OK...so I don't know everything about beer, but enough I'd like to talk about it. Please stop in often to check on my ramblings about all things beer. I hope to discuss regional beers in Texas, beers brewed elsewhere but available in Texas and lastly my personal homebrew adventures.
“Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.”
Well, I've danced...and I've heard the music. The sweet melodies of kolsch, pale ales, ESBs, RISs, brown ales, and barleywines just to name a few. More on these later.
Do I like beer? Well, if you consider the Bud Lights, Miller Lites, etc. to be beer, then "Hell, no!" However, if you, like me, have been brave enough to consider exploring craft beers and what they can be then "YES!" A resounding "YES!"
A hundred years ago beer was bought locally, from whoever was creative enough to brew beer. Styles varied not by dark, medium, light, but by the influence of the brew master. It was only a few years ago (OK, maybe more than that) that Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors began to dominate the BEER WORLD. What a shame! Not real beer. Too corporate, too $$$ driven, too many corners were cut, too many dollars were saved to brew real beer. My mission here is to help educate you, should you choose to hang around, about REAL BEER. Beer brewed for the passion, beer brewed for the love of the liquid, beer brewed simply with malted barley, hops, yeast and water.
I'm not saying there's not a place for the macro-brewed beers because there is. If the intent is to drink as many as possible and fall down then go right ahead. Be my guest. No flavor, no body, easy-drinking. However, true beer is to be enjoyed and appreciated for its complexities, its layers, the witty names, the truly thousands of styles much like fine wine.
Here's my advice. If you've read this far then maybe, just maybe, there is enough interest to begin sampling better beers. Start slow. Don't go straight for the Russian Imperial Stout or the over-the-top hopped IPA. A good entry beer, one to ease you into enjoying finer beers, is a hefeweizen. It's light enough to be enjoyed year-round. The yeast in the beer will provide a fruity quality that makes it great for summertime - sitting by the pool, after mowing the yard, washing the car, whatever excuse you need to enjoy a beer. "Hefe" means yeast and "weizen" means wheat. In the brewing of a hefeweizen a portion of wheat is substituted for barley.
The first example to look for is Konig-Ludwig out of Bavaria - this beer truly defines the style hefeweizen. Creamy mouthfeel and a touch of ripe banana set this one apart from the rest. If you'd like to start with an American version try to find Flying Dog In Heat Wheat (recently moved from Colorado to Maryland) or UFO from Harpoon (from Boston). There are several other fine choices if you are unable to find these. If you are lucky enough to have a store nearby that offers mix-and-match six-packs its a good way to try several without committing to an entire six-pack of the same. However, get at least two of each beer just in case you like the first one. That way you have a second one to enjoy.
Check out the websites of these brewers of fantastic beers:
www.flyingdogales.com
www.ufohefeweizen.com
Both websites will require that you answer the question "Are you 21 years old?"
If at home serve the beer in the tallest, thinnest glass you have. Check out this photo - http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/images/Weissbier_BBB.jpg. (Copy and paste into your browser). A slice of orange or lemon is a nice touch as well.
So we don't move too fast I'll stop rambling for now. Hopefully these posts will become more focused as we move along together. Any questions, comments, or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for stopping in and I hope you enjoy our ride together through the finer beers both brewed and available in Texas.
Cheers,
HopHeadTX
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