The Naked Pint (20 page)

Okay, Neophyte, we’ve given you enough to drink for most of the rest of your life. Trust us, the quest for rare Lambics alone could fill the remainder of your beer days. Though you may feel the need to dare to drink different, bigger brews, and we encourage this rock ’n’ roll spirit, we want you to recognize the vastness of the craft world within even one style of beer, the pleasure that can come from comparing Kölschs and weighing in on Witbiers. The Beer Journey is not just about trying every different style in the world or about everyone else’s top 10 (except ours, of course); it’s about getting in deep, even when you’re in the shallow end of the beer ocean. The nuance of your palate depends on your ability to distinguish between even the tenderest of flavors and the most subtle of spices. This, beloved Neophyte, is what keeps the journey alive.

A quart of ale is a dish for a king.

—WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

A
t this point you’re looking to move up in the system. You’ve lost any reservations you may have had about becoming a craft beer drinker, and you’re going to go the distance. Now that quality beer is making your life a lot happier, you’re ready to push the envelope. Being a Sophomore on the Beer Journey is something to revere. You know enough to feel more mature than the cute little Neophytes you once related to, but you know that you’re not far enough along to carry the weight of a true beer sommelier. Many beer Sophomores think now that they’ve learned about beer and found their favorite Pilsner, it’s done and their journey has ended. But don’t suffer this Sophomore slump. You’re young in your beer life, revel in it. Don’t worry about the responsibility of a beer expert—embrace mistakes and laugh them off. Visit the beers of different countries, go to the pub often, taste everything.

Now you can take your next not-so-baby steps. Many of the beer styles that we describe in this chapter use darker malts than the styles in the previous chapter. Now don’t judge them ahead of time because of their color; we think they’re the perfect next step, but not as steep a step as you may think. These beers are a little bigger, have a little more intensity, and are perhaps a little scary right now. But, fear not, young Jedi. We wouldn’t lead you astray. We think you’re ready. Drink or drink not ... there is no try.

A bit of tea and some fish and chippies—brilliant! But what about that pint at the pub? Are the Brits so different from us when it comes to beer? I mean, we share the same language, we both appreciate steak and potatoes, David Beckham, and rock ’n’ roll. Hell, we Americans get many of our brewing and beer drinking traditions from the Brits. After all, it was the Brits who popularized pubs (the public house) as a meeting place where most of life happened. This tradition remains a lively force in any English, Irish, or Scottish town. Going “down the pub” is as essential as the daily bread. The very word
pint
comes from an old British quantity that was used for corn and over time became the desirable amount for a glass of ale all over the world.

British, Scottish, and Irish beer culture differs from the general American beer culture in that it favors the nuanced top-fermenting ale. This means that their beer quest is not for the ice-cold lager or the especially bitter IPA but for the nuttier, more delicate, amber-colored ale or, especially in Ireland, the rich, dark Stout. The United Kingdom likes to hold on tightly to tradition, and the British were skeptical of hops when they first appeared on the beer scene in the 15th century. The ingredient was for a time banned in England, the public not yet used to the bitter hop bite. And Scotland was not able to produce many hop yields and thus created ales with a more sweet smoky flavor than a dry bitter taste. Once hops became the norm in England and were grown on British soil, ales took on the familiar dryness that we taste in pubs today. But even British IPAs are not too bitter, and the ales from this region still have a more subtle flavor profile than many American craft beers.

These traditional styles encourage a well-seasoned palate that can pick up on subtle fruit, caramel tones, spice, and hops. With this palate, beer drinkers go down the pub expecting the barkeep to pour them a true, quality brew, often made in-house. This respect for a proper pint has kept big breweries from dominating the UK beer scene.

We can learn a lot from drinking in a British pub and seeing what they favor and then comparing what we learn to the typical American bar. Craft brewers in the United States have embraced Britain’s love of these ales with open arms. Most American craft breweries offer a Bitter, or Nut Brown, and a Porter or Stout. Though the American beer world tends toward extreme beer styles, we can trace our craft brew roots back to the United Kingdom.

But much of the beer-going public fears the differences between British traditions and American beer practices. You may still be pondering the story your cool cousin Peter told you about being served warm beer in the United Kingdom and how he could hardly drink it. And what about that period piece you got dragged to where they pumped the beer by hand with a very unsanitary-looking old timey gadget you didn’t recognize? Gross! Or is it?

You need to respect British beer and customs before you suffer the stink eye from a surly British bartender. Stop before you ask for ice cubes for your beer (The Horror!). The Brits do indeed value different flavors, styles, and ways of drinking beer from those that we do, but their customs are not to be sneered at. They have evolved to enhance their delicious and decidedly British styles. The Brits love beer as much as we do. Their passion for the pint is legendary, so let’s examine what lies behind their taps.

just say, you wouldn’t want to strip down to your skivvies and let it all hang out in there. This temperature is actually about 55°F. Sound warm? Perhaps to our readers in Alaska it does. It’s true that traditional British beer drinkers stay away from the ice-cold beers many seem to revere in America. Why? The British want to keep their beers from being too cold because this allows the flavor nuances to be present rather than hidden by low temperatures. The nuttiness of an Extra Special Bitter (ESB) doesn’t come through as well at super-cold temperatures. Think of an ice-cold glass of wine versus one served at the correct temperature. The latter allows more fruit and floral notes to come through. The practice of serving beer at cellar temperatures does have its roots in tradition and, like many traditions, came from the practical circumstances of the time—a time before refrigeration existed (much less the kegerator). Yes, it’s true, when these beer styles were created, cellars were the only option, but this is still arguably the best temperature for beer. So don’t sneer at British beer—learn to love the perfect temp.

Many people ask for an amber beer. But because
amber
can mean anything from yellowish to brownish to orange-ish, most beers can be considered amber in color. Therefore and thus, this
style
is a bit vague. Don’t be fooled by color; as we’ve said earlier, a beer’s color tells you
nothing
about its taste. Amber in the lager category usually means an amber to copper-hued beer around 5% ABV. These beers often have a caramelly, nutty profile with a varied degree of hop bitterness. If you feel like you want to order an amber beer, you are probably craving something a bit nuttier than a Pilsner and not super fruity like a Hefeweizen. That’s fine, but you’ll have to be more specific. Just as ordering a blond beer can be a challenge for a craft beer bartender, ordering an amber can have him wondering what it is you really want: a beer with amber in the name? A nutty lager? A Brown Ale? A slightly bitter beer? So be ready to use your newfound skills and communicate whether you want a beer that is bitter, sweet, or smoky. While some beers have their color in the name, it’s always better to use specific flavors rather than hair colors when you are ordering your beer.

Red beers are a shade deeper than the amber, but to us, this color is slightly more specific as a style and is a fair request at a craft establishment. The red beers are so called because of a deep ruby hue and often have a sweet toffee caramel quality that’s a bit bigger than what most refer to as an amber ale. Perhaps the most famous red beers are Irish Reds, which have a malty, toasty, tea-like quality and very low hop presence. American-made red styles, on the other hand, have a pronounced bitterness and are sometimes grouped with American Pale Ales, which tend to have a bigger hop presence. Red beers have become quite a popular labeling for American brewers and can vary greatly in intensity, ABV, and bitterness. Try these great ales to get right with reds: