Friday, November 5, 2010

Best SCOTCH, The Great Debate: Single Malt vs. Blended

Many people get confused and the difference between single malt and blended scotch. The blended variety consists of approximately fifty different grains, and single malts, sent from many different producers. The term single malt refers to one single distiller, and therefore what is produced, is indeed not the product of blending.

They say that every 50 years is the leveling out point on scotch, as it will no longer get better with age. Prior to that point it is like wine and will continue to produce a better taste. The differences in many of the distillers of fine scotch in Scotland can be very noticeable, as the geography lends to different techniques.

Each region of the Scottish territory yields a different product due to varying methods of development. Many methods can be employed, right down to the grains and water used. Some distilling companies even use certain peat mosses on the grains for added flavor.

One would assume you must try them all, to consider yourself a true aficionado.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Want to Sample a Good Beer? Do German!

The Germans are renowned for a lot of things; one of them is beer. Beer is an important part of their tradition and heritage, with more than thirteen-hundred different breweries spread across the land. As far as per capita beer drinking, the Germans are only below the Czechs and the Irish. The history of Germanic beer goes back to the beginnings of the nation when monks began to experiment with brewing around 1000 A.D. Eventually, brewing started to become really profitable for the monks and the nation's leaders started to regulate the manufacturing of the brew. The most well-known and significant factor to influence German brewing came about in 1516 with the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot, or the purity requirement.

To ensure Bavarian beers were only the best quality the Duke Wilhelm IV ordered the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot. Water, hops, and barley are the only ingredients allowed in beer according to the regulation. The Reinheitsgebot is the oldest legislation put on beverages in the world and has been unaltered in almost five-hundred years. Yeast is the only addition to the list of vital ingredients in the act. Brewers in the past before that had simply used the yeast found naturally in the air. Bavarian breweries were soon known as the superior producers of beer because of the strict standard of quality following by the purity requirement. Other manufacturers began to adhere to the act as the reputation of the Bavarian breweries continued to rise.

As a result of the Reinheitsgebot, Germanic beers have a long-standing reputation of producing quality beers made out of the best ingredients. As time went on and Germany began to export beer, some towns became famed brewing spots. The city of Bremen had over 600 breweries by fifteen-hundred and was the top exporter of beer to Holland, Scandinavia, England, and even as far as India. A couple of other famous brewing towns were Einbeck and Braunschweig. In modern Germany, most of the country's beer-drinking people still choose fabbier, or draught beer, over bottle beer because of it's full-bodied flavor and right amount of head foam. In an attempt to curtail more breakouts of the black plague German beer steins came into use about the time the purity requirement came out and are still in use today.

During the era of the bubonic plague, Germany began a lot of regulations to prevent its people from becoming ill. Disease would spread as large amounts of infected flies landed in people's food and drink. This led to the German beer stein, a beverage holder with a closed lid that is operated with the thumb so a person could stop infection and still be able to drink with one hand. As people started to learn the plague spread in unclean conditions with stale water, beer consumption went up exponentially. Steins were originally made of stoneware with pewter lids. German beer steins started to be crafted entirely of pewter for nearly three-hundred years as the pewter guild became more powerful. Still manufactured today, silver and porcelain German beer steins were eventually introduced.

Today there are over thirteen-hundred and fifty breweries within Germany's borders that make over five-thousand types of beer. The oldest beer maker in the world still in operation in the present is the Benedictine abbey Weihenstephan, that has been making beer since 1040. The Franconia region of Bavaria by the city Bamberg is the highest concentrated area for breweries in Germany. Most beers can be placed under ales and lagers but German breweries produce a large variety of flavors. Some brands of beer can have an alcoholic content as much as 12%, making them stronger than most wines even though most beers have an alcoholic content ranging from 4.7% to 5.4%.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Want to Drink a Great Beer? Go German!

One of the various things the German people are known for is beer. Beer is an essential piece of their tradition and heritage, with over thirteen-hundred varied breweries spanning the country. As far as per capita beer consumption, the Germans are only behind the Czechs and the Irish. The history of Germanic brew spans back to the beginnings of the nation when monks started to experiment with brewing around 1000 A.D. The country's leaders eventually started to legislate the manufacturing of beer as brewing started to be more and more profitable. The most well-known and significant component to effect Germanic brewing came in 1516 with the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot, or the purity standard.

To make sure that Bavarian beers were only the highest quality the Duke Wilhelm IV authorized the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot. Hops, barley, and water are the only ingredients that should go in in beer according to the law. The Reinheitsgebot is the oldest regulation placed on food in the world and has remain unchanged in nearly five-hundred years. Yeast is the only inclusion to the list of crucial ingredients in the act. Yeast found naturally in the air was what manufacturers before used. Bavarian breweries were soon considered the superior makers of beer because of the strict standard of quality following by the purity requirement. As the prominence of the Bavarian breweries spread around the nation other manufacturers started to follow the proclamation as well.

German beers have a long-standing reputation of making quality brews made only from the purest ingredients as a result of the Reinheitsgebot. As time passed and Germany began to ship out beer, some cities became famed brewing locations. By fifteen-hundred, Scandinavia, Holland, England, and as far as India principally recieved their beer from one of the more than 600 breweries in the city of Bremen. Two more famed brewing cities were Einbeck and Braunschweig. In modern-day Germany, the majority of the country's drinking people still choose fabbier, or draught beer, over bottled beer because of it's robust flavor and perfect amount of foam. In an effort to curtail more outbreaks of the bubonic plague German beer steins became popular about the time the purity standard came about and are still used today.

During the time of the bubonic plague, Germany originated a lot of laws to prevent its citizens from getting ill. Massive amounts of infected flies would land in people's food and spread the infection. This led to the German beer stein, a beverage container with a hinged lid that could be used with the thumb so a person could stop infection and still be able to drink with one hand. Beer drinking rose exponentially as citizens started to realize the disease spread in unsanitary conditions with brackish pools of water. Originally made of stoneware with pewter lids, steins grew in popularity. Steins began to be manufactured entirely of pewter for nearly 300 years as the pewter guild grew. Eventually, porcelain and silver German beer steins were introduced and are still produced today.

Nowadays there are over 1350 breweries within Germany's lands that produce over five-thousand brands of beer. The Benedictine abbey Weihenstephan, which has been producing beer since one-thousand and forty, is reported as the oldest brewery in the world. The most concentrated area in Germany for beer makers is the Franconia region of Bavaria by the city Bamberg. German breweries produce a wide variety of tastes and brands of beer with the majority of them able to be placed under ales or lagers. Some brands of beer may have an alcoholic content as high as 12%, making them more potent than a lot of wines even though most beers have an alcoholic content ranging from 4.7% to 5.4%.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Production of scotch

The production of Scotch whisky takes time, a lot of time. It is a tedious process that can take years. However when it is done correctly, the product is one worth waiting for.

Barley is placed in deep tanks of water for approximately three days. As the moisture increases it promotes the germination process. After the germination process, the barley is then moved to the malting segment of the distillery where it will go into drums sometimes known as the malting floor.

The entire purpose of the germination process is to convert the starch in the grains into fermentable sugars. This will feed the yeast in the fermentation stage. Turning the barley frequently ensures the temperature will remain consistent. Sheils, another name for a wooden shovel, are used to turn the grains, on a traditional malting floor. The grains will die if the temperature reaches above 22 degrees, and will the stop the entire process as the starch will not be converted to sugar.

The grain is then kilned as to halt the continuation of sugar consumption the kiln will dry up any moister. Generally a kiln is a building standing two stories in height with the top perforated to allow all heat to leave. The lower floor contains peat bricks that are heated. During this process the grain is dried and takes on that peat like reek. The pagoda style roof on a distillery is the most noticeable characteristic. The malt must not be heated above 70 degrees or it will surely be damaged and unusable.

Most of the distilleries in this day and age buy all their malt from a centralized malting company. However there are still a select few that remain traditional and do it all themselves.

The grain is milled into grist and combined with water in mash tubs to be heated to sixty degrees. During the mashing period the water is changed at least four times to remove sediment. The bi-product of this mashing is called wort. The wort must be cooled prior to mixing with yeast in what is called a wash back. This large container is never filled to the top as the wort froths a lot due to carbon dioxide. After two or three days all the yeast is killed by the alcohol. The end product of this cycle is called wash. It contains an alcohol percent of five to 8 percent.

The stills in which the wash is placed are made of copper and are regulated to a certain shape allowing for proper distillation to occur. The still method is usually ran twice yet some companies do three or more.

After all this is complete the brew is then placed in casks made of usually oak, for a period of eight to twelve years minimum.

Just Right: Storing and Serving Draft Beer

If you’ve been drinking beer for any amount of time you are probably aware of draft beer. People around the globe enjoy the cold sudsy beverage that comes from a keg and out of the beer taps. When stored and served right, it is a tasty and refreshing way to enjoy a cold beer. However, some problems can arise that can definitely take away from the quality and taste of your favorite beverage.

The most important factor in proper draft care is the temperature of the beer. The proper temperature for storage and serving draft beer is 38 degrees Fahrenheit. If the keg falls above or below 38 F, the appearance, freshness, and most importantly, taste can be affected. Draft beer is kept at this temperature so that it can maintain the carbonation level that it has while it is being made at the brewery. It does not matter whether it is a domestic or imported beer or if it is pasteurized or not; the temperature must remain between 38-40 degrees.

If a keg gets too warm, the beer will foam up while it is still in the container. This happens because the pressure applied by the beer tap handles is not enough to keep the carbonation in the beer. This can lead to wasted beer and wasted profit. Once a keg has lost pressure and the carbonation in the beer is gone, it affects the taste, making it more bitter, and the appearance of the beer, making it appear clouded.

If the keg gets too cold it causes the carbonation found in the beer to remain there until the customer consumes it. The result is overfilled beer glasses and a lower yield of beers per keg. Also, if temperature drops too much without the pressure from the beer tap handles being changed, the beer may become over carbonated. This will result in foamy pours.

Temperature can be maintained with a little care. To properly measure a keg’s temperature you must place a thermometer in liquid with the keg. This is important to do to maintain proper temperature. A keg can go from 38 degrees to 48 degrees in as little as four hours. On the other hand, it can take up to ten hours for a keg that measures 48 degrees to be cooled down to 38 degrees. This is a serious matter in a business or party situation!

One way to prevent improper temperature is make sure that your keg refrigerator is well maintained and sealed properly. A poorly sealed cooler can warm the keg by several degrees over a relatively short period of time. When storing kegs, avoid keeping other items in the same cooler as the beer. Having other items in the same refrigerator can lead to people opening the door and affecting the temperature of the keg.

One must consider temperature when receiving a keg from delivery as well. A keg that has ridden around in a delivery truck for several hours is more than likely going to be several degrees warmer than when it came from the warehouse. The bottom line is that with a little care and attention draft beer can always be good all the way from the bottom of the barrel until it comes bursting forth in a golden frothy spray out of the beer tap handles.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Itching to Taste a Good Beer? Do German!

One of the various things the German people are famous for is beer. With more than thirteen-hundred various breweries spread across the country, beer is a crucial piece of their culture and ancestry. The Czechs and the Irish are the only nations above the Germans as far as beer drinking per capita. The monks started to experiment with brewing around one-thousand A.D. back in the beginning of German history Eventually, brewing started to become very profitable for the monks and the country's leaders started to regulate the production of the beer. The Bavarian Reinheitsgebot, or purity requirement, was written in fifteen-sixteen and remains the most prominent and significant factor to effect Germanic brewing.

The Bavarian Reinheitsgebot was ordered by Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria to ensure that Bavarian beers were made of the highest quality. The regulation states that beers should only consist of barley, hops, and water. The Reinheitsgebot is the oldest regulation put on food in the world and has not been changed in nearly five-hundred years. Yeast is the only augmentation to the list of vital ingredients in the act. Yeast that was naturally in the air was what manufacturers before used. Bavarian breweries were soon known as the best producers of beer because of the strict standard of quality followed by the purity standard. As the notoriety of the Bavarian breweries spread across the nation other producers began to follow the proclamation also.

German beers have a long-standing notoriety of making quality beers made only from the best ingredients as a result of the Reinheitsgebot. As time passed and Germany began to export beer, a lot of cities became famed brewing locations. The city of Bremen had over 600 breweries by fifteen-hundred and was the leading exporter of beer to Holland, Scandinavia, England, and even as far as India. Einbeck and Braunschweig were two more famous brewing towns. In modern-day Germany, most of the nation's beer-drinking people still prefer fabbier, or draught beer, over bottle beer because of it's robust taste and right amount of foam. In an attempt to curtail further outbreaks of the bubonic plague German beer steins became popular about the time the purity requirement came out and are still in use today.

During the time of the black plague, Germany started several regulations to stop its people from becoming ill. Large amounts of infected flies would fly in people's food and spread the infection. This led to the stein, a drink holder with a closed top that could be operated with the thumb so a person could stop disease and still be able to drink with their free hand. Beer consumption rose exponentially as people began to realize the disease spread in unsanitary conditions with stagnant pools of water. Originally crafted from stoneware with pewter tops, steins grew in popularity. As the pewter guild grew, steins began to be made completely of pewter and stayed that way for over three-hundred years. Still produced today, silver and porcelain steins were eventually introduced.

Today there are over thirteen-hundred and fifty breweries within Germany's lands that make over five-thousand brands of beer. The oldest beer maker in the world still in operation in the present is the Benedictine abbey Weihenstephan, that has been making beer since 1040. The most concentrated area in Germany for beer makers is the Franconia region of Bavaria by the city Bamberg. Most beers can be placed by ales and lagers but German beer makers produce a large variety of flavors. Some types of beer can have an alcoholic content as high as 12%, making them stronger than most wines even though most beers have an alcoholic content from 4.7% to 5.4%.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

How To Make Beer At Home Tips

If you are one of the many people out there who are a tried and true beer lover, then you are definitely going to want to know how to make beer at home. It is actually not that difficult of a process, and as well it is not expensive either.

If you are interested in learning how to make beer at home, then you are definitely going to want to read on so that you can learn about the basic process that is involved to make beer at home.

How To Make Beer At Home

There are only really several steps that are involved if you want to make beer at home. The first is to get yourself a beer kit, which is a kit that is going to include all of the different tools and materials that you are going to need to make the beer.

Then you need the four main ingredients, which are: water, malt, hops, and yeast. Water is the most abundant ingredient in any style of beer, malted barley is barley grain that has carefully been soaked in water until it sprouts and is then dried and used to make beer, hops balance out the sweetness by adding a degree of bitterness and also add a distinctive aroma to the finished brew, and finally, yeast is the catalyst which makes it all happen.

The next thing that you need to do is add all of the ingredients together using the beer kit, and there are usually instructions that come with each different beer kit because each kit usually has some different aspects to it.

You can even add your own decided flavors to the beer if you like, however you just want to make sure beforehand that you know what you are doing so that you do not use too much or too little and end up ruining the beer.

However even if you do make a mistake, you can just throw that batch out and make a new one, as practice is going to be the only way that you will be able to learn. After a few batches, you are going to be quite good at making your own beer, and you will be surprised at the freshness and tastiness of it, especially compared to the beer that you are used to drinking.

Just make sure that you are responsible and that you are not careless with a process such as this and overdo it.