• Beer Information •
 
BEER is a fermented cereal beverage which traditionally is made from malted barley, hops, water and yeast. Most beer styles are derivatives of ales and lagers. Other ingredients such as wheat, fruit and spices are used for unique styles of beer.
BEER has become the beverage of choice for many people. As a matter of fact, we consume more beer than wine or distilled liquor sales combined.
 
BEER INGREDIENTS
WATER is the dominant ingredient in beer. It is not always the key ingredient, though some brewers would like you to think that way.
MALT is the fermentable material in beer. It is derived from barley that has been steeped in water until partially germinated, then roasted; the darker the roast, the darker the beer.
YEAST is introduced to the combination of water and malt for fermentation to take place. Yeast is simply a fungus that can convert sugar into alcohol.
HOPS are a climbing vine whose flowery buds are crushed and used as seasoning for beer. The hop gives beer its characteristic bitterness and refreshing dryness.
 
ALES  (TOP-FERMENTED BEERS)
ALES are traditionally fermented at higher temperatures with strains of yeast that rise to the top of the vessel. This "top-fermenting" yeast distinguishes ales from lagers, where the yeast works at cool temperatures, at the bottom of the vessel.
Generally, a brew made with warm fermentation (an Ale) is likely to have a fruity aroma and palate, and often a complex sweet flavor. Ales can be brewed, conditioned, and ready to serve in approximately two weeks. Lagers are more expensive to make because they take much longer to process.
BARLEY WINE is an English term for extra-strong ale (implied to be as potent as wine). Malty and sweet.
BELGIAN ALE derives its name from a country where the spirit of the small brewer still thrives. There are almost as many styles of Belgian ales, as there are Belgian brewers.
BITTER ALES are a malty beer, but the sweetness of the malt is offset by heavy hopping (hence the name bitter).
BLACK AND TAN beers are a blend of dark beer (porter or stout) with a lighter ale or lager.
BLOND / GOLDEN ALE is a lighter version of pale ale, usually closer to a lager in flavor than most ales. Floral aroma with a light, dry taste.
BROWN ALES originated in Britain. Usually lightly hopped, sweet full-bodied brew with a low-to-medium alcohol content. Color ranges from reddish-brown to dark brown.
FRUIT BEERS are beers to which fruit or fruit flavorings are added.
INDIA PALE ALE is a fruity, copper colored ale. IPA's are very good with red meat and cheddar cheese. Distinguishing characteristics are dryness and defined hop taste. These ales range from amber to copper-brown and are mild to quite bitter. They are well-hopped, British style ales.
LAMBICS / SPONTANEOUSLY FERMENTED ales are a spontaneously fermented style of wheat beer unique to Belgium, notably the Senne Valley. Fresh fruits are sometimes added to create a delicious dessert/aperitif beer.
PORTERS are dark, almost black, fruity and dry. Brewed from roasted, unmalted barley, porters have underlying flavors of chocolate and/or coffee. Traditional porters are strong, extremely bitter and rich. Most porters are dryer than stouts.
SCOTCH ALES are classically strong and amber to dark brown in color with a sweet, malty character, rich and strong.
STEAM BEER has been trademarked by the Anchor Brewery (periodically we carry Anchor Steam on tap) for its unique hybrid of ale and lager.
STOUT is a black, roasted brew, made by top fermentation, an ale. Similar to a porter, it is brewed with roasted unmalted barley and also has a coffee-chocolate overtone. A stout is more full-bodied and creamier than a porter, often with lots of hops and a higher alcoholic content than other ales.
TRAPPIST / ABBEY ALES are ales only brewed by Trappist monks. Although other abbeys brew beer, only six trappist/abbey ales exist. Trappist ales are very interesting brews.
WEISSE / WHITE BEERS are traditional wheat ales from Bavaria. Pale, golden color, often served "hefe" with yeast. They can be light or dark. They are fermented with special yeast, are usually unfiltered and very refreshing.
WHEAT BEER is a pale, light beer made from wheat. Wheat beers often have a dry, fruity finish.
 
LAGERS  (BOTTOM-FERMENTED BEERS)
A LAGER is a brew made with bottom-fermenting yeast at cold temperatures. LAGER means "storehouse" in German, a reason many brew pubs deal primarily with ales. A batch of lager can take six to eight weeks or longer to mature. Smooth, crisp and fizzy tastes and lighter aromas are characteristics of lagers.
AMBER LAGERS are usually pale to medium-amber in color and not too hoppy.
BLACK AND TAN beers are a blend of dark beer (porter or stout) with a lighter ale or lager.
BOCK / DOPPLEBOCKS are very strong lagers; the German word for strong beer. Usually, they are lightly hopped and very malt accented; Dopplebock is "double" the malt and strength.
DARK LAGERS are a style of lager very popular in Munich. These lagers range from reddish to dark brown in color. Their malty flavor is a result of medium to high hops and lots of Munich malt.
PILSENERS (pilsners) are classic super premium pale lagers. Many great microbrews aspire to be pilsners. Pilsners typically have a fragrant, flowery bouquet, a soft refreshing palate and an elegantly dry, hoppy finish. They originated in the city of Pilsen, in the former Czechoslovakia.
RED BEERS are roasted lagers. Roasted grains turn beer a caramel color, some with a red hue. Many people feel that red lagers have more flavor and character than light lagers.
STEAM BEER has been trademarked by the Anchor Brewery for its unique hybrid of ale and lager.
 
BEER TASTING TERMS
TASTE buds that concentrate on sweet are located at the front of the mouth, and pick up the malt tastes in the beer. Bitter taste buds are located in the back, which emphasize the hop characteristics. The aftertaste is also an important factor in beer tasting. The lingering taste should be pleasing and not overly bitter or harsh.
COLOR comes from the amount and type of roasted barley used. Pale, Caramel, Chocolate and black Patent are "color" descriptors of roasted barley. In these cases, the colors range from gold to amber to brown to black.
AROMA should be a savory experience for your senses. The aroma of malted barley is sweet and intensifies with dark beers. Hops impart a pleasant, flowery, bitter aroma that balances the sweet smell of malt. Fruity aromas add to the complexity of ales' bouquet.
BODY refers to the way the beer rolls across the tongue, the beer can feel watery (light in body) all the way through to thick and chewy (full body).
 
MICROBREWERIES
MICROBEERS are handcrafted beers made only with traditional ingredients without adjuncts and chemicals. These beers are brewed and aged slowly to allow the flavors to come through. Microbrews have become very popular due to their unique tastes and flavors.
MICROBREWERY is a brewery that produces 20,000 to 30,000 barrels of beer or less each year. These small operations offer an array of special handcrafted beers with emphasis on quality ingredients and careful attention to brewing methods. Breweries that produce over 100,000 barrels or more of beer annually, are considered Craft breweries.