Dear D,
I am not sure what you clicked on or are talking about... there is very little
on beer on my website.
Ditto Black Russian (but are we talking US, Europe or Irish style Black
Russians?)
Please let me know where you are seeing this.
cheers
aw
here (below) of course is what is in my manual on beer...in the manual is
easier to read of course.
"Beer
Beer is the world's oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage, selling more
than 133 billion litres (35 billion gallons) a year. It is produced through
the fermentation of starch-based material, commonly barley, though cassava
root in Africa, potato in Brazil, and agave in Mexico, among other starch
sources, have been used.
Only beverages produced by this method are considered to be beer. Neither
alcoholic beverages made from the fermentation of sugars derived from
nonstarch sources (e.g., grape juice or honey), nor beverages which are
distilled after fermentation should be classified as such.
Because the ingredients and procedures used to make beer can differ,
characteristics such as taste and colour may also vary. While local names for
beers made with the same methods and ingredients vary, the similarities of
method and ingredients can be detected to form a study of the nature of beer
styles.
Beer is one of the oldest beverages humans have produced, dating back to at
least the 5th millennium BC (prior even to writing), and recorded in the
written history of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. As almost any substance
containing carbohydrates, namely sugar or starch, can naturally undergo
fermentation, it is likely that beer-like beverages were independently
invented among various cultures throughout the world.
Beer largely remained a homemaker's activity, made in the home in medieval
times. By the 14th and 15th centuries, beermaking was gradually changing from
a family-oriented activity to an artisan one, with pubs and monasteries
brewing their own beer for mass consumption.
The process of making beers are complex but a basic overview is:
Mashing: The first phase of brewing, in which the malted grains are crushed
and soaked in warm water in order to create a malt extract. The mash is held
at constant temperature long enough for enzymes to convert starches into
fermentable sugars.
Sparging: Water is filtered through the mash to dissolve the sugars. The
darker, sugar-heavy liquid is called the wort.
Boiling: The wort is boiled along with any remaining ingredients (excluding
yeast), to remove excess water and kill any microorganisms. The hops (whole,
pelleted, or extract) are added at some stage during the boil.
Fermentation: The yeast is added (or "pitched") and the beer is left to
ferment. After primary fermentation, the beer may be allowed a second
fermentation, which allows further settling of yeast and other particulate
matter ("trub") which may have been introduced earlier in the process. Some
brewers may skip the secondary fermentation and simply filter off the yeast.
Packaging: At this point, the beer contains alcohol, but not much carbon
dioxide. The brewer has a few options to increase carbon dioxide levels. The
most common approach by large-scale brewers is force carbonation, via the
direct addition of CO2 gas to the keg or bottle. Smaller-scale or more
classically-minded brewers will add extra ("priming") sugar or a small amount
of newly fermenting wort ("kräusen") to the final vessel, resulting in a short
refermentation known as "cask-" or "bottle conditioning".
Styles of beer
Lager
Lager is the English name for bottom-fermenting beers of Central European
origin, though the term is not used there. They are the most commonly-consumed
beer in the world. The name comes from the German lagern ("to store"). Lager
yeast is a bottom-fermenting yeast, and typically undergoes primary
fermentation at 7-12 °C (45-55 °F) (the "fermentation phase"), and then is
given a long secondary fermentation at 0-4 °C (30-40 °F) (the "lagering
phase"). During the secondary stage, the lager clears and mellows. The cooler
conditions also inhibit the natural production of esters and other byproducts,
resulting in a "crisper" tasting beer.
Modern methods of producing lager were pioneered by Gabriel Sedlmayr the
Younger, who perfected dark brown lagers at the Spaten Brewery in Bavaria, and
Anton Dreher, who began brewing a lager, probably of amber-red color, in
Vienna in 1840–1841. With modern improved yeast strains, most lager breweries
use only short periods of cold storage, typically 1–3 weeks.
The lagering phase is not restricted to lager beers. In Germany, all beers are
stored at low temperatures before consumption; in the British tradition, the
practice of Cold Conditioning is similar in nature.
Ales
A modern ale is commonly defined by the strain of yeast used and the
fermenting temperature.
Ales are normally brewed with top-fermenting yeasts, though a number of
British brewers, including Fullers and Weltons, use ale yeast strains that
have less pronounced top-fermentation characteristics. The important
distinction for ales is that they are fermented at higher temperatures and
thus ferment more quickly than lagers.
Ale is typically fermented at temperatures between 15 and 24°C (60 and 75°F).
At these temperatures, yeast produces significant amounts of esters and other
secondary flavour and aroma products, and the result is often a beer with
slightly "fruity" compounds resembling but not limited to apple, pear,
pineapple, banana, plum, or prune. Typical ales have a sweeter, fuller body
than "lagers".
Differences between some ales and lagers can be difficult to categorise. Steam
beer, Kölsch and some modern British Golden Summer Beers use elements of both
lager and ale production. Baltic Porter and Bière de Garde may be produced by
either lager or ale methods or a combination of both. However, lager
production is perceived to produce cleaner tasting, drier and lighter beer
than ale.
.
Stout
Stout is an English invention but is made mostly in Ireland, stout is a top
fermented beer containing a high proportion of malted barley and hops it is
very dark and heavy with a slightly sweet flavour.
Originally, the adjective "stout" meant "proud" or "brave", but later, after
the fourteenth century, "stout" came to mean "strong." The first known use of
the word stout about beer was in 1677, the sense being that a stout beer was a
strong beer. The expression Stout-Porter was applied during the 1700s for
strong versions of Porter, and was used by Guinness of Ireland in 1820,
although Guinness had been brewing porters since 1759. "Stout" still meant
only "strong" and it could be related to any kind of beer, as long as it was
strong: in the UK it was possible to find "stout pale ale", for example. Later
"stout" was eventually associated only to porter, becoming a synonym of dark
beer. During the end of the nineteenth century, stout porter beer got the
reputation of being a healthy strengthening drink, so it was used by athletes
and nursing women, while doctors often recommended it to help recovery.
Stouts can be classed into two main categories, sweet and bitter, and there
are several kinds of each:
• Irish stout or Dry stout is the original product. It is very dark in color
and it often has a "toast" or coffee-like taste.
• Imperial stout was originally brewed in England for export to the court of
the Tsar of Russia. It is highly hopped, very dark and has a very high alcohol
content
Guinness - the most famous stout was first brewed in Dublin in 1759 it is now
produced all over the world. Guinness stout is made from: water, barley malt,
hops, and brewers yeast. A proportion of the barley is flaked (i.e. steamed
and rolled) and roasted to give Guinness its dark colour and characteristic
taste. It is pasteurised and filtered. Despite its reputation as a "meal in a
glass" or "liquid bread", Guinness only contains 198 calories (838 kilojoules)
per imperial pint (1460 kJ/L), less than an equal-sized serving of skimmed
milk or orange juice. Guinness is not suitable for vegans and vegetarians due
to the use of a fish based fining agent called isinglass.
Beer Consumption
Beer is drunk from a variety of vessels, such as a beer bottle, a can, a
glass, a beer stein, a mug or a pewter tankard. Some drinkers may pour their
beer into a vessel before imbibing, while others may drink straight from the
bottle or can. Some drinkers consider that the type of vessel influences their
enjoyment of the beer. A few breweries produce glassware intended only for
their own beers. While some drinkers in Britain may prefer their ale to be
served in pewter tankards, other drinkers in Europe may want their glass to be
rinsed just before beer is poured into them to ensure the beer has a
satisfactory head.
The pouring process has an influence on a beer's presentation. The rate of
flow from the tap or other serving vessel, tilt of the glass, and position of
the pour (in the center or down the side) into the glass all influence the end
result, such as the size and longevity of the head, lacing (the pattern left
by the head as it moves down the glass as the beer is drunk), and turbulence
of the beer and its release of carbonation.
Unfiltered bottled beers may be served with the addition of the remaining
yeast at the bottom of the bottle to add both flavour and colour.
The temperature of a beer has an influence on a drinker's experience. Colder
temperatures allow fully attenuated beers such as pale lagers to be enjoyed
for their crispness; while warmer temperatures allow the more rounded flavours
of an ale or a stout to be perceived. There are no firmly agreed principles
for all cases; however, a general approach is that lighter coloured beers,
such as pale lagers, are usually enjoyed cold (40-45F/4-7C), while dark,
strong beers such as Imperial Stouts are often enjoyed at cellar temperature
(54-60F/12-16C) and then allowed to warm up in the room to individual taste.
Other beers should be served at temperatures between these extremes.