Lager: what kind of beer it is and how to drink it properly
Lager is the world’s best-selling beer: almost 80 percent of the lagers on the market can be attributed to this family of beers. Not surprisingly, such popularity gives rise to numerous myths: for example, some people believe that all light, unfiltered beers belong to lagers. But in fact, this is not true: it is not the color, strength or number of filtration that determines what style you belong to. The point is the brewing method: only low fermentation beers (i.e. beers made at low temperatures) can be called lagers. This distinguishes it from ales, which are brewed by top fermentation under warmer conditions.
Accordingly, the lager can be either light or dark. There are hundreds of varieties in this family, including the most popular — Pilsner, Bock, Schwarzbeer and others. What else is known about lager?
How and when?
Lager was born in Germany. Like everywhere else, beer was mainly brewed in monasteries — it was considered a great alternative to everyday beverages that could not boast a high degree of purification or a long shelf life. And because the German monks’ brewing season began in late autumn, the beer matured in cold cellars. Hence the name — «lager» in German means «storehouse».
It turned out that the method of bottom fermentation separates the beer yeast from the wort and settles to the bottom, which gives the drink a special taste. The monks highly valued their invention, proudly called it «liquid bread» and consumed it even during Lent.
Despite the apparent ease of production, modern lager — quite capricious beer. It is sensitive to temperature changes and requires strict adherence to the recipe. To make lager the malt should be firstly crushed, but not to a pulp, then soaked and filtered. Only after the mash is separated from the solid particles go to the boiling. Hops are added to the boiling mass, then cool it down to 5-10 degrees, and only then the yeast is added to the wort. It takes up to four months for the lager to mature. To «sink» the yeast to the bottom, the fermentation temperature is gradually reduced during the whole period.
The secrets of use
The classic of the family is European amber lager, which has a characteristic color and universal taste. Also popular variants include pilsner, which is made from light malt, dark lager with a smell of caramel, black Schwarzbier and bock of roasted malt. A distinctive feature of lagers — notes of bread, rye and banana in the aroma and a long pleasant aftertaste.
Lager should be consumed at a temperature of 5-8 degrees. Higher or lower is not an option: the drink will lose some of its flavor. After the lager has been poured into the glass you need to let it breathe and just before drinking it you need to shake it in a circular motion, covering the neck of the glass with your hand. Roll the drink in your mouth like wine, you do not need to — its taste is felt brightest after swallowing.
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Coffee and beer - a match or a flop? Exploring the myths about the famous combination
Coffee and beer are drunk at different times and on different occasions, but they have much more in common than meets the eye. Beverages that were considered ordinary 10 years ago have now become gourmet products: craft beer and specialty coffee have won millions of fans. But what if you mix the two? Let’s find out how justified this combination is and what myths are associated with it. How did the combination of coffee and beer appear? Experiments with coffee and beer began in the middle of the XX century, when brewers and bartenders began to look for new flavors. But the real boom happened in the nineties and noughties due to the growing popularity of craft beer. The first successful variants were coffee stouts and porters — dark brews with deep flavors that perfectly complemented the coffee notes. Brewers added coffee at various stages: — during brewing — for a rich flavor;— during fermentation — for softness;— into the finished beer — as a cold coffee infusion. A good example of such a recipe is the Japanese beer Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout, which can be tasted in Lambic beer restaurants. It’s a flavorful, dense ale brewed in the style of American imperial stouts with coffee beans added for espresso. Bartenders, too, have contributed to popularizing this unusual combination, creating original cocktails from coffee and beer. The most popular is the Black & Tan, which includes stout, lager and espresso. Today, such mixes are part of the craft culture. Is it true that coffee helps sober you up? One of the main myths is that coffee supposedly neutralizes alcohol. In fact, caffeine only masks intoxication. It creates the illusion of liveliness, but coffee does not actually lower blood alcohol levels. In addition, a cocktail of coffee and beer can increase the strain on the heart. If you drink coffee before alcohol, it will temporarily increase the activity of liver enzymes that break down ethanol. But this does not mean that it is necessary to increase the dose. Coffee with beer: harm or benefit? In moderate quantities, low-alcohol coffee beers (for example, stouts with 4-6% strength) are relatively safe. If you want to try such a mix, choose drinks from quality ingredients. For example: — Dark beer (porter, stout) and cold espresso.— Lager or ale and light coffee syrup. There are contraindications for such cocktails. Mixing coffee with beer is not recommended for people with hypertension, heart and GI diseases, as well as those who use drugs incompatible with caffeine. The combination of coffee and beer is an interesting gastronomic experience, especially if you respect the measure. Come to Lambic — we will treat you to interesting drinks without harming your health!
20 May 2025
Bitter! Let's understand what IBU is and how bitterness affects the taste of beer
If you’ve scrutinized craft beer labels, you’ve definitely seen the mysterious IBU abbreviation on them. This indicator plays a key role in shaping the flavor of the beverage. Let’s find out what it means and why bitterness is one of the main criteria for evaluating beer. What is IBU? IBU (International Bitterness Unit) is an international indicator of beer bitterness. It indicates the concentration of isohumulone, an alpha acid found in hops, which gives the drink its characteristic bitterness. The higher the IBU, the more bitter the beer will be. However, the perception of bitterness depends not only on this indicator, but also on the balance with malt sweetness, strength and aromatic additives. Why do you need the IBU index? Before the advent of industrial brewing, a beverage could be either too sweet or, conversely, too sour or bitter. To achieve a harmonious flavor, brewers began to adjust bitterness with hops. In the past, herbs (thistle, mint, juniper) were used to soften sweetness, but today the main source of bitterness is hops. It is added at different stages of brewing to: — compensate for the sweetness of the malt;— add complexity and flavor to the beer;— increase shelf life (isohumulone has antibacterial properties). The first to calculate the bitterness of beer were the people of Great Britain, using the formula «pounds of hops per quart of malt». The modern IBU standard was developed to accurately categorize beers. How to calculate IBU? The bitterness index is determined using a mathematical formula: G = D × E D = (A × B) / (C × 0.1) Where: A — mass of hops (in grams); B — alpha acid content of hops (%); C — wort volume (in liters); E — loss factor (production time and beer density are affected); G — final IBU. The longer the hops are brewed, the more alpha acids pass into the wort, increasing bitterness. IBU scale: from lager to IPA Beer bitterness is measured on a scale of 0 to 120+ IBUs, but most beers are in the 5-90 range. Beer Style IBU Level Characteristics Pale Lagers 8–15 Light, smooth, minimal bitterness Wheat Ales 10–20 Fruity notes, low bitterness Porters/Stouts 30–50 Coffee, chocolate tones, moderate bitterness American IPA 50–80 Strong hop bitterness, citrus and pine notes Imperial IPA 80–120+ Extreme bitterness, high alcohol content Why is IBU not the main selection criterion? A high IBU does not always mean that the beer will seem too bitter. For example, sweet stouts (30-50 IBU) seem less bitter than IPAs due to caramel and chocolate notes. And light lagers (8-15 IBU) may be perceived as more bitter due to a lack of malt balance. How do you choose a beer based on bitterness level? If you don’t like bitterness — choose lagers, wheat ales, Belgian trippels (up to 30 IBU). If you like balance, try porters or amber ales (30-50 IBU). If you like a rich hop bitterness, an IPA or Imperial Stout (50+ IBU) is ideal. You can try any of these varieties in Lambic beer restaurants. Come — we will find something to surprise you!
20 May 2025