Stop breathing... It's bad for the environment !!

Most things we do are bad for the environment and drinking beer is no exception or, to be more accurate, making beer is no exception!

All industry uses energy and produces waste and in all industries, some companies will be more efficient (from an energy/waste point of view) than others. But there's nothing like a bit of consumer awareness to make industry sit up and think about what they're doing.

'What if we could invest in efficiency, sell more product and save on energy and waste costs?'

The fact is, that some consumers will pay more for a product they believe to be environmentally responsible. Eco sells.

I recently read of some innovations Bavaria Browerij in The Netherlands have going on.


They claim:

That their waste water returns to the local system cleaner than it came out, due to their own treatment facility.

The methane produced in this facility is then used in their specialised efficient power system.

The one I think is particularly clever is;
The co2 given off during fermentation is recycled and used in the bottling.

They also claim to use considerably less water, use considerably less energy and produce less waste than the European average to produce a hectolitre of beer.

They also malt their own barley, which, presumably, reduces transport impact.


Surely, this must save them a heap of money too?

I realise that these kind of innovations may not be feasible for many smaller breweries and, in the scale of things, it's more important that the mainstream brewers become more efficient. But they need to hear the message from the consumer, not just the regulator.

Would I buy Bavaria over a similar beer because it is more environmentally responsible?
If I wanted a well made, unchallenging, mainstream lager.....Yes.

And while we're on the subject.

Why do we have to put our empty beer bottles in the recycling bin or, even worse, the waste bin. Why aren't our beer bottles returnable? I realise that we import much of our beer but at least our domestically bottled beer should all have a deposit/refund system. We had this system in the past and it works in other countries.

Drink beer - save the planet?

My last drink was; Popperings Hommel Bier, 50cl, 7.5%abv

Strength in Numbers

There seems to be a lot of confusion and, dare I say it, fear surrounding the alcohol strength of beer.

Firstly, I'd like state some facts.


Strong beer does not equal good beer.

Weak beer does not equal bad beer.

Strong beer drunk in appropriate amounts does not get you drunker than week beer.

It is alcohol and the amount of it you consume and nothing else that makes you intoxicated.

Alcohol in drinks is usually measured as alcohol by volume (abv). Simply put, this means that a 50cl bottle of 5% abv beer (or anything else) has 2.5cl of pure alcohol.


Possibly the fear of strong beer in Ireland is due to the fashion in which we drink beer - ie by the pint and multiples thereof. If you're going to drink beer by the pint then 7 or 8% abv beer is probably not wise for a session down the local.

But how come this fear of strength doesn't carry over to other drinks?
People don't fear wine at 14%. Most fortified wine is around 20%abv. And people drink spirits of 35% to over 40% all the time.
So why the problem with beer?

Back to the pints.
If I started to drink wine by the pint or whiskey by the wine glass, then I'd soon be very intoxicated. So, most people don't do this. Alas this sense of measure doesn't carry over to beer for most people. Irish people seem to be conditioned to think that beer = pint. The result of this is if a stronger beer is introduced to the equation, then alcohol consumed also goes up.

One can, and I often do, take great pleasure from strong beer. I drank a 9.2% beer last night - but I only drank one of them (33cl). If I drank 4 pints of it - I'd have been very drunk. The beers fault? I don't think so.

Personally, I don't care for beer under 4% - I find it a little watery - but there are many top quality, well made beers lower than this strength. There are also many mass produced cheaply made 'super lagers' at strengths of up to 9%. I like a beer that I drink by the pint to be between 4% and 5% but why be restricted to only beer in this range.

I treat strong beer much like I treat wine. In fact, although almost every beer has it's own glass, I've yet to come across a beer that doesn't drink well from a large wine glass. To take this one step farther, I also like to share beer out in wine glasses (particularly strong beer). People who don't normally drink strong beer will often enjoy a little in a glass rather than being faced with a whole bottle. Large bottles are obviously made for sharing.

If you can get people away from the idea that beer must be gulped from a large vessel, then you open up a whole world of beer. Treat a 9% or 10% beer like a fine wine or a sherry. Sip it. Savour it. Enjoy it, see how it changes as it warms up, maybe have another. Strong beer also tends to go well after a meal or with cheese and some sweeter beers go well with desert when wine just isn't going down easily any more.

I don't want to get into listing my favourite beers, or the strongest beers in the world (remember , stronger doesnt equal better) but people may wish to know the strongest beer I've drunk.
It's Samichlaus Bruin - an Austrian brown lager at 14%abv. Sipped slowly it's a warming, sherry like beer. Very nice but not by the pint!

My last drink was; Trappistes Rochefort 8, 33cl 9.2%abv

T' Bolleke

Most beer enthusiasts don't have one favourite beer.
They may have a favourite of each of many styles.
One's favourite beer can change depending the time of day, the weather, the location, company etc. etc.

Today's post is on what is, probably, my favourite draught tipple.

There is nothing quite like a cool Bolleke in an Antwerp pub full of character and characters (my favourite pub for a Bolleke is Den Engel on Grote Markt).
The funny think is, there is no beer called Bolleke in Antwerp or, as far as I know, anywhere else.
The beer is called De Koninick. 'Bolleke' refers to the glass that De Konnick is served in - a 25cl bowl shaped chalice - but I've never heard anyone order anything but a Bolleke.

De Koninick is a Belgian ale. It is reddish in colour and is smooth, subtle and fresh to drink.
It has warm toasted malt flavours, fruity ale yeasts notes and is gently hopped and at 5%abv is a very balanced everyday drinking beer. There is a brightness and thirst quenching quality to this beer to challenge the perception of any 'ale hater'.

25cl is a little under half a pint but the Bolleke looks deceptively larger. It seems just the right size for this beer. The beer stays cool and fresh, rounds work out inexpensive and you get to call out 'Bolleke' without offending anyone. Ah, to be in an Antwerp pub now.

De Koninick is, strangely, the only brewery in Antwerp (apart from one brew pub/restaurant) and has been in the same ownership since 1919, without any corporate take overs. I've yet to come across an Antwerp pub that didn't sell De Koninick on draught and, usually, the only other draught beer will be whatever single Belgian Pilsner they choose to stock.
You can have De Koninick, lager or bottled beer.
Thing is; this system offers the beer drinker many different styles - real choice.

De Koninick, in recent years also offer a stronger ale that they call a 'Triple' and a blonde version of a similar strength to their much loved ale.
I've yet to taste these beers.
I've never had De Koninick from a bottle either.

I can't help but wonder if De Koninick just wouldn't taste the same anywhere but in an Antwerp pub. For this reason - my next Bolleke will be in Antwerp.

My last drink was; Glass of Cote Du Rhone 2006, 14%abv

The Beer Snob

Along with trying to change the attitude towards beer and alcohol in general in Ireland, I've realised that I also need to tackle the attitude towards people who are passionate about beer.

I was told in a forum that I "seem fierce snobby about beer".
I'd like to get to the root of what that means.

Is it a latent inferiority complex in many Irish people?

"You drink beer that you claim is better beer than me so you must be a snob"

I don't buy that. I think no less of a person regardless of what they drink. I ask the same for me.

"Irish people are slow to accept change."

I don't accept that either. The shelves and taps of almost all pubs has changed dramatically in the last ten years. We've had a rash of long-neck lagers, light lagers, light cider, alcopops, Red Bull. More draught lagers have come and gone than most publicans can even remember, and remember Guinness Extra Cold? (Ice cream headache)!
Irish people accept change if it's wrapped up in mainstream marketing but if I want quality, flavoursome beer, I'm a snob.

Look at the sea change in coffee in Ireland. We've come from cheap instant, through filter coffee and cafetierres to proper espresso. Now we just need to learn how to handle the beans properly and operate the machines but no one is called a coffee snob for not wanting to drink instant coffee - hell, filter coffee is almost the new instant!

One of the many things about quality beer that I love is that it's within almost everybody's reach, irrespective of socio-economic status.
I know I can't afford to drink very top end wine - one can pay thousands for a bottle of wine -there is no real upper limit. I have to drink what I can afford.
The finest beers in the world, on the other hand, cost maybe twice as much as cheap beer. Just drink less or less often. Apart from a few notable exceptions, top-end beer just doesn't get very expensive, so again, I wonder about the 'snob label'.

I think I'm gonna need some help to figure this one out.

Or maybe I should just accept that a refusal on my part to drink beer that I don't like and which will give me a headache, makes me a snob.

My last drink was; Trappist Orval, 33cl, 6.2%abv (allegedly), at home.

Now we're in The Big Hefeweizen League

While being far from an expert on German Beer, I've for many years, been a fan of a Munich Weissbier or Hefeweizen. (Weissbier simply means 'white beer' while Hefe means 'yeast' and weizen means 'wheat')
So a hefeweizen is a yeasty,usually pale beer made with wheat and barley (as opposed to most German beers which are exclusively made with barley).

Weissbiers have been available in Ireland for quite a number of years now but the choice has been sadly limited and the brands have been chosen more for their status than their quality.
Hence Erdinger is widely available here and while I thank Erdinger for opening the minds of a many an Irish pint drinker to the possibilities of weissbier, I find it heavy and a little bland. It is, however, the best selling Weissbier in Europe but mass appeal has never been a sure sign of quality, in my book.

Schneiderweiss has been here for quite a while but this is a rather dark-coloured hefeweizen and while its quality cannot be questioned, it is not to everyone's taste and is not a typical example of the style. Oh, but their Aventinus is something special (very dark and over 8%abv)!

Franziscaner, Schöfferhofer, Pualanner and various other weissbiers have come and gone, relieving the tedium of Erdinger but now a truly great Munich Hefeweizen has arrived on our shores.

What is it?


Weihenstephaner



This beer does, for me, what a truly great weissbier should.
It is aromatic, fruity, full-bodied but at the same time quite light and refreshing.
It has all the classic hefeweizen, bananna, spice and citrus flavours but all in perfect balance.
This is a quaffable beast and at 5.4%abv, it's maybe one to treat with respect as it goes down with the ease of beer lighter in alcohol.

Look here

I've never had alot of meas in Kristal Weissbiers (filtered clear versions of hefeweizen) as, in my opinion, they tend a little towards lager but are not as refreshing. Weinhenstephaner Kristal, on the other hand, does carry alot of the aroma and flavour of its cloudy brother.

I had high hopes for their Weizenbock (a stronger version of the hefeweizen called Vitus) but this beer nerd found it a little harsh and wanted it a bit darker (each to their own).

I'd really like to taste their Dunkel (dark wheat beer) but haven't been able to find it yet.
(Note to the importers!!!!)

There are a couple of non alcoholic versions, one of which is 'isotonic' (a new one on me).
Both are very drinkable but, as with all non alcohol beers, there's a hole in the flavour palette that nothing but alcohol will fill. This is not just the taste of alcohol that's wanting but the alcohol also acts as a carrier for flavour compounds.

If you're tired of Erdinger or just want a change or simpmly want to taste what is arguably the best Hefeweizen in the world, I highly recommend Weinhenstephaner Hefeweizen (in moderation, of course).

If you can't find it, ask for it.

The Pint Bottle & The Sunny South East

Aside from the alleged finer weather in the South East corner of our damp isle the thing I like about visiting Waterford and Wexford is the proliferation of The Pint Bottle Of Guinness.

Staying in the Brandon House Hotel, New Ross, last night I had high hopes, considering the location, of finding The Pint Bottle behind their bar.
I was only slightly disappointed.
The Bottle was there but only in the fridge.
Ah well, it'll always warm up.

Taking into account that Guinness Extra is far from my favourite beer, why get so excited?

Think of a typical hotel bar. If I want to drink beer, the average pub or hotel has nothing to offer me - several mainstream long-necks, industrial draught (and I include Guinness,Beamish and Murphy's as the best of a bad lot here) and nothing else. Okay, maybe (and a big maybe) Erdinger will be there but I just don't really like Erdinger.

But..
If in The South East, then the Pint Bottle of Guinness is a saviour.
A proper, full flavoured, slightly challenging beer with a lot of tradition behind it. It's what one imagines Guinness should taste like. Oh, and trust me, it really is much, much nicer off the shelf - smoother and fuller flavoured as opposed to a little thin and bitter when cold.

So, people of the South East;
Drink The Bottle!
If you don't, publicans will stop stocking it as they have in most parts of the country and I'll stop visiting and Guinness will probably stop making it - the one product that hasn't been tweaked beyond recognition to suit the ever changing taste of the fickle consumer.

I thank you, Waterford and Wexford and I thank all the other pups around the country that still stock The Pint Bottle.

Try one - off the shelf, with a half-pint glass and if you don't like it, try mixing it with a Pint Bottle of Smithwicks to make a Black & Tan.
Nice

Budweiser, Budvar, Budejovicky, 1795.... What the...?

Here's an interesting if somewhat complicated story.

I was always under the impression that the Battle between Anheuser Busch (US Budweiser) and Budejovicky Budvar (Czech Budweiser) was a David and Goliath battle with the big American giant preventing the little European brewery from using it's rightful name.

As far as I know, the present situation is that the Czech beer is called 'Budweiser' in the Czech Republic, 'Budvar Budejovicky' in Europe and 'Czechvar' in the US.

Now this is where the story gets interesting.

Anheuser Busch had a beer trademarked as 'Budweiser' before Budvar even existed.
Budvar's claim to the name 'Budweiser' comes under protected geographical origin (rather like Bordeaux or Stilton) as their brewery is situated in the town of Budweis.
The thing is, another Brewery from Budweis called 'Budejovicky Mestansky Pivovar' was established in 1795 - 70 years before Anheuser Busch!
Not only that, but they actually sold their beer in the US as 'Budweiser' five years before A.B. made their first Budweiser.

As a result of communism, Budejovicky Mestansky Pivovar was nationalised and the name Budweiser was reserved for the bigger, neighbouring Budvar which was pushed as a national export.

However after the fall of communism in 1991, Budejovicky Mestansky Pivovar was restituted to it's original owners as was the right to use the name 'Budweiser Bier' or 'Budejovicky Pivo'. In 1998 the brewery re-launches it's 'Budweiser Burgerbra' to the Czech market.

Their export beer is 1795 Budejovicky pivo.

Funny thing is that Budvar, while claiming geographical origin for their own beer, object to Budejovicky Mestansky Pivovar using the name outside of the Czech Republic.

"It seems that Budvar likes to claim geographical origin when it suits their purposes against Anheuser Busch but when it comes to our brewery, they turn and use similar arguments that Anheuser Busch uses against them. It makes no sense."
Miroslav Zeman, Budejovicky Mestansky brewery manager.

One starts to wonder who is the David and who is the Goliath?

1795 is available in Ireland. As you may know, I'm not a big lager drinker but I have tasted it and find it to be fresher and hoppier tasting than Budvar. On a hot day I could certainly be tempted!