Jan-Feb-2016_Final-1-4-16-attempt2

the Around the World issue

back to different regions of Germany: the dark wheat dunkelweizen, such as Warsteiner Dunkel; the boozy bock, like Weihenstephaner Vitus; the even booz- ier doppel (double) bock, like Paulaner Salvator and Spatan Optimator (fun fact, if the name of the beer ends with -tor , that’s going to be a doppelbock); the malty oktoberfest/marzen, like Paulaner, available in the autumn from dozens of breweries all over Germany; the smoky rauch bier. And more. So many more. The Brits pioneered the ale, where the beer is fermented at slightly warmer temperature, using a different class of yeast. Traditional British styles tend to be lower in alcohol. The prominent styles range from the bitter/ pale ale, to the mild/brown ale, and the almost black porter. Samuel Smith’s Brewery is a traditional English brewery that’s been around since 1758. However, its beers are still very popular and the brewery has been moving in new directions with organic ales and ciders.The oatmeal stout and nut brown ale are great examples of both those classic styles, and if you see a bottle of the Yorkshire Stingo, be sure to grab this limited release barrel aged beer.

Take A Sip Around the World by Nora D. McGunnigle

For those who like to combine beer with dessert, try Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, Meantime Brewery’s coffee porter, or Wells’ Banana Bread beer. Or try Harviestoun’s Ola Dubh 12, which has been aged in Highland Park 12-year-old single malt whiskey for that after dinner drink. England’s most popular beer export is the legendary Bass Ale, traditionally brewed with the famed Burton-upon-Trent waters since 1777. AB-InBev purchased Bass Ale in 2000, and now, the Bass found in the United States is brewed here, not in England. But Bass Ale’s influence on the beer world cannot be overlooked. In the 1800s, it was exported all over the world, and the distinctive water used in the beer that defines the style is often imitated through water chemistry. Another fun fact, for those who are interested in exploring British styles but want to buy local: NOLA Brewing’s Brown Ale is actually a British mild style. Though the color is a rich brown, the alcohol by volume (ABV) is usually right around 4% and it’s quite easy drinking and light on the tongue. The Belgians get a lot of credit for elevating brewing to an art form, with monasteries devoted for centuries to creating beers that tend to be higher alcohol and have a distinct spicy characteristic from the yeast used and the higher temperatures it ferments at.

B ack in the dark ages of American craft beer — the 60s through the 90s — beer lovers in the U.S. turned to foreign imports as an alternative to the pale American lagers that dominated the market. These beers from England, Germany, and elgium were sought after by many a beer geek back in the day. They achieved such popularity that they still sell strong, even with the many microbrews available these days. The American beers that we love from breweries like Abita, Southern Prohibition, Sierra all have their roots in English,German, or Belgian brewing traditions. So let’s explore what each of those traditions are and examples of each that can be found on the shelf. The Germans are well known for their lagers, especially pilsners (and variations thereof ). A lager uses a certain type of yeast that ferments best at colder temperatures, and this yeast doesn’t contribute a flavor of its own, leaving the beer to showcase whatever malt ingredients it has. Germans have, historically, been quite strict as to what goes into their beer, even going so far as codifying the Reinheitsgebot, or Purity Law, that required all beer to be made with the following ingredients and nothing else: water, barley, hops, and yeast (once they figured out it was the yeast actually creating the alcohol, it was

Some examples of style are dubbels, tripels, quadrupels, saisons, lambics, strong ales, and Trappist ales. The tripel is perhaps one of the most widely available Belgian-style

added to the list centuries later). Wheat beers were permit- ted eventually, like Ayinger Brauweiss and Franziskaner Weissbier. Other various tra- ditional styles can be traced

“We’re as proud of our global selection as we are of our local.” —Donny Rouse, 3 rd Generation

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MY ROUSES EVERYDAY JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2016