History of Oktoberfest The first Oktoberfest took place in 1810, a five-day celebration in honour of the wedding between Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen. Abandoning regal tradition, the royals turned the wedding into a public event, inviting the people of Munich to celebrate the union in the fields in front of...
What is an Irish Red Ale? By the 18th century, Kilkenny was established as the brewing mecca in Ireland, as producing beer had become a commercially viable industry. Despite its commercial success, Irish brewers were constantly struggling financially and were forced to rely on their own ingenuity to lower production costs. In making stouts, brewers...
What is Malt? Beer is comprised of four essential ingredients: water, malt, hops and yeast. While newly developed yeast strains and novel hop varieties are constantly at the forefront of beer news, the role of malt in beer is often understated. In reality, malt is the backbone, or essential support system, of beer. Malt can...
Spanish Cider A part of local Asturian and Basque history, cider production in Spain was initially reported by Roman settlers in the first century. Like many other historical brews, this style of cider was first produced as a low-alcohol farmhouse beverage, before gaining momentum as a commercial industry in the early 20th century. Cider is...
What are Esters? Esters represent the largest class of flavor compounds in alcoholic beverages, responsible for contributing to both flavour and aroma of beer. The aromas and flavors attributable to esters include: anise, apple, banana, honey, juicy fruit gum, nail polish remover, pear, pineapple, strawberry. While they are best known for creating desirable fruity flavours,...
What is a Witbier? Witbier, literally translated from Flemish to “white beer,” is named for its signature hazy, or white, appearance resulting from the suspended yeast and wheat proteins in the beer. Although no one knows the precise origin of the witbier style, it is thought to have originated in a monastic brewery near Leuven,...
What is a California Common? While there are American versions of almost every beer style out there, there are only a few true beer styles born in the US that still exist today. In the mid-nineteenth century, cream ales were developed as a counterpoint to German pilsners; in 1975 American brewing giant Miller released the...
Bière de Garde While France is rightly renowned for its robust wine culture, it also has a rich but lesser known history of brewing beer. Bière de garde, loosely translated to mean beer for keeping, is recognized as France’s contribution to specialty brewing, originating in farmhouse breweries that once populated French Flanders, an area now...
Hop Farming & Craft Beer Before the massive growth of the craft beer industry in North America, hops were primarily used for their antibacterial properties to help preserve beer. Until quite recently, hops were perceived as a generic and readily available ingredient, leaving many hop growers susceptible to supply gluts and massive price fluctuations. For...
West Coast IPA Hazy IPAs have had a profound impact on the modern craft beer world, dominating the beer scene for last decade. The Alchemist’s 2011 release of Heady Topper, a world-renowned tropical and juicy brew, is generally credited with starting the east coast beer trend. Over the last 10 years, brewers have constantly pushed...
