7-8 percent ABV. Doppelbocks were first brewed by the Paulaner monks in Munich. At the time, it was intended to be consumed as “liquid bread” during Lent. Most Bavarian examples end in the suffix “–ator”, in deference to the first commercial example, which was named Salvator (savior) by the Paulaner brewers.

Bock

Bocks are a specific type of strong lager historically associated with Germany and specifically the town of Einbeck. These beers range in color from pale to deep amber tones, and feature a decided sweetness on the palate. Bock styles are an exposition of malty sweetness that is classically associated with the character and flavor of Bavarian malt. Alcohol levels are quite potent, typically 5-6 percent ABV. Hop aromas are generally low, though hop bitterness can serve as a balancing factor against the malt sweetness. Many of these beers’ names or labels feature some reference to a goat. This is a play on words, in that the word “bock” also refers to a male goat in the German language. Many brewers choose to craft these beers for consumption in the spring (often called Maibock) or winter, when their warmth can be fully appreciated.

Strong Ale

Strong ales are sometimes referred to as old ales, stock ales or winter warmers. These beers are higher alcohol versions (typically between 5.5-7 percent ABV) of pale ales, though not as robust or alcoholic as barley wines. Usually a deep amber color, these brews generally have a sweet malty palate and a degree of fruitiness. If bottle conditioned, strong ales can improve for several years, in some cases eventually obtaining sherry-like notes.
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