Are brown bottles sufficient to protect beer from skunking? I have read that when stored in a clear container, sunlight can cause beer to skunk in a matter of seconds or minutes. I have also read that brown bottles are "better" when it comes to preventing this.

But how much better? Enough to "not worry about it" for short-term storage?

My specific situation is this: I have a (clear) glass cupboard in the living room. I also have a rotating (every few weeks or so) selection of beers, some of which are in rather nice bottles. I would like to store the bottles in said cupboard.

The bottles are brown, and the cupboard is not exposed to direct sunlight, but the room is generally well-lit. Would I be risking (or just waiting for) spoilage?

Certain wavelengths of light are responsible for skunking beer. I believe these are mostly in the blue and ultraviolet parts of the spectrum. Brown bottles do the best at blocking out the UV rays. This is why you can get an occasional Rolling Rock that tastes off. I've never heard of a UV reflective coating before, but it makes sense.

What follows is probably only relevant if you want to be nit-picky about this:

If it is not in direct sunlight, I'd say your pretty ok. I don't know what your lighting situation is, but I know most incandescent bulbs mostly give off infrared light (I'm not sure if infrared light has been correlated to skunking) and the modern CFL bulbs mostly give off light in the visible spectrum. I'd say both however give off some sort of UV light.

If you are really concerned, you could tint the cupboard glass. Vehicle window tint is designed to block out UV rays that can damage the interior of cars. Your level of protection depends on how dark you want your tint. If you want the highest protection though, I'd recommend a wooden cupboard.


Eat bread before drink beer make you drunk less? My friends says if you eat some bread it will absorb the alcohol and make you high less. is it true?

Your liver processes alcohol at a fixed rate (what that rate is depends on your tolerance, current liver function, what medications you are taking, and some genetics). So eating some food, particularly foods that absorb fluids like bread, will slow down the rate of alcohol absorption into your bloodstream, allowing your liver more time to metabolize the alcohol.

So for a fixed amount of alcohol, drinking on a full stomach will make you FEEL less drunk because you spread out the alcohol absorption over time so your liver has more time to metabolize it.

However, you can still saturate your livers ability to metabolize alcohol by ingesting high volumes of alcohol and the absorptive ability of the food in your stomach is limited (unless you vomit it out) so it is FAR from reliable technique to drink but avoid becoming intoxicated or hungover since you are still absorbing all the ingested alcohol, just over a slightly longer period of time.


Will a collection of 100 beers collectively be worth more 20 years from now than their value today? Different beer bottles and cans (with contents) from different places collected in the past 3 years.

No for the cans; maybe for the contents.

While it's hard to predict the future, we can infer from the past.  As it stands, beer cans as old as 40 years are pretty much worthless (with a few exceptions).  This is because right around the mid 70s, beer can collection as an activity exploded.  Beer cans before that point became valuable, but beer cans from after that point were heavily collected (up through the present day), and are therefore pretty low value.

TLDR: There exist too many well-preserved beer cans from the current era for them to be worth anything in the next 20 years at least (and probably well through the next 40-60 years).

That's just the cans, though.  Exceptions might be very specific beers known to be age-able for decades.  Unfortunately, most beers just don't age that long.  Even a hearty barely wine usually peaks, at most, after a couple years.  The Stone Vertical Epic 020202 series was meant to be aged 10 years, which is unusually long for a beer.

If you could find a beer you reasonably believed would improve over the course of several decades, you might be able to get some money out of it if it were stored properly.


Do different beer glass shapes really make a difference in taste? I understand the basic distinction for wine glasses: red wine glasses are shaped to help keep some of the aroma inside the glass, whereas whites don't. But shapes for beer glasses, such as pilsner vs a standard pint glass, just seem to be an aesthetic difference. Yet I've had people insist that glasses make a big difference for things like Belgian beer.

Is there a sound reason to use the "right" glass for each kind of beer?

Yes.  Taste is really smell, and different glasses can capture aromas differently.  Furthermore, different aromas may be more or less present dependent upon temperature, and a glass may be crafted to be held a particular way (gathering more or less heat from your hand).  The same is true for wine glasses.

That said, how much of a difference it makes to you is what's important.  Going back to the wine comparison, I can sometimes tell the difference between different glasses, but not consistently.  So it's not the most important thing.

Now that that's said, there has been some informal, perhaps less than perfectly scientific studies, including a blind test.  Beer advocate provides some more detailed information.  Some of my local bars carry stemware for specific European beers, and I know of one stateside brewery, Black Shirt Brewing in Denver, which really wants you to stick your nose up in it (to good effect, in my experience).


Are adjunct ingredients always GMO by default? Does the presence of adjunct ingredients like rice or corn imply that these ingredients are always of the genetically modified variety?

I mean, if you are going to add adjuncts to a beer, the main reason is usually to reduce production costs right? In that case, GMO rice and corn adjuncts are the cheapest, so it seems to me like any beers using adjuncts will be using GMO adjuncts.

The chances of corn being grown for industrial purposes, like making dextrose have a very high probability of being GMO. If you are buying specialty grains (like for steeping), the probability of those ingredients being genetically modified are much lower.

That said, finding out whether or not your adjunct is made from GMO corn (or rice) is very difficult. You may be able to find companies that market things as GMO-free, in that case, they are probably GMO free. Otherwise, they may or may not contain GMOs.

If you are concerned about the safety of genetic modification, you should know that GMOs are very safe and are tested for safety much more than the wild crops their genes are borrowed from.


How long in advance do you need to order Westvleteren? I'm thinking of going to Belgium for a week's holiday in the autumn and this time take the car from the UK. This would be perfect for stopping by the monks at Westvleteren and buying a case of beer. How long in advance can you/do you need to call them? Given that we'll probably need to book the holiday at least a month before we go, I don't want to miss out by not getting an appointment!

How long in advance do you need to order Westvleteren?

It seems you need to place an order in at least 60 days in advance of the time of pick up at the abbey.

  The abbey is located at Brouwerij de Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren, Donkerstraat 12, 8640 Vleteren, Belgium. But be warned: the abbey is not easy to find. When coming from Brussels, the recommended way of travel is by car, which will take an hour and a half. Traveling by bus is doable, but not recommended. You will find yourself taking connection to connection that could possibly rack up to about a nine-hour journey.

  Here’s the tricky part: if you are interested in buying this special beer, it is exclusive to the abbey and is only sold at two official sale points – the abbey and the visitor’s center. In order to get your hands on some of the world’s best beer is truly a delicate process. To acquire some Westvleteren, you must call the ‘beer phone’ and place a reservation 60 days ahead of time. The phone line tends to be busy with 85,000 calls coming in every hour. Once you finally get to talk to an individual at the brewery, you will give your license plate number and set up a date and time in which you can pick up your order drive-thru style.

  While these methods may seem extreme, the monks are ultimately striving to eliminate commercial and illegal resales. There should be no pubs or bars supplying Westvleteren, and if they are, that means it’s considered a ‘gray market item.’ If you really can’t wait the 60 days, the abbey also owns a café and visitor’s center called In de Vrede, just across from the brewery, where beer can be bought on the premises to drink right away. - Westvleteren, Belgium's Most Secretive Brewery

Customers are limited to one case per person (per license plate) per 60 days.

The beer phone for the Abbey of Saint Sixtus is (+32) (0)70-21-00-45.

Bierverkoop Trappist Westvleteren

Nota Bene: "The Westvleteren Beer Sale page only mentions that you cannot place another order earlier than 60 days after your previous one. It does not give any information about how long in advance the first order may be made." – Altbier is not Old Beer

To be safer than sorry, I would still place an order in 60 days prior to pick up, unless the first purchase can be verified to be obtained earlier than that!


What are the true origins of the yard of ale? From here, though they do not cite their source:

The origins of the yard of ale date back to the early 17th century, during the reign of King James I (1603-1625). Glass-making in England was then in its infancy; the first glass-making factory had only recently been established. Many of the first yard glasses have not survived due to their brittle nature, until George Ravenscroft (1674) introduced a new glass process known as the flint glass.
The yard of ale was made and used not for normal drinking purposes, but for feast and manly displays of prowess. During Anglo-Saxon times through the Middle Ages, the English nation has always engaged in the traditions of heavy drinking. As put in Young’s quote “England’s Bane” written in 1617, “He is a man of no fashion that can not drink by the dozen, by the yard, so by measure we drink out of measure.”
Legend suggests that the yard was also used in old England to serve the driver of a coach. Upon arriving at their destination and relieving its passengers, the coachman would stay and the length of the yard glass would allow him some refreshment.

Some of the same information is repeated in Wikipedia.
I'm certain that most of the history of using this style of vessel comes from fellow drinkers trying to show each other up at parties, but aside from the sheer volume (and perhaps limitations of glass-making artisans), how did this length and volume of the glass first come about?  Is there more definitive evidence for the year of birth of the yard, besides the milestone in their history of the introduction of flint glass?
I'm also curious about whether the volume of the glass was satisfying to stagecoach drivers because of their need to wait long periods for their passenger, or whether it was just easier to hand them a tall glass as they remained in the seat.

I found a blog post where the author has (most thoroughly, in my opinion) gone in search of some primary source of evidence for the origins of the yard glass. Unfortunately, they seem to have turned up nothing definitive.

On one point, the post is quite consistent: there isn't any real evidence to suggest that the story of the stagecoach or mailcoach driver drinking from the yard-glass is true.

It mentions sources on the history of glassmakers:

  The same absence of evidence occurs in specialist books on drinking glasses. The history  of the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers, published in 1898, has a drawing of the Eton  “long glass”, but no coach drivers.

And also the history of coaches:

  Specialist books on coach travel also fail to supply references to coach drivers and ale-yards.

The coach explanation appears to be wholly made-up:

  The earliest reference to the coach driver legend I have found is from 1952

And, inferring from previous evidence provided by the author, this is almost a century after coach travel has been superseded by steam trains.

The author also makes an interesting point; a coach driver was almost certainly not handed a yard of ale from the alehouse window, because the risk of breaking the glass (which would have been expensive) was too great!

Most of the evidence of the post tends to suggest that the yard of ale was originally intended as a bit of a joke, and attempting to drink the whole thing without spilling a drop was a fun game to play.

  When air reaches the bulb it displaces the liquor with a splash, startling the toper, and compelling him involuntarily to withdraw his mouth by the rush of the cold liquid over his face and dress.

To summarise, in one final quote from the most-excellent article:

  But with all that, I hope you’ll agree, we have found no evidence that
  the yard of ale was originally “designed to meet the needs of
  stagecoach drivers” in a hurry. In fact, there is no evidence that the
  yard of ale was ever used to refresh coach drivers at all (and if it
  had been, it certainly wouldn’t have been handed up to the driver
  through an inn window, which would be an excellent way to either spill
  the ale or smash the glass). Instead, I think, it seems clear that the
  yard of ale was (1) produced as something of a show-off, for the
  glassmaker and the owner, and (2) primarily or almost solely supplied
  and bought as a “forfeit glass”, for use in drinking games and
  contests of skill, just as it is today.


What is the best type of gin to use in a gin martini? I am trying to make a gin martini and I would like to know what is the best type of gin to use for doing so.

According to Vinpair here are The 9 Best Gins To Use In A Martini!  This list is not in order of best to worst. However, it does offer gin recommendations for various types of gin. Their number one all around recommendation is in fact Greylock.

1. Plymouth

  Plymouth is technically both a style and a brand – how’s that for pizzazz? Plymouth is remarkably gentle. It has a sweet, delicate nose and a woodsy, lemony body. You might even get a bit of cinnamon bark on the palate. The finish is quite smooth, making Plymouth ideal for the bare bones martini. If the idea of drinking a cocktail that’s basically straight liquor freaks you out, Plymouth is a great gin to start with. It’s so welcoming, the first few sips of your martini might evolve into gulps. Drink cautiously.

2. Bombay Sapphire

  This is about as old timey as it gets. Savory, agreeable, and wonderfully cohesive, Bombay Sapphire is a gin that was born to hang out in a martini. While this low-key gin runs the risk of getting lost in fruitier cocktails, it rests perfectly alongside vermouth to create a balanced martini. Sapphire’s traditional botanicals (like coriander and grains of paradise) latch onto one another to make something great. Think of Sapphire as the perfect chocolate chip cookie: it seems simple, but one taste of a failed contender tells you it ain’t.

3. Citadelle BEST ON A BUDGET

  If you’re at a great bar and ask for a basic gin cocktail off-menu, there’s a good shot you’ll be tasting Citadelle. This French gin is a great quality purchase. Plenty of orange and overall citrus give Citadelle a nice burst of fruitiness without being fruit forward per se. While there are some floral notes to work with here, Citadelle really straddles the line between unique and eccentric, making it a great choice for a more aromatic, flavor-packed martini. Plus, at around $25, you don’t have a lot to lose.

4. Euphrosine #9

  All right, so Euphrosine #9 isn’t exactly traditional. In fact, it’s like you took the floral notes in Citadelle and pumped them up a notch (or three). Still, there’s enough palatable sweetness to make Euphrosine #9 a happy martini gin. If you’re looking for a martini that’s on the sweeter side, reach for this NOLA-born pick from producer Atelier Vie. You’ll pick up on hibiscus, berries, and sweet iced tea. Dare we say it, there’s something rather flirtatious about Euphrosine.

5. The Botanist

  Hey, here’s something from Islay that isn’t Scotch! Bruichladdich crafts this interesting gin, which is made from thirty-one botanicals, twenty-two of which are native to Islay. While that may seem like an overwhelming amount of botanicals when compared to the standard seven or eight, The Botanist holds itself together surprisingly well. This is a complex gin, with a floral nose and an herbal palate. We get chamomile, mint, and citrus zest. Because this gin is so layered, you might want to add even less vermouth than usual. When it comes to your standard martini, The Botanist will really do all the talking, and in this case, that’s okay.

6. Gin Mare

  Do you prefer your martinis dirty? Then use Gin Mare. Seriously, this Spanish gin seems to be genetically engineered for a dirty martini. In a rare instance where branding fits product, Gin Mare is a Mediterranean gin made with olives, thyme, and rosemary amongst other herbs. The viscosity of the gin, combined with its garden-fresh taste, makes it the ideal spirit for a martini with just a hint of olive tartness. With this spicy yet still contained gin, you’ll feel like you’re going beyond a basic martini. Gin Mare is a great example of how a spirit can be both contemporary and classic at the same time.

7. Terroir

  Made from the gorgeous distillery at St. George’s Spirits, Terroir gin uses local Douglas fir. Unsurprisingly, Terroir gin was created as an homage to California’s natural resources. While drinking “fir” might put you off at first, it seems that the plant works to intensify the juniper, giving us a gin that has classic pine notes. This gin has a generous layer of crisp juniper bite, yet there’s a certain earthiness to it that prevents it from being too harsh or simplistic. Expect grassy notes, moss, tree sap, and of course, a heavy coat of juniper to round this all up. Like Bombay Sapphire, this gin is as solid as a California redwood.

8. Greylock BEST OVERALL

  This mighty gin from Berkshire Mountain Distillers has received tons of praise – and rightfully so. Straightforward, London Dry, and clean as a whistle, Greylock is a fantastic martini gin. Spicy licorice combined with lemon peel, black pepper, and a touch of cooking spice make Greylock both approachable and complex. Greylock will add lip-smacking flavor to your martini while still boasting enough unique spiciness to make your cocktail truly special. A hint of sugar-coated juniper berry will give way to just enough sweetness to make your martini quaffable as can be. This is an A+ gin for making martinis – we guarantee your guests will be happy with this crowd-pleaser.

9. Dorothy Parker

  Named after satirical poet and general snark icon Dorothy Parker, this gin from New York Distilling Company would make Ms. Parker proud. Similar to Euphrosine #9, the floral nose is rich with hibiscus, elderflower, pear, and cranberries. The juniper peaks its head around on the blooming palate and the finish, which is zesty. While this is half a world away from Greylock, it’s perfect if you’re looking to whip up a martini that’s a little lighter, bubblier, and of course, a bit more tart – like Ms. Parker herself.

Recommendation are always a hard subject to put across to others because what one person may enjoy, another may find less than favorable!

Town and Country Magazine offers their 5 of the Best Gins for a Classic Martini.

Boodles
Tanqueray
St. George
Aviation
Berkshire Mountain Distillers Greylock

Personally I am a fan of Beefeater as is seen here from The Best Gin for a Martini!

Ford's Gin
Beefeater
Bombay Dry
Plymouth Gin
Bombay Sapphire


What food pairs well with an IPA? Consider your average american IPA.  What food would go well with it?

As a complete novice to food pairings with beer, I've been looking at this nifty pairing chart on http://www.craftbeer.com [PDF] whenever pairing questions have come up on Beer.SE. According to it, the suggested pairing for an IPA is

  Strong, spicy food (classic with curry!); bold, sweet desserts like carrot cake

and for a Double/Imperial IPA is

  Smoked beef brisket, grilled lamb; Southern chicken-fried steak.

I found a great little summary by Michael Agnew (2012) that explains some of the rationale behind these pairings (emphasis mine hereon):

  When pairing IPA with food you have three basic flavor hooks at your disposal; bitterness, hop flavor (spicy, grassy, herbal, earthy, and citrus), and caramel. Hop flavors have a great affinity for spices and light fruits. Bitterness has a cooling affect. Paired with spicy dishes, IPA will fan the flames at first, but douse them in the end. Bitterness also amplifies salty and umami flavors. The caramel flavors in the beer will latch onto the sweeter side of a dish, tying into things like caramelized onion or the crispy skins of roast poultry. And the hop acids and carbonation make IPAs great palate cleansers to take on even the fattiest deep-fried delights.

Samuel Adams has a "Pair with Sam" tool, and looking at its suggested pairings for their Whitewater IPA (hoppier than their Latitude 48 IPA), pork appears to be the meat of choice: pulled pork, barbeque ribs, chorizo, roasted pork tenderloin, and sweet sausage; and the rest of its suggestions align with the salty-and-spicy pattern we've  seen.

We seem to have found strong consensus already, but just one more to make sure. In Blue Point Brewing Company's words, its IPA pairings are meant to complement

  intensely flavorful, highly spiced dishes, such as curry, and bold, sweet desserts like flourless chocolate cake and crème brulée

or

  rich, aromatic, spicy and smoked foods such as chili, BBQ ribs, grilled chicken, and beef.

Actually, I think they stole those words from Wegmans' Guide to Beer and Food Pairing.


What constitutes a Pale Ale? I ask this because I just ordered an "American Pale Ale" and it's actually quite dark in color. So how can I tell a pale ale?  What actually defines an ale as pale?

It's historical.

The "Pale" in Pale Ale is mostly historical. In the 18th century, most beers were dark due to being produced with barley malt that was kilned or roasted over wood fires. But from England emerged a new technique using pale malts, cured in coke-fuelled kilns. This applied to both ales and lagers, resulting in beers that were bronze, copper or gold—and while you wouldn't look at such colors today and consider them notably "pale," they certainly were pale in contrast to beers back then. In the turn of the 19th century and beyond, the style spread from England to the rest of Europe—

  When a new brewery was built in Pilsen in Bohemia in 1842, a coke-fired kiln was imported from England. The result was the first golden lager, Pilsner Urquell, which was made possible by British ingenuity and technical advance.

http://www.beer-pages.com/protz/features/ipa.htm

Note that American Pales are distinct from India Pales as well as from American India Pales. See my answer about the differences between styles of IPAs.


Eggnog: is it really a holiday drink? From what I googled I didn't get an answer as to why Eggnog is considered a holiday drink.  Why is it associated with Christmas? Is it still a holiday drink today?

Eggnog appears in grocery stores in (at least) the US from late November through early January.  Whether it's specifically a holiday drink or more generally a seasonal one is unclear.

According to the Wikipedia page, eggnog gained its holiday association in the 18th century in the US:

  The drink crossed the Atlantic to the British colonies during the 18th century. Since brandy and wine were heavily taxed, rum from the Triangular Trade with the Caribbean was a cost-effective substitute.[7] The inexpensive liquor, coupled with plentiful farm and dairy products, helped the drink become very popular in America.[13] When the supply of rum to the newly founded United States was reduced as a consequence of the American Revolutionary War, Americans turned to domestic whiskey, and eventually bourbon in particular, as a substitute.[7] Eggnog "became tied to the holidays" when it was adopted in the United States in the 1700s.[11] Records show that the first US President, George Washington, "...served an eggnog-like drink to visitors" which included "...rye whiskey, rum, and sherry."[14]

The same page notes that a hot version of the drink, Tom and Jerry, is mentioned in two 20th-century Christmas-themed works of fiction, Damon Runyon's 1932 short story "Dancing Dan's Christmas" and Yogi Yorgesson's 1949 novelty song "I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas".

There's nothing in the ingredients that is especially available during a particular time of year (unlike, say, apple cider), and yet it is not routinely available the rest of the year.  I suspect this is due to combination of (a) a cultural association between eggnog and winter holidays and (b) the perception of a limited market for something with a limited shelf-life -- suppliers have decided that it won't be profitable year-round and instead promote it during a time of year that already has some traditions and anyway is more likely to have parties.

That said, you can make your own and enjoy it in June if you like.


What wine did people drink during the Roman empire? What was the wine like that people drank during the times of the Roman empire? How alcoholic was it? I heard they diluted their wine with water, but why would they do that?

You have a lot of information right out of Wikipedia when searching for Ancient Rome + wine, and too much for it to be copied or gathered here. But here is some information I also learnt from History courses or readings.

Basically, many wines (Greece, France, Italy...) were kind of "sour" and people were used to adding spices (among other things), not only to "sweeten" the taste, but also to help store the wine and keep it drinkable for a longer time. (1)

Some of the wines the Romans used to drink (there may be more than that, of course):

Mulsum -> wine with spices and honey (served during the gustatio, before the meal)
Turriculae -> dry wine, with sea-water, fenugreek and defrutum (2).
Carenum ->  sweet and liquorous, from very mature / ripe grapes, with quince, various plants and defrutum.
Vinum picatum -> (pitched wine is the closest I can come with in English) wine that was sweetened by the pitch used to seal the container.

  Why would they add many different plants / herbs / honey / water?

Ref. Wikipedia : Romans drank their wine mixed with water, or in "mixed drinks" with flavorings. Mulsum was a mulled sweet wine, and apsinthium was a wormwood-flavored forerunner of absinthe. Although wine was enjoyed regularly, and the Augustan poet Horace coined the expression "truth in wine" (in vino veritas), drunkenness was disparaged. It was a Roman stereotype that Gauls had an excessive love of wine, and drinking wine "straight" (purum or merum = unmixed) was a mark of the "barbarian".

It seems that it was done for 3 purposes:

keep wine longer and help it come from countries hundreds of miles and days of travel away.
make the wine more "drinkable" and enjoyable.
don't do like barbarians do and look like a well-educated person.

-> How alcoholic was it? is a question I have no knowledge of and no answer to.

1 - FWIW: adding spices to a beverage was done again centuries later, when people started drinking hot chocolate (before the refining process / conche was discovered). The taste was so bitter / sour that people put a lot of spices and sugar in it.

2 - A reduction of must in Ancient Roman cuisine, made by boiling down grape juice or must in large kettles until reduced to half of the original volume. See also grape syrup.

Useful links: 1. wines in ancient Rome - 2. History.SE - 3. wine and Rome (University of Chicago) - 4. about ancient roman wines - 5. Rome and wines


Beer as a conditioner? So my grandmother told me before they had hair conditioner in the islands (grew up in Cuba) they used beer on their hair and laid out in the sun. She claims the 'froth' is packed with rich nutrients. I am not sure whether she made this up so I would pour it on my hair instead of drinking it. Anyone else ever heard of beer as a conditioner?...

I have heard and seen beer shampoo, both as a home-remedy and a commercial product.

Here is an article about beer shampoo. http://lifehacker.com/5908809/shampoo-your-hair-with-beer-for-a-silky-soft-shine


Metal band beers in Finland I will be visiting Helsinki in June. Where can I get metal band beers (Iron Maiden, Motörhead etc.).
Is it widely sold around in Finland or there is a lot of hunting to do.

Thanks in advance

Iron Maiden's Trooper beer is British.
Motörhead's Röad Crew beer is British.

I'm not sure why you would expect to buy them in Finland.

Of course you can get them both online...

In fact, of the heavy metal band beers listed on theblekgoat.com, only one is from Scandinavia, and none from Finland.

Amon Amarth's “Ragnarök” beer. USA
Eyehategod's “In The Name Of Suffering” beer. USA
Ghost's “Grale” beer. Sweden
GWAR beer. USA
High On Fire's “Razor Hoof” beer. USA
Mastodon's “The Hunter” beer. Germany
Municipal Waste's “Toxic Revolution” beer. USA
Pelican's "Immutable Dusk" beer. USA
Pig Destroyer’s “Permanent Funeral” beer. USA
Sepultura’s Weizen. Brazil
The Sword’s “Iron Swan” beer. USA
Tulsadoom’s “Barbarian” beer. Austria
Voivod’s “Kluskap O’Kom” beer. Canada

Your best bet appears to be to go to Munster, IN, where 3 Floyds Brewing Co. makes beers for quite a few metal bands.


Recommendations for a pandemic coronavirus drink? Recommendations for some pandemic coronavirus drinks?
I would like to have an enlightened coronavirus engagement with a few selective friends, following the governmental guidelines here in Canada .
Of course it would be catered towards a more adult theme, meaning that alcohol would be served.
The theme includes, food and drinks that have a pandemic theme, either by a name association such as Corona Beer or some weird historical food association such as seen in this YouTube Video (Weird Cures for the Black Plague - Candied Horseradish).
Thus my question : What alcoholic drink recommendations can one suggest for a pandemic or Covid-19 themed dinner engagement?
The more historical the better!

During the spanish flu, whiskey was an accepted medicine: Amid 1918 Pandemic, Bootleg Whiskey Became a Respectable Medicine (or an excuse to bypass prohibition).
A Hot Toddy is traditionally drunk to cure symptoms of a flu or cold.
The icelandic spirit Brennivin is also called "Black Death".
One idea could be to serve shots in disinfectant spray bottles. However, this might be not very classy.


What characteristics make a suitable wine for mulling? When I make mulled wine (wine heated with anise stars, citrus, and spices) I use Rex Goliath because at $6 a bottle, it's the cheapest thing I can get my hands on. But is there a better way?

What style of wine is most suitable, and will I get better results from a more drinkable wine?

"Mulled wine is a seasonal staple but although it's easy to make it's also easy to spoil.

You can mull white wine but most people prefer a red. It needs to be inexpensive, obviously, but that doesn’t mean it should be undrinkable so don’t just chuck in the tail ends of bottles you may have hanging round the kitchen. And you don’t want a wine that’s too heavily oaked though that’s relatively unlikely if it’s cheap.

There’s a fair amount of inexpensive own-label Corbières I’ve noticed lately which would fit the bill perfectly or try a basic Portuguese red. Most recipes add water as well which brings down the cost and stops guests getting too plastered but adjust the amount to the strength of your wine.

Whole spices work better than ground ones otherwise you can get an unpleasant powdery sensation as you drink. Cinnamon is probably the most popular spice but you could also use cloves, cardamom (lightly crush a few pods) ginger and nutmeg. Some recommend star anise but use sparingly if you don't want your mulled wine to taste of aniseed.

Most recipes call for sugar but you might want to add a little less than they suggest if your wine is particularly soft and fruity or if you add port."

Personally, I am very fond of cinnamon in my mulled wines at Christmas time.


Difference between Dark Lager and Black Lager Is there a difference between Black Lager and Dark Lager, or is it just the name?

Since the recipes for Dark/Black Lagers seem to be quite varied, it is hard to tell if there are any majorly different components.

It's likely just naming differences.  Though the BJCP has distinct categories for "Dark American Lager" and "Schwarzbier (Black Beer)".  The main difference seems to be that Dark lager is sweeter and more towards caramel malt than Black which is more dry and slightly roasty.


Can mead spoil? If so, in what ways? Based on my research it seems like mead just flat out doesn't spoil, but since I didn't see this specific question here I thought I'd throw it out there to confirm.

I bought a bottle of mead just under a year ago, that I've had sitting in my kitchen since then. Initially it likely spent most of it's time at room temperature, and being exposed to sunlight every day. Then in the summer it would have been exposed to temperatures in the 90's and up for a few weeks.

Before I open it and try it, I wonder if my bottle is likely to be bad? And if not, are there other ways it can spoil?

Generally speaking, your mead is fine if you haven't opened it.  Normally, commercial meaderies bottle in dark bottles (or something other than clear) which keep out the UV light.  I doubt that the temperature was much of an issue.  You should be able to chill your mead and enjoy it.  FWIW, I'd drink it out of a wine glass made for white wine rather than the skull of an enemy.  You'll be able to pick up on the subtleties of the mead this way, while the other might be more enjoyable.


What are some online sources for information on beer of high repute? When looking for source material to quote, often I find articles from a wide variety of places when it comes to beer. When looking for technology information, I find it best to simply go to the most highly reputable sources (such as a source authored by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft, etc.).

Are there any readily available online sources of high repute for beer?

There are quire a few poorly-sourced beer blogs out there, many of whom get their information from other beer blogs.  If you want high-quality information, I'd suggest:

Well-known authors.  Anything by Michael Jackson is usually pretty well-regarded.  Randy Mosher is also reasonably trustworthy.  Honestly, any published author is likely to be considerably more authoritative than random blogs.
Beer-related Organizations like the bjcp or the aha and their magazine "Zymurgy"
Industry publications like the brewers association
Brewing literature.  There's a very active homebrewing community out there, and you can find answers to some questions on beer production there.  How to Brew is one of the better ones available for free online.


Which single malt Scotches have improved over the last 20 years? There seems to have been a consistent trend across many distilleries towards a poorer product over the last 2 decades.  A case in point is Laphroaig 10yo.  In the late 90s I was a regular drinker of this; recent bottlings are absolutely unrecognisable.  Other well-known distilleries that are notorious for this include Highland Park, Jura and many others.
We can speculate as to the cause - a huge rise in demand (especially overseas) for a product which simply cannot respond quickly to market fluctuations, and consolidation of ownership by large companies.
Are there any single malts where there is a consensus that they have remained reasonably consistent - or even improved - in quality since, say 2000?  I am most interested in the entry-level age-statement expressions.  Perhaps the less well-known distilleries such as Edradour?  Or those which haven't changed their range e.g. Glenfarclas?

I find your question difficult to answer, because you mix up two things: consistency and overall quality.
"There seems to have been a consistent trend across many distilleries towards a poorer product over the last 2 decades. A case in point is Laphroaig 10yo. In the late 90s I was a regular drinker of this; recent bottlings are absolutely unrecognisable."
Rhetorical Question: Does a (in your opinion) different tasting Laphroaig make a poorer product?
When we talk about mere quality, there were huge positive steps in the scotch whisky industry over the past 20 to 30 years.

The wash (beer that is destilled)

In the past, the washbacks, often made of wood, were cleaned by hand. This lead to a fluctuating cleaning result, and especially in warm weather periods (which even occur in scotland), it happend for the wash to be infected by vinegar bacteria, which made the resulting New Make taste sour. Today a lot of washbacks are made of steel and even the remaining wooden ones are washed by automated cleaning systems for a much better and more consistent result.

The pot stills

In the past the pot stills where directly heated with coals. When you have a high temperature concentrated on a small point, solid parts get burnt on pot still and lead to bitter notes in the New Make. Today a rotating rummager is widely used, which heats much more evenly and prevents this effect.

Cask management

In the past the cask management was lacking details, or history, of a certain cask. How often was it used? Which destillery did it came from? This lead to casks being used to often and it made it difficult for the blend master to get a consistent batch for a certain bottling, since he has a recipie, but the casks where not labelled sufficient enough. Today a cask gets a barcode which contains all the information what a cask went through which makes trading easier and get more precise results over time.
One problem the scotch whisky industry is facing, is the huge growth in demand for Single Malt whisky. The the past, about 10% to 20% of the whisky production of a distillery went into Single Malts, the rest into the blending idustry. Today it is about 50% to 100%. This changes the cask selection for blends, since some destilleries don't provide them with casks anymore, and also for Single Malts. Because of the high demand, a lot of popular distilleries went out of longer matured casks and had to change their portfolio to younger bottlings, or create No Age Statement bottlings.
This had, of course, a huge impact on consistency in terms of taste.
So, to answer your question(s):
"Which single malt Scotches have improved over the last 20 years?": pretty much all
"Are there any single malts where there is a consensus that they have remained reasonably consistent": probably none


Dry hopping versus regular hopping What's the difference between dry hopping and regular hopping, and both in terms of production process and taste? I think I'm starting to get an idea of what a dry-hopped beer tastes like, but I'm not always sure if it's actually dry hopping or just a hoppier beer, especially if I'm at a bar. What's the difference?

Dry hopping is a brewing technique which specifies when hops are added to a beer.

In particular, "normal" hopping is when you add hops while boiling the wort.  Depending on how much time you are into the boil, this may add more bitterness or more aroma.

Dry hopping, on the other hand, is when you add hops after the boil is done, usually in a fermentation chamber.  The purpose is only to add more aroma to a beer.  You aren't getting the oils from the hops, so the beer shouldn't be any more bitter than before.  Because no bitterness is added, you won't find a beer that is strictly dry-hopped -- the bitterness of the hops is what cuts the sweetness of the wort.  Dry hopping is an extra twist that some brewers use.

All that said, is there a way to tell whether a beer is dry-hopped or just extra hoppy?  That's hard to say, since you certainly can add more hops late in the boil to get more aroma qualities from them.  Probably your best bet is to ask the brewer, and if you really like the beer, get a second pint!


What alcohol products go well with a particular type of coffee? What alcohol products go well with a particular type of coffee?

I enjoy the odd Irish Coffee occasionally.

Desiring to expand my coffee/alcohol combos, I would like to know what types of coffee goes well with what type of alcohol?

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Generally, you'll want to avoid things with brighter, more acidic fruit flavors (apple, lemon) as those will mess with the inherent acidity of the coffee (although it should be noted that cherry is sometimes used)

Kahlua and Baileys are commonly used, as are more woodsy whiskeys. Avoid anything with carbonation, as the carbonic acid will again mess up the flavor of the coffee (beer is a no-no) and you should also avoid scotches, rye, or other peaty-earthy whiskeys.

Also, rum is pretty good with coffee, if you're using raw sugar in your coffee - demerara and rum are best friends.


Are there cocktails with wasabi or other spicy ingredients? Recently I tried a custom cocktail from my barman with wasabi, vodka and some sambuco syrup (not Sambuca, and still no found resource in English to add) and got in love with that cocktail, like my top 5 ever.

Wasabi itself as an ingredient was surprising on mixing with vodka, so I'm trying to find out if there are other coktails with wasabi or other spicy ingredients.

Does anyone know some?

EDIT:If anyone is interested on this Sambuco syrup, can find some info here

Tabasco or other hot sauces will be a far more common spicy ingredient, and is present in quite a number of cocktails (the Bloody Mary variants, Afterburners*, Flatliners). You could even use a vinegar-based hot sauce as the "dirty" part of a dirty martini. Here are more ideas that I haven't tried myself.

Note that unless the wasabi root was grated in front of you, no matter where you are in the world, you almost certainly actually had green-colored horseradish 1. Horseradish can also be an ingredient in the Bloody Mary family of drinks.

*Names for lots of shots are not standardized, so there are a huge number of totally different "Afterburner"s, YMMV.


How to avoid keg foam? When using a keg setup at home, either with a hand pump or a pressurized system, I keep getting a lot of foam after changing and/or pumping up the air pressure (In a hand system).

This appears to me to be wasting beer, so how can I avoid this overfoaming of the pour?

Foam comes from over pumping. For most of my keg beers I (with a CO2 tank) use about 11-15psi). For a hand pump this is more difficult. You will have to resist the urge to over pump. If you are a little more engineer-minded you can look at THIS article to gauge more consistently your tap pressures. Make sure you let the keg settle after moving as well. Just like shaking a soda can, a lot of jarring will make the CO2 come out of solution.

A trick I use on my homebrew system (I use 5 gallon kegs) is gently placing the keg on its side and slowly rolling it about 3 feet forward and then 3 feet back. Then, I place it back in the fridge and repeat 3 times throughout the day. This helps the CO2 re-dissolve into the beer. However, if you are pulling the keg out of a trunk, throwing it in a trash can and packing it with ice...this solution isn't viable. In which case you want to let it settle and resist the urge to over pump.


How to correctly do a "Hitch Mix" - Johnnie walker and perrier water I'm curious to experience Christopher Hitchens reported favourite drink. He described it as Johnnie Walker black, cut with perrier water, and no ice.

I've had a go and it's interesting, but I'm wondering what else needs to be done to get the perfect drink:

What temperature should the whisky be?
What temperature should the perrier water be?
What would be the ideal ratio of whisky to water?

The answer really depends on what you're looking for in the drink.

1) The hotter the whiskey the more rapid the alcohol evaporates out and more of the bitter-notes shine through. Adding ice is cold + water which can also mask some of the whiskey characteristics while taking away some of the "harsh" fore taste of the whiskey.

  *Whiskey stones could be a good alternative if you want cooler whiskey without the effects of the water.

2) The Perrier Water is going to add some fizz + bring the whiskey toward the temperature of the Perrier. The cooler the Perrier, the more the temperature drop on the finished product will be. Conversly, the hotter the Perrier is served, the more rapid the loss of CO2 will be.

  *Freezing the Perrier (or being cold enough to almost freeze) can be dangerous because the H2O (32ºF/0ºC) freeze before the CO2 (-109.3ºF/-78.5ºC) causing a lot of pressure and potentially an pressurized explosion to occur.

3) The ideal ratio of Perrier+Whiskey is going to solely depend on the imbiber's taste. The more Perrier, the more fizz and more "watered down" the final drink. The less Perrier, the less fizz and more whiskey you will taste.

  *Watered down is not being used in a negative connotation here. It is being used as a catch all to describe all of the ways water (carbonated or not) affect whiskey and other liquors.

The real answer is... Experiment!

  Try:

Johnny Walker, neat, at room temp.
Johnny walker, neat, chilled
Perrier at room temp.
Perrier chilled

Then measure out ratios based on what your perceptions were.
If you liked the Johnny Walker closer to room temp, both should be closer to room temp. Adding measured volumes of each until you achieve your perfect ratio.

  *An important note: The reason you don't add ice on top of the Perrier is because of the dilution when the ice melts. Therefore you could add whiskey-stones that chill without the dilution.


Using Caster Sugar as Primer in Barrell I'll admin i got a bit excited. My first best of home brew fermented for 6 days, then transferred to barrel for the net 3 weeks - i used woodforde's real ale mix.

BUT at the last seconds i forgot primer so i improvised wit 80g of caster sugar for 23 litres of beer.

Does anyone have experience of using caster sugar as a primer in a barrell? And more importantly - have i just borked my first barrell?!

Doing the math out, assuming my liters to US Gallons conversion by Google is accurate, that would come out to around 1.6-1.7 volumes of CO2 in the beer which is on the lower end of carbonation but probably appropriate for many European ale styles.

Think of something like a Bitter or ESB, that's probably where you'll end up.

Caster sugar is just very fine white sugar, so it's probably some form of sucrose...pretty much all of which are interchangeable.  If this is under carbonated for the style you're going for, check out an online carbonation or priming sugar calculator next time and just pitch sugar according to that.

I always liked Northern Brewer's.  It takes beer in gallons since it's a US site but I like that they have a style drop down and list how much of many different types of sugar to use.


Mixing vodka with beer? Is it safe to mix small quantity of vodka with beer.

Any there any dare devils who had tried cocktails on their beer?

In (Soviet) Russia it is called Yorsch ("yorsh" means ruffe, a small fish remarkable for its hard and sharp spines).

There is a variations of it – "From brown bear to the polar and back". You take a glass of beer, drink a little, fill it up with vodka, drink again, fill up again and keep drinking and filling until the mixture is colorless. After that you keep on drinking but start to fill it up with beer. It is said that many have seen The White Polar Bear but only few have managed to see The Brown again.


How is Lambic fruit beer traditionally made? There are a few fruit beers around how are these traditionally made?  I know they are all Lambics, but how are they made exactly?

Lambic is a type of beer brewed in the Pajottenland region of Belgium and in Brussels itself at the Cantillon Brewery and museum. Lambic beer is produced by spontaneous fermentation: it is exposed to the wild yeasts and bacteria native to the Zenne valley. This gives the beer a dry, vinous, and cidery taste, usually with a sour aftertaste.

This beer forms the basis of the Lambic fruit beers. After the Lambic is made, fruit juice is added to the barrels right before bottleing the beer.


Are there other spirits and/or wines in the world that use the Sherry production method? The method to produce Sherry and the respective Brandies, called Solera, uses several layers of barrels (frequently four layers). From the lowest layer they take the annual amount they want to sell and refill from the respective layer above. The layer on top is refilled with the newest production. So every Sherry and Brandy produced in this way contains at least (four?) year old wine or spirits, but also much older components of the first year of production, which means that you may expect a drop of first production year in each bottle. ;)

This is why you will not find a year of  grape harvest on the bottle labels.

However, except those mentioned in Wikipedia I do not know any other winery or distillery working in that way. I know some that blend (mix) different products at the end of production, but that is not the same.

One wine comes to mind and that is the Apera wine produced in Australia. If you do a google search on apera and solera you will find numerous hits of wineries in Australia and Canada making something that is Sherry-like. Sherry is now a protected name place like Champagne, Chianti and Burgundy and can only be used in Spain of wines produced in the Jerez-Xeres-Sherry DO province of Cádiz in the region of Andalusia. Everything else produced in a sherry-like manner has to be called something else. Many have settled on the Apera (a play on Aperitif) name. See the "Protection of Sherry" in the Sherry Wikipedia.

There are several other wines produced in the world using the Solera system and these include spanish Brandy, Marsala, Mavrodafni, Glenfiddich whisky, some Champagne, awamori in Japan and is well covered in your link in Wikipedia


How can absinthe be colored into a different colour other than green? Some days ago I was walking on the street and passed by a beverage store where I saw some bottles of absinthe.

There were green, red and blue versions, and I thought how could absinthe, a classically green colored beverage, be transformed into a totally different color; and what's more, a primary color which is supposed to be impossible to create by mixing other colors.

I have two theories:

Absinthe is always green due to the presence of Artemisia absinthium's chlorophyll. The beverage is based in and some kind of product is added in order to create a reaction to make it turn to X color.
Absinthe is transparent until you add the Artemisia absinthium's chlorophyll. Somehow, you can add colorant to the transparent beverage and eliminate the chlorophyll.

I'm attaching an image for you to know what I'm talking about:

These are the ones I saw

Clear Absinthe

Absinthe is made much in the same way that many gins are.  You take neutral spirits, add botanicals (wormwood and anise), and re-distill.  Anything that comes out of the still will be clear.  Some absinthes at this point are finished, these will be called blanche (white) or sometime la bleue.  The first absinthe available in Val-de-Travers (the birthplace of absinthe) after the ban in Switzerland was lifted was a blanche.  That same bottling was the driving force behind making it legal in the United States (interview of lawyer who fought the ban).  It can be really good stuff.  Any of these can be really easily colored.

Green Absinthe

Usually absinthe gets a second chance to mingle (macerate) with some herbs after it's sprung from the still, this style is known at verte.  This is when it gets it's color, as well as some extra flavor and aroma. It's a more complex flavor.  The color that the chlorophyll imparts is dull.  If it's neon green there was food coloring added and some of these "greener" varieties are actually blanche at heart.  Also of note is that sometimes these food colored types add sugar, to make it friendlier to less experienced drinkers (or to hide poor distillation technique as happens with vodka).  There is at least one non-green bottling that I know of that is still macerated post distillation, but uses hibiscus which turns it red.  These methods of coloration don't make them any less of a true absinthe, they do use wormwood (and equally important, anise).

Czech Absinth (without the e)

The most common non-green "absinthe" is so called Czech-style, also known as Bohemian style.  These are not rightly called absinthe and are historically known for very low quality.  Instead of distilling the botanicals in the alcohol, they are cold compounded.  It's made either by mixing spirits, flavoring oils, and food coloring or by macerating the botanicals without distillation.  Be wary of absinthes much over 140 proof, as they are frequently Czech-style.  Do be aware that they're called Czech-style because that's where the style originated and where most of this variety still comes from, however the Czech Republic does have good examples of absinthe.


Which band beers exist in your country? Does your country have any band or music based special crafted beers?
In Finland I can get Mötorhead, Kiss, Iron Maiden and Finnish bands like Amorphis and soon Diablo's Corium Black titled beer.

I was wondering that if I could get information that different countries have band or music related beers I could order some online for educational purposes.

In Brazil, we have a few. But, in general, they're not an original beer, really created by some musician, but more a marketing thing. They only contract a micro brewery to develop a recipe for then, or even use a previously existent beer and re-brand it with their names.

Examples are: Raimundos, Sepultura (which is a brazilian hardcore band well-known around the world) and Paralamas do Sucesso, bands which have a beer with their names produced by Bamberg Brewery, a microbrewery of São Paulo state dedicated exclusively to german styles. The former 2 being merely a re-brand of Bamberg's flagship beers.

Velhas Virgens is a rock band from São Paulo which have their own brand too, and more than one beer, and I think someone inside the band homebrew. Nowadays they produce in association with Invicta brewery, and I guess they have some contribution for them in the products development, although, of all those "rock band beers", they seem to be the most genuine/authentic initiative.

The way I see this thing on the craft beer scene is: people trying to take advantage of this trending market and make money out of it. It's a pure marketing thing. It's like you being a famous person and associating your name with some product, whatever it is, just because you know people will buy it only because of your image/name, and not because of what is really inside of it.

Particularly, I think this is pure opportunism.


What are tannins in wine? How we can classify tannins used in making of different wines like white wine and red wine on the basis of wood tannins and grape tannins?

What are tannins in wine?

  Tannins refer to the diverse group of chemical compounds in wine that can affect the color, aging ability and texture of the wine. While tannins cannot be smelled or tasted, they can be perceived during wine tasting by the tactile drying sensation and sense of bitterness that they can leave in the mouth. This is due to the tendency of tannins to react with proteins, such as the ones found in saliva. In food and wine pairing, foods that are high in proteins (such as red meat) are often paired with tannic wines to minimize the astringency of tannins. However, many wine drinkers find the perception of tannins to be a positive trait—especially as it relates to mouth feel. The management of tannins in the winemaking process is a key component in the resulting quality.

  Tannins are found in the skin, stems, and seeds of wine grapes but can also be introduced to the wine through the use of oak barrels and chips or with the addition of tannin powder. The natural tannins found in grapes are known as proanthocyanidins due to their ability to release red anthocyanin pigments when they are heated in an acidic solution. Grape extracts are mainly rich in monomers and small oligomers (mean degree of polymerization <8). Grape seed extracts contain three monomers (catechin, epicatechin and epicatechin gallate) and procyanidin oligomers. Grape skin extracts contain four monomers (catechin, epicatechin, gallocatechin and epigallocatechin), as well as procyanidins and prodelphinidins oligomers. The tannins are formed by enzymes during metabolic processes of the grapevine. The amount of tannins found naturally in grapes varies depending on the variety with Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Syrah and Tannat being 4 of the most tannic grape varieties. The reaction of tannins and anthocyanins with the phenolic compound catechins creates another class of tannins known as pigmented tannins which influence the color of red wine. Commercial preparations of tannins, known as enological tannins, made from oak wood, grape seed and skin, plant gall, chestnut, quebracho, gambier[18] and myrobalan fruits, can be added at different stages of the wine production to improve color durability. The tannins derived from oak influence are known as "hydrolysable tannins" being created from the ellagic and gallic acid found in the wood.

  In the vineyards, there is also a growing distinction being made between "ripe" and "unripe" tannins present in the grape. This "physiological ripeness", which is roughly determined by tasting the grapes off the vines, is being used along with sugar levels as a determination of when to harvest. The idea is that "riper" tannins will taste softer but still impart some of the texture components found favorable in wine. In winemaking, the amount of the time that the must spends in contact with the grape skins, stems and seeds will influence the amount of tannins that are present in the wine with wines subjected to longer maceration period having more tannin extract. Following harvest, stems are normally picked out and discarded prior to fermentation but some winemakers may intentionally leave in a few stems for varieties low in tannins (like Pinot noir) in order to increase the tannic extract in the wine. If there is an excess in the amount of tannins in the wine, winemakers can use various fining agents like albumin, casein and gelatin that can bind to tannins molecule and precipitate them out as sediments. As a wine ages, tannins will form long polymerized chains which come across to a taster as "softer" and less tannic. This process can be accelerated by exposing the wine to oxygen, which oxidize tannins to quinone-like compounds that are polymerization-prone. The winemaking technique of micro-oxygenation and decanting wine use oxygen to partially mimic the effect of aging on tannins

  A study in wine production and consumption has shown that tannins, in the form of proanthocyanidins, have a beneficial effect on vascular health. The study showed that tannins suppressed production of the peptide responsible for hardening arteries. To support their findings, the study also points out that wines from the regions of southwest France and Sardinia are particularly rich in proanthocyanidins, and that these regions also produce populations with longer life spans.

  Reactions of tannins with the phenolic compound anthocyanidins creates another class of tannins known as pigmented tannins which influences the color of red wine. - Phenolic content in wine


How do they get beer so strong? I was looking for some new beers to try and I came across some really, and I mean really, strong beers and here are a few examples:

Sink in the Bismark - AVB: 40%
End of History - AVB: 55%
Armageddon - AVB: 65%
Snake Venom - AVB: 67.5%

My question being how do they get beer so strong?

These beers are stronger than some spirits! How is it possible to make these?

Primarily through the use of freeze distillation.   After the beer is brewed, using the normal process, the temperature is brought down below the freezing point of water, but above the freezing point of alcohol, so some portion of the water in the beer freezes into ice and can then be removed.  What remains has a far higher concentration of alcohol than what can be achieved via brewing alone.

Some beers such as Sam Adams Utopias do attain quite high levels of alcohol through the use of carefully engineered strains of yeast, though nothing like the percentages in the beers you list...Only in the high 20s ABV.  Beyond that point, we haven't yet cultivated yeast that can live and continue to produce alcohol so cheating, if you will, is required.


Does the climate and growing conditions of hops effect the taste of a beer, like with wine? You will often hear wine discussed in terms of the climate, soil, etc of the vineyard. The terms 'new world' and 'old world' wines are common.

Is there a similar concept for the hops used in beer? A quick web search seems to indicate that hops don't thrive in as many different climates as grapes do, so there might be less variation. Similarly, there are a few websites that seem to refer to new vs. old world hops, but it doesn't seem to be as popular a talking point. Is there more to it than a 2 minute google search can reveal?

Sort of.

There are literally dozens of different varieties of hops, in much the same way there are dozens of different breeds of dogs. Just as a Chihuaua and a Great Dane are both Canis Lupus, a Galena Hop and a Goldings Hop are bot Humulus Lupulus, separated by vastly different lineages and genetics. New hop varieties are often developed by selective crossbreeding of existing variants, to generate different flavor profiles by adjusting the acidity and oil content of the hop.

Like different breeds of dogs, different hop varieties are often the products of hundreds of years of genetic development in a particular climate -  the Pacific Northwest, especially the Yakima Valley and Cascade Mountains in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, is known for it's production of very strong, highly acidic hops that impart a very strong bitter flavor - take a sip of a Sierra Nevada IPA and you'll instantly recognize that classic blend of the 'three C's'.

By contrast, traditional hops grown in England and on the European continent tend to be more mellow and aromatic - especially the so called 'noble hops' popular in many less bitter tasting German and Czech beers. Still others, like Japans Sorachi Ace, offer a more citrus bite to the beer they're added to. While these differences are not directly a product of climate, it's doubtless true that climate has had an impact on the development of variation amongst the various hop lines that have been bred through the centuries -  and especially over the past 50 years or so.

Put another way: New World vs. Old World Hops is a meaningful distinction, but it has less to do with climate and more to do with the difference in cultivation practices and the specific varietals popular with farmers in various regions. Growing conditions may have some impact, but the specific lineage matters much, much more. The fact that those lineages tend to have significant geographic commonalities is as much an accident of history as it is of varying conditions, but it's nonetheless sufficiently meaningful that, in particular referring to hops from the Pacific Northwest evokes a very specific and comprehensible flavor profile in most educated beer drinkers.


In the United States, is a beer required to state ABV on the bottle/label? I recently purchased a Dogfish Head World Wide Stout. I bought it on a whim because 1. I was looking for a stout, and 2. I typically enjoy Dogfish Head. Only after I got home and looked it up did I realize it has an ABV of roughly 18%. Then I checked the bottle and realized that no where on it does it state the ABV. I found that quite strange especially considering "liquor", by law, must state such information.

So are fermented drinks simply exempt from having to state this info? I've never come across another beer that did not state ABV on it -- let alone one with 18%.

(P.S. It was a delicious beer.)

No, federal malt beverage labeling laws make it optional (though they do describe standards the label must meet if brewers do choose to add the alcohol content label.)

State laws, however, may require a brewer to add alcohol content to the label.  Clearly Delaware law (where Dogfish Head is based) must not.

In my experience, this is not terribly uncommon.  It is true that most beers do have alcohol content disclosed on the label, but I've run across quite a number that do not.

If you're interested in learning more about it straight from the source, it's available in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations in Title 27, Chapter I, Subchapter A, Part 7—LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF MALT BEVERAGES.


What is the result of boiling beer? Recently, I had seen a video where a Coke was boiled, and end result was tar like substance.  I am just curious to know if anyone has tried boiling beer, and what is the result?

Well, I never tried such an heresy, but theoretically you will end up with some kind of syrup (or broth, I really don't know the most appropriate word in english for it), thick, and more or less sweet depending on the beer you use. Some beers have more residual sugars than other ones.

Alcohol will be the first to evaporate, then water, which is basically the majority of beers composition, in volume, leaving behind sugars and proteins, basically. Those last compounds can be modified or merged, as well, I can't say. Then, depending on the beer's malt bill (pale, crystal, caramelized, roasted, smoked, etc), you might get different flavors related to it. I don't know what would happen to hop compounds when boiled for a long time, but you'll probably still get some bitterness from them.

You know what, you question got me curious about how it would taste at the end. =P


Can one pilsener cause a hangover when another doesn't? I frequently hear stories about people drinking their favorite pilsener, and not liking the other brand because "they'll get a hangover when drinking that brand".

Is there a truth in this?

It's true that there are different types of hangovers.

However, those are mostly the result of differences in the impurities in the alcohol (that is, all the non-alcohol stuff that differentiates beer from wine from vodka).  And for those differences, it's largely the difference between different types of liquor.

Beer is, compositionally, pretty much the same.  There might be enough difference between a heavy chocolate stout and a hoppy IPA, but between different brands of lighter beers (like pilsners), there's unlikely to be a noticeable difference in hangovers barring a weird food allergy to a minor element of one pilsner vs another.

Some far more likely causes of your friends reporting worse hangovers for different brands of the same beer type are:

Different quantities between evenings.  One evening you drank 10 Pilsner Urquells and the next you drink 8 Beck's.  How well are you really counting at that point?  If you think you had "about 9 beers" both nights, you might blame the worse hangover on Pilner Urquell.
Differences in alcohol level between brands.  The difference between 3.8% and 4.2% adds up after a while.
Small sample size.  Would you rely on a medical study of only 3 or 4 people?  Probably not.  Likewise, if your friend reports getting a bad hangover the last 3 or 4 times they drank Konig, it may just be a bit of coincidence, and they would have had a nasty hangover those nights regardless of what they drank.


Craft Beer vs Real Ale I've been following the craft beer scene in the UK for some time now, and much prefer true craft beers to real ales (and beers labeled "craft" when they have no business being represented in such a way). Comparatively, real ales I've tried have a bland, waxy taste to them, unlike craft beers such as Brewdog's Punk IPA, Dead Pony Club, and 5AM Saint.

A friend expressed to me his view that the terms “craft beer” and “real ale” are synonymous, stating:

  “You realise that most of the industrialised breweries started out making “craft beer,” however demand and greed caused them to skimp on ingredients, adding less and less to make more and more profit? Most of these new breweries will probably go the same way.”

Whilst I agree in principle regarding greed and industrialisation, I am skeptical of the claim that most industrialised breweries started out making “craft beer.” Nor do I believe that “real ale” breweries have changed their recipes to that degree over time.

To put this into context, some beers I consider real ales are Youngs London Gold, Bombardier, Tribute, and Deuchars IPA, while some beers I consider craft beers are Brewdog IPA is Dead Citra, Kernel Black IPA, Lagunitas IPA, and Moor So’Hop.

What distinguishes a “craft beer” from a “real ale”?
Do “craft beers” change as breweries scale up for profits?
Did “real ales” use to taste nicer than it does today?

First, a disclaimer:  I'm American and most of my knowledge of craft beer comes from the American beer scene.  I am somewhat aware of the evolution of the UK brewing industry, but nowhere near as knowledgeable as I am about America's.

Now, definitions.  Craft Beer commonly derives the Brewer's Association definition of a Craft Brewer.  Which is Small, Independent, Traditional.  Sparing the specifics it's a definition meant to exclude the world's largest brewing companies, and their "crafty" portfolios.  "Crafty" is a pejorative used to describe brands or brewers which may or may not produce good tasting beer, but are owned by the larger brands in attempts to diversify their portfolios.  While the BA is primarily focused on the American market, it seems most European writers defer to their terms.

Real Ale, is a distinctly British term.  Coined by CAMRA in the 70's it's more to do with the packaging and serving of the beer in the pub than the business scale of the brewer.  All Real Ale has to do is be cask conditioned and served via a gravity tap or hand-pulled with a beer engine.  This excludes a majority of what we in the US would consider craft beer, because it excludes anything kegged, filtered, force carbonated, or pushed with pressurized gas.

This leads to an interesting overlap where an unfiltered beer, carbonated by natural fermentation, could NOT be a real ale because it was kegged and served on gas.  Also, nothing prevents a large brand like Murphy's or Beamish (both owned by Heineken) from marketing a "Real Ale".

These definitions aside: It sounds like you may just be an IPA fan.  Your craft beer list is entirely IPAs.  It's not really accurate to conflate Craft and IPAs because plenty of craft beers are stouts, rye beers, Scotch ales, English bitters, or totally non-traditional things.

Another issue you might have with "Real Ale" is a technical note.  Because it's exposed to oxygen as soon as the cask is tapped real ale tends to spoil if it's not drank quickly.  The characteristic tastes of oxidized beer are cardboard, and the characteristic tastes of beer left on dead yeast for way too long is soapy.  I can easily see that coming off as "waxy", especially if it's warmer than you're used to drinking and you've just downed some IPAs.

Beer today is probably the best its ever tasted because of refinements in production techniques and farming.  Consumers are becoming interested in what their beer is made of so the quality of ingredients and care on a whole is improving.  But real ale is a niche,  there are going to be great traditional brewers making phenomenal beer, but it's prone to spoilage if not treated well.  There may also be those using it as a marketing gimmick.

And finally a last point about industrialization:  It has vastly improved the quality of ingredient and process that all brewers use.  The huge brands we now have, all started off as craft at one point.  But if they are no longer craft they either couldn't weather the market and faced the choice of no longer being a company or selling to a business and risk becoming more about business than beer.  In the US we have large breweries proving you can still be pretty big and make good beer.  Sam Adams, Stone Brewing, Dogfish Head, Yuengling, are HUGE by craft standards and haven't compromised the quality of their ingredients because brewers are still in charge.  Industrialization will never prevent a brewery lead by a passionate brewer from making interesting beer, but leaving brewing decisions up to a business man will always making boring beer.


What German beers are similar to Belgian abbey beers? I visit Germany a lot (Augsburg, Bavaria) and I can't seem to find a beer that would be similar to Belgian beers, for example to Grimbergen blonde.

So far the closest I've come is kellerbier but still it's nothing like a Belgian beer.

Is there some beer type or specific brand that manufactures beer similar to Belgian ones?

You can't find a German-style beer that is similar to Belgian beer (as Germany-style beers are low fermented ones, while Belgian beer are top fermented ones).
But recently it has become easy to find a German brewery that brews a Belgian beer, e.g. Camba, as well as some IPAs and stouts.


What is the official way to drink a boilermaker? I've had an Irish car bomb (which is dropping a shot of Jamesons into a glass of Guiness and drinking them together) and I believe that is considered a boilermaker.  I've done a shot of Jack Daniels and chased with a beer and I believe that is also a boilermaker.  Is there a true definition of what makes a boilermaker in terms of how you drink it?  Is the definition only when you drop the shot into the beer or does the definition also include doing a shot and then chasing the shot with a beer?

What is the official way to drink a Boilermaker?

First of all there are two types of boilermakers.

  A boilermaker can refer to two types of beer cocktail. In American terminology, the drink consists of a glass of beer and a shot of whiskey.1 The beer is either served as a chaser or mixed with the whiskey. When the beer is served as a chaser, the drink is often called simply a shot and a beer. In Philadelphia, it is commonly referred to as a Citywide Special. In Texas, it is known as a Two-Step. In parts of Florida, it is often referred to as a Git-Right.

Apparently there are also two ways to drink a Boilermaker. Neither one is official or wrong. It is up to the individual's choice.

  There’s a large debate concerning how the boilermaker is supposed to be consumed. While the shot and beer combo might seem straightforward, there are actually several different methods for drinking it, and each one is readily accepted as the best way by those who do it – the only thing that most people agree on is that the shot must be whiskey.

  The first method is your most basic, and the purists would have you believe it’s the classic: you drink the entire shot and then chase it with the beer. It’s that simple. However, as more high-end cocktail bars have also embraced the boilermaker, and thought more about the pairing of whiskey and beer, drinkers have taken to going back and forth between the two drinks, taking a sip of the shot and then a gulp of the beer, until each drink is finished.

  But the most exciting way to drink a boilermaker has to be how it often goes down in London – a practice that is gaining popularity in the States as well – dropping the shot directly into the beer. A modification of this is pouring the shot into a beer can or bottle. Fans of this method say it’s the best way to see how the beer and whiskey interplay. Plus, who doesn’t love the sound of a shot glass full of whiskey dunking into a cold glass of beer? - The History Of The Boilermaker – Otherwise Known As A Shot And A Beer

The most traditional way to drink a boilermaker is as follows: The liquor is drunk in a single gulp and is then "chased" by the beer, which is sipped. Although no official way of drinking it exists The most traditional way would, in my mind, be more closer to an official manner of drinking it.

Here how the boilermaker possibly got its' name:

  Stories are murky at best as to how the boilermaker first came into existence, but it’s pretty clear that the drink was originally consumed by blue collar workers at the end of a long shift – which is why it’s now become the shift drink of choice among bartenders. It’s believed the drink takes its name from the workers who built and maintained steam locomotives in the 1800s. These workers were known to head to the bar at the end of the shift, and a shot of whiskey with a beer became a staple for quickly easing the pain that came from a hard day of back-breaking labor. As it was the drink consumed by boilermakers, it took on the name as well. - The History Of The Boilermaker

The ingredients of the American version of a boilermaker: Whiskey and beer.


Do IPAs cause worse hangovers? I usually drink strong Belgian Ales, particularly Triples, Quads and Trappists, so I'm no stranger to strong beer.  But I've noticed that I get far, far worse hangovers when drinking IPAs.

Is there anything about IPAs that would make this possible?  The lower quality places like ask.com or Yahoo answers usually say no, that only ABV produces hangovers, though one source did seem to imply that IPAs have special ingredients that make this a possibility.

So I want to ask the experts here: do IPAs have ingredients that other strong beers lack, that could exacerbate hangovers?

Although as Bill said it can be down to a persons chemistry. One reason for you finding that IPAs affect you more could be the higher hop content in a Pale Ale (IPAs in particular). Hops (the oils) can have an effect on brain chemistry, that affect can be positive or it can be negative!

Some people can actually have alergic reactions to hops, or even beer in general (poor them, see this). Where as I suffer from some nasty migraine problems and actually find that well hopped ales alleviate some of the symptoms (not that I use it as a reason to drink!!).

So to sum up is it possible that you find that IPAs cause you to suffer more in the morning because you have a slight intolerance to higher hopped beers. Where as your fellow drinkers do not.


Are ALL keg beer non-pasteurized? I understand bottles or cans may or may not be pasteurized. How about Keg beer? I was under the impression that all keg beers are not pasteurized because of the volume, is that true? Are there exceptions?

Beer kegged in the USA is usually stored cold and consumed quickly. Therefore, sterile filtration is all that's needed. To make it stable in a wider variety of temperatures, especially shipping it over an ocean, they pasteurize it.

From Pasteurized Kegged Beer:

  Non-Pasteurized

  For the most part keg beer brewed and packaged in kegs in the U.S. is
  not pasteurized. During the packaging process non-pasteurized draft
  beers are sterile filtered and chilled to the point that any surviving
  bacteria, which could ferment the beer, become dormant. Kegs are kept
  cold ( < 50° F ) from the brewery to the point of dispense. Draft beer
  dispensed from a keg should be fresh by storing as short as possible,
  and serving cold at 38° F.

  Temperatures above 38° F may promote non pasteurized draft beers to
  turn sour or cloudy. Should the temperature rise above 50° F, the
  dormant bacteria which ferments and spoils beer will once again become
  active and, subsequent growth will rapidly begin to spoil flavor and
  cloud the beer.

  Pasteurized

  Most of the keg beer brewed and packaged outside the U.S. (Import
  beers), are heat pasteurized during packaging. This process kills off
  the bacteria that ferment and spoils the beer.

  Pasteurized draft beer kegs can be transported and stored at room
  temperature. The beer in these kegs can be flash cooled at the point
  of dispense. However, most imported kegs are stored and dispensed at
  the same temperature (38° F) as domestic, non-pasteurized kegs.


What beers or other drinks did Native Indians brew in the Americas prior to the arrival of Europeans in 1492? What beers and other drinks did Native Indians brew in the Americas prior to the arrival of Europeans, with Christopher Columbus in 1492? The fact that alcohol was unknown in the Americas is only a myth.

What sort of alcohol drinks existed in the New World prior to Columbus' voyage of discovery in 1492?

From 'Indians of North America' by Harold Driver.

The distribution of alcoholic beverages falls almost wholly within the bounds of horticulture. However, there was a sizeable area in Northeast Mexico which was without agriculture and where wine was made from wild plants. For the world as a whole, there is a definite correlation between alcoholic beverages and agriculture, although negative instances can also be found in the Old World. The explanation is a simple one--the liquors were made principally from domesticated plants. It is commonly assumed either that knowledge of the fermenting of these plants spread with the plants or that the making of the liquor from the plant could spread only as far as the plant was known.
e.g. Agave and Dasylirion -- Two distinct plants were widely used in the Southwest, Meso-America, and Northeast Mexico for the production of alcoholic beverages. They were even more widely used as food. It has been conjectured that before the time when agriculture was common, say, in the second or third millennium BC these plants were a staple food or even the staple food of a large part of the region. In the Southwest, the wine was usually made from the cooked juice of the agave, not from the fresh juice as in Meso-America.

So from this I'm going to infer that technologically most native tribes who knew of fermentation would have been restricted to that form of alcohol production, and so wine would be the only form of alcohol available pre-European contact. It's also safe to say that wine production only occurred within cultures that had ferment-able produce available to them.


Which Brazilian beers are found outside Brazil? In Brazil there is a very large trade in foreign beers, but in the countries I visited I never found Brazilian beers.

Can you help me with this answer?

Brahma and Bohemia are the only Brazilian beers I’ve seen in the United States but only at specialty stores. But this isn’t terribly surprising to me. The vast majority or Brazilian beer is lager and in the United States, we are already flooded with a variety of cheap lager beers and plenty of local craft lager beers.

I can’t find export data for specific countries, but since the United States is one of the biggest beer markets, given the rarity here, I would expect they are increasingly rare the further you get from Brazil.


Red Lager Recomendations and what flavours make a beer a "Red Lager" I'm looking for new beers to try and have a great liking for a variety of Red Ales. Some of my favourite "big" brews are Yuengling and Dos Equis. I also really like a local brew Walkerville Honest Lager. Rickards Red is also decent, but not quite "perfect".

Interested in any suggestions for other beers I could try with a similar taste!

In addition, what is the characteristic taste, or, what are some words that describe the taste, that makes a lager a red lager?

The red color usually comes from certain kinds of caramel malt, which comes in a range of colors but is usually used to make a sweeter, fuller-bodied beer than everyday pale ales and lagers. In this way, they're very similar to amber ale/lagers, and the difference can be very subtle and is very subjective. If you like one, you'll 99% of the time enjoy the other. Most of what you mentioned- like Dos Equis and Yuengling- are marketed as ambers.
That said, I looked up Honest Lager, and Walkerville markets it as Märzen (sometimes but not always the same as Oktoberfest) It's less hoppy and more full-bodied than a Pils or other pale lager, and tends to be reddish or amber in color. If you look a the German/import section of your local beer store or supermarket, you should be able to find an example of something similar, just look for the words "Märzen," "Oktoberfest," "Festbier," etc. A Munich-style Dunkel would also probably be right up your alley.
Key words I would use: sweetish, medium-bodied, balanced, caramelly, toasty. But just think about different foods and aromas while you're drinking, and see what your impression is. Everybody's different.
If you do want to use the BJCP guide, just remember that they're designed for judging homebrew competitions, and professional brewers don't have much reason to pay attention to them. So if you pick up a beer and it doesn't match up with its BJCP style, it's not a catastrophe, and the beer is still perfectly good!


How common is Guinness with a Smithwicks head in Ireland? I was just in Ireland on holiday and obviously went to some pubs. Of course Guinness is everywhere there. While in Dublin, I got advice that a common drink was not only regular Guinness though, but 'Guinness with a Smithwicks head' and any barman would know it. So I tried it out, it was fine, nothing special.

Now I'm home and I Googled guinness with a smithwicks head and there are like no results. So my question is: Is this really a common Irish drink or is this just something they tell visitors so it's easier to spot the tourists?

As Anon mentions above, you're probably thinking of Smithwick's with a Guinness head, rather than the other way around — Guinness has a creamier head, which I think is the reason why people order it.

It is not, by any stretch a Black and Tan — and yes, the name would be seen as offensive by most in Ireland and I have never heard ordered by locals (this is a sure way to spot a tourist) — which, as far as I know, is normally made with a larger or pale ale (Smithwick's is a red ale), and whose ratio is more like 50:50. It would look something like this:

Smithwick's with a Guinness head is just that — the proportion of Guinness in the drink is just the head, i.e. maybe a inch on the top of the glass. The pint of Smithwick's is poured as normal, with a small amount of Guinness added at the very end, which sits on top of the pint giving it a head of stout. Adding too much Guinness at this stage will cause the beers to mix, and will ruin the pint.

Can't find a picture of it, but it will basically look like a pint of Smitwick's with a creamer (look and texture) head, and taste as such.

As a barman in a country pub for a couple of years during college, I had a couple of regulars who used to order it. It's not particularly common, but neither is it unusual — any barman should know what you want and be able to serve it.


Which are the sweetest alcoholic drinks? I am attending a company party that will be serving these alcoholic drinks:

Belvedere Vodka
Bulleit Bourbon
Don Julio Silver Tequila
La Marcca Prosecco
L. Martini Cab Sauvignon
Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc
Stella Artois
Lagunitas IPA
Coronado Mermaids Red
Blue Moon
Bud Light

I am an alcohol novice who mostly likes to drink the sweeter alcoholic drinks and not the very bitter ones. Which of these drinks are the sweetest?

Out of the beverages that you have listed, the following are likely to be considered the sweetest:

  La Marcca Prosecco

  L. Martini Cab Sauvignon

  Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc

In general, wines will be sweeter than liquors and beers simply due to the fact that they are made from grapes.

However, this is made under the assumption that any of the liquors you listed will be served straight or neat... If instead the liquors will be served in cocktails, you might actually prefer one of those.

Commonly, a novice drinkers tend to enjoy clear liquor over dark. And, vodka is one liquor in which many very sweet juices, like pineapple, are mixed to make rather delicious cocktails that can even be described as "light" and/or "refreshing." A lemon drop is sometimes made with simple syrup (basically sugar water) and served with sugar around the rim, much in the same way a margarita (another sweet cocktail made usually made with tequila) is served with salt around the rim.

You may want to research any list of sweet cocktails in advance, determine which sounds the tastiest for your palate among the liquors to be served, and ask for that particular one when you are at the party.


Sediment in expired Belgian Beer I have 3 bottles of La Chouffe Blonde Belgian Beer that is cloudy. It is out of date as of May of last year. Is it ok to drink? Theres a lot of sediment in the bottle. Can I decant or shake and drink?

Thanks.

Yes, it's ok to drink. Belgian beer usually has a lot of sediment to begin with. I've aged Belgian beers for several years. Some taste quite good with that amount of age.  It's up to you if you want the sediment or not. I am a decanting guy but not everyone is. All you can do is pop it in the fridge and try it out!


Can a can of beer keep its taste after emptied into a bottle and stored for a week? I don't have much experience with alcoholic drinks, and how it's treated after purchase.
but I know that a can of non-cold (room temp) beer can be stored for as long time before cooling in a refrigerator.
But if I purchased a non-cold can of beer and emptied it in another bottle (plastic), would it keep its original taste and can still have the property of being stored for a long time before putting it in the refrigerator?
*sorry for my English

Unfortunately, beer will go flat if you put it in a plastic bottle after a few hours. However, the best option is a beer saver, which is a cap made out of silicone. This can be put onto any type of bottle, and the beer's carbonation stays intact


Restart fermentation stuck at 1.026SG? I have a berry wine, stuck at 1.026SG and with a high malic acid (quite sour).  Should I try to restart the fermentation by adding fresh yeast?  What about yeast from another vat?  Is there enough sugar still in the vat to continue the ferment?

There are specific steps to restarting a stuck wine/mead/high gravity beer. You can read the whole procedure here. You'll need some champagne yeast or some other special yeast used to restart stuck fermentations. But it starts with this:

  For restarting 5 or 6 gallons, take a quart jar and fill it half way
  with the wine in question. Add to that, water until the jar is 2/3
  full. Put in the mix a 1/4 teaspoon of yeast nutrient, and 3
  tablespoons of sugar. Be sure that the sugar becomes completely
  dissolve. Now you can add a whole packet of the Champagne yeast. Cover
  the jar with a paper towel and secure with a rubber band.


Bellwoods Brewery Beer in the UK So, I was in Toronto (Canada) a little while ago and absolutely fell in love with a couple of the beers from Bellwoods Brewery. Specifically:

Witchshark; and
Monogamy

I have been casually looking online to see if I could find their beers here in the London (England) or on the internet, but with no luck.

Anyone know if I can find these beers somewhere?

From the looks of it they sell their beers on rotation in their own bottle shop:

We are just a humble micro brewery producing small batches of beer. Often times people develop a love affair with one particular beer (Roman Candle fanatics tend to be the most assertive!), but we brew over 50 styles in a year! With only 9 fermentors this ultimately means that availability works in ebbs and flows. If your favourite beer isn’t on draft or in the bottle shop, this gives you a chance to experiment with something new. We promise, there are no wrong choices.

They are available in some restaurants and bars in Toronto (they don't have a list of which ones those are on their website), however this doesn't help you in the UK.
They don't ship, and they don't seem to have any links to a proper distributor (from the sounds of it on their website, they sell everything they can make in house already). The relevant bit from their FAQ there:

Do you ship to other parts of Canada? The US? Jupiter?
At this point no. There’s no legal way to ship beer to an individual. Stay tuned for an online retail store where you’ll be able to purchase merchandise. Aliens, be damned!

Looks like your best bet is to head back to Toronto and hit their bottle shop. That's not too far of a drive from the UK...right?


Is it possible to make a mock Chartreuse liqueur? The Grande Chartreuse, just north of the city of Grenoble, France has been making Chartreuse since 1737 and is made with 130 herbs, plants and flowers. Talk about drinking to your health, some say this is an excellent medicinal liqueur. Here in Canada, the Chartreuse liqueur is very expensive.

  The two types of Chartreuse are:

  Green Chartreuse (110 proof or 55%) is a naturally green liqueur made from 130 herbs and plants macerated in alcohol and steeped for about 8 hours. A last maceration of plants gives its colour to the liqueur.

  Yellow Chartreuse (80 proof or 40%), which has a milder and sweeter flavour and aroma.

The actual recipe for the Green Chartreuse is known to only two Charthusian monks and is aged for five years, so no wonder it is so expensive.

  The two monks charged with the duty oversee the entire production of Chartreuse. It begins in the monastery's herb room where the precise selection of herbs is bagged. These are then taken to the distillery and macerated with a neutral alcohol spirit which is then distilled. - What is Chartreuse Liqueur?

Does anyone know of a mock recipe for the Chartreuse Liqueur of 130 herbs?

Chartreuse Green Liqueur (750ml)

I recently made a chartreuse clone by diluting everclear to 110 proof.  Then add 3 tbsp juniper berries, 2 tsp herbs de Provence, tsp fennel seeds, 4 peppercorns, tsp coriander seeds’ 1 bay leaf, and 3 mint leaves.  Let stand for a week a filter. Add 1 cup sugar. The recipe is for a fifth.


Can quick beer cooling have a negative effect on the beer's taste? Is there a difference if we compare the classical cooling of the whole keg:

and the quick flow cooling where the keg is at the ambient temperature?

Can the quick cooling have negative effect on the beer's taste or head?

As long the beer's sealed, there should be no difference in taste due to rapid or slow cooling. Lowering the temperature only increases the solubility of CO2, which should dissolve later.

Temperature itself does impact taste, supposedly due to our taste buds being number in cold, hiding certain flavors (which can be desirable or undesirable depending on the beer). But this isn't related to the rate of cooling of beer.


What's the difference between a cask beer and a kegged beer? Cask ales seem popular outside of the US (especially in the UK).  What distinguishes that style of beer from  beer out of a normal keg?

Cask ales are not stored under pressure , and require a pump to transfer the beer from the cask.  As the ale is not under pressure, it is also not as heavily carbonated as other beers.

In contrast kegged beer is stored under pressure, and is forced to the tap by pumping gas into the keg (usually carbon dioxide or nitrogen).


How long will an opened bottle of whisky last while stored under ideal conditions? I've recently made the decision to put my whisky collection into storage and slow down my drinking habit.

Assuming I keep the bottles under moderate temperature, and out of sunlight, is there a ballpark figure to how long they'll remain palatable?

More specifically, I'm interested in real numbers, and not just 'a long time'.

Whisky will never go bad after it's opened and kept closed and away from sunlight.

  How should I store my Scotch Whisky? Unlike wine, whisky does not mature in the bottle. So even if you keep a 12 year old
  bottle for 100 years, it will always remain a 12 year old whisky. As
  long as the bottle is kept out of direct sunlight, the Scotch Whisky
  will neither improve nor deteriorate, even if it is opened. Whisky
  that is stored at very low temperatures can become cloudy, but the
  cloudiness should disappear when the whisky is returned to room
  temperature.


Are we born to either like or hate beer? I know some people like beer so much while some other resist do drink, is it determined by DNA? Can the situation be changed?

Beer is a taste preference, and therefor the chances exist that you may "learn" to like beer.

As a child I tasted the pale mass-produced lager that my father drank and I did not like it. But children (usually) prefer sweet over bitter.

As we grow older, our taste change and we learn to enjoy a more varied amount of flavours, including bitterness, and we then start to enjoy beer more.

Another thing to take into consideration: There are MANY different types of beers! A person might love sour beers, but hate IPAs. Or prefer Bocks over fruit beers. It is a personal thing, but it means that, even though you do not like one style of beer, it does not mean that you will hate all beers!

As a brewer once said: "If you have have not found a beer you love, keep drinking more beer"

For reference:
Explosm.
http://explosm.net/comics/52


What is the highest alcohol content achievable through brewing? What is the highest level of alcohol you can achieve when brewing beer naturally, without adding alcohol?

I know that many strong, popular beers (~10% alcohol) are simply mixed with alcohol, but what level of alcohol can be achieved in natural brewing process?

That depends on what you mean by "naturally".  There are some strains, such as the "Super High Gravity Ale Yeast" by WyLabs, which can handle up to 25%.  But there are techniques, such as freezing the beer to create a more concentrated product, which have been used to get up to 60+%.  In this case, alcohol is not added, but rather, water is removed, altering your ABV.