How to know if the beer is of high quality: 5 important nuances
Even expensive and proven beer can sometimes be upset, for example, if it has not been stored or bottled properly. There is nothing to say about unfamiliar varieties, especially low-priced ones - the risk of running into a bad drink increases many times over. To avoid this, it is important to know how to determine the quality of a beer before you taste it. There are five criteria that will help you to do it even at home. What are they?
Select and open
There are many kinds of beer, and each producer sets a different shelf life depending on the technology used. But there are universal figures for most light lagers (this is the kind of beer most often bought in regular stores). The strength of the drink usually does not exceed 5 revolutions and the density is 12%. The shelf life will tell you about the technology: half a year means pasteurization was used, a year - preservatives were definitely involved. If you don't want to deal with the latter, you'd better not buy lagers with a long shelf life.
After you open the bottle, pay attention to the smoke coming from the neck. Many people think it's a sign of quality, but it's not: if there's smoke coming out of the bottle, it means that the beer has been gassed artificially.
Pour
The first thing to pay attention to when pouring is the foam. The height of the foam cap may vary depending on the brew and the glass into which the beer is poured, but in any case, it must be stable - that is, it must hold for at least 3-4 minutes. If it has fallen off faster, it could indicate stale or oxidized beer.
If we are talking about lager varieties, it is also worth evaluating the color and clarity. Real lager should be light yellow or golden in color, and the more transparent the liquid, the higher the quality of the drink and softer its taste. To determine the purity of the glass you need to hold it up to a light source - the liquid in it should shine and sparkle slightly. Of course, this method is not suitable for styles, which are characterized by turbidity, but usual light beer is definitely worth checking for transparency.
Smell
Light beer usually has a pronounced hop aroma, while dark beer has a malt aroma. No extraneous aromas - soapy, too bright yeast, unpleasant vegetable or alcoholic - should be emitted by the beer. As a rule, odors that are not specific for a particular brew are indicative of brewing technology violations or insufficient disinfection of equipment.
Try
If everything looks good at first glance, you can move on to tasting. To assess the taste, you need to take a small sip and listen to the sensations. The drink should be easy to drink and should have no unspecific flavors. It is also important to assess the aftertaste, the bitterness of the hops should be mild. If it lingers indefinitely and the bitter taste remains in your mouth, it may indicate flaws in the hop hop hop technology.
Drinks that never disappoint await you at our beer restaurant We know how to store and serve beer, so you can enjoy your favorite flavors here without compromise. We look forward to your visit!
Jeju Beer Company: legendary craft from South Korea
When talking about good beer, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic and other European countries are most often mentioned. And the reason for this is not that other parts of the globe do not make high-quality foam, it is simply that many varieties simply do not reach Russia. It is about such a case — the famous South Korean beer of Jeju Beer Company — that we will talk today. History of the brewery Jeju Beer Company was founded in 2015 on the largest Korean island of Jeju. The company, whose main mission is to create a new beer culture in the country, became the first global craft brewery in Korea, and in a short period of time — also the most popular. According to analytics, one bottle of Jeju Beer is purchased every three seconds in the country. In 2017, the company introduced a series of new wheat beers, including the already sensational Jeju Wit Ale, Jeju Pellong Ale and Jeju Slice. The highlight of these brews is the composition: the unique flavor of the beer is given by the rind of gamgyul, a citrus plant native to Jeju. Now Jeju Beer Company’s beer is exported to Taiwan, Thailand, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and other countries of the world. The global distribution network of the Korean brewery is ensured by partnership with Brooklyn Brewery. Jeju Beer Company is a winner of many festivals, in particular, the winner of silver medals of Australian International Beer Awards and Korea Liquor Awards 2019 in the category of craft beer. Best brews One of the most popular brews is Jeju Wit Ale. It is a luxurious wheat beer with the addition of the aforementioned Jeju Island citrus and coriander. The drink has a delicate floral aroma and a pleasant taste dominated by citrus notes. The beer recipe was developed in collaboration with Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and winner of the James Beard Award, which is called the «Oscars» for chefs in the beer industry. Special attention should be paid to Jeju Pellong Ale. This is an American Pale Ale style beer with a citrusy aroma dominated by tones of apricot. The flavor has the sweetness of the tropics. The aftertaste is dry, with a pleasant citrus bitterness. There is also Jeju Geomeong Ale, a dark beer made with local black barley and chocolate malt. The drink has a rich flavor that reveals tones of coffee and dark chocolate. The same notes, as well as malt sweetness, can be felt in the taste of the drink. You don’t have to go to South Korea to try Jeju Beer Company beer. Come to Lambic! Our beer restaurants have hundreds of high quality beers from all over the world. We also have delicious food, excellent service and always cozy atmosphere. We are waiting for you!
23 January 2025
Belgian waffles: history of origin and interesting facts
If you ask anyone what Belgium is associated with, most people will name three things — a sculpture of a boy in Brussels, beer and, of course, waffles. Flavorful, airy and crispy, they have long ceased to be just a dish on restaurant menus and have become a real culinary landmark of the country. Back in the past Surprisingly, the history of the most famous waffles originates not in Belgium, but in the United States. During the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, Belgian pastry chef Walter Clement introduced his unique dish to the Americans. The waffles, served with strawberries and whipped cream, were so well liked by the local population that they soon spread throughout America. It is said that in the first four months after the «premiere» more than half a million waffles were sold in the United States. It is believed that the name «Belgian» was established because not all Americans knew where Brussels was located. In their homeland, Belgium, the famous waffles are called only Brussels waffles. Did you know that... Brussels waffles are made from yeast dough in cast iron waffle makers, which makes them soft on the outside and crispy on the inside. Some pastry chefs add a secret ingredient to it, but what it is they don’t reveal. There is speculation that it could be one of the beers, but there is no proof for this theory. Brussels waffles are often confused with Liege waffles, which are also made in Belgium, in the city of Liege. But these are different dishes: Liege waffles are drier, more like buns, and their dough contains bits of caramelized sugar. Classic Belgian waffles are sweet, served with coffee or tea. But there are also unsweetened waffles with different fillings. Where to try Of course, it is better to taste any national dish at home, but if you can’t go to Belgium yet — come to Lambic! Our Belgian beer restaurants have everything to feel the real taste of this wonderful country: dozens of varieties of beer, national cuisine and cozy atmosphere. And for Belgian waffles we have allocated a whole section with sweet classics with strawberries and ice cream, and unsweetened potato positions with fish, meat and other fillings. Come — it will be delicious!
23 January 2025