Adriaen Brouwer beer: history and characteristics
If there is a perfect dark beer, Adriaen Brouwer can safely claim this title. Soft, velvety, with a moderate bitterness and a slight hint of spice and fruit, it is ideal for summer gatherings with friends and for homemade winter evenings. Adriaen Brouwer also has a very rich history, which will be interesting to everyone. And it starts right now!
From Origins to Modernity
The name Adrian Brauwer says little to most ordinary people, but connoisseurs of painting will certainly immediately remember this unusual Flemish painter. He painted in the distant seventeenth century and lived a rather short life, but he is remembered for his brilliant works. Brauwer celebrated the bohemian way of life - he depicted scenes from taverns and hotels, where the main characters were card players, smokers, drinkers and brawlers. However, this does not discourage his paintings; on the contrary, all of them are so charming that today the painter is called nothing less than a "master of living emotion.
By and large, Adrien Brauwer was painting a picture of himself - he, too, was a heavy drinker and a lover of liquor, especially beer. And the Belgians, who by virtue of their origin are reverent towards beer, simply could not help but appreciate this passion of his. And they even organized an annual beer festival in Audenarde, which was dedicated to Brauwer.
Adriaen Brouwer beer is a kind of tribute to the artist and the time in general. It is produced in the Brouwerij Roman NV brewery in the Belgian town of Audenarde. The company traces its history back to 1545 and all that time it has been owned by the same family - the Oman family. The modern brewery building was built relatively recently, in 1930.
Adriaen Brouwer uses mineral-rich spring water from the Flemish Ardennes. Moreover, unlike other brown beers in the region, the company uses pure yeast instead of wild yeast. After brewing, Adriaen Brouwer is matured on oak chips from whiskey and sherry casks and then re-hopped in the bottle. This gives the drink a dense, rounded texture, a bright aroma and a velvety caramel flavor that captivates from the first sip.
How and with what to drink?
Once bottled, Adriaen Brouwer beer can be stored for up to 2 years. In beer restaurants it is usually poured in special branded glasses. As for appetizers, the drink goes with a variety of dishes - both dense meat and sweet. It may also be served with cheeses, spicy oriental dishes, oatmeal liver and seafood. Try it - it's worth it!
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