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!