2011 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards: Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year Sponsored
I recently gave a presentation at the National Homebrewers Conference in San Diego on aging beer on exotic wood, which
Saison beers are distinctive specialty beers from the Belgian province of Hainuat. These beers were originally brewed in the early spring for summer consumption, though contemporary Belgian saisons are brewed all year round with pale malts and are well dosed with English and Belgian hop varieties. Lively carbonation ensues from a secondary fermentation in the bottle. The color is classically golden orange and the flavors are refreshing with citrus and fruity hop notes. Sadly, these beers are under-appreciated in their home country and their production is limited to a small number of artisanal producers who keep this style alive. With a typically hoppy character, saisons are an esoteric style of beer that should appeal to any devotees of U.S. craft beers, if you can track them down. Occasionally, U.S. brewpubs will attempt a version.
This is not a classic style of Belgian ale, but covers the more commercially-minded Belgian ales that are lighter in color and moderate in body and alcoholic strength. Fruity Belgian yeast character and mild hopping should be expected.
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.
Each year the World Beer Championships takes time to review what we describe as Continental European ale styles. This year’s
What do you hope your fans will take away from your Moveable Yeast project? The primary goal of the series
Bison Organic Honey Basil Ale This beer pours an amber-orange color with a thin white head. The aroma is slightly
There’s a good reason that an odd number of judges sit at “best of show” tables in beer competitions—that way
Tell me about AC Golden. GK: We’re owned by MillerCoors. Pete Coors took a look at how new products like