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.
The best lager is waiting for you in the beer restaurant Come and try it!
Porter beer: from the working class to the aristocrats
If you ask beer connoisseurs what a porter is now, many will answer: a noble dark beer whose flavor is dominated by notes of chocolate, fruit, coffee beans, biscuit and toast. But all these flavors did not appear at once, and far from always the variety was considered refined. How porter came to be and when it acquired a recognizable flavor profile — we’ll tell you in this article. Back in the past The first mention of porter dates back to the early 18th century. It went down in history as the first style to be aged — brewers used to put their products on the counter immediately after production. Porter got its name from the English porter — loader. The point is that the new style became especially popular among the working class and port movers because of its high caloric content. The first London Porters were much stronger than modern ones — about 6.6%. At first they were made exclusively from brown malt, then they switched to a mix of light and black malt — 95 and 5 percent respectively. Until now, this recipe is not considered strict, but many producers use it. Sometimes caramel, chocolate, brown and other varieties of malt are added instead of black malt, but not roasted, as it adds undesirable notes to the drink. Hops and yeast are usually English, but in other countries producers often change them to local ones. At the end of the 18th century, porter became popular in Russia. In our country it was considered the drink of aristocrats. After World War II the drink was practically stopped being produced, and its triumphant revival took place in 1978 thanks to the efforts of the Penrhos craft brewery, which was later joined by other producers. Types of Porter There are several official types of porter: — brown — the weakest, with a strength of about 4.5%;— strong — existed until 2015, now conditionally divided into English with a strength of 4 to 5.4% with a pronounced malt character and American (bitter, dry, strength up to 6.5%);— «pre-dry» — reminiscent of American, but milder, strength up to 6%;— Baltic — the strongest porter up to 9.5%, with pronounced fruity tones. How to drink? Porter is recommended to be consumed chilled to 8-12 degrees. It goes well with mature cheeses, various meat dishes, including steak, chocolate desserts. You can try a quality porter in any of Lambic beer restaurants. Our list includes hundreds of varieties from all over the world, as well as many delicious dishes, pleasant atmosphere and excellent service. Come — we will find something to surprise you!
09 August 2024
Hook Norton Double Stout beer: twice the fun
Dark, dense, with hints of coffee and chocolate — of course, we are talking about stout. This English ale has long been on the menus of all beer restaurants and in the personal top of true beer connoisseurs. There are hundreds of stout varieties, each of which is unique in its own way. We will tell you about one special variety — Hook Norton Double Stout — in this article. What’s unique about it? Hook Norton Double Stout is produced by the British brewery of the same name using an ancient recipe dating back centuries. It is kept in strict secrecy, and it is not surprising: Hook Norton Double Stout differs significantly from other similar brews. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that two types of malt are used: brown and black. The first one gives the drink dryness and characteristic mild bitterness, the second one is responsible for rich dark color and aroma. The flavor of Hook Norton Double Stout is rich, tantalizing, with notes of toast and roasted coffee beans. A bit of history Hook Norton Brewery traces its history back to 1849, when founder John Harris bought a farm with a malt house in Oxfordshire. At first, he focused solely on selling malt, but in 1856, he began brewing his own beer. Today, the Hook Norton complex has dozens of buildings, including its own visitor center. The brewery is especially proud of its Hooky line. This is a series of English ales of the highest quality, which includes Hook Norton Double Stout. How to drink Double stout is recommended to drink from tall glasses, which allow to better reveal the aroma and taste of beer. However, the ideal glass for a stout is the Irish pint or pint tulip. This glass widens slightly in the middle — its top is slightly wider than the bottom. The drinking temperature is room temperature or slightly lower (around 12-14 degrees Celsius). Hook Norton Double Stout beer goes well with a variety of meats — pork, beef, game, as well as barbecue dishes and dark chocolate desserts. You can try the unique Hook Norton Double Stout beer at any beer restaurant in the Lambic chain. We have hundreds of beers on the menu, as well as delicious food and great atmosphere. We are waiting for you!
09 August 2024