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BEER SOMMELIER6

CONTENTS

PREFACE PAGE 10

THE ORIGINS OF BEER PAGE 14

Beer B.C. PAGE 15

Beer A.D. PAGE 16

Industrial beer PAGE 20

The renaissance of beer PAGE 22

WHAT IS BEER? PAGE 24

THE RAW MATERIALS PAGE 26

Water PAGE 26

Yeast (and fermentation) PAGE 26

Barley malt and other cereals PAGE 29

Hops PAGE 30

HOW BEER IS MADE PAGE 32

The hot side PAGE 32

Fermentation PAGE 35

Spontaneous fermentation PAGE 38

Top fermentation PAGE 40

Bottom fermentation PAGE 42

SERVING BEER PAGE 46

Draught beer PAGE 49

The hand pump PAGE 50

From the cask by gravity PAG. 52

Bottled beer PAGE 56

THE MAJOR COUNTRIES AND THE MAJOR STYLES OF BEER PAGE 70

BELGIUM PAGE 72

SAISON PAGE 74

BIÈRE BLANCHE PAGE 76

BELGIAN GOLDEN STRONG ALE PAGE 78

FLEMISH RED ALE PAGE 80

OUD BRUIN OR FLANDERS BROWN PAGE 82

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BEER SOMMELIER 77

DUBBEL AND TRIPEL PAGE 84

LAMBIC PAGE 86

ENGLAND PAGE 88

ENGLISH BARLEY WINE PAGE 90

ENGLISH IPA PAGE 92

ORDINARY BITTER PAGE 94

BROWN PORTER PAGE 96

MILD PAGE 98

RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT PAGE 100

IRELAND PAGE 102

IRISH RED ALE PAGE 104

DRY STOUT PAGE 106

SCOTLAND PAGE 108

STRONG SCOTCH ALE PAGE 110

GERMANY PAGE 112

MÜNCHNER HELL PAGE 114

MÜNCHNER DUNKEL PAGE 116

MÄRZEN/OKTOBERFEST PAGE 118

SCHWARZBIER PAGE 120

TRADITIONAL BOCK PAGE 122

KÖLSCH PAGE 124

BERLINER WEISSE PAGE 126

WEIZENBIER (WEISSBIER) PAGE 128

GOSE PAGE 130

CZECH REPUBLIC PAGE 132

BOHEMIAN PILSNER PAGE 134

AUSTRIA PAGE 136

VIENNA LAGER PAGE 138

UNITED STATES PAGE 140

AMERICAN PALE ALE (APA) PAGE 142

STANDARD AMERICAN LAGER PAGE 144

IMPERIAL IPA PAGE 146


BEER SOMMELIER 11

Beer, which is now becoming a fashion phenomenon, is the is oldest and most widespread fermented

product in the world.

Today we hear about it everywhere, from the United States to Australia and Japan, and of course throughout

Europe. People are asking for craft beers in pubs, they are talking about micro-breweries, and they are enjoying

beers that have amazing, original flavors and remarkable aromas.

It is a new phenomenon that has a twin character: that of innovation and tradition. The first originated in the

United States in the late 1970s, while the second came from Great Britain, where the enthusiasts of CAMRA

(the Campaign for Real Ale) are committed to recovering the Anglo-Saxon tradition that had gone missing.

Micro-breweries had been spreading in the United States since the 1970s and in the late 1990s small groups

of pioneers elsewhere began producing beers. New breweries opened in Belgium next to the existing ones;

Scandinavia and Denmark gave further impetus to micro-breweries, Italy began producing artisanal beers and

the Czech Republic, liberated from the Iron Curtain, contributed to renewing its traditions. So the movement

spread throughout the world, from north to south, from east to west.

Of course such beers have always existed, but they were taken for granted and dropped into oblivion, leaving

only commercial lagers that were always very similar with bland colors and flavors. Without demonizing

these consumer products, it is worth remembering that beer is a living product, able to stimulate the senses

and to tell a story, that of the brewer with his pitcher and of the land where he grew up and works, and to do

this, all that is needed it to learn to “listen.”

This book is a first step in a journey to becoming knowledgable about the brewing world.

I hope that for you Gambrinus’s passion for drinking will be like a vision on the road to Damascus. Never

forget that beer is the third (or fourth, or fifth…) friend at the table when you are chatting, perhaps in a pub

in the evening, and that it knows how to stand on the sidelines without being irritating, while giving great

satisfaction with every sip and, if not drunk to excess, it will also help the conversation flow.

Cheers!

Andrea Camaschella

PREFACE

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[email protected] 112 01/07/14 11:57

112 THE MAJOR COUNTRIES AND THE MAJOR STYLES OF BEER

Germany has a very ancient brewing tradition but it has also imposed on the world the modern Pale Lager

beers, based on production techniques developed in its industrial breweries. In spite of the Bavarian Purity

Law imposed on all the States of the Federation, which remained in force until the end of the 20th century, the

country has developed a great variety of types of beers and various exceptions to the Purity Law. This variety

can be explained by the region being made up of numerous small principalities, each with its own laws and

traditions. So each area and each town has a unique repository of beers with deep historical roots.

In Bavaria we find the legendary wheat beers, the Weissbier (white beers) or Weizenbier (wheat beers) that

are characterized by the phenol of the yeast and the rush of wheat malt. There are also beers in the Hell style

that could be described as masterpieces of simplicity, more so than the Märzen beers that are drunk in vast

quantities during the Oktoberfest held every year in Munich (except during time of war or other catastrophes).

This event consists of a sort of amusement park with enormous structures housing the city’s breweries and

attracting millions of visitors including numerous foreigners.

Traveling slightly further north, we find that the ancient tradition of the Zoigl beers is still very much alive;

these are beers produced by a few families that over the centuries have acquired the right to brewing in the

town’s communal brewery. This beer is then sold directly at the brewer’s home, sometimes in the living room

transformed into a kind of pub, and sometimes in a special premises set up like a “Gasthaus,” a kind of inn or

wine bar that also serves food.

Besides Munich, there are other large cities in Germany that have left their own individual mark on beer styles,

such as Dortmund with its Dortmunder, the local response to Hell and Pils.

Cologne too has a very strong brewing tradition that could be described as a counter-trend compared to the rest

of the country, with a top-fermenting beer, Kölsch, that is pale, clear and with a low alcohol content that can

only be produced within the walls of the city. It is consumed directly in the pubs attached to the brewery, often

served straight from the barrels, its low carbonation making it easy to serve.

A few miles from Cologne is Düsseldorf which with its Alt, amber-colored beers again top-fermented, attracts

and seduces beer enthusiasts. One of the main avenues of the city is lined with traditional breweries that offer

only this beer, produced on site, and its more alcoholic winter version. Here too it is possible to eat traditional

dishes accompanied by this low-alcohol beer that with its lightly-toasted notes never disappoints.

Not far from Cologne and Dusseldorf, the city of Bonn has responded with the Bonsch beer, a beer that is

however much less interesting than the two previous ones: it seems to have tried to distinguish itself from the

Cologne beer by producing one that is too simple.

In Berlin and generally in the former East Germany, most of the traditional beers have been threatened by the more

commercial beers that are more profitable. Berliner Weiss has survived with difficulty and today it is enjoying a

discreet revival thanks the efforts of many foreign brewers who have relaunched it, although in the capital it has

always been possible to enjoy these slightly acid beers, perhaps with woodruff syrup or some other fruit syrup

to tone down its acidity. Further south, in Leipzig, Gose beers seem to have been rediscovered recently; these

are traditional beers produced in the nearby city of Goslar where this very unusual beer is produced with salted

water, wheat and coriander; today it is very famous and imitated in many parts of the world.

GERMANY

[email protected] 112 01/07/14 11:57

112 THE MAJOR COUNTRIES AND THE MAJOR STYLES OF BEER

Germany has a very ancient brewing tradition but it has also imposed on the world the modern Pale Lager

beers, based on production techniques developed in its industrial breweries. In spite of the Bavarian Purity

Law imposed on all the States of the Federation, which remained in force until the end of the 20th century, the

country has developed a great variety of types of beers and various exceptions to the Purity Law. This variety

can be explained by the region being made up of numerous small principalities, each with its own laws and

traditions. So each area and each town has a unique repository of beers with deep historical roots.

In Bavaria we find the legendary wheat beers, the Weissbier (white beers) or Weizenbier (wheat beers) that

are characterized by the phenol of the yeast and the rush of wheat malt. There are also beers in the Hell style

that could be described as masterpieces of simplicity, more so than the Märzen beers that are drunk in vast

quantities during the Oktoberfest held every year in Munich (except during time of war or other catastrophes).

This event consists of a sort of amusement park with enormous structures housing the city’s breweries and

attracting millions of visitors including numerous foreigners.

Traveling slightly further north, we find that the ancient tradition of the Zoigl beers is still very much alive;

these are beers produced by a few families that over the centuries have acquired the right to brewing in the

town’s communal brewery. This beer is then sold directly at the brewer’s home, sometimes in the living room

transformed into a kind of pub, and sometimes in a special premises set up like a “Gasthaus,” a kind of inn or

wine bar that also serves food.

Besides Munich, there are other large cities in Germany that have left their own individual mark on beer styles,

such as Dortmund with its Dortmunder, the local response to Hell and Pils.

Cologne too has a very strong brewing tradition that could be described as a counter-trend compared to the rest

of the country, with a top-fermenting beer, Kölsch, that is pale, clear and with a low alcohol content that can

only be produced within the walls of the city. It is consumed directly in the pubs attached to the brewery, often

served straight from the barrels, its low carbonation making it easy to serve.

A few miles from Cologne is Düsseldorf which with its Alt, amber-colored beers again top-fermented, attracts

and seduces beer enthusiasts. One of the main avenues of the city is lined with traditional breweries that offer

only this beer, produced on site, and its more alcoholic winter version. Here too it is possible to eat traditional

dishes accompanied by this low-alcohol beer that with its lightly-toasted notes never disappoints.

Not far from Cologne and Dusseldorf, the city of Bonn has responded with the Bonsch beer, a beer that is

however much less interesting than the two previous ones: it seems to have tried to distinguish itself from the

Cologne beer by producing one that is too simple.

In Berlin and generally in the former East Germany, most of the traditional beers have been threatened by the more

commercial beers that are more profitable. Berliner Weiss has survived with difficulty and today it is enjoying a

discreet revival thanks the efforts of many foreign brewers who have relaunched it, although in the capital it has

always been possible to enjoy these slightly acid beers, perhaps with woodruff syrup or some other fruit syrup

to tone down its acidity. Further south, in Leipzig, Gose beers seem to have been rediscovered recently; these

are traditional beers produced in the nearby city of Goslar where this very unusual beer is produced with salted

water, wheat and coriander; today it is very famous and imitated in many parts of the world.

GERMANY

[email protected] 113 01/07/14 18:32

113THE MAJOR COUNTRIES AND THE MAJOR STYLES OF BEER

Franconia, the northernmost part of Bavaria, is perhaps the most fascinating region for a beer enthusiast, where

small family brewers make beer following ancient recipes in outbuildings behind their inns. In and around

Bamberg, the brewing capital as well as a splendid city, miraculously spared during the bombing raids of the

Second World War, there are still a large number of historic breweries that produce local beers, unique of

their kind and based on ancient recipes. It was in Bamberg that Rauchbier was born, those smoky beers that

have survived here and are copied and admired today throughout the world. In the taverns annexed to these

breweries, vast amounts are drunk of whatever beer is available, according to the season: Fasten (Easter beers),

Märzen, Bock, Doppelbock but above all Keller Bier, usually not filtered, well matured in the cellar, Land Bier,

and Ungespundet (which in fact means “not filtered”) are some of the masterpieces created by these brewers,

each one so very simple and yet all so very different from each other.

In smaller villages the choice of where to go to drink a beer is limited if there is only one brewery, but even

where there are two or more, it is a tradition that families only patronize one of them. The head of the family

will have chosen it for himself and for the generations to come. In summer the larger breweries open their

Biergarten, open-air pubs, while the smaller brewers sell their beer to independent pubs. Every evening (and

often in the afternoon as well) the local inhabitants meet in these places to enjoy the sun and the warmth

without giving up their beer.

Germany has a strong tradition of brewing schools, of growing barley and hops and of malting, together forming

a complete production chain of the highest quality. While the Purity Law may have restricted the brewers’

imagination in their production and the evolution of styles by creating a certain conservatism, it is also true that

in recent times something has changed. Besides the classic noble hops, pillars of the Teutonic tradition, new

types of hops with fascinating aromatic properties have been introduced, an impressive response by the Old

Continent to the continuous flow of innovations from the New World. Also some local brewers have started

to use American varieties so as to produce less typical styles, while arousing the interest of a younger public

of beer enthusiasts. The good omen is that the new hops grown in the Hallertau (the most important area of

cultivation) are better adapted to the types of local beers than those from North America.

[email protected] 128 01/07/14 11:57

[email protected] 129 01/07/14 11:58

129THE MAJOR COUNTRIES AND THE MAJOR STYLES OF BEER

WEIZENBIER (WEISSBIER)

FAMILY: TOP FERMENTATION

CATEGORY: GERMAN WHEAT AND RYE BEER

STYLE: WEIZENBIER (WEISSBIER)

ORIGIN: GERMANY (MUNICH)

It is the nth style created by the Bavarian brewers, today very widespread and

popular with the general public, distinguished by its large amount of wheat malt,

not below 50%. For these beers brewers use special top-fermenting yeasts that are

responsible, together with the wheat, for the typical spicy clove and ripe banana

aroma with phenolic and slightly citric accents. But one must watch out for the

name under which they are marketed. This may be Weiss (white) that refers to the

color, although in reality they are pale yellow, or it may be Weizen (wheat) that

refers to its main ingredient, wheat malt. In addition to the generic names Weiss

and Weizen, it is sometimes marketed under other names that refer more to its

characteristics. "Kristall" tells us that the beer has been filtered and not re-fermented

to appear sparkling. Hefeweizen, that is Weizen with yeast (Hefe=yeast), is the

name given to the non-filtered versions that are re-fermented and very opalescent

with a deeper color. These are also the most widespread.

Finally there are other Weizen beers that do not belong to this style: the Dunkel

Weizen, so called because of their dark color (Dunkel=dark), in which the fruity

aromas have been replaced by those of roast coffee and liquorish. There are also

Weizenbock and the Weizen Doppel-Bock, dark wheat beers that share the very

complex character and high alcohol content typical of Bock and Doppel-Bock.

These are very straightforward and popular beers, very approachable. They are

sometimes unfairly snubbed by self-styled experts who have maybe forgotten that

it survived the notorious Purity Law because the royal family of Bavaria owned the

exclusive production rights.

Many enjoy it with a slice of lemon elegantly placed on the rim of the glass. But

who are we to say… “de gustibus non est disputandum” ("in matters of taste there is

no argument”). Try it both ways and then you can decide how you prefer it.

Alcohol content: about 4.3-5.6% abv.

Pairing: in Munich you can enjoy it with white Vienna sausage and sweet mustard

as a mid-morning snack.

[email protected] 204 01/07/14 12:10

204 PAIRING BEER AND FOOD

RECOMMENDED PAIRING: FRAMBOISE

GLAZED PORK KNUCKLEWITH SMALL RED FRUITS, RASPBERRY BEER

DROPS AND CREAMED POTATOSERVES 4

2 PORK KNUCKLES CUT IN HALF LENGTHWAYS 1 STICK CELERY

1 CARROT 1 WHITE ONION

1 1/4 CUPS (300 ML) WHITE WINE1 BUNCH HERBS CONSISTING OF BAY LEAF, ROSEMARY, THYME, SAGE

1 BOWL RASPBERRIES 1 BOWL BLACKBERRIES 1 BOWL BLUEBERRIES

3/4 CUP+2 TBSP (200 ML) FRAMBOISE BEER2 TSP (5 G) TAPIOCA FLOUR

2 LB 2 OZ (1 KG) YELLOW POTATOES 1 1/4 CUPS (300 ML) FRESH CREAM

3 TBSP (40 G) BUTTER EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

SALT AND PEPPER

PREPARATION

Peel and wash the celery, carrot and onion, cut into cubes and fry in an ovenproof pan with olive oil and

salt. Salt and pepper the pork knuckles, saute in a non-stick pan, pour in the white wine, add the red

fruits having previously washed them and bring to a boil. Pour the sauce over the knuckles in the pan,

add the bouquet garni, and cook in the oven for 2 hours at 350 °F (180 °C).

Put the beer in a saucepan, add the tapioca flour and bring to the boil, stirring quickly with a whisk until

it forms a thick sauce. Leave to cool.

Boil the potatoes in their skins in salted water. Drain and peel them, crush them in a pan, add the very

cold butter, stir until it is well blended, add salt, add the cold cream and transfer to the heat, stirring until

you have a puree. Remove the knuckles from the oven, transfer to a serving dish, and then reduce the

strained sauce until it is thick and glossy.

Cover the knuckles with the sauce, add the mashed potatoes to the dish and garnish with a few drops of

the beer and tapioca sauce.

[email protected] 205 01/07/14 12:10

Beer is a drink as old as mankind—and still a favorite today, with more people than ever appreciating craft brews and unique flavors. Beer Sommelier takes readers on a visually stunning world tour of the beer-making process, presenting principal types from ten various traditions. Through detailed profiles and splendid photos, aficionados will be better able to understand and appreciate the subtle differences that distinguish each style.

• Review copy mailing to trade publications

• Review copy mailing to men’s, beer, and beverage magazines and beer writers at daily newspapers

• Outreach to beer and beverage blogs and websites

• Pitch for inclusion in Father’s Day gift guides

Pietro Fontana opened a microbrewery in Monza, Italy, where he is both owner and brewer: Piccolo Opificio Brassicolo del Carrobiolo-FERMENTUM, a member of the Italian cultural association Unionbirrai. Apart from producing sought-after beers, he organizes introductory courses to home brewing and tastings of quality beers. In 2011 and 2013, some of his beers obtained the highest recognition available to Italian brewers, being included in Slowfood’s Guida alle birre d’Italia (a guide to Italian beers). In 2014, he extended his brewery, adding a new production area and a brewpub—the first in the city.

Fabio Petroni specializes in portraits and still lifes. He has photographed leading Italian celebrities, and works with top advertising agencies where he handles important Italian brands. His books with White Star include Horses: Master Portraits, Mutt’s Life!, Cocktails, Orchids, Tea Sommelier, and Bonsai. He lives in Milan.

For more information, contact Blanca Oliviery at (646) 688-2548 or [email protected]

PUB DATE FEBrUAry 2015

sterlingpublishing.com

February 2015Culinary / Beer$39.95 ($43.95 Can)Hardcover with Jacket9 5⁄8“ x 12“ • 232 pages (all in color)978-88-544-0901-9

DISCLAIMERReviewers are reminded that changes may be made in this uncorrected proof before books are printed. If any material from the book is to be quoted in a review, the quotation should be checked against the final bound book. Dates, prices, and manufacturing details are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

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