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Beer School

April 2022 E-News, Beer School

Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 41

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 first American light lager, which became synonymous with American beer culture for many years. California Common, or Steam beer, was first brewed in the late 1800s – its most famous commercial example is Anchor Steam, now hailed as America’s original craft beer. History of California …

Beer School, March 2022 E-News

Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 40

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 encompassing the French sub-regions du Nord and Pas-de-Calais and the Belgian province Hainaut. The BJCP defines a modern bière de garde as a reasonably strong, malt-accentuated, lagered artisanal beer with a range of malt flavors appropriate for the color. All are malty yet dry, with …

Beer School, February 2022 E-News

Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 39

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 the past two decades, hop farming and craft beer have enjoyed a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship. While hop farming has been a major driving force behind the craft beer renaissance, the growth of the craft beer industry has also provided stability for hop farmers. Sierra …

Beer School, January 2022 E-News

Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 38

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 the boundaries of this hazy style, constantly upping the ante on creating bolder, juicier, hazier beers.  As the haze craze rages on, West Coast IPA, once at the center of the craft beer scene, seems to have all but disappeared, the neglected sibling of the …

Beer School, December 2021 E-News

Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 37

What is an English IPA? In North America, the term IPA has become synonymous with American IPAs and for many people it conjures images of juicy, hazy, New England brews. So, what is an English IPA? As opposed to the more neutral malt base used in American-style IPAs, English IPAs have more biscuit, toffee-like or caramel malt flavours and English yeast adds a fruity character in flavour and aroma. Although English IPAs are still dominated by hops, the hops tend to be more aromatic and lower in alpha acids, or less bitter, than American hops showcasing earthy, spicy, peppery and …

Beer School, November 2021 E-News

Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 36

What is A Golden Ale? As beer fads come and go over time, beer styles and classification evolve in line with emerging trends. With that in mind, are there any fundamental differences between a traditional Belgian golden strong ale, blonde ale and golden ale?  Let’s start with the easy part… A Belgian golden strong ale is actually its own distinct style showcasing its yeast characteristics.  It’s a spicy, peppery, fruity beer with a dry finish, light bitterness and an ABV ranging from 7-11%. The colour and body resemble a golden or blonde ale, but that’s where the similarity ends.  The …

Beer School, October 2021 E-News

Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 35

What is Table Beer? Table beer is difficult to define as it’s an elusive term that does not align with a specific beer style, rather it represents a concept – an everyday, low-alcohol by volume (ABV) beer that’s both accessible and communal.  While table beer does not adhere to any strict guidelines, they are generally malt forward, with subtle hops and colour ranging anywhere on the spectrum from gold to black. Modern table beers tend to lean toward a saison style of beer and are typically between 1.5%-3% ABV. Tafelbier & Bière de Table Low-ABV beer had been around for …

Beer School, September 2021 E-News

Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 34

Märzen Beer What is a Märzen? A Märzen (or March beer) is a German amber lager that is dark copper to reddish brown in colour. It’s crisp and smooth with toasted bread aromas and subtle hints of spice. The rich and toasty malt sweetness is balanced with a noble hop bitterness and a clean, dry finish. Like many other famous brews, the birthplace of Märzen is in Bavaria, sometime prior to the 16th century. Märzen is a term that was applied to beers brewed in March and lagered (cold conditioned) in cellars through the summer months, to be served in early …

August 2021 E-News, Beer School

Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 33

Italian Pilsners  Pilsen & The Birth of Pilsners  The Pilsner style was born in Pilsen, a city in what is now Czech Republic, in 1848. Pilsner Urquell is credited as being the first pilsner ever produced, pilsner meaning “from Pilsen” in Czech. The Czech pilsner is pale gold in colour with low-to-medium noble hop presence. It is characterized by slightly sweet, toasted biscuit and bready aromas and flavors, with low-to-moderate carbonation. In the 1870s, the German pils style was adapted from the Czech style to showcase their natural mineral water and domestically-produced hops. German pilsners tend to be lighter in …

Beer School, July 2021 E-News

Leah’s Beer School: Lesson 32

Oak Barrels & Aging Beer Wood has played an instrumental role in the brewing industry for hundreds of years. For centuries, wooden barrels have been used to transport beer, as well as providing a vessel for serving and fermenting, and recently there has been a resurgence in barrel-aging beer.  History of Wooden Barrels  The Gauls, a Celtic tribe in continental Europe, are largely credited with the invention of wooden barrels near the beginning of the first millennium. The Celts’ shipbuilding and iron working skills played an important to the development of barrels, as they used iron bands to reinforce and …