What glass shape is most commonly used for Saison's? Is there a widely accepted glass shape/type for Saison's (and if so, what is it)? Is a different glass used for French Saison's vs. Belgian Saison's vs. other common Saison styles?

I don't think that there is a commonly accepted glassware for saisons in general.  Different sources point to 3 different types: the pint, the tupic, and the oversized wine (goblet?).  A prticular saison may be better suited to one of those three, depending on whether it was crafted to have more or less aromatic, or just a beer for simple drinking.


Bugs and what to drink with them Eating bugs and critters of all varieties has become a bit of a culinary fashion.  So, with the thought of digesting such delicacies as deep fried tarantula, or supping on ant soup, are there any suggestions or even protocols that dictate a certain drink (alcoholic)?  Bear in mind that I think that the spider should be accompanied by a chili sauce.

When pairing dishes and drinks, you shall first ask yourself what kind of pairing you seek.

Reinforcing pairing, aim to emphasis the tastes of either food or beverage, or both. A Jura oxydized wine over a smoked poultry.

Correcting pairing aim to neutralize an unwelcomed taste from either,
Edam cheese and Lambic/Ould Bruin, to cut the acidic dryness of the beer for those whom don't enjoy it.

Zero pairing, aim to wash out the taste of one by the second, just to always have the first bit/sip flavours. Ginger with japanese gastronomy

Contrast pairing, aim to a deliberate yet welcomed discrepency between food and beverage. Earthy beer over shellfish.

=> Do keep in mind that the pairing can not only be on the taste, but also on texture. A "greasy" food with a "drying" drink for example.

In your case, more than the spider itself, you plan a chili sauce. So, the drink will deal with spicyness : it implies a lost of tasting capacity by overcrowing of one or various of the fundamental tastes (Saltiness/Sweetness/Bitterness/Sourness+Umami+Astingency+Pungency). In this case, saltiness and pungency will be the dominant you'll have to pair with.

If you want to reinforce it, you shall look to strong liquors, which will get the pungency stonger (ethanol have it's own burning sensation) ; but you may have to water not to burn your tastebuds. A salty vodka ?
If you want to correct it, you shall seek fat drinks, as spicyness agent are mostly lipophyllic. Thats why many a western guest enjoy Lassi with Indian curry.
If you want to zero it, but only with a light chili, you may try a red wine from old vineyards, the kind of wine where spices notes are powerful. Wine itself will be lost, but it'll reset your tastebuds as alcohol is a solvant and the wine is quite tannic, the astringent side will make you salivate. Syrah wine on fifty, eighty years old vines.
If you want a contrast, try a malted and hopped beer, where rye is involved. It's rich mouthfull will compete with the crispy feeling of the bug, and rye, even more than oat, bear spice quite well.

Obviously, if you abandon the chili, those recommandation are void ; but you now have the keys to make the match yourself.


What ingredients are used to make beer? I know that it's typically what? yeast, hops, malted barley and water, but sometimes beer is made with other things, (eg wheat).

What are some of the more typical alternative ingredients, and style beer does that make?

At the most basic you need:

A grain, somehow modified to ferment with yeast (see below)
Water
Yeast
Other additives to impart flavor and help preserve the brew (hops or gruit usually).

The grains are usually malted but note that rice doesn't malt using the normal process, so typically with rice beers you have some other process for extracting starches (most typically you have another culture which breaks down starches into sugars).  Grains historically used in brewing include:

barley (the standard today)
rye
wheat
rice (most common in Asia).
corn
millet  (common in Africa and probably early Asia before being supplanted by rice)
oats
buckwheat

For the other additives, the most common is hops, but other ones in commercial brewing include:

heather flowers
alecost
pine needles
spruce needles
sweet gale
juniper berries
Grains of paradise

Historically the following were also added, but not so much anymore.  Experienced, adventuresome, and/or foolish home-brewers may use these (foolish, if they do this without some understanding or experience of the potential ramifications):

mugwort
henbane (this was historically a really, really big one but has signficant toxicity and contraindications medically)
bog rosemary

I have experimented with gruits containing the following which are not historically attested to my knowledge:

damask rose petals (gruit also containing hops)
lavender (probably would be great with juniper berries but didn't have any)

Sometimes fruit and/or honey is also added.  Sometimes corn sugar (fructose) is added.  I have also seen other flavoring like garlic and chili peppers added to beer.

Sometimes animal products are included.  Historically the big ones were milk, whey, and chicken broth.  Today, however, those ones are rarely if ever used.  There are cases of oyster broth added, as well as isinglass (made from swim bladders of fish).  Sometimes icelandic moss (an algae) is added as a clarifying agent.

That should be a fairly complete list however assuming you aren't going further afield into other traditional malt liquors.


Do they sell powdered alcohol as a premix drink? In the past there have been attempts to launch alcohol powder as a premix for human consumption (ie. rum flavored powder, all you need is a coke to transform in into a cuba libre).
Does anyone know if any company is manufacturing or willing to for commercial purposes?
Palcohol was one that got close but never took off. They never gave proof of their alcohol powder being effective.
Thanks in advance.

Do they sell powdered alcohol as a premix drink?
The short answer is yes, but it is not being sold at present. Latter half of my answer shows how to make your own palcohol at home. It is so easy, so why pay for the extras!
First of all, palcohol was created by a gentleman by the name of Mark Phillips.
The US federal government approved Palcohol on March 10, 2015 and it is now legal to be sold in the United States. However it will not be for sale immediately but possibly in late 2021 at the earliest. I doubt it will ever make it to market, but that is me.
Palcohol, when used as directed, by adding six ounces of liquid to it, is equal to a standard mixed drink.

What flavors are there? We plan on releasing five versions sold in a pouch that is the equivalent to one shot of alcohol:

V which is powder made from premium vodka distilled four times.

R which is powder made from premium Puerto Rican rum

V and R can be used two ways. One way is by adding six ounces of your favorite mixer to make a Rum and Coke, Vodka and Orange Juice, etc. Another option is adding six ounces of water to the powder and then adding a flavored drink powder to make it any flavor you want. The result is equivalent to one average mixed drink.
The three cocktail versions are:

Cosmopolitan

Powderita - tastes just like a Margarita

Lemon Drop

Just add water to these three flavors for an instant cocktail. - Palcohol is Powered Alcohol

Mark Philips from Scottsdale, AZ. explains what palcohol is in his YouTube video: The Truth About Palcohol
Addendum:
You can always make your own. It is so simple you do not need to wait any longer!
On Popular Science's website, Paul Adams wrote that he didn’t know how Palcohol did it but he explained how he could make powdered alcohol at home using a specially modified starch - a maltodextrin made from tapioca and sold under the brand name N-Zorbit M.

In the right ratio, N-Zorbit M powder can fully soak up the alcohol and still remain powdery.
For an example, Adams suggested drizzling 30 grams of high-proof (150- to 190-proof) alcohol into a mixing bowl containing 100 grams of N-Zorbit M while whisking steadily. You can then either sift it though a fine sieve or just use a blender to begin with.
Done properly, he says, you end up with strong soluble alcohol.
No need to limit yourself to rum or vodka. Any strong alcoholic liquor will do, including whiskey, tequila, gin and absinthe.
Ps. If you do make it yourself in any large quantities make sure to keep it in individual airtight freezer bags and depending on when you intend to use them store them in your fridge or deep-freezer.


When does the pour matter? Especially when it comes to serving beer, such as Guinness, it is debatable that the pour is the most important aspect. This is something I understand due to the layering and carbonation...

When is it important to pay attention to the pour for other alcoholic beverages?

For example, I dated a waitress that was adamant about the proper way to pour wine - thumb in the bottom, on the forearm with a napkin, presenting the label during the pour, finally properly spinning the bottle at the end of the pour... Is this all due to presentation or does it have anything to do with consumption, as well?

Considering cocktails, I do not mean shaken vs stirred...

This is very broad so I will stick to wine in my answer. There are many considerations for pouring, you have the aesthetic aspects and presentation, and you have the mechanical aspects which can change the properties of the served drink.

For wine, the waitress was right from a presentation point of view when served in a fine dining setting. Holding the bottle by the base gives the server the maximum reach with good control, twisting at the end helps reduce drips, the napkin can be used for any cleanup quickly, and showing the label assures the customer they are being served the wine of their choice. This technique does not effect the consumption, if you are entertaining at home there's no right or wrong way really, although I find the hold and twist give me the same advantages when I'm serving wine at my table.

From a mechanical aspect, with wine the major considerations are sediment with red wines and bubbles with sparkling wine. If you have a red wine with sediment you need to be careful to not shake up the bottle and to leave the dregs in the bottom as you pour (or decant it through a strainer). With sparkling wine you need to be sure not to overfill. With most wines how you pour it makes no detectable difference on the flavor.


Adding Spirit Essences to home brew beer I am new to home brewing now having done only 3 batches, I am looking to add flavours, my last batch was a light beer which I added lime codial to and was great, but can I add Still Spirit Essences to my home brew beer to give that whisky or bourbon chaser effect and how would I do this? At what stage of the process would I do this? Your help would be greatley appreciated, Thank You!

First, congratulations on getting bit by the homebrewing bug!

Yes, you can actually drop bourbon/scotch/whiskey into your fermented beer to add that flavor. Why after fermentation? To make sure you don't kill the yeast before they do their job. The hardest part is getting the right spirit to blend with the beer you're making. Darker beers tend to hold up to spirits better because of the unfermented dark roasted malts and robustness that off-set the alcohol you're placing in them. Dropping bourbon in a sour would probably be a waste of time, effort, and good alcohol.

Homebrewers more commonly use "other" ingredients to impart other flavors to beer that might not be approved for commercial use. Brew Your Own has a section called Mister Wizard that addressed a little of this in one of the responses. This should kind of give you an idea of the "mad scientist" aspect of homebrew beer additives.

  The same is true if one chooses to add oak chips to the secondary fermentation. After I got the brew where I wanted it with respect to beer flavor, oak flavor and aged flavors, I would begin to play with adding the wine or spirit component. This type of blending is always best done by preparing several samples of beer with varying levels of blended mixtures so that the flavor impact can be tasted over a range of concentrations. You may find that even a little of the planned flavor additive makes for a vile brew and you can avert a disaster.

However, the easier and more repeatable version (albeit more money than most recreational brewers will care to spend) is to buy a bourbon barrel and let your beer age in them to absorb the bourbon-y goodness. Dragon's Milk and Sexual Chocolate are two solid mentions (in my opinion).


Glassware for lagers: why did my Stella Artois come in this kind of glass? I've seen Why did my Big Bad Baptist come in a brandy snifter? and understand from the answer there that there are two basic reasons to use a glass with a wider bowl for beer: to concentrate armoas, or to reduce quantity for stronger beers.  (That question was about a stout.)

I don't have a lot of experience with this, but until now when I've ordered lagers they've generally come in a tall glass (not curved).  A few days ago I ordered a Stella Artois and it came in the following glass:1

(The glass was full when delivered; I didn't think to take a picture for this question right away.)

This glass does not concentrate aromas to the extent that a brandy snifter does; further, this beer did not seem to be particularly aromatic.  (I've never had this one before, which is why I ordered it.)  Nor is it a highly-alcoholic or expensive beer that they might want to serve in a smaller quantity.  I'd guess this glass to have been in the 10-12oz range.

Is there a benefit to the mildly curved shape of this glass for this type of beer?  I note that it's a Stella Artois glass, so presumably it's not just a bartender's arbitrary choice.

1 I was traveling, so I can't just go visit them again to see how they serve other beers.

The first, and primary reason any beer comes in branded glassware is this:  Marketing.  Brewers, like any other businesses, like for the general public to know that the anonymous tapped beer you're drinking is theirs.  That is why they provide branded glasses to bars, and request (or require) that their beer be served in their glasses.

  Is there a benefit to the mildly curved shape of this glass for this type of beer?

In my observations, yes, there is.  While the throat may not narrow as severely as a brandy snifter, the effect of concentrating the aroma is still achieved. Eyeballing it, I'd say that the curvature is somewhere in between that of my champagne flutes and my red wines glasses, which are presumed to have the same general effect.  More generally I'd say that a glass with a narrowing or restricted throat does concentrate the aroma, and the degree of restriction doesn't seem to matter significantly, to my nose.  (Assuming it isn't too great, that is.  Beer in a bottle or can, for instance, is definitely at a disadvantage.)

I'd like to also look at a few of the reasons they state in their marketing material as well.

  The authentic shape of the body encourages the perfect balance of C02 and liquid, enhancing head retention and flavor.

I don't have any evidence to back this up, but I suspect that this is probably the most legitimate of the claims.  This would have a significant effect on the experience of drinking the beer, it is going to be specific to their recipe, and it's a reason that's often given for custom beer glassware.  (Boston Beer Company laser etches the bottom of their Sam Adams Boston Lager glass to enhance cavitation, for instance.)

  The angles at the bottom cause a wave that works in harmony with the liquid alchemy.

I have no idea what this means.  Alchemy is the term for pre-chemistry, and primarily deals with trying to turn ordinary substances into gold.  I assume they're trying to insinuate that the glass magically turns Stella into better beer.

  The stem provides a means to hold the chalice so that the Stella Artois stays cold longer

This is plausible, and perhaps unfortunate.  This is why you are supposed to hold red wine glasses by the bowl (to warm the wine) and white wine glasses by the stem (to keep it cool.)   However, with wine, a serving is generally five ounces or so, compared to twelve or more of lager.   The effect certainly won't be the same given the significantly higher mass.   The unfortunate bit is that colder is not generally what you want when you're talking about good beer.  Colder is the realm of the cheap macro-brews like Coors Light.   Cold subdues flavor compounds, which is useful when the flavor of the beer is nasty, and not so useful when it's pleasant.  This certainly isn't a a requirement or general best practice for lagers as you won't find stemmed glassware used for Boston Beer's Samuel Adams Lager glass:

or my classic Spiegelau Lager glass:

or any of the glasses you'll see used for the many fine Lagers of Germany.  So, I have to suppose one of the following two reasons.  First, they may simply be pandering to the general belief that colder beer is better.  Second, it would be unfortunate if they were trying to hide a lack of quality by trying to ensure the beer was too cold to taste properly.

Finally, and I've left this to last, because it's purely my opinion...I think they've chosen the chalice glass specifically because it's fancy, and that's the image they want to portray for their beer.  When people see the Stella glass, they don't want their beer to be lumped in with the pint-glass styles, they want it to stand out as sophisticated, and the chalice specifically gives it that cachet.

So, my top line and bottom line are down to marketing, with a bit of truth and a bit of fiction to all the bits in between.


What to do with 50 (?) years old sake? I found a bottle of sake in my grandfathers basement.

As there are no Latin characters indicating the age of the bottle (and I don't speak Japanese), I used google Translator and found the following on a card which I assume can be sent back to the manufacturer to give feedback.

  差出有効期間昭和45年12月14日迄（切手はいりません）

which is translated to:

  Sent validity period Until December 14, 1970 (stamps are not required)

So I guess it must be produced somewhere around 1970

Does sake age well?

Can I sell the bottle, as in: is it worth anything due to its age?

How do I know if I can still drink it safely?

Due its high alcohol content, you will still be able to drink the sake without worrying about your health.

However, the recommended consumption period is usually one year after bottling. After that, the maker cannot guarantee the flavor of the sake. Whatever the flavor of your sake is right now, whether it aged well or went plain ugly, is not the flavor of the sake as advertised by the sake maker. Oh, and if the bottle is open, like wine, sake will oxidize rapidly.

Sake may or may not age well, depending on the sake. I don't have enough knowledge to say what those differences are, though from my experience, old sake can become either a tad acidic or more rich in its original flavor.

You may be able to sell the bottle so someone interested, but I don't think there is a giant market for it outside of Japan (though I may be wrong about that). In Japan, there would be plenty demand for old sake there.

By law, there should be a date on the bottle (not sure if they print that on the box) which indicates the "month of bottling". Although, that law may not have existed 50 years back...

Note there is a chance it will go bad in the case it is nama (fresh) sake, which you can tell if you see 生 somewhere on the label. Nama sake is sake that does not undergo the two pasteurization processes after being made, so the yeast is still alive. Taste guarantee is only about a half a year, and something 50 years old will probably taste yogurty or cheesy.


Why is red wine often paired with red meat? When we think of red meat we usually think of a heavy meal, right? Well that's kinda what red wine represents in the wine world...

Once again I ask: Why is red wine often paired with red meat?

Why is red wine often paired with red meat?

The old wine pairing phrase goes as thus: “red with red meat and white with fish”. But wine pairing is generally a little more complicated than that.

Here is how Dr. Vinifera puts it:

  The reason red wine typically pairs well with red meat is that red wine tends to be higher in tannins. While on their own, tannins can feel drying, they’re a good complement to the rich fattiness that can be found in red meat. White wine can be better with fish or chicken because it tends to have higher acidity, and it complements food similarly to how a squirt of lemon juice can brighten a seafood dish.

  But those are just general rules. If you look at how a dish is prepared—say, grilled vs. poached, or sautéed in a bunch of butter, or take into account the side dishes or the setting, you might come up with different pairings based on the situation. So while a chewy grilled steak might call for a robust red, a sautéed filet mignon served with béchamel sauce and rosemary potatoes might work better with a rich, full-bodied white. - Why is white meat served with white wine and red meat with red?


What online Italian wine stores ship to USA (South-West)? What online Italian wine stores ship internationally? I know Vino75 does not.

The Italian Wine Selection will ship internationally. They seem to have a large selection. Caveat: Some countries at any one time may or may not be deliverable due to particular domestic rules and laws of the country being shipped to.

  We are in the wonderful city of Sorrento, you can come and visit us in our 3 restaurants, where in addition to drink the wines of Italian Wine Selection, you can enjoy specialties of our land revisited by our Chef. - Enoteca on line - Italian Wine Selection


What’s the drinking game with thumb on the bar? I'm aware of a drinking game involving thumbs on the bar, but unsure of it's name or details and how to 'play' it - does anyone know such a game ?

I believe in the U.K. there is one called “Tom Thumb”, basically:

someone is allocated as the “Thumb Boss”
everyone in the group must watch them
when they place their thumb on the bar everyone must follow suit.
The last person looses and has to take a good measure of drink.
Usually this person then becomes the “Thumb boss” and they start over.

I never found it especially fun, other more subtle games were more entertaining.

There is a better description available here.

I would also add there are other games with fingers involved, usually everyone touches the table/bar and the first to move their finger looses etc (basically the reverse).


Selling after best before date (Belgium/Netherlands) I regularly buy beers online in December, mainly from Belgium (and Netherlands). Are there any laws about selling beers after best before date (with no notice to potential customers)?

There's no law infringements in selling beers with past Best Before Date.
EU allows it. A new regulation is awaited by 2021, but the direction is to avoid food waste. Best practice should be the replacement.


United States Beer Shipping Laws Does anyone know about the laws when it comes to shipping beers to individual states?

I am from Kentucky, which does not allow an individual to have alcohol shipped directly to their home address.

Is there a way around this?
Are the states doing anything that may legalize this?

I would love to start being able to participate in beer of the month clubs.

I'm not sure about Kentucky, but it seems to be legal here in NY. I've never ordered beer online as the shipping prices are astronomical and I've got a pretty decent beer distributor down the block with a large selection.

With that said, the way it seems to work is that the delivery person (whether it be UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS, etc) ID's you at the door when you sign for the package. I've got a big dog (Neapolitan Mastiff) though, so my package carriers usually just sign for me and run for the hills when they have the displeasure of delivering something to my house haha. So I'm not sure if they'd bother checking my ID if I ever bought beer online. I'm perfectly legal drinking age though, so it doesn't matter.

With that said, you'd probably be best off looking through your local laws and maybe start a petition to have it legalized. I don't think its in the best interests of this community to be discussing loopholes in the law (despite how much I hate the government). I say start a petition, maybe it'll become a proposition and be placed on the ballot come election day. The only other option would be to have it shipped to another address in a border state if you live near the border. No online beer distributor is going to violate the law or tamper with it to make a buck, there's too much liability; they could lose their license and be put out of business.


Where can I find something similar to White Chocolate Moose (Dixie Brewing Co)? Dixie Brewing Company used to make a dessert beer called White Chocolate Moose.  It was a sweet, chocolate-flavored (I don't mean chocolate malt) beer and came in small (I think 7oz) bottles -- which was the right size for something that concentrated.  (In a way, it was to beer what ice wine is to wine.)  Then Hurricane Katrina happened and the brewery was destroyed.  According to Wikipedia they operate now as a contract brewery, but as far as I can tell they're not making this particular product, at least under that name.  ("As far as I can tell": I can't find a web site for the company nor a product list, but my searches under this name aren't producing results.)

Is somebody producing this under a different name?  If so, who and where?  If not, what beers are available that are similar in taste?

There are several that you might try.

The Bruery White Chocolate

  This bourbon barrel-aged wheatwine-style ale made a fanciful trip to the chocolatier and returned with luscious flavors of white chocolate – hence the name. White Chocolate is a rewarding summons to the senses – beginning with its golden appearance and finishing with warming, white chocolate-like flavors. This is accomplished by adding cacao nibs from TCHO and fresh vanilla beans to our bourbon barrel-aged wheatwine-style ale, complimenting the rich notes of coconut, honey, caramel and vanilla from extensive barrel-aging.

  Food Pairing
  Funnel cake, warm fruit cobbler, a white chocolate-and-macadamia nut ice cream sandwich. The County Fair.

Sonoran Brew Company White Chocolate Ale

As Beer Advocate describes it:

  Inspired by the beauty of the White Mountains; the Sonoran White Chocolate Ale is a light, refreshing and completely unique wheat beer. Like a fine chocolate, this brew has a delicate aroma and a subtle taste of white chocolate, which is truly astonishing!


Which types of beer are commonly used for half-and-half beers? Which types of beer are commonly used to create half-and-half beers?

In frequent recipes are only beers of contrasting colours being used (like pilsener vs porter or pale lager vs stout) or other combinations are being commonly used too? What are some of the most popular recipes?

In a Half and Half (also known as a "Black and Tan" in certain locations), the primary factor will be the density of the two beers -- one beer must be of a lesser density than the other to stay afloat.  Contrasting colors are used for visual effect; otherwise, how might you know one was floating?

Common recipes involve floating the less dense Guinness over a Bass, or a Guinness over a Harp Lager.  Its Guinness' particular light density that makes it a good candidate for so many half-and-half style recipes.


Are there National Drinking Holidays? What are the National Drinking Holidays? And, for what respective country? i.e.: Oktoberfest for Germany

In the United States, there are several Drinking Holidays. Here's a list from this site: (I'm highlighting some of my favorites :)

  January

National Hot Tea Month
January 1: National Bloody Mary Day
January 11: National Hot Toddy Day
January 17: National Hot Buttered Rum Day
January 17:  **National Bootlegger’s Day**
January 18: National Gourmet Coffee Day
January 24: Beer Can Appreciation Day
January 25: National Irish Coffee Day
January 31: National Hot Chocolate Day, Brandy Alexander Day

  February

3rd Weekend of February: National Margarita Weekend
February 17 : National Cafe’ Au Lait Day
February 18: National “Drink Wine” Day
February 22: National Margarita Day
February 27: National Kahlua Day

  March

National Caffeine Awareness Month
March 3:  National Mulled Wine Day
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
March 20: Bock Beer Day
March 27: National World Whisky Day

  April

**April 6: New Beer’s Eve
April 7: National Beer Day**
April 14: National Rum Day
April 17: World Malbec Day
April 19: National Amaretto Day

  May

First Saturday in May: National Homebrew Day
The 3rd Monday of May and the rest of the week: American Craft Beer Week
May 4: National Homebrew Day, National Orange Juice Day
May 5: Cinco de Mayo
May 6:  Beverage Day
May 8: Have a Coke Day
May 13: World Cocktail Day
May 16: National Mimosa Day
May 21: World Whisky Day
May 25: National Wine Day
May 30: National Mint Julep Day

  June

National Iced Tea Month
June 1-7: Negroni Week
June 4: Cognac Day
June 5: Moonshine Day
June 6: **National Give a Bum a Drink Day**
June 10: National Iced-Tea Day
June 11: National Gin Day
June 11: National Black Cow Day
June 14: Bourbon Day
June 19: National Martini Day
June 20: National Vanilla Milkshake Day
June 27: National Orange Blossom Day
June 30: National Mai Tai Day

  July

National Pickle Month
July 2 : National Anisette Day
July 10: Pina Colada Day
July 11: National Mojito Day
July 14: National Grand Marnier Day
July 19: National Daiquiri Day
July 24: National Tequila Day
July 25: National Wine and Cheese Day
July 27: National Scotch Day

  August

August 5: **International Beer Day**
August 6: National Root Beer Float Day
August 7: National IPA Day, International Beer Day
August 16: National Rum Day
August 20: National Lemonade Day
August 21: National Sweet Tea Day
August 22: National Spumoni Day
August 25: National Whiskey Sour Day
August 28: National Red Wine Day
August 29: Lemon Juice Day

  September

September 7: **National Beer Lover’s Day**
September 12 : National Chocolate Milkshake Day
September 15: National Creme de Menthe Day
September 20 : National Punch Day / Rum Punch Day
September 27: National Chocolate Milk Day
September 28: **National Drink a Beer Day**
September 29: National Coffee Day
September 29: National Mocha Day
September 30: National Mulled Cider Day

  October

National Applejack Month
Second Weekend in October: National Kegger Weekend
October 1: National Pumpkin Spice Day
October 4: National Vodka Day
October 7: National Frappe Day
October 15: National Red Wine Day
October 16: National Liqueur Day
October 19: National Gin and Tonic Day
October 20 : National Brandied Fruit Day
October 21: National Mezcal Day
October 27: **American Beer Day**

  November

November 7: World Gin Day
November 8 : National Cappuccino Day
November 8: National Harvey Wallbanger Day
November 12: National Happy Hour Day
November 14: National Pickle ‘Appreciation’ Day
November 18: National Apple Cider Day
November 19: National Macchiato Day
November 20: National Beaujolais Day
November 23: National Espresso Day

  December

December 3: National Peppermint Latte Day
December 3: National Rhubarb Vodka Day
December 5 : **Repeal of Prohibition Day**
December 10: National Lager Day
December 12: National Cocoa Day
December 13: National Screwdriver Day
December 20: National Sangria Day
December 24: National Egg Nog Day
December 31: National Champagne Day

Here is another calender and here's another.


Do restaurants ever oak their wine glasses? Some time ago I was at a dinner with an oenophile who ordered an expensive bottle of red wine.  After a few sips, he noted that it was very "oaky."  I thought it was excellent, but I didn't smell any significant wood flavors.  After some puzzling and nosing each others' glasses it became clear that his glass had an oak smell to it.

It wasn't long before the sommelier confirmed this and began tripping over herself to apologize and make up for what was obviously a contaminated glass.  Thinking back on it I'm wondering: is it plausible that the restaurant was intentionally "salting" wine glasses with some sort of wood flavoring?  Is this a known practice in the industry?

(Unless it was being stored in a working woodshop I'm having a hard time imagining how a fine wine glass in a restaurant would naturally acquire a notable oak flavor in the course of cleaning and storing.)

Smoked drinks are all the rage right now. I bet something like this happened. Scroll down a bit. Smoked whisky drink


Is it true that Rodenbach beer should be drank with a shot of cherry liquor? I was in Libramont back when I was roaming around Belgium. And hitting a pub next to station where people were having lunch, I ordered a Rodenbach beer (http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/216/1882/) and the bartender says that I should drink it with a cherry shot.

Is that normal to drink Rodenbach beer with a cherry shot?
Has it got to do with the Rodenbach red before Palm brewery bought over Rodenbach?
Has cherry or cherry liquor has anything to do with Rodenbach brewery or beer history?

In 1821, the four Rodenbach brothers (Pedro, Alexander, Ferdinand and Constantijn) invested in a small brewery in Roeselare, in the West Flanders province of Belgium. The brothers agreed to a partnership for 15 years. At the end of this period, Pedro and his wife, Regina Wauters, bought the brewery from the others and Regina ran the business while Pedro served in the military. Their son Edward later took over the brewery (1864) and, it was during his directorship that the brewery saw great growth.

Edward's son, Eugene, took over in 1878 and, in preparation for this position, travelled to England where he learned how to ripen beer in oak barrels and then mix old and young beers. It was this that became the method of producing beer that Rodenbach became famous for. As Eugene produced no male offspring, a public limited liability corporation was created and most shares remained in the hands of descendants of the Rodenbachs until 1998 when the brewery was sold to Palm Brewery.

There are 4 different types of Rodenbach beers:
 1. Rodenbach Original (5,2% ABV) blended from aged and young ale (25%/75%);
 2. Rodenbach Grand Cru, a rich winey beer (6% ABV) which, although blended, contains less young ale (67%/33%) (in the past this beer was unblended aged beer from a single cask selected for its qualities by a tasting panel. This type of beer has now been renamed Rodenbach Vintage beer and is available in limited quantities);
 3. Vin de Céréale, an aged beer that is 10% ABV.
 4. In commemoration of the brewery 150th year of activity, it produced Rodenbach Alexander (5,2% ABV). It was a variant of the Original one with a cherry taste. It is name comes from the brewery founder Alexander Rodenbach.

After the take-over, Palm quickly stopped the production of Rodenbach's Alexander beer, a cherry-flavoured beer.[1] When Palm Brewery bought Rodenbach, another brewery it owned already made a cherry beer. At that time Alexander Rodenbach had to be ceased for contractual non-compete sorts of reasons. However, in recent years, Palm/Rodenbach has produced and distributed, first, Rodenbach foederbier, which is served only from cask, and is unfiltered and unblended. It comes straight from an oak riping barrel and is not processed further.

I think the bartender told you to drink your Rodenbach with a shot of cherry liquor, so that you can taste the original Rodenbach Alexander (the cherry-flavoured beer, Rodenbach's erstwhile cherry beer which produced before the brewery was sold to Palm).


Effects of temperature and time handling on beer 's taste? We have 12 can of beer, we boiled 3 of them in some ranges of temperature such as: 122F, 131F, 140F, 149F in some duration (30min, 40min, 50min, and 60min).
Then we drank them, but we feel their quality very distinguighed. But someone says the temperature no effect on quality of beer. So, what are the true answers?

Storage temperature absolutely effects the quality of beer.

High storage temperatures can produce Dimethyl Sulfide - a cooked corn/vegetable like favour.  Also high temperatures can cause the breakdown of yeast (autolyzation) contributing meaty/vegemite/marmite/miso like off flavours.
Ref: https://www.beercartel.com.au/blog/beer-storage-the-dos-and-donts-of-storing-and-cellaring-beer/
(There are many other references if you search.)

The storage time at the temperature is obviously also a factor.

The changes also depend on the type of beer being stored.  If the beer is a pasteurised and/or completely filtered product, typically all yeast and suspended proteins have been removed.  Yeast can't autolyze if they have been removed.

Hop-forward beers will lose their flavour, "hoppiness" much quicker if stored warm - even when stored properly, it's best to drink these beers sooner rather than cellar them.  I keep all my hoppy beers refrigerated at all times (handle them like dairy products).

As a rule of thumb, cellar your beers around 10C / 50F without much variation.

Personally, I only buy what I can keep in the refrigerator as a stable 10C is impossible where I live.


Whats the nickname for gin and mild? Apparently gin and mild is an old man's drink - but I need to get it for a relatives birthday, anyone know a nick name for this drink ?

There is a drink called the Hangman's Blood that uses either porter or stout, which aren't too far off of a mild (well, the porter at least).  It also contains other things like rum and brandy so it might not be what you're thinking of, but it does have a history that goes back to around 1930 or so.


What's the difference between Vodka and Moonshine? With the legalization of moonshine in many US states I've been wondering what are the big differences between Moonshine and Vodka?

Both are clear spirits made from whatever grains/starches are available.  Both can be fairly high proof.

Is it all just an Appalachian that is tied to their origin?

Generally, when people refer to "moonshine" and they are referring to what can be purchased legally, they are really referring to "white whiskey" (a.k.a. un-aged whiskey), or whiskey that has not been aged in an oak barrel.

Most whiskey is fermented from either all-corn, or corn and an other grain (like rye), but there are some boutique type whiskeys that use other grains like quinoa, spelt, flax, etc.  Technically any grain can be used to make whiskey, but it doesn't become "whiskey" until it has been placed in an oak barrel.  There are only a few other "rules" like the proof at which it is distilled. Whiskey has to come out of the still at 95% ABV (190 Proof) and then cut with water to nothing lower than 40% ABV (i.e. 80 Proof or higher).

Vodka can be made from corn, but unlike whiskey, it can be made from really anything that can be fermented.  Some of the most common starts for Vodka are potatoes, wheat, rye, and a few other grains, but Vodka can be made from virtually anything else that can ferment like grapes (Ciroc vodka), tomatoes, cucumbers, donuts, you name it. I have seen almond vodka and even milk vodka (as in vodka fermented from almonds and from milk respectively).  Vodka has to come out of the still at >95% ABV, but as long as it is cut with water to at the minimum of 80 poof (40% ABV) or higher, it's vodka. No matter what it started with.

The same exact corn "vodka" can be called whiskey it is comes out at the 95% ABV and then is placed in oak barrels. Note that I wrote "placed" and not "aged" in oak.  Whiskey has no age requirement, so the "white whiskeys" you see that do not read "moonshine" have at least touched oak.  If you see that the label reads "moonshine whiskey", it has touched oak too, if it just reads "moonshine" and has not ever touched an oak barrel, then technically is it strong grain vodka, but "moonshine" sounds more renegade I suppose. Corn "vodka" that comes out of the still at 96%ABV or higher, but doesn't touch oak is still Vodka, but technically could also be called "Moonshine".

Whiskey can be called "bourbon" if it is made in the USA, from 51% corn. It has to come out of the still at no more than 160 proof/80%ABV and it goes into the barrel at 125 Proof (62.5%ABV), and it has to be in the oak for at least 4 years in bonded warehouses under the U.S. government record. Thanks to the Bottle-in-bond Act of 1897.


What are the ingredients in beer that cause people to feel ill almost immediately? Beer isn't for everyone. That's fair enough. However there are some people that get physically ill from it almost immediately.

Are there specific ingredients in beer that can cause this? Or is it dependent on the consumer?

If the ingredients cause this, is there a way to nullify/reduce the effects?

(Assuming you are referring to "plain" beers, not beers with weird ingredients)

The only allergen that is present in normal beers is malt that contains gluten. Gluten intolerant people can therefor react to beer very aggressively.

Next, I would guess the alcohol. Some people have violent reactions to any form of alcohol.

Then, maybe the bitterness or just the flavour. The people may be sensitive to bitterness, or just really do not like the taste of (that) beer.

I have had beers that taste like baby vomit. It is VERY hard to not gag when you taste that!

You have to determine why the person reacts that way. If it is the malt, then get them a gluten free beer, if it is alcohol, then try an alcohol free beer, or just a cold drink, if it is the bitterness, then get a beer that is less bitter, if it is the flavour, then get a beer with a different flavour (fruit beer or a different style of beer that has other prominent flavours).


What is the technical term for the "vinegar/easter egg dye" smell in some wines? I frequently notice a very specific smell/taste in wine.  I find it rather unpleasant, so I presume it is a known commonly occurring wine defect (I notice it probably at least 30% of the time).  The trouble is, I don't know what it's called, so it's difficult to complain about it or send a bottle back because of it.  I know it sounds silly, but the taste I'm referring to reminds me exactly of easter egg dye, though it's not exactly a vinegar taste.  It often becomes more pronounced as the wine sits out in the glass.  I've tried reading up on common wine defects, but none seem to really match.  Does anyone have any idea what the taste is I'm referring to?

Probably what you are smelling is a combination of oxidized wine, ethyl acetate and acetic acid. Oxidized wine smells like sherry and the volatile acidity smells exactly like you described it. Vinegar. Ethyl Acetate smells like nail polish remover.

What happens when you leave wine out, the metabisulfites break down and can't prevent oxidation anymore and also will allow the acetobacter bacteria to do it's thing, which is to convert alcohol into vinegar.


Decreasing foam in over-carbonated beer I have some homebrew that is really over-carbonated (before i learned about priming sugar calculators). Consequently, i have to pour it into two pint glasses to contain all the foam, and wait 5-10 minutes for the foam to settle out enough to actually drink it. The bottles are well-chilled first.

Is there something i can do when pouring it to reduce the head? I know some amount of head is desirable, but this is over the top (literally).

[Edit] I get this much foam despite pouring very slowly and carefully down the side of the glass.

Soap is absolutely the worst thing you could do I guess :P.
Sometimes I notice that badly dried glasses (with soap rests) produce more foam...
In general, make sure your glass is spotlessly clean. You could then either leave it dry or make it a little wet, works sometimes...
Keep your glass diagonal to make sure the liquid touches the glass almost parallel to the glass' inner side.
Then when pouring, make sure you have a slow and fluent ray of beer that doesn't splash out of your bottle.


Does adding honey to bottled wine increase the alcohol content? I purchased a Montepulciano, added 80 grams of honey and some pepper, and then put it in the fridge. A glass of it after 24 hours seemed to me more alcoholic than what it was originally.
Is it psychological, as I had read this was the case (but can't find the source right now, and I tend to think it's not true), or is the increase of ABV real?

Highly unlikely that the alcohol went up. Four reasons.

The alcohol already in the wine is a barrier for the yeast to re-ferment.
The sulfites in the wine could inhibit refermentation if it hasn't dissipated yet.
The cold temperatures that will also inhibit fermentation.
Many commercial wines are sterile filtered so yeast counts are zero to very, very tiny.

So, in 24 hours it's highly unlikely that it fermented again. Your perception of alcohol may be enhanced by the sugar that you added. High alcohol wines routinely taste "sweeter" to many people even though sugar levels are low. You might have tricked yourself into thinking sweet wine = higher alcohol.


Why is chaptalization illegal? What is chaptalization and why is it illegal to do to wine in some places? (Like France?)

Is it at all dangerous to consume chaptalized wine?

What are the benefits (if any) of chaptalization?

Chaptilization is the addition of sugar, mostly cane sugar but could be other sugars like beet or corn.

Chaptilization is only illegal in several countries and one state in the USA. Here is the list Australia, Austria, Germany (for high quality wines), Italy and South Africa.

Chaptilization is permitted in only certain areas of France. Those are Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace and Champagne. There is no need in warmer climates where the grapes get higher brix (sugar levels)

No it's not dangerous to consume chaptilized wine. The main reason is to bring a wine up to around 11-12 potential alcohol so the wine is stable and in balance. Cool climate places like Germany and France routinely have under ripe grapes and sometimes need a little help getting across the finish line.

If done in moderation, all the sugar added will be consumed by yeast and turned into alcohol. I suppose you could go crazy and make a wine with so much sugar it wouldn't finish fermenting. Some people swear they can tell when a wine has added sugar, but as far as I know, nobody can really tell by tasting if done in moderation.

Why is it banned in the warmer places like California, Australia and South Africa? There simply isn't a need. The grapes get ripe on their own.

There is one big loophole to get around this, you can use grape juice concentrate to give you an added boost if you are in bad (cool) year. But for the most part if you are looking at a crappy and cool year, say in California, you might just buy grapes from a warmer location and do some blending.

Chaptilization on Wikipedia


Non-Alcoholic Distillation Ultimately, I would love to know how the folks over at
Seedlip have managed to make a distilled beverage with no alcohol. What would the process roughly consist of if sugar isn't used?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

They just don't ferment to create any alcohol in the first place. Pretty sure it is just aromatic waters. Distillation to intensify some flavors.


Alcohol producing Catholic monasteries? We all know that the some Trappist monasteries produce their famous Trappist beer. A little less know fact is that the Carthusian monks at the Grande Chartreuse in France produces their world famous  Chartreuse liqueur.

My question is quite simple: Are there any other Catholic monasteries or Religious Orders that produce any other alcoholic beverages available to be bought by the general public?

I am not asking for alcoholic beverages that are named after some Religious Order or personage like Frangelico.

There are some other Cistercian monasteries like the Abbey of New Clairvaux, which has a vineyard and produces wine. Also, Sierra Nevada produces the Ovila beers in cooperation with the abbey.

It should be noted that the abbey can be considered a Trappist monastery, but that the beer is not sanctioned by the International Trappist Association, and is therefore not a 'trappist beer'.

Ampleforth Abbey is a Benedictine monastery that produces beer.

And you may be interested in this book which describes, as the title puts it, making wine under Buddhist supervision.


What's the difference between Amaretto and Crème de Noyaux? Both Amaretto and Crème de Noyaux are sweet almond-flavored liqueurs.

My understanding is that Crème de Noyaux is typically red, whereas Amaretto is usually brown.

Other than the obvious difference in color, what's the difference between these two liqueurs?

What differences in production are associated with bottling a liqueur under the name "Crème de Noyaux" versus "Amaretto"?
What differences would you notice in a blind taste test? Would you be able to tell if I made a Pink Squirrel with amaretto, or a French Connection with crème de noyaux?

What's the difference between Amaretto and Crème de Noyaux?

Amaretto

County of origin: Italy (Saronno, Italy)
Alcohol by Volume: 28%
Flavor: Slight bitter almond
"Flavoured from bitter almonds, various modern commercial brands are prepared from a base of apricot stones, peach stones, or almonds, all of which are natural sources of the benzaldehyde that provides the principal almond-like flavour of the liqueur." - Amaretto (Wikipedia)
Etymology: "The name amaretto originated as a diminutive of the Italian word amaro, meaning "bitter", which references the distinctive flavour lent by the mandorla amara or by the drupe kernel. However, the bitterness of amaretto tends to be mild, and sweeteners (and sometimes sweet almonds) enhance the flavour in the final products. Thus one can interpret the liqueur's name as a description of the taste as "a little bitter". - Amaretto (Wikipedia)

Bottles of Amaretto Liqueur

Crème de Noyaux

Country of origin: France
Alcohol by Volume: 40%
Color: Pink or Clear (Bols is red)
Flavor: Almond
"Crème de Noyaux (pronounced is an almond-flavored crème liqueur, although it is actually made from apricot kernels or the kernels of peach or cherry pits, which provide an almond-like flavor. Both Bols and Hiram Walker produce artificially colored red versions of the liqueur (either of which contribute the pink hue to Pink Squirrel cocktails) while Noyau de Poissy from France is available in both clear (blanc) and barrel-aged amber (ambre) versions." - Crème de Noyaux (Wikipedia)
Definition: A liqueur with a brandy base flavored primarily with essential oils derived from the kernels of peaches, plums, and cherries or from almonds, the predominant flavor being that of bitter almonds. - Crème de Noyau

Bols Creme de Noyaux Liqueur 1L

To me amaretto tastes a little less bitter than creme de noyaux, while crème de noyau tastes a little bit more nuttier at the same time. I am not a professional connoisseur so you can take or leave what I say here.


Brewing mead with fruits This is my first time homebrewing. I'm making mead with apples but noticed that some of the sliced apples lies above the liquid level.

Do i need to push them down?
Will the apple rot and spoil the mead if i dont?
Is it necessary to siphon the mead to other containers to continue fermentation? I've seen some videos where people do so but I had no idea why.
Do I need to add campden tablets once i am done with the fermentation?

Thanks in advance.

Let me see if I can answer your questions. I have years of experience with making beer, wine and mead...

No, leave the apples alone until fermentation is done.
No, the alcohol will stop any rotting. Your mead might be spoiled from another source of contamination (remember good sanitation) but as long as there is alcohol the apples won't rot.
It is advisable to move the mead from the fermentation vessel to a second one for aging. Mead is more like wine than beer and will benefit from some aging and clarification in a second vessel. This would involve leaving the fruit behind.
While it's not 100% necessary to add sulfites (campden tablets) to you mead, it will preserve and protect it from oxidation. Like wine they should be added when you move it to the second vessel for aging.


Letting it 'breathe' As everyone knows you are supposed to let Red wine breathe before drinking. I do this every time, but I do not really understand why.

What does letting a red wine breathe do and why do I only need to let a red wine breathe?

Can anybody please explain the reason for this?

Allowing red wines to breathe for a short time allows the wine to oxidize, soften the flavors and release aromas. doing this is a proper wine glass is best.

Allowing wine to breathe has the following information on this subject:

  Allowing a wine to “breathe” is simply a process of exposing it to air for a period of time before serving. Exposing wine to air for a short time, or allowing it to oxidize, can help soften flavors and release aromas in a way similar to swirling the wine in your glass. Young red wines, especially those that are high in tannin, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, most Red Zinfandel, Bordeaux and many wines from the Rhône Valley, actually taste better with aeration because their tannins soften and the wine becomes less harsh. Another method of aerating a young, tannic red wine is to roughly decant it into another container, which exposes more of the wine's surface to air than simply removing the cork from the bottle. Uncorking a bottle and letting it sit undisturbed for period of time actually does very little to let the wine breathe as only a small percentage of the wine is in contact with air. A much better suggestion is aerating the wine in your glass or in a wine decanter. A decanter is defined as any vessel other than the original bottle that will hold the contents of the wine and allow for air to mix with the wine within. Usually, these are broad-bottomed glass or crystal containers.

  Wine and air may have a negative effect on each other. To simplify, let us consider the following:

  • Wine poured from a bottle into a glass and swirled is positive since the air mixture allows aromas to be displayed

  • Wine that has had a brief exposure to air is positive since it allows wine to breathe similar to stretching its legs after being cooped up in the bottle for so many years. This exposure has a positive effect on the wine after 25 to 30 minutes. Intensely tannic or younger reds may need up to a few hours. In general, most red and white wines will improve within the first half hour of opening the bottle.

  • Extended exposure to air has a negative effect on the wine. After a day, the wine may obtain a vinegary smell or taste. Red wines and sweet white wines may last a little longer due to the natural preservatives of tannins and sugar. Refrigeration may be used to extend the life of white wine.


Other stouts to use in a 'Guinness cake' I've previously had success making a guinness cake (http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chocolate-guinness-cake-3086), and, whilst it was tasty, I figure there has to be a better stout to flavour it with. Any suggestions?

Guinness is in a style called "Dry Irish Stout", so anything on this list would probably substitute well.

It sort of depends on what you felt was missing from the cake.  We could work on narrowing it down to stouts that were stronger in those flavors.

Oatmeal or milk stouts as styles would be sweeter than Guinness, some stouts might play up chocolate or coffee or roast/burnt.  Porter is a really similar style that takes well to interesting spice combinations like vanilla and anise.  Bourbon Barrel aged stouts will have a wood/vanilla/whiskey thing going on.  You could make some interesting cakes.


When, where and why did the tradition of clinking glasses and saying "cheers" or "to your health" first start? Is it possible to know where, when  and how the custom of clinking glasses (usually filled with beer or wine) originated, while saying "cheers" or "to your health"? Do any historical documents support a possible origin?

Many of us here will follow this tradition at times like New Year's Day, Christmas, weddings and so on.

There is the usual great stuff relating to 'Toasting'. From wikipedia - which is normally correct.

I then had a quick look at snopes.com, they proclaim the following to be false:

  Q: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?
  A: It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would then just touch or clink the host’s glass with his own.

ORIGINS:   Many explanations have been advanced to explain our custom of clinking glasses when participating in toasts. One is that early Europeans felt the sound helped to drive off evil spirits. Another holds that by clanking the glasses into one another, wine could be sloshed from glass to glass, thereby serving as a

Wine glasses

proof the beverages had not been poisoned. Yet another claim asserts that the “clink” served as a
symbolic acknowledgment of trust among imbibers who did not feel the need to sample each others’ drinks to prove them unadulterated.

Each of those explanations is false. While making a racket for the purpose of scaring off evil spirits underpins other customs that carry over to this day (e.g., the tolling of church bells at weddings, and the loud shouts and noisemaking at the stroke of twelve on New Year’s Eve), the “clink” is a relatively new aspect of toasting and, as such, came along well after folks had relinquished the notion that demons both lurked in every corner of typical day-to-day existence and could be sped on their way by a bit of noise. As for sloshing wine from one glass to another, drinking vessels would need to be filled to the brim to effect that, and if they were, such practice would waste valuable potables (because some would be sure to land on the floor) and likely douse the toasters too. And while the poisoning of enemies has long been part of the ordinary mayhem of the world, the practice of touching of one’s filled glass to those of others when participating in a toast is unrelated to suspicion of the wine’s having been tampered with; such killings were not so common at any nebulous point in the past that a signal to one’s host indicating he was clear of suspicion of attempted murder needed to be enshrined in the canon of social gestures.

To get at the real reason for the clink of glass on glass, we have to first look at why and how we toast, and where the practice originated.

The custom of sealing with booze expressions of good wishes for the health of others dates back so far that its origins are now lost to us, yet in numerous cultures

such acts of camaraderie often involved shared drinking vessels. The clinking of individual cups or glasses as a proof of trust wouldn’t have meant much when
everyone drank from the same bowl. Indeed, in those cultures where shared drinking containers was the norm, to produce one’s own vessel in such company was to communicate an unmistakable message of hostility and distrust; it would have been regarded as akin to bringing along a food taster to sample the repast.

“Toasting,” our term for the pronouncement of benedictions followed by a swallowing of alcohol, is believed to have taken its name from a practice involving a shared drinking vessel. Floated in the “loving cup” passed among celebrants in Britain was a piece of (spiced) cooked bread that the host would consume along with the last few drops of liquid after the cup had made one round of the company. In modern times toasting has become a matter of imbibing from individual drinking vessels rather than from one shared flagon, so to compensate for the sense of unity lost in doing away with the sharing of the same cup we have evolved the practice of simultaneously drinking each from our own glass when a toast is made, thereby maintaining a communal connection to the kind words being spoken.

The clinking of glasses has been added to the practice of offering toasts for a few reasons, none having anything to do with poison. Prior to such augmentation, toasts pleased only four of the five senses; by adding the “clink,” a pleasant sound was made part of the experience, and wine glasses have come to be prized not only for their appearance but also for the tones they produce when struck. Yet beyond mere aural pleasure, the act of touching your glass to that of others is a way of emphasizing that you are part of the good wishes being expressed, that you are making a physical connection to the toast. The practice also serves another purpose, that of uniting the individuals taking part in the benediction into a cohesive group: as the wine glasses are brought together, so symbolically are the people holding them. On a deeper level, the wine is also being recommuned with itself — that which had been one (when it had been in its own bottle) but was separated (when it was poured into a variety of glasses) is brought back into contact with the whole of itself, if only for a moment.

Etiquette mavens say one need not clink glasses with everyone present when participating in toasts among large assemblies. Rather than reach across vast expanses of wide tables (thereby risking losing your balance and ending up in the guacamole), simply raise your glass and make eye contact with the group.

MY OWN THOUGHTS ON THE SUBJECT

So, with all this in mind, my own thought is that in times gone by as 'rivals' drank each others health, they would drink from the other person's cup (to avoid poisoning - however all one would have to do would be to poison one's own cup - surely that would have worked?!), as the cups were held to the other person's lips they would inadvertantly 'clink' together.  As time moved on and we attempted not to kill everyone in our paths the clinking just wort of became symbolic.


The taste of hops, malt When I drink beer I can taste a bitter, then slightly sweetness, then kind of a lingering flavor of something. I'm curious - is the lingering flavor the malt, or the hops? What contributes to the bitterness - the malt or the hops?

I would like to know the taste differences between the two.

The malt is providing the sweetness and the hops are providing the bitterness plus the lingering flavour.

Depending on what type malted grains the beer is brewed will effect its sweetness. This is due to how much fermentatble sugar can be extracted from the grains, any non-fermentable sugars will stay in the beer and provide effect how the beer sweetness.

Hops are used in different stages of the brewing process to provide different functions.

Hops are added at the intial point of the boiling process (which is usually about 60mins) - The hops oils released from the hops at this stage provide the beer with head retention, bitterness and also natural perservative.

Hops are then again added during the final stage of the boiling process (last 10-15mins) - At this point the hops are providing the lingering taste that you are noting, plus any aroma notes.


How much is open fermentation affected by the environment? If you had two identical brewing processes set up and left them both out for open fermentation, what would be the distance needed to create a tangible difference between the two? 10 miles? 100 miles? Anywhere with different flora/fauna or wildlife nearby?

I'm sure that a lot of the factors are "it depends", but can the amount of variety between the two environments required be summarized all? It'd be interesting to see a beer that was uniformly made, then divvied up and transported to a variety of areas for localized fermentation.

(I'm assuming here you mean spontaneous fermentation, used originally in belgian lambics. Open fermentation is the practice of fermenting in an open vessel but in a controlled environment, not allowing other microorganisms to get in, like Anchor and Sierra Nevada still do these days, and sometime ago very common in the industry.)

You will probably never get a definitive answer to it but based only in my theoretical knowledge I would say terroir is not so determinant as people use to think, even for spontaneously fermented beer.

My first guess is that, aside from very extreme/sterile climates and landscapes, microflora in the air is pretty much the same, at least in terms of variety and the species that play a main role in spontaneously fermented beer, which aren't much more than a few (acetobacteria, sacharomyces, lactic bacteria and brettanomyces). I know, you can find hundreds of different bugs in a single lambic, but from all that, only a few really play an important role. You can see this study here from UC Davis, based on Allagash's Coolship.

One thing that supports this argument is that american breweries are successfully making lambic-style beers following almost the exact same traditional process as the belgian. But, then, one thing they've already learned is that one of the main factors in the early process of inoculation and fermentation is temperature, what implies year's season as well. Usually they leave the wort to be inoculated over night at fall. You can listen to what people from Allagash say about their Coolship Ale, for example.

The rest of the process, well, now it depends on infinite factors (barrels, wood, storage, temperature, etc). But, your question was about distance between places, what suggests the terroir aspect of the production. So, I would say (and that's a completely wild guess), since you're in a place surrounded by any vegetation, with a minimum of biodiversity, and have wind, it doesn't make a big deal of a difference.

Oh, and don't forget one thing. You get (if so) a consistent and regular flavor from those kind of beers only because people blend it before releasing, once different barrels even of the same batch turn out to be completely different one from the other. So, again, that's why I think there isn't much sense to talk about terroir. It's not like grapes are to wines.

PS1: Off course, as climate does play a crucial role in the process, it doesn't surprise me people are doing this only in the northern hemisphere at temperate climates. I guess it wouldn't work out very well in a tropical country, which doesn't have well definite seasons, although spontaneous fermentation can be done anywhere, you just can't guarantee what is going to come out of it.

PS2: If you are heavily interested in the topic, as I am, I recommend that you listen to Savor's Salons about barrel aging and blending, and sour/wild beers, available at Craft Beer Radio. There has been a lot of talkings about the matter in the last years. Really interesting.


Do beer blends exist? I asked a bartender what she was drinking near the end of her shift. She said a blend. Of Bear Republic's Racer 5 IPA and North Coast's Le Merle (a Belgian Saison).

I tried it and it was great. I already liked Le Merle except it had a bit too much of the Belgian kick, and I never liked Racer 5 at all, but together somehow the attributes I didn't like canceled out or masked one another.

At the risk of heresy, I wonder if mixing beers is or was ever a (semi-)official thing anywhere. I've heard wine blends mostly exist as a product of leftover grapes, so their justification doesn't apply to beer. Still, if the taste is great, why not have beer blends? With the distinct taste variations of hops alone, I wouldn't be surprised if great combinations could be found.

So, to put succinctly: Are beer blends being served anywhere?

There are beer blends served in England and Scotland although it tends to be the older drinkers.

Mild and Bitter is one where a half pint of bitter is mixed with a half of mild.

Brown and Bitter is half of bitter with a brown ale such as Mann's.

A common Scottish blend is the Black and Tan which is Guinness and IPA/Heavy - this can also be made a Sweet Black and Tan by using sweet stout and IPA.

Before Fullers shut Gales of Horndean down they produced a bottled Christmas ale which was a mix of their HSB premium bitter and their 555 mild with spice.


What are the alcohol free beers? I drink beer occasionally. So far I have only drank alcoholic ones. Now I need to know whether alcohol-free beers exist or not. If so, what are their brand names?

Common brands off the top of my head are:

St Pauli N.A.
O'Doul's
Kalibur
Clausthaler

There are actually plenty of others, a few of the major brewers like Miller and Coors also produce a non-alcoholic version and a few other German brands you might be able to find come in non-alcoholic.

Be forewarned that none of them are generally regarded as "good" when compared to full-strength beer.

If your interest is just to not get completely obliterated after drinking several beers, I'd investigate a category called "Session" beers, which are regular beers brewed without artificially removing any alcohol but are designed to be flavorful at 3-4% ABV rather than the common 5-6%+ that many craft beers tend to be.  Full Sail session lager, Stone's Go To IPA, and Founder's All Day IPA should be pretty easy to find, but investigate more local and regional breweries to see if they make any.


Californian red semi-sweet wine similar to Kindzmarauli? I'm in search of wine which will taste similar to Georgian red semi-sweet Kindzmarauli

Can you give some advice for California citizen?

Kindzmarauli is a region in Georgia that is well known for their wines. There is also seems to be some confusion about if it's a style of wine or not. Wikipedia claims that it's a sweetish red wine made from Saperavi grapes and other sources say it's just the appellation and several grapes can be used. Saperavi is a teinturier grape which means it has both red skin and flesh. Most red grapes only have red skin and clear flesh. They can be very powerfully colored and are many times used to color wines that need a little help in the color department. A well known teinturier in California is Alicante Bouschet which at one time was one of the most grown grapes in California. I suspect if you could track down a off dry California Alicante Bouschet it would have a similar flavor profile. There are Saperavi grapes in California, but I don't know a winery using them.

Or you can just buy the real thing from Georgia at your Total Wine store in California.


Carbonation in pressure barrel Is there a reason why yeast sugar and water will not create enough pressure to explode a pressure barrel With enough sugar will the yeast create pressure indefinitely?

Actually, this does happen - but, perhaps 'explode' is a bit of a dramatic term to use... 'Spring a leak' is more like it; because the building pressure would pop the seal of the barrel in order to off-gas.

Check out this thread from the Homebrewing beta:
Flat beer after priming in a pressure barrel

  That's probably the main culprit (CO2 leak).

Also, this brewer describes the exact same scenario occurring during a couple of his brews due to a specific yeast:

Pressure Barrel Blues


Availability of Victoria Bitter Is Victoria Bitter (VB) available in the U.S.?  I have not been able to find it anywhere. It was fairly popular in Australia when I was there 15-plus years ago.

I did a quick search and it seems that the brewery's distribution channel to North America dried up years ago. So, no you can't get it from here. But from what I am reading on Beer Advocate, you should just avoid it anyways since it has an "Awful" rating.


What are some high-ABV IPA's in the Northeast United States? I'm very familiar with Dogfishhead's series of 60/75/90/120 minute IPA's, Harpoon's Leviathan, and have recently found new favorites in Sixpoint Hi-Res and Resin.

What are some similar high-ABV Double/Imperial IPA's in this area?

Bluepoint Brewery of Long Island NY makes Old Howling Bastard at 10% ABV (though I won't buy their beer anymore as they just sold to InBev a few weeks ago)
Dirtwolf from Victory Brewing Company of Pennsylvania at 8.7% ABV
At 9% ABV, you've got Double Simcoe from Weyerbacher Brewing Co of Pennsylvania
Out of NY, you have Unearthly from Southern Tier, rolling in at 9.5% ABV
From NY, you've got He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A. by Shmaltz Brewing Company at 10 % ABV
Dogfish Head makes other IPA's outside of the 60/90/120 Minutes. Give Robert Johnson's Hellhound On My Ale a try (10% ABV).
At 9.7% ABV, Smuttynose of New Hampshire makes the Big A IPA at 9.7% ABV
Stoudt's Double IPA from Stoudt's brewing Co. of PA rolls in at 9.43 ABV
From Vermont, you've got Ephraim by Hill Farmstead Brewery rolling in at 10.5% ABV. I've never seen a beer with a 100 rating on Beer Advocate before...good luck finding this one.
Out of Pennsylvania from Allentown Brew Works you've got Hop'solutely rolling in at 11.5% ABV
Bluepoint also makes No Apologies Imperial IPA at 10% ABV. Again, my discretion about InBev still applies.
Flying Dog out of Frederick Maryland makes Single Hop Imperial IPA at 10% ABV
Brash Brewing Company of Taxachusetts makes The Bollocks at a whopping 12% ABV

I think that list will do for now. Again, It'd be best to rephrase your question as I was not sure if you meant beer brewed in the Northeast or beer available there. I went with the former (since it should satisfy both conditions anyway).

What you want to keep an eye out for are so called Imperial IPA's; it is a category of high ABV IPA's


Origin of the "lick, sip, suck" tequila shot technique I was browsing through Here's How (1928), a Prohibition-era collection of cocktail recipes, and found something surprisingly familiar on page 48.

  The Swiss Itch

  Invented by one James Norton of Princeton and guaranteed to go down with the ease of an elevator:

    Place a pinch of salt on the back of the right hand and with the same north paw hold half a lemon between thumb and forefinger. Hold a small glass of Gordon water [that is, gin] in the left hand and follow this sequence: lick the salt, drink the Gordon water and suck the lemon!

The modern audience will recognize this as the classic tequila shot technique, possibly altered by someone heavily invested in lemon orchards. (Half a lemon? I guess you can tell this book was published pre-1929!)

Which came first: the salt-tequila-lime version or the salt-gin-lemon version? Is "James Norton of Princeton" totally apocryphal? How far back can this two-handed maneuver be traced?

This article does not reference any date, but says something interesting:

  Mexicans have long known that a little sodium chloride on the tongue can help to mollify the fiery flavor that characterizes much of their food. They use salt when downing chile peppers, for example. By the same token, citrus juices of various kinds have long been used to kill the aftertaste of the more potent forms of alcohol [...] Anyway, when tequila came to the U.S., the salt and lime (or lemon) bit came with it.

Further, Stanford University Press Blog states that salt and lime were used to mask bad tequila:

  Legend holds that the origin of serving salt and lime with tequila evolved as a response to an early tequila “boom” in the late 19th-century. The unpredicted spike in popularity led to a proliferation of poor quality tequila brands; salt and lemon were used to mask the taste of crudely-made tequila. Unpleasant or not, the ritual remained and soon became a familiar feature throughout Mexican popular culture.


Are there any medicinal uses for beer? Are there any common medicinal uses for beer? I'm thinking along the lines of how liquor can be used as an antiseptic and less of how red wine can improve your heart health.

Just like wine, absolutely! I'm not a doctor and I am not giving medical advice; I am not liable whatsoever for your drunken antics.

With that said, in addition to kidney benefits:

Beer contains high amounts of silicon, which makes bones stronger
In moderation, it has been shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular problems. However, when abused, cardiovascular problems spike instead. It helps to raise levels of "good cholesterol" which helps to keep arteries free of blockages.
It may help out your brain, keeping Alzheimer's disease at bay.
It is high in antioxidants and helps reduce your risk of cancer.
It is high in B vitamins, namely B6 and B12
Moderate amounts of any alcohol, beer included, may help decrease your risk of stroke by reducing the chance of blood clotting in the cardiovascular system.
I highly doubt this one, but apparently, studies have shown a reduced risk of diabetes among men who drink occasionally.
Studies have shown that it has been linked to lower blood pressure.
It contain fiber! Beta-glucans in particular, which are a soluble type of fiber.
Like sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, yogurt, miso, and kombucha, beer is a fermented food, so many of the benefits of fermented foods such as aiding in digestion may apply to beer as well.

Yahoo Beauty

4 Health Benefits Of Beer Drinking: Antioxidants, B-Vitamin, And Protein Are There... But Don't Overdo It


Marketing wine - does the label matter Living in Spain one tends to get used to good plonk at good prices.  However, now that I am based (for the time being) in the Canary Islands I come across a lot of Canarian wines.  One cannot call them plonk, firstly, they are somewhat superior to the average table wine on the mainland, also they have very fancy bottles and labels.  Now I understand that there is a lot of tourism here and a lot of this wine is bought to take home as gifts - so what percentage of the final cost (to the paying public) can be attributed to fancy labels and bottles - or is this wine really more expensive to produce?

I know wineries that spent huge amounts on a label design and others that keep it super simple with just text and no graphics. The sky is the limit on designing a label. I had to spend about $1000 USD to have a decent label designed. Then printing it on really high quality paper cost $$$$. I was charging between $30-$50 a bottle for my wine.

I was spending around $0.25 a label, $.40 a cork, $.50 tin capsule and about $0.75 a glass bottle. I can only imagine that production costs on the Canary islands are probably double that because it costs so much to ship that stuff to the islands.

Packaging costs become less of a factor the more expensive your wine is. For me it was about $3 per bottle. If you wine costs $10 then it's a huge percentage. If you are charging $50, then it becomes less of an issue.

Wine labels are like snowflakes, not two are alike and why someone would choose eye popping graphics for a low production wine from the Canary Islands, I have no idea. Those usually are reserved for supermarket level wines so you are compelled to pick it up off the shelf.

If fact, If you look at the most expensive wines in the world. They have very conservative labels. 10 most expensive labels


How to pair a beer with a glass? I have recently begun to learn somethings about beer and I suddenly noticed that, for a while now, I have always been served similar types of beer on different looking beer glasses... which is confusing me. It could be human error, but it's got me wondering what beer glasses should I really be sipping from?

So I decided to get some beer glasses, and what do I find? A plethora of beer glasses, all kinds and funky shapes, where not one glass is like the next. It makes me feel like the beer glass industry is very opinionated, rather than factual, and I need to know how to choose correctly.

Could anyone please instruct me on the general type of beers and how they pair with beer glasses, as well as why x glass goes with y beer?

It might sound snobbish to be peckish about the type of glass but the glass does influence the taste of the beer.

Some things are:
 - the thickness of the glass. A thin glass invites to a more delicate way of drinking, a really thick glass would let you expect a sturdier beer.
 - the surface compared to the volume of beer. A big surface gives a change to let of more aroma's but I would think you also need a little more foam.
 - the capacity to keep the aroma's. As pointed out by Rube. Think of a cognac glass versus a vase. Some glasses also take in you nose deeper than others.
 - the way the beer flows. The shape of the glass how quickly you can drink it without spilling. Think of kwak, you HAVE to drink the last very carefully.

So to answer your question: there are many factors how the glass influences how you taste a beer. What's best is very subjective. You could at first stick to the opinion of the brewer, what he finds the best glass for it. If you like the taste with an other glass better, use that. I would not approach this as a hard science. Brewers might choose a specific glass to "stand out".


Why do most beers from ex-soviet countries have a honey note? Almost all beers, especially lager beers I've had in ex-soviet countries have a slight honey taste to them. I'm sure this is not intentional. It could be due to Pentanedione but why in this region?

Let me specify that I do not think that honey is used in the brewing process. I see the sickly sweet honey taste as an off-taste and I wonder how this could be explained in the case of a whole region having it.

It turns up in regular lager beers as well as darker things. It also turns up in former soviet EU countries that are not very russian and have their beer tradition rather from germany.

Examples:

Almost all Saku beers (Estonia)
Almost all A. Le Coq beers (Estonia)
Švyturys Ekstra (Lithuania)
Baltika (Russia)

And more...

First, let me state that I'm a 4th generation Italian American; I know nothing about Russian customs other than what I learned in a Russian history class (humanities requirement) a few semesters ago. With that said, I could probably shoot an email to the professor who I took the class with if you want more info, but I think my answer will suffice (but please let me know, he is a pretty cool guy).

Anyway, I would presume it has something to do with Russian culture and the importance of honey in that part of the world. I remember when I was a kid (like 2nd  grade I think), we read a collection of short, non-fiction stories of a Russian girl and her grandfather, who was a beekeeper. I cannot remember what the name of the book was nor the author nor whether or not the stories took before or during the Soviet era; but I do remember that honey played a really important role in most of the stories.

Of course there is other more concrete evidence other than my childhood reading material. For instance, just take a look at Russian cuisine. They have a mead-like beverage called Medovukha, which is made with honey and yeast. It's apparently a traditional drink at weddings over there. Also, you've got Russian honey cakes and other food based items. Finally, honey is also a good preservative as it's antibacterial, so it was often mixed in with jams back in the day to preserve them.

So I'd be surprised if many of the ex-soviet brewers didn't use honey as an additive to their beer. Especially if the beers you have in mind are bottle conditioned, they would need to add a sweetener of sorts for proper carbonation. I've used honey in two of my home brews and I like it.

Perhaps some substantiating points:

Baltika Medovoe Light seems to be a popular "first Russian beer" to try. It's a pale lager with natural honey added.
Indeed honey does seem to have played a central role in Russian culture.

  Like the Assumption, the three "Saviors" (Spas), August 1, 6, and 16, were associated with the fruits of the earth. The first was called the "Honey" (medovyi) or "Wet Savior" (mokryi Spas), signifying either the gathering of honey or the religious procession and blessing of the waters traditional for this day.

Ivanits, L. "Russian Folk Belief." [http://books.google.com].

  According to Russian historian Vasili Kliuchevskii (1841–1911), we must learn about the Russian forest, river and steppe in order to understand the Russian people. [...] "The forest provided the Russian with oak and pine to build his house, it warmed him with aspen and birch, it lit his hut with birchwood splinters, it shod him in birch bast sandals, it gave him plates and dishes, clothed him in hides and furs and fed him honey. The forest was the best shelter from his enemies."

Riordan, J. "Russian Fairy Tales and Their Collectors." [http://books.google.com]

It's notable how closely intertwined honey and their ideals of paradise were, as found by a search for the term "honey" in "The Paradise Myth in Eighteenth-century Russia: Utopian Patterns in Early Secular Russian Literature and Culture" (Baehr, S. L.).

So, though still conjecture, it may be so that Russian culture has had a higher demand for honey notes in their foods and beverages, naturally selecting those tastes.

Frankly, it may simply be the case that there's not an objective ("provable") answer to this question.


Are Birra Moretti Beers from the series "Le regionali" still available? Last October, being in Northern Italy I really enjoyed a couple of sorts of Birra Moretti Beers of the Le regionali series.

Now, in Southern Italy (Campania) I would like to taste other sorts but I don't see these beers in food shops. Are these beers still available and I just have to go to a bigger grocery store, or were they limited and are not available any more, or are they not available in the South at all?

Can't tell you shops or supermarkets, but buying in internet should be possible, e.g. here: bevandeadomicilio.com, trovaprezzi.it, Amazon.it.

I didn't look for sales outside Italy, since you mentioned to be in Southern Italy. Sometimes local people do know more.


Craft beers and Microbreweries in Pittsburgh? Are there local micro-breweries in Pittsburgh?
What are craft beers that one can find only in Pittsburgh?
On https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_breweries_in_Pennsylvania#Southwestern_Pennsylvania, there's a list of breweries but they don't look like microbrews =(
There's a longer list on https://pittsburghbreweries.com/. Have anyone visited all 30+ breweries? Which of them are craft beer brews? Or are they all craft breweries?
Interestingly Rochefort 10 is rated top beer in Pittsburgh, can any steelers verify this? https://www.ratebeer.com/BestInMyArea.asp?CountryID=213&StateID=38

A search on Google Maps gave me these results:

Bier's Pub & War Streets Brewery
Brew Gentlemen (in Braddock, PA)
Dancing Gnome Beer
Grist House Craft Brewery
Hop Farm Brewing Company
Penn Brewery
Roundabout Brewery
Southern Tier Brewery
Spring Hill Brewing

...and very probably many other local ones producing a few hundred liters per time!


What is so special about corona beer? I have heard a lot about corona in terms of its taste and being the great alcoholic beverage !! It is worth the hype or just a fad ?

There are a few main things contributing to this 'hype'.

Firstly is the addition of the lime. It adds the citric acidity that pairs well with the light beer and gives it a unique zing that you don't find in other easily available beers.

Secondly, its a light beer that is easy and pleasurable to drink. It may not have rich notes that some love, or special characteristics, but what it gains is wide appeal and a product that you can't really hate, even if you don't absolutely love it. It is a very refreshing beer to drink when compared to a heavier lager or IPA.

Finally, is the marketing / ambiance it embodies. This is very likely a smaller contributing factor, but often one recalls having a nice corona on the beach as they relaxed, or correlate the beer to that image in their head, so it has that mental factor as well.

It comes down to the fact that reviews and 'class' aside, you should be drinking the beers you enjoy, and for many non-connoisseurs Corona fits that bill very well.


How hard is to brew beer in a hot climate? I would like to start this hobby however I don't know how hard is to do it in a semi desert climate. Should I have a place with cool temperature to avoid spoiling the brew?

Generally - yes.

A large part of the flavour of the beer comes from esters produced by the yeast during fermentation.  There are many different varieties of yeast, and each has a differing set of esters it produces.

The problem arises in that as temperatures increase the yeast ferments and grows much more rapidly, and can produce different and/or too many esters, in addition to fusel alcohols.

Most packs of brewer's ale yeasts will have a temperature range on the back, say something like 18-25°C{1}.  However, unless one is brewing a beer style that warrants it (like a "Saison") the general rule is to keep the beer fermenting below 20°C.  Ideally, 18-19°C is best.  (You don't want to go too low either, at < 15°C, ale yeast may go dormant - but that's another answer.)

So, what can you do?

Brew only in winter.
Find a spot in your house, a cave, whatever that maintains this temperature.
Immerse your fermenter in a larger vessel of water:

Find a vessel significantly larger than your fermenter.  Bathtub, laundry sink, plastic barrel, etc.
Put your fermenter inside this, fill the space with water.  Drape a cloth, towel, t-shirt, over the fermenter such that it wicks-up the water.  This cools by evaporation.
Add blocks of ice a few times a day, as necessary.

Modify an old freezer (or 'fridge) with a temperature controller:

A device like an STC-1000 allows one to simply set the temperature wanted inside the 'fridge and it monitors and adjusts the temperature by turning the electricity on and off.
Some variants of these have the controller mounted in a box with a pair of domestic sockets, so the 'fridge doesn't need to be modified, just plugged in. (the temperature probe still has to go inside though).

I personally brew in a hot climate (some Autumn & Spring, and most Summer days are > 30°C), and have used all these methods with varying levels of success.  They are ordered from least-successful to most-successful.

{1} Just because the yeast pack says it's OK at 25°C, doesn't mean it produces good beer at this temperature.  I expect some people will disagree with me on this. Ultimately it's a matter of preference, and I think keeping fermentation temperatures < 20°C is good advice for a beginner.


Why is Rum not affected in the same way by distillation as other alcohols like Vodka? Is this true:

  Distilled alcohol such as gin, vodka, scotch, whisky and rye are
  produced from fermentation and distillation of wheat, barely or rye.
  The distillation process separates the alcohol from the gluten
  proteins, producing an extracted product that is gluten free. Despite
  being manufactured from grains that contain gluten, the final product
  contains NO gluten."

  Rum is distilled from sugar cane and is high in FODMAPs, so avoid if you can. However, it is a gluten-free option safe for those with
  celiac disease.

Why is vodka able to have it's gluten removed after distillation but when rum is distilled the sugar(s) [FODMAPs] is still an issue?

Quoted source: Alcohol That Doesn’t Make Your Belly Ache

There is nothing different about the distillation of rum. Just like with whiskey, brandy, vodka, etc. no sugar comes off the still.

What does happen a lot in the rum industry is the post distillation addition of rum, as referenced in Eric's answer (the author at Alcademics - Camper English - has done a lot of research on sugar in rums).

Sugar can have gluten contamination if it is produced near grain processing. Depending on the rum and where the producer sources their sugar, if sugar is added, there is a slight chance of this happening.

If you want to avoid any chance of additive sugar, you can target brands that don't use additive sugar like Foursquare from Barbados or any Rhum Agricole from Martinique (additive sugar is illegal for rums produced with the AOC from Martinique).


Health Issues Associated with Budweiser Prohibition? After treading into the world of non-alcoholic beer, and moving away from alcohol altogether I've discovered that there are distinct disadvantages from drinking beer that still has a 0.5% ABV - most non-alcoholic beers.

And so Budweiser Prohibition serves as an interesting beer as it's 100% alcohol free. All of the taste of a standard, generic beer, with zero buzz or hangover.

My question is - despite the lack of alcohol, are there any health issues associated with drinking Budweiser Prohibition, outside of the calories it provides?

Yes, they are full of sugar and calories regardless of the alcohol. Treat them like soft drinks if you are counting calories.


An alternative to sherry in trifle I want to make a proper sherry trifle, but do not want to use sherry!  Is there an alternative liqueur that wont change the whole ethos of the trifle.  Here is a link to how to make a sherry trifle.

The liqueur I use must also be good enough to have as a drink to go with the trifle.

Alchermes could be a good hint, in Italy is used as an ingredient in Zuppa inglese, a particular derivation of trifle ...as you are trying to do.

Just a reminder, i don't think is SO GOOD to drink it as a glass of wine, but perfect with desserts.


Will temperature changes cause a beer to "skunk" or otherwise spoil? In my fraternity days, there was a constant fear of beer (typically kegged but also bottled) getting "skunked" as a result of warming up and cooling down too many times, possibly even once.

Do non-extreme temperature changes such as moving a beer back and forth from a counter to a refrigerator cause perceptible changes to beer?  If not, what about more extreme changes, such as sitting in the bed of a truck or a trunk?  I'm aware that light has a degrading affect on it's own, so let's assume this beer is in a keg or a light-proof box.

In short, no.

As explained by George de Piro, a biochemist and Brewmaster of C. H. Evans Brewing Company—

  When light hits beer, it provides the energy necessary to drive a reaction that transforms the iso-alpha-acids into 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol. The “thiol” part of that somewhat cumbersome name indicates that there is sulfur present. Sulfur compounds often have strong, offensive aromas. Some musteline animals, like skunks, have evolved the ability to produce this chemical, and use it for self-defense. [...] This photochemical reaction is the only cause of skunked beer. Warm storage, while damaging to the flavor of beer, does not skunk it. Cycling the temperature of beer from warm to cold and back again is also not implicated. Storing beer in the dark is the simple way to prevent skunking.

It's actually pretty amazing how quickly this reaction can happen! From the same article,

  The photochemical reaction that skunks beer occurs very quickly; a well-hopped beer in clear glass can become noticeably offensive with just 30 seconds of exposure to sunshine.

To wrap it up,

  Since light is an essential ingredient in the skunking process, beers packaged in kegs, cans, and opaque bottles cannot be skunked.

Here's the most detailed experiment I could find—The Impact of Lightstruck and Stale Character in Beers on their Perceived Quality: A Consumer Study.


What is the purpose of an etched glass? What does etching on the bottom of a beer glass do? What purpose does an etched glass serve?

The etching provides a nucleation point. To quote a couple places:

A nucleation point on a beer glass refers to an etched mark or pattern on the bottom of the inside of a beer glass.  The etching is called a nucleation point (or a widget in the UK) and helps the release of carbonation and can create a steady stream of bubble emanating from the etched portion of the glass. This works by CO2 releasing (dissolving into gas) when it comes in contact with the rough surface of the nucleation points.  This is not a mere marketing ploy and a nucleation point does increase the amount of bubbles released when compared side by side with a non- nucleated beer glass.

And

A laser etched nucleation site within the glass maintains flavor release during the drinking experience. Samuel Adams Unveils the Samuel Adams Boston Lager Pint Glass.


Is there a full list of hops all around the world? Is there a full list of hops all around the world?

Currently, I've been just collecting them as I drink and asking the brewers or the pub owners which hop the beer uses.

Wikipedia has a list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hop_varieties but is there any other missing?

Admiral
Ahtanum
Amarillo
Apollo
Bramling Cross
Brewer's Gold
Bullion
Cascade
Centennial
Challenger
Chinook
Citra
Cluster
Columbus
Crystal
Eroica
First Gold
Feux-Coeur Francais
Fuggle
Galaxy
Galena
Glacier
Goldings
Green Bullet
Greenburg
Hallertau / Hallertauer Mittelfrüh
Herald
Herkules
Hersbrucker
Horizon
Liberty
Lublin
Magnum
Merkur
Millennium
Motueka
Mosaic
Mount Hood
Mount Rainier
Nelson Sauvin
Newport
Northdown
Northern Brewer
Nugget
Opal
Pacifica
Pacific Gem
Pacific Jade
Palisade
Perle
Phoenix
Pilgrim
Pilot
Pioneer
Polnischer Lublin
Pride of Ringwood
Progress
Riwaka
Saaz
Saaz Late
Bor
Premiant
Rubin
Agnus
Vital
Sladek
Kazbek
Bohemie
Harmonie
San Juan Ruby Red
Santiam
Saphir
Satus
Select
Simcoe
Smaragd
Sorachi Ace
Southern Cross
Spalt
Sterling
Strisselspalt
Styrian Aurora
Styrian Bobek
Styrian Goldings
Styrian Celeia
Summit
Tardif de Bourgogne
Target
Taurus
Tettnang
Tomahawk
Tomyski
Tradition
Ultra
Vanguard
Waimea
Warrior
Whitbread Golding Variety (WGV)
Willamette
Zeus

Getting a full list would always be tough as new varieties are being developed all the time. Looking at the above list I see a couple of varieties that have been out a couple of years that are missing (Mosaic for example).

Yakima Chief Hop Union has a pretty up to date list and since they deal in selling hops it probably would be a good source of the latest ones out there.

https://ychhops.com/varieties