Edmonton International BeerFest
If you are a beer lover, chances are you have heard stories about your favorite beverage. What you may not know is that some of the stories that you have been hearing are falsehoods, not facts. The next time you reach into your refrigerator to grab a brewski, there you should be able to tell the difference between the facts and fiction.
1. Temperature Can Skunk the Beer
Many brewski drinkers believe that if the temperature of the liquid fluctuates, it will have a negative effect on the taste. This is not true. When the beverage is brewed, the breweries fill the bottles and cans with a cold ale. It usually stays cold when it is delivered to the store. There are many stores who will put the product on the store floor until it is purchased. Finally, when you get your drinks home, you put it in the refrigerator. Through all of these temperature changes, the beverage won’t lose its taste. One thing that will skunk the brewski is sunlight. This is why many breweries use brown bottles. Clear bottles and green bottles allow the contents to be exposed to light and making them taste like skunk. This is why many breweries don’t use these color bottles.
2. Bottles Are Better Than Cans
There are many people who think that bottled brewskies are better than cans. Part of the reason for this myth is that most craft beers are usually in a bottle. What you may not know is that craft beers brewers are using cans more often. Some people say that canned brewskis have a metallic taste. While this was true years ago, breweries now use a chemical liner in the can. This will prevent the contents from tasting like metal. The truth is that cans are better. They are lighter which saves on shipping costs which is why cans are cheaper than bottles. Cans are also more recyclable. In addition, cans are often sold at sporting events and establishments where glass bottles are not allowed. Finally, cans are not transparent, therefore, the contents cannot be exposed to the sunlight which can have a negative effect on the taste.
3. Dark Beers Are Stronger and More Bitter
All dark brewskis are not stronger and more bitter than light ones. While some dark beers are, there are some dark beers that are just dark in color as a result of the malt that is used and it won’t affect the taste. When it comes to the strength of your favorite brand, color has nothing to do with it. Stronger beers will have more sugar in the initial wort. This can occur in both dark and light beers and it all depends on how it is fermented.
4. Beer Needs To Be Served Ice Cold
There are many people who won’t drink a brewski unless it is ice cold because they believe that it should be. The truth is that this beverage can be cold, but if it is too cold, it can mask the flavor. There is a certain formula that you should follow based on the type that you are drinking.
- American Larger: Serving temperature- 34 degrees
- Stout: Serving temperature- 55 degrees also known a cellar temperature
- Craft Beers: Serving temperature 40 to 55 degrees
5. A Beer’s Foam Is Your Enemy
Most people believe that a perfectly poured brewski won’t have any foam at the top. These people hate the thought of sifting through the foam to get to the actual drink. This is actually a myth. A good glass of suds will have a finger and a half of head on the top. This foam will actually trap the flavor and the aroma of the beverage in the glass. While some head is good, too much is bad. If you have too much head in your glass, it will release too much carbonation, resulting in a flat drink. The foam in a brewski is just 25 percent beer. If your glass is half foam, you won’t be getting as much brewski as you are paying for.
6. Wine Is More Complex Than Most Beers
Most brewski drinkers have at least one friend who says they won’t drink a few beers because it is too simple. This is not true. Brewskis has over 700 different flavor profiles while wine has only half that amount. Therefore, a brewski is more complex than wine.
7. ”Beers Before Liquor, Never Been Sicker”
There is a drinking saying that many people abide by. It says, “Beers before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beers, in the clear.” This saying is right and it is wrong. There are no components in liquor and a few beers that make it better to drink one first. However, if you are at home sipping on a few beers, you will get a small buzz. When you get to the bar and you start drinking shots, you get drunk after the fact. If you are at home drinking shots, you will be drunk when you get to the bar and you are more likely to sip your brewski.
If you love to have a few cold beers on a night out, you should know the facts and the fiction regarding your favorite alcoholic beverage.
Our annual BeerFest in Edmonton offers some of the best selections from the micro brewing community. Tickets for the 2018 International Beerfest are on sale now! Buy tickets today before the event sells out!
Brewing is an ancient art that can be traced back to the Sumerians of Mesopotamia, mankind’s oldest civilization. When humans were first beginning their transition from hunters to an agricultural sedentary lifestyle approximately 10,000 years ago, the Sumerians started brewing. The first Europeans to make beer were the Germanic tribes of the Bronze Age, around 2,000-700 B.C. Much has changed since then but the basics of the brewing craft have remained the same.
Local brewers are keeping this ancient art alive. Their beer is the product of refinement over millenia of experimentation, tradition, and knowledge transmitted from generation to generation. Their beer has the true taste of the ages.
What is a craft brewery? A brewery must be independent, traditional, and small to be called craft. Small means a production of less than two million barrels of beer per year. Independent means that no more than 25 percent is controlled or owned by another company.
Brewing beer is an art form and it is the local brewers that help maintain this art. The real art of making beer is mastered by the local handmade breweries that make smaller batches of beer in a more traditional way.
These locally owned breweries deliver better social value than the global companies. From an economic point of view the local breweries have impact on the local communities contributing with wages, taxes, and expenditures to the economic well being of the communities. Local brewery ownership is a mean of community building.
From a social and cultural point of view the local breweries keep alive a tradition and an ancient craft. Local breweries are our neighbors. Some of them are also brewpubs, places where beer lovers can enjoy the beverage in their own neighborhood. A brewpub is not only locally owned but actually make the beers that it
sells.
The ownership of breweries by faraway global corporations is alienating. People would rather seek out the intimate experience provided by brewpubs. The majority of the patrons of those brewpubs appreciate the social interaction combined with the alcohol consumption.
Going local is a trendy concept and it applies to beer as well. You can help support your local breweries by buying local crafted beer at your local store or visiting one of their establishments.
Our friends at Gadventures and Travel Gurus are giving away a trip for 2 to Thailand! Visit the Gadventures & Travel Gurus Booth at the 2018 Edmonton International Beerfest or fill out the entry form below for your chance to win an exciting 10-day Thai adventure for you and a friend!
Read below for an overview of the trip, or check out the full details here.
Enter to Win
The Trip – Northern Thailand Adventure
Don’t just visit Thailand; find yourself on a once-in-a-lifetime, genuine cultural experience you’ll talk about forever. This 10-day adventure throughout Northern Thailand will give you amazing stories to share. Explore the ruins of the former Thai capital city of Ayutthaya, spend a night in a floating rafthouse, and take a local train up to vibrant and unforgettable Chiang Mai to trek into the hills surrounding the city. Get to know the people of the hilltribes who live there who don’t often get to meet travellers. This immersive experience will take you back to a simpler time that you might not want to leave.
Itinerary
Day 1 – Bangkok
Arrive at any time.
Day 2 – Bangkok/Kanchanaburi
Enjoy a klong boat tour of Bangkok including a visit to Wat Po. Travel to Kanchanaburi and head to your floating rafthouse accommodation. Enjoy free time to explore.
Exclusive Inclusions:Local Living Overnight Rafthouse Excursion
Meals included: Breakfast | Dinner
Day 3 – Kanchanaburi
Enjoy a day of sightseeing at Erawan Falls and the Bridge on the River Kwai. Explore the Allied War Cemetery, the Thai-Burmese Railway Centre and the JEATH War Museum to learn more about the area’s history.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4 – Kanchanaburi/Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Travel to Ayutthaya and visit the historical sites of the old capital city. Opt to visit Chan Kasem National Museum and Chao Sam Phraya Museum.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 5 – Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya/Chiang Mai
Spend a full day exploring Ayutthaya before boarding an overnight train to Chiang Mai.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 6 – Chiang Mai
Arrive in Chiang Mai and explore the city. Visit Doi Suthep in the afternoon.
Day 7 – Chiang Mai/Ban Pha Mon
Drive from Chiang Mai to the trailhead. Trek through farmland and bamboo and teak forests. Learn about bush food and medicinal plants. Enjoy lunch en route before continuing through rice fields and valleys to reach the first village of a Lahu tribe. Assist with food prep and cooking, learn about weaving and embroidery or check out a local Lahu massage.
Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 8 – Ban Pha Mon/Ban Muang Pam
Trek between villages, over farmlands and grasslands, and ascend to the ridge line. Learn about bush medicine and seasonal fruits as you make your way to the lunch stop. Go for a swim and help the local guides prepare lunch. Continue on to the Karen village and spend the night. Opt to learn about medicine from a shaman or play football with the locals.
Exclusive Inclusions: Get Active Hilltribe Trek Day 2
Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 9 – Ban Muang Pam/Chiang Mai
After breakfast, leave the village and continue on, trekking beside the Pam River through lush jungle. Arrive at Tham Lod, a 1666m deep cave. Enter by bamboo raft and move to different chambers – a truly unique experience. After lunch, drive back to Chiang Mai for some free time to explore.
Exclusive Inclusions: Get Active Hilltribe Trek Day 3
Meals included: Breakfast | Lunch
Day 10 – Chiang Mai
Depart at any time.
Meals included: Breakfast
View more details about this trip here
Modern beer drinkers want variety. They want tasty, quality beers. They are not as committed to beer brands as their parents and are willing to explore new breweries and fresh flavors. Their thirst and discerning palates led to the craft beer revolution and ongoing evolution.
The recent past has been great. In 2016, we can expect more breweries to enter the market. Here are few expected trends for the industry locally and abroad.
Craft Beer Will Get Better
Craft brewers owe their market share to discerning consumers. With so many breweries in the same region, community goodwill is no longer enough. Quality beer is the only competitive edge for those who want to stay afloat. As a beer drinker, 2016 will be an exciting year loaded with tasty quality brews.
Session Beer will Rule
In 2015, Session became the new way to qualify beer. In 2016, Session will continue to rise and dominate. Almost every beer style will bear “Session” labels.
More Limited Release Beers
Release days for limited release bottles have caused a frenzy in the past. In 2016, demand for rare or unique versions will peak. Consequently, you can expect more bottle frenzies.
Return to Lagers
Lagers are hard to produce. They require long fermentation time and more capital. Additionally, craft brewers sensed a “lager-fatigue” in Canadian beer fans. For the mentioned reasons, craft brewers have been ignoring lagers.
However, things have changed. Consumers are demanding crisp, clean light-bodied lagers. And there are new lager yeasts that promise more variety. You can expect more experimental lagers in 2016.
Buyouts and Mergers
Microbrewers have made considerable inroads. The big brands can be expected to fight for their dwindling market share. 2016 will witness more aggressive marketing and perhaps buyouts, mergers and Big Beer’s control of distribution networks.
More Import Craft Beer Locally
Craft beer consumer base in Canada is thriving. More dealers will look to export their craft brands to Canada. Notably, you can expect more American craft beer in local liquor stores.
Single-Malt Beers
Industry observers predict that specialty malts will become as important as hops. Brewers will use the same base malt but a single specialty malt for their ales.
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com
If you want to get the most out of each beer you drink, then you’ve got to find its sweet spot; the temperature at which you find the beer to be its most flavorful and robust. The first rule is to forget what the brewers tell you is the best serving temperature for your favorite beer. It always comes down to personal preference. For instance, conventional wisdom says that stouts are best enjoyed at something close to room temperature, or on the warm side, while IPA’s are generally best enjoyed on the cold side. Definitely use these as a starting point, but experimentation is key.
When trying a new beer for the first time, start with it cold, say a temperature of around 40 degrees Fahrenheit, drink slowly, and let it warm as you go along. Pay close attention to the beer’s flavors at each interval, and take the beer’s temperature when you find the sweet spot for yourself. Make a note of it, and go on to the next beer you enjoy. Keep repeating that process till you’ve covered all your favorites.
When visiting England, I was lucky enough to go to the brewery tap of a famous independent brewery. (That’s the pub that adjoins and is owned by the brewery). At a brewery tap, you can expect to taste beer at its finest, served at the perfect temperature. The barman was full of apologies; their cellar had dropped below its optimum temperature for the stouts due to unusually cold weather, and he was advising drinkers to allow their beer to stand for a couple of minutes so that it would warm up a degree or two and reach its optimum. This was an impressive example of devotion to the brewer’s art.
Knowing each of your favorite brew’s perfect drinking temperature will definitely maximize your enjoyment, but of course, you don’t have perfect control over the temperature when you’re at a bar. You can ballpark it, but you’ll find your best results when you drink at home. Some beer enthusiasts even go so far as to have a dedicated beer fridge set to just the right temperature for their favorite brews.
The idea of having a dedicated beer fridge might sound a bit excessive to you, but once you have tasted, tested, and found the sweet spots for your favorite brews, you’ll better understand. It makes a world of difference. When you expand your pallet and try a new beer, just perform the same experiment, starting cold and letting it slowly warm. You’ll be glad you did.
To try a whole range of fantastic beers, each served at the perfect temperature, visit the 2015 Edmonton International Beer Festival.
