Wait! Wait! There seem to be quite a few of them in my fridge and another two dozen in my
Monastic, or abbey, ales are an ancient tradition in Belgium, in much the same manner as wine production was once closely associated with monastic life in ancient France. Currently, very few working monasteries brew beer within the order, but many have licensed the production of beers bearing their abbey name to large commercial brewers. These “abbey ales” can vary enormously in specific character, but most are quite strong in alcohol content, ranging from 6 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) to as high as 10 percent. Generally, abbey ales are labeled as either “dubbel” or “trippel,” though this is not a convention that is slavishly adhered to. The former conventionally denotes a relatively less alcoholic and often darker beer, while the latter can often be lighter or blond in color and have a syrupy, alcoholic mouthfeel that invites sipping, not rapid drinking. The lowest gravity abbey ale in a Belgian brewer’s range will conventionally be referred to as a “singel,” though it is rarely labeled as such.
Our contributors reflect on the quest for rare beer. Act on the opportunity to buy several vintages of a particularly
Getting a beer label to market is an intricate dance fraught with more missteps than the brewing of the beer
Top vote: Users of TripAdvisor.com names Fort De Soto Park in Tierra Verde the best beach in America for two
A beercation is a glorious thing. A plane ticket or a tank full of gas is all you need to
I always enjoy the British and American Ale round of the World Beer Championships, because it’s great to see how
In front of you are two glasses of India pale ale. They both fit the parameters of the style: stronger
Bison Organic IPA: This beer pours an attractive copper color with a rocky head. Willamette hops are used in this
India pale ales are deep gold-to-amber in color, and are usually characterized by floral hop aromas and a distinctive hop bitterness on the finish. India pale ales were originally brewed by British brewers in the 19th century, when British troops and colonizers depended upon supplies of beer shipped from England. Standard ales did not survive the journey; hence, brewers developed high gravity, highly-hopped ales that survived shipment in casks to their largest market, India. This style, probably not anywhere near as bitter as it was when destined for India, continues to be brewed in a toned-down manner in the United Kingdom and is undergoing a mini-revival at present. However, U.S. craft brewers have claimed the style as their own, and often brew them with assertive Pacific Northwestern hop varieties that give such examples a hugely aromatic hop accent.
