The Times Online has a series of articles that are well worth reading, about Lagers: perfect pints, tasting, beer sommelier’s life, history and variety.
A few excerpts:
From “So Many Lagers…“
From slight variations in all these ingredients come all the different lagers available, a range that is growing continually in the UK as consumers become more aware of the possibilities of the style. There’s the gently flavoured, golden Pilsner with its slight sweetness, the equally golden German Helle, with its rich tang of malt, and the clean taste of Dortmund.
From “How to Sip…“
Then comes the drinking. Don’t guzzle it down, but don’t sip either. Instead, take a good mouthful and let it run gently over your tongue. You’ll taste the juicy sweetness of the malt, followed by the gentle, tangy bitterness of the hops and, depending on the lager, all kinds of tantalising hints, sometimes fruity, sometimes biscuity, but always interesting.
From “Spot the Perfect Pint“
It may seem simple, but the pour is vitally important. Getting it wrong can produce a messy pint that’s either so thick with foam it spills over the sides of the glass, leaving long, thirsty minutes before the liquid rises to drinkable level, or so thin and temporary that with one swig the liquid is exposed to the air and stays like that all the way down.
There’s more, but you get the picture.
Reviewed by Mark, the Beer Geek
UPDATE:
We intended to put a link in so you can purchase this – here it is. If you’re travelling to Southern California, it’s well worth the price.
If you’re planning a trip to southern California, or even if you live there, there’s now a resource for beer hunters that is a must have: “The Beer Guppy’s Guide to Southern California.” This book – which actually looks like a magazine – offers the beer traveler a huge amount of information on the region’s breweries, brewpubs, and craft beer bars, as well as info on beer festivals, homebrew clubs, and even craft beer retailers.
It’s amazing how much info has been collected – and quite frankly, it’s amazing how many breweries and brewpubs are now in southern California. The Beer Guppy’s Guide was put together by Jay Shevak, and he’s collected about 100 pages of useful information together with maps, broken down into four regions (one which is actually the Las Vegas area). His “travel guide” goes for only $9.95 – a real bargain considering how many hidden treasures it exposes.
As you flip through the pages, you’ll find that it will remind you of a AAA guide, with icons for a quick overview of each location, hours of operation, lists of beers available, and other amenities offered. If you’re traveling through a given area, simply look at the regional map, and you’ll most probably find a beer oasis on the way. By reviewing the details of what’s offered at each brewery, pub, restaurant, etc., you’re bound to find something that will interest you.
Of course you could take the time to search the web and review each brewery’s website individually, but this guide will save you a huge amount of time since it gives you useful overview information and consolidates it all into one handy book. If something appeals to you and you want more info than The Beer Guppy already collected, then you can research a location further online. Ultimately, the idea is that you research each location at the source!
Jay Shevak has done a great service for the beer industry in southern Cal with The Beer Guppy’s Guide; we here at Pacific Brew News have already made use of it!
