Better Drinking

Whether you enjoy Belgian beers or not, this bit of news is very interesting. It would seem that the rise against the socialism of the EU, rarely reported on in US papers, is more than alive. It also dispels the notion that Western Europeans, as a whole, are much more "liberal" than Americans. More likely is that European politicians are much more liberal than their constituencies, which is not really all that different than here.

As for the beer, Saison and Biere de Garde are mainly produced in French-speaking Wallonia and French departement Nord-Pas de Calais (originally called French Flanders after the Dutch-speaking population), but most all other Belgian styles are produced in West and East Flanders.

While political changes are only incidental for the benefit of man's spiritual well-being and need, the decentralization of civil authority cannot be a bad thing in itself. Long live Flanders!!

http://www.flemishrepublic.org/pdf/flemishrepublic_2007-17.pdf

The following list represents the most often heard questions/myths/assumptions/statements at beer tastings...

1. Beer makes you fat. Actually, any food or drink can make you fat if you eat/drink too much of it. If you like a couple of beers in the evening, skip a second helping at dinnertime. The key is balance and moderation in everything.

2. How do you stay so thin if you like beer so much? See the answer to question #1. With continually increasing portion sizes, we have equated gluttony with being morbidly obese, not with our "regular" eating habits. But a drunk rarely thinks he's had too much, and the same is true of food. Self-conscious better drinking is also part of better eating, which means less quantity of better food and drink. Unibroue has it right - drink less, drink better.

3. Lagers taste bad. Bad lagers taste bad, good lagers taste good. Duh. Drink better lagers.

4. So…what are some better lagers? Sam Adams Boston Lager, Brooklyn Lager, Thomas Hooker Golden Lager, Celebrator Dopplebock, and Paulaner Oktoberfest are all excellent. There are lots more.

5. Yeah, but…aren't all German beers lagers? No…the lager, as a broad category, is a relatively recent addition to the beer world, the technology of both refrigeration and yeast strain isolation being developed only in the last 150 years. German ales include Hefeweizen, Altbier, Kolsch, Gose, and Berliner Weisse, the hefeweizens being the most recognized.

6. Belgian beers are really strange. Is this a question? Belgian beers comprise at least 15 different unique styles, and the interpretational differences within each style is fairly broad since craft/traditional brewers in that country are not so hung up on "style". So the term "Belgian" is not overly descriptive; that term would include Stella Artois, the plain-Jane Euro lager, all the way to Chimay Grande Reserve (Blue cap), and beyond. As an example, the differences between Lindemans Framboise and Cantillion's Rose De Gambrinus, though technically the same style, are quite pronounced.

7. Ok…I don't like lambics. They're kind of girly. Unless you're the type of person who drinks red wine with fish or white wine with steak, you should know that each beer style, including lambics, are appropriate with certain meals and situations. Lambics, especially the sweetened/fruited kind, are not necessarily meant to be served with the main course of a meal. Besides, fruit has been added to beer for thousands of years, and the "wild" (sour/funky) tastes are not unique to lambics, as Guinness even uses a bit of soured wort to achieve their signature taste.

8. Aren't British beers are supposed to be served warm? Like most ales, they are meant to be served at cellar temperature, between 50-55F. That is certainly warmer than lagers, which should be served around 40-45F. Generally speaking, the colder an ale is drank, the less flavorful it will be. If pulling one straight out of the fridge, let it sit out for about 10 minutes before pouring and drinking.

9. Do you have any, like, formal credentials, in beer tastings or something? No more than is required to be a taster of beers. I just happen to really like beer; consumption, production, and its history, and thought that others would as well. After 3 years, folks keep on coming, so I'll keep on organizing and pouring.

10. You ever think about doing this full-time? All of the time…all of the time. ;)