Beer Basics, III

In Beer Basics I, I mentioned wort a couple times.  Wort is the water-based, starch-infused liquid that is the foundation of a beer.  It is the barley-starch tea to which yeast and hops are added, the yeast to convert the sugar to alcohol and the hops to flavor and bitter the beer.  Producing good wort is the important first step in the brewing process.

A grain, traditionally barley, is made to germinate by soaking it in water, and then the newly germinated kernels are quickly dried.  The dried, germinated grain is called malt, and the malted grain is milled/ground to fine particles.  Most brewers buy the milled malt they will use, though some are growing, malting and milling their own grain (and growing their own hops) to create “Estate Ale.”  The milled malt is added to heated water, thereby releasing the sugars from the malt into the water.   That barley-sweetened liquid is the wort.  No alcohol yet – just water sweetened and colored by malted barley.

The color of the wort will be determined by the color of the malt, which in turn is determined by the type of grain(s) used and to what degree the malt was roasted.  The grains most commonly used in craft brewing - barley, wheat, rye and oatmeal - all impart different coloring to the wort, and each grain has lighter and darker varieties as well.  Extensive roasting tends to darken the malt.

A hydrometer is often dropped into the wort to get a reading of its density, which is the first step in determining the amount of sugar in the mixture.  The amount of sugar in the wort prior to fermentation (prior to the addition of yeast) is commonly referred to as Original Gravity (OG) or Original Extract (OE) and is expressed as Degrees Plato (°P).  By knowing how sugary the wort is, the brewer can get an idea of how much alcohol can be produced because it is the sugar that will be converted into alcohol by the yeast.  The higher the Original Gravity, the "bigger" the beer can be (the "size" of a beer is a reference to its alcohol content). In other words, Original Gravity is an indication of the alcoholic potential in the wort.

More technically, Original Gravity, determined by use of a hydrometer, is a measure of the density of the wort, and from that measurement the Original Extract (amount of sugar/potential alcohol) can be calculated.  The Original Extract is the grams of sugar per 100 grams of wort, usually expressed as Degrees Plato (°P).  

Microbreweries often post the "Original Gravity" of their ales, though Original Extract is more likely what they mean.  Check it out next time you are at a microbrewery or reading the label of your favorite bottled brew.  Now you'll know that they are trying to tell you about the sugar content of the wort.  

There will usually be a close correlation between the °P (Original Gravity/Extract) and the Alcohol By Volume (ABV).  But I'm getting ahead of myself.  We'll get to alcohol production - fermentation - in Brew Basics, IV.

Beer Basics, II

Most of us have a favorite bottled water or two, and we've probably identified a few we don't like at all.  It's "just water," but we really notice the differences.  If you travel, whether around the country or around the world, you find that the taste of water varies significantly from place to place.  Those differences are not covered up in the brewing process, as you might suppose, but are actually accentuated.   

One of Labatt Blue's slogans is "If I wanted water, I would have asked for water."  I understand what they are trying to communicate, but in reality, when you ask for beer, you're asking for water as part of the deal.  Other breweries have actually emphasized the quality of their water.  Coors boasts that it is "Brewed With Rocky Mountain Spring Water."  Hamm's claims to be "From the Land of Sky Blue Water."  People from the Pacific Northwest remember the tagline of good ol' Olympia Beer: "It’s the water."

To "It's the Water" was eventually added a second tagline, "And a lot more."   That is, "It's the water . . . and a lot more."  I think the folks at Oly added that second line to counteract the general consensus, unintentionally validated by the main tagline, that the beer was sorta watery.  In spite of the addition of the second tagline, Olympia's claim to fame, or at least its primary selling point, remained the origin and quality of its water.  The all-caps fine print under "It's the Water" elaborated on the water's uniqueness: "OUR FAMOUS ARTESIAN WATER ENABLES US TO ATTAIN PERFECTION IN THE ART OF BREWING."

Olympia was onto something.  Though a beer is a lot more than its water, the water is exceedingly important because not all water is created equal.  Varying pH balances and mineral content of water have different effects on the flavor of beer.  Bad water, either impure water or too-pure water, can subvert an otherwise flawless attempt and brewing beer.  The use of water poorly suited to the brewing of beer is often the mystery factor that undermines a homebrewer's best efforts.  

Knowledgeable brewers pay close attention to the pH and mineralogical constituency of the water they use and employ different water for different types of beer.  Ales have traditionally been brewed with “hard” (mineral-rich) water, while lagers have been brewed with relatively “soft” water.  That is part of the reason ales tend to be complex while lagers tend to be simple - there's just more going on with ale because of the mineral content of the water.  Water with an especially full mineralogical profile is often preferred for brewing IPA, as the abundance of minerals interacts with the hops to produce interesting nuances both of flavor and bitterness.  In some parts of the country, homebrewers soon discover that ales brewed with "soft" water lack the depth and complexity of ales brewed with "hard" water. 

During a drinking session, we wax eloquent about the malts and hops, rarely considering the fact that the water has also contributed to the flavor and mouthfeel of the brew.  Most of us,  myself included, wouldn't even know how to identify the water's profile and its effect on what we're drinking.  I mean, I've noticed a subtle metallic aftertaste to some ales, but I've always suspected the hops (or the taps!) rather than the water and would not know how to determine if the water played a significant part. 

I doubt that I'll develop my palate to the point where I can identify a microbrew's water profile, though I'd like to be a little more aware of it.  For now, detecting the grain bill or the specific hops is a significant accomplishment for me, and one I suspect will be enough of a challenge for years to come, but still, I don't want to ignore the water. 

Today's lesson is simple: the water used in brewing is not a neutral ingredient but an important element of the brewer's craft.  

Tagay!

Beer Basics, I

Because I'm going to go on and on about craft ale and where to drink it, I thought it might be good to include some education about the beverage itself.   It has been my observation that a lot of people think there is a difference between beer and ale, or that the latter is simply a dark-colored or heavier-tasting version of the former.  That isn't the case.  The most important distinction to be aware of is between lager and ale, both of which are beer.

Beer is a generic term for two types of alcoholic beverage, lager and ale.  In the craft brewing world, ale is king and lager tends to be overlooked.  This is probably because all of the big industrial beers – Bud, PBR, Coors/Miller, Yuengling, Stella, Beck’s, St. Pauli Girl, Heineken, Lowenbrau, Pilsner Urquell, Smithwick's, Red Stripe, Fosters, Carlsberg, Primo, Michelob, San Miguel, Singha, Tiger, Tsing-tao, Pacifico, Corona, Molson, Labatts, Kokanee, and about 1,000 others – are lagers, and even if they are good examples of their type (many would insist they are not), they are all rather light and very similar in taste.   They are also brewed in huge batches with no artistry involved at any point of the process. Lager can also be craft-brewed, and several notable microbreweries also do a lager, but ale is by far the craft brewer's choice.

The main differences between lager and ale is the type of yeast used and the temperature at which fermentation takes place.  Lager yeast sinks to the bottom of the batch of wort and does its thing down there.  You might say lager yeast is a bottom feeder.  It also is active in chilly conditions, so lager is brewed the same way it is served – cold.  Lager yeast typically converts all the sugar to alcohol, resulting in a dry, rather than a sweet, finished product.  Ale yeast, on the other hand, is top-fermenting and active in warmer conditions.  Rather than feeding on the bottom, it floats on, or rises to, the top of relatively warm wort.  Ale yeast leaves a certain amount of residual sugar in the brew, resulting in more assertive maltiness/sweetness.  Also, because ale is brewed at warmer temperatures, the production of flavorful and aromatic esters (and other byproducts) is less inhibited than in the cool conditions of lager fermentation.  As a result, an ale tends to be far more complex than a lager.  

That'll be enough for today. Wouldn't want to get carried away with this education thing.

Alley Kat, Edmonton

For real craft brew in Edmonton, I was told I had three options: Amber’s, Yellowhead and Alley Kat.  I wasn’t able to get to Amber’s and Yellowhead during my recent visit, but I made it to Alley Kat.  At 15 years old, Alley Kat is the elder statesman of Edmonton craft brewing.  My rather limited past exposure to craft brew in Alberta had given me a bad attitude about it.  I had encountered only anemic ales with milquetoast hopping, little flare, often yeasty, and decidedly British in style.  Alley Kat overturned my bad attitude.

Alley Kat is located in an industrial /warehouse area north of the Whitemud and just off 99^th St. NW.  Less than a block west of 99th, 60 Ave. ends at a little cul-de-sac/parking area hemmed in by three low-lying buildings.  You’ll see Alley Kat in the warehouse building just to the south.  

 

It was my luck to find owner Neil Herbst at the tasting bar.

When I arrived, Neil was shooting the breeze with Terry Cameron and his wife.   Terry is the owner of Roughneck Brewing in Calmar, Alberta.   

Neil and the Camerons were at the tasting bar sampling the Apple Wit, the fourth in Alley Kat’s series of 15^th anniversary beers.  Though I passed on the Apple Wit (I’m not much of a Wit or fruit beer fan), the three of them agreed it was quite nice.  Their verdict was independently confirmed by my nephew later in the day.  Nathan and I were headed to SugarBowl for supper, and as we discussed the Edmonton craft brew scene, Nate specifically mentioned Alley Kat’s Apple Wit as one of the outstanding local offerings.  I probably should have tried it when I had the chance - I doubt I’m going to run into it in Western Washington any time soon.

I asked for an IPA and was informed they didn’t brew one.  What?  I can understand being out of IPA, but you don’t even brew one?   I’m not sure if I heard right, but I think Neil said they’d never brewed one.   In 15 years?  Really?  They’d brewed a double IPA once, but that was it.  I made a quick assessment: The folks at the tasting bar were drinking Apple Wit and the company apparently had something against IPA - things weren't boding well for Alley Kat.  I remembered that Alberta breweries aren’t IPA crazy like the West Coast, but still . . . never in 15 years?

Neil said they had an American Pale that was pretty aggressively hopped; even borderline IPA, he said.  They were just tapping the keg and it wasn’t ready to pour yet, so they popped a bottle and poured me a taste.   To say I was skeptical would be an understatement.  I mean, a microbrewery that doesn’t brew an IPA and pours me a bottled Pale instead?  I figured I’d have a quick swig and head for the door, but I was pleasantly surprised.   The Pale was exactly as described – aggressively hopped and very close to an IPA.  Packed with Cascade and Centennial hops, it was definitely an American Pale and not a Golding-dominated Brit like you typically find at the Canadian microbreweries.  The keg was soon pouring, so I followed up the bottled taster with a proper glass of draught.  It was exactly like the bottled version only a little more vibrant.   

We chatted about the local craft beer scene and Neil gave me a quick tour of the brewing facility. 

 

 Really quite an impressive operation.  The facility is extensive and has a far higher capacity that I would have guessed.  Check it out for yourself at http://www.flickr.com/photos/39938408@N07/with/3672657857/

After the tour, Neil popped open a bottle of Unity Brew for me.   

Drinking bottled beer at a microbrewery again seemed a bit odd, but again I was impressed with the beer itself.  A dozen or so brewers in Alberta collaborated on the recipe for this Amber, and Alley Kat brewed and bottled it.  Brewed with Amarillo hops exclusively, I thought it was an extraordinarily good Amber.   As you’d expect, bitterness was limited, malt sweetness was prominent, and the Amarillos set it apart from your typical Amber.

In its 15 years of operation, Alley Kat has garnered a number of awards that are smartly displayed on the wall of the tasting room.   As I was there in the fall, the shrine featured a harvest theme.

Check out the list of awards at http://www.alleykatbeer.com/awards.htm

Because I was driving (and a borrowed car at that), I decided against sampling anything else, so Neil sent me on my way with a bottle of Ochsner's 1905 Alberta Porter.  The recipe for this very robust coffee/chocolate porter was created by Ray Duperron and Patrick Doyle, winners of the Edmonton Homebrewers Guild's 2010 HomeBrewer of the Year award, brewed and bottled by Alley Kat, and created for Sherbrooke Liquor, which sponsors the contest.  Sherbrooke, by the way, has an outstanding selection of over 800 bottled beers.  The porter is black and has great mouthfeel.  Starts coffee, turns chocolate, lingers sweetly for a moment and finishes dry.  Very interesting and full.

The tasting room is small and simple.  Alley Kat does not have food; it is strictly a retail store and tasting room.  Stop in for a few tastes and buy bottles of your favorites. 

I tried Alley Kat Amber at Louisiana Purchase restaurant one evening.  Great meal, but the Amber wasn’t a good pairing with my spicy supper.  Very sweet. 

I expect to be back in Edmonton in June and will try Amber's and Yellowhead.  I'll also return to Alley Kat.  It was a great find.

Cheers!