Beer Appreciation

Beer Appreciation Stays Pale in the Summertime  @ Gullifty’s

More and more people are enjoying a tasty craft brew as an alternative to the mass produced big beers, and in the summer months the vast majority of those beer fans line up for pale ales, wheat beers (ales) and pilsners (lagers). American beer drinkers have always favored the lighter cleaner lager and pilsner beers to their more complex and substantial cousins “the ale”. This started in the late 1800’s when lagers and pilsner styles were first introduced by German immigrants and continued after prohibition when lighter bodied beers were the only beer of choice for the American beer drinking public.

A trouble with these lighter lagers (yes, a pilsner – like Bud and Corona, is also a lager) is that they spoil more easily and the take longer to brew than ales - meaning less production along with shorter shelf life for brewers at the turn of the century. In response to the demand for lighter brews traditional ale brewers in the 1900’s – particularly in northern Europe – brewed new a new style called “Pale Ale”. These were lighter in body and used lightly toasted malt (barley grain) similar to that used in lagers, but were quicker to brew and less fragile. The result was the pale ales styles that are popular today – including the popular variant “India Pale Ale”.

Wheat beers on the other hand have been around since the 1500’s and originated in Bavaria. The style was almost extinct until Hogaarten revived it, and then the US craft brew movement helped popularize the style. Technically an ale, the traditional “wit” beer or “weizen” uses about 50% or less wheat along with the barley grain in the mash. That along with a special wheat ale yeast yields a lighter bodied, highly carbonated thirst quencher of a brew. The popularity of US brewed wheat beers has grown significantly over the last few years including Blue Moon (made by Coors), Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, Widmers, Pyramid and locally Stouts, Victory, Legacy and others. The US version are typically drier and less “fruity” than the imported German and Belgian Weisse beers.

For beer drinkers that are starting to try new craft beer alternatives, these lighter bodied styles can be a great way to try new beers with real taste, without getting into anything too challenging.

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