Discover Top Posts Tagged with #hrgrowler

HR Growler crew at Deschutes Brewery tap take-over at Public House! #hrgrowler #deschutes (at The Public House)

The new issue of HR Growler is out today. Get one from today's The Virginian-Pilot paper or at your favorite watering hole! 🍻 #hrgrowler #craftbeer #magazine #iheartfoodvb #iheartfood

#iheartfood #magazine #iheartfoodvb #hrgrowler #craftbeer

Don’t Sour on Sours Yet

by Malia Paasch

This week I’m hosting my fifth annual 43 Hours of Sours at The Birch, a craft beer bar in Norfolk’s Chelsea neighborhood. And while sours continue to grow in popularity, I still field a fair amount of questions about them.

So here is a little tutorial. The term “sour” applies to beers that taste acidic, vinegary, funky, or tart. There are a variety of techniques to make one, but the foundation is based on the yeast or bacteria used. Bacteria metabolize sugar in the wort and produce lactic acid. Brewers will use a combination of bacteria to obtain the desired acidity, and in most cases end up blending different batches together. The second aspect to making a sour involves the manner in which bacteria are added to the beer, and how it is aged. Historically, German brewers would throw malt to get a lacto sour going because the husks are loaded with lactobacicullus. The kettle sour method and barrel aging are other methods of the process. Sours can take on the flavors from the liquids that were previously in the barrels. Plus the barrels also hold microflora and microorganisms, which will also affect taste. Making sours is not easy and in some cases takes years. But they can be worth every second of the wait. I’m convinced there is a sour for everyone, but the search may take time. First, identify you flavor profile. If you are more of a wine drinker, there is a good chance you will prefer wine barrel-aged sours. But if you like Sweet Tarts or Sour Patch Kids, you might want to steer toward a Berliner Weiss or a dry-hopped sour IPA. Here are some classic sour styles and their tasting notes for you to use as a guide: •Flemish Reds: smooth, slightly sweet, sometimes fruity • Goses: salty, tart, light • Gueuze: bitter greens, vinaigrette • Berliner Weiss: refreshing, lemony, crisp • Wild Ales: dry, funky, can be fruity or tart • Basque Ciders: tart, vinegary, olive At our 43 Hours of Sour festival, we create tasting notes for every beer on draft and customers can opt to get a 4.5 oz taster pour instead of committing to a whole glass. Some other great places to find sours in the area are Esoteric, The Lynnhaven Pub, Dog Street Pub, and The Bier Garden, or Total Wine, Grape and Gourmet, Bottlebox, and Exception(Ale) for take home.

#sour beer #the birch bar #hrgrowler #tasting #craft beer #43 hours of sour

The ABC’s of Ordering Beer

By Malia Paasch for HR Growler Photo by Chrystal Culbert Asking for a beer seems a simple enough process, but what happens if you just don’t know what you like? This happens more often than you might think. Craft beer’s growing popularity has led to more people trying it; not all of them are even remotely aware of what they want. The key is understanding flavors and being aware of the ones you like. I’ve heard some crazy descriptions: types of candy, exotic seasonings, nail polish remover, vinegar, and even dirt. But don’t be shy. Anything can help give the bartender a starting point to your palate. Here are a few of the most common scenarios my staff and I encounter when we’re trying to find someone their perfect beer. Scenario 1: You tell the bartender you like (or dislike) hoppy beers. Most beers have hops, but that doesn’t mean all beers taste like an India Pale Ale. There are 124 named hop varieties and each has its own special flavor. There are hop varieties that aren’t even bitter.

If you like hops, tell the bartender what other IPAs you like. This provides a clue as to what kind of hops you already enjoy. Common hop descriptors in IPA include pine, spruce, grapefruit, and citrus.

Otherwise, explain why you don’t like hoppy beers. Is it because the hops are bitter or is it the aftertaste? It could be that you enjoy fruity hops and not the piney ones.

Scenario 2: You ask the bartender for something light. Do you mean light in color? Light in alcohol, or body? Does that mean tart or are you looking for a wheat beer? A diehard IPA fan might consider a 7 percent IPA to be light, while others are looking for a more traditional interpretation and want a pilsner. Again, the simplest way is to give an example of a beer you like, even if it isn’t a craft beer.

Scenario 3: You don’t really like beer. It’s not often you’ll find yourself in a position where a bar doesn’t have alternatives to beer, but in some cases it does happen. Tell the bartender what alcoholic drinks you like. If you like margaritas, you might like something crisp, slightly tart, and a bit fruity. A red wine drinker might enjoy a mild sour beer. White wine lovers usually like a witbier or Belgian tripel. Of course the best way to learn more about beer is to drink some. But don’t be shy about chatting up a knowledgeable bartender. You never know what you might discover.

#craft beer #how to order #new to beer #hrgrowler #ipas #the birch #bartending #advice

Take Your Taste Buds Down Under

by Malia Paasch for HR Growler

One of the most exciting things about the craft beer revival is that it stretches beyond our country’s borders.

America is not the only place facing choices between mass-produced macro beers and the smaller, usually more tasty, craft selections. When you think of Australian beer, what comes to mind? Fosters? Well, that’s now owned by SABMiller. How about Italy? Peroni is also owned by SABMiller. Heck, even Moratti is owned by Heineken.

So what does one do if they want good beer down under? How about checking out Nomad Brewing Company, a collaboration between Australian craft beer importer ExperienceIt and Birra del Borgo, Italy’s premiere craft brewer. ExperienceIt is owned by Kerrie and Johnny Latta, who moved from Australia to Italy in search of a new adventure. The couple started their importing company, initially focusing on Italian wines.

Soon they fell in love with craft beer and started importing to Australia as well. The company also imports American craft beers into the country, including selections from Deschutes Brewery, Stone Brewing and Sixpoint Brewery. Birra del Borgo was founded by Leonardo Di Vincenzo, a biochemist who became fascinated with home brewing. You may have heard of Birra del Borgo from its collaboration with Dogfish Head Brewing.

Together those two companies made My Antonia, an imperial pilsner recipe created using Dogfish Head’s continual hopping technique. Del Borgo’s beers, imported by ExperienceIt, made their debut at Australia’s Good Beer Week in 2012. Di Vincenzo made the trip to Australia, and return several times after to judge beer festivals, and host beer events. He soon was enticed by the country’s burgeoning craft beer scene.

The Lattas and Di Vincenzo decided to combine their passions for beer and love of travel into a new Australian brewery called Nomad. The name is fitting. The project’s head brewer is Brooks Caretta, another global wanderer. He began his career as an intern at Del Borgo in 2009, and was soon whisked off to New York City as head brewer of Birreria Eataly. He also helped open the Eataly in Rome.

He says the beers the brewery specializes in are made for “people with passion and a desire to seek out new experiences.” For example, Nomad’s Long Trip Saison is brewed with some truly Aussie ingredients; wattle seed and Tasmanian black pepper. The brewery also adds coffee beans to the mash giving it a subtle coffee note. Another beer, Freshie Salt and Pepper, is brewed with real sea water harvested in Sydney. So even if you aren’t planning a trip down under this summer, take your taste buds on an adventure and enjoy a pint of the Aussie life.

#hrgrowler #nomad brewing #australia #craftbeer

#noblemen serving #vacraftbeer galore today at the #CoVaWinefest ! #HRGrowler #oconnorbrewing #smartmouthbrewery #backbaybrewing #yvbc #starrhill #devilsbackbone (at Virginia Beach Convention Center)