Mendocino Brewing

The Elusive White Hawk

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Calee

June and July are fledging season for the White Hawk! During this time, the young birds have developed wing feathers large enough for flight, and they begin their first forays into the wild. Let us wish these beautiful birds luck as they set out on their new life in the forest!

Boldly Colored

The White Hawk is a striking bird, marked by its mostly white plumage and relatively large size. There are four subspecies each with slightly different markings, but they can all be recognized by their dramatic white and black coloring. As the species range from north to south they tend to darken, with the southern Mexican variety colored almost entirely white while the Amazonian species has more black on its mantle, upper wings and tail. When viewed from below, all the birds appear almost completely white.

Forest Dwellers

Widely spread throughout the Neotropical forests, the White Hawk has a range from Southern Mexico to Brazil and throughout the entire Amazon Basin. Preferring to nest in lowland forests and forest peripheries, it can be found perching on branches at the forest edge or soaring overhead as it searches for prey. It builds its nests of sticks and leaves in the tops of tall trees, sometimes among orchids or bromeliads. Most nests hold only a single egg, and the young bird is fed by both the male and female hawks.

Wily Hunters

The White Hawk feeds mostly on snakes and lizards, but it will not turn down a tasty mammal, bird or large insect. It will hunt from just inside the forest canopy and at the edges of clearings, perching patiently until it sights its prey. In French Guiana, White Hawks have been observed regularly following troops of Brown Capuchin monkeys and then swooping down to capture tree snakes flushed out by the primates. Although these same groups of monkeys will respond with fear and agitation at the sight of other birds of prey, they do not seem afraid of the White Hawks. (Perhaps the monkeys are also fans of White Hawk IPA).

Loss of Habitat

Although the destruction of some forested areas has put the White Hawk at risk, its range is so large that it is not (yet) considered particularly vulnerable. However, it is on the endangered list in El Salvador and considered a Species Subject to Special Protection in Mexico, and its population has been decreasing over the years. According to one source, the White Hawk could lose as much as 25 percent of its habitat over the next 23 years due to Amazon deforestation!

In the Wild

A wild and forest-loving bird, the White Hawk does not lend itself to video capture in the same way as other birds. However, thanks to some intrepid travelers—and the wonders of tiny electronics—we can still observe a few of these birds in action. So settle back with a White Hawk IPA (or the Mendo brew of your choice) and check out this link for a video of a White Hawk in Brazil, taking a break from hunting while keeping an eye out for prey.

Animal Encounters

Do you have any favorite raptor photographs or videos to share? Let us know, and send a link in the comments below!

Posted in Raptor of the Month | 1 Comment

White Ale, an Endangered Species?

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Calee

As we settle into summer and the days grow warmer, I find myself reaching more often for a lighter, yet well-balanced, beer. Dark, malty beers high in alcohol helped keep the home fires burning during the chill of winter, but now the backyard beckons, and lounging in the heat of the sun calls for a crisp, refreshing ale. White Ales, with their backbone of wheat and subtle spices, are complex enough to be rich and appealing while remaining light and refreshing—perfect for a long, summer evening with friends. So fire up your BBQ, dust off the Frisbees, and welcome summer with Mendocino’s White Ale, this summer’s seasonal release.

Rescued from the brink of extinction

White Ales, also known Belgian Wits or Witbier, are made with a large proportion of wheat and flavored with spices. They were being produced by monks as early as the 14^th century, and most of the finest examples came from the village of Hoegaarden, a village in the wheat-growing area east of Brussels. During the 1700’s, this small town boasted more than 30 brewers of Witbier. However, the growing popularity of lagers in the 19^th century contributed to the decline of the style, and the years just after World War II saw Witbiers in danger of extinction. Fortunately, a Belgium brewer named Pierre Celis revived the style, and now we can choose from many different interpretations of this delicate and refreshing beer.

Spiced with history

Harkening back to the days of gruit, White Ales carry a bit of ancient beer history in their recipes. Gruit, which was used by brewers for years before hops became a standard beer ingredient, is a mixture of (usually) locally grown spices and herbs. Although hops are a part of today’s White Ales, their influence is quite muted, and they do not contribute much to the beer’s overall impression. Rather, White Ales take their character from the addition of spices, most commonly coriander and orange peel.

But brewers are a creative bunch, and they can’t seem to resist adding new ingredients to their brews. Some versions of White Ales also include herbs and spices such as cumin, ginger, chamomile or cardamom.

Hazy with proteins

White Beers, as their name implies, are light in body, with a thick white, foamy head and pale, cloudy color. They are brewed with almost equal amounts of wheat and barley, and their relatively high protein content and residual yeast gives these beers their hazy, golden glow. Some White Beers may have a slightly sour taste (historical evidence shows they were once very sour), but most of them now are just tart enough to be refreshing. The mouthfeel is usually smooth and full, due to the additional wheat and oats, and the flavor is generally gently honey-sweet.

Pairing with foods

Witbiers may be one of the friendliest beers to pair with food. As one writer said, they can take you all the way from breakfast to dinner. Their subtle flavor pairs well with egg dishes, bacon and sausage, grilled cheese sandwiches, most kinds of fish (especially when prepared with citrus), and salads with vinaigrette dressings. Even a simple fruit salad is boosted by the orange-spice flavor of a Wit. They can’t stand up to hearty or extremely spicy foods very well, though, so save the steak and five-alarm Mexican meals for something more robust.

Hold the orange

Today, wheat beers are usually served with a slice of orange or lemon. While the fruit does add a touch of beer-geek to the drink, I suggest skipping the slice. Give the beer a chance to say its piece without the added noise of the extra citrus. You’ll find it has much to share.

What’s in your glass?

White, stout, porter or pale—what’s your beer style of choice? Does it vary with the season? Let us know in the comments below!

Posted in Food and Beer Pairing, New Brew | 1 Comment

Craft Beer Gift Ideas For Dad

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Calee

Father’s Day is June 16^th, and if your love for craft beer runs in the family, consider giving Dad something he can really enjoy. The following ideas should provide some inspiration for gift shopping, and don’t worry—there’s even a tie!

Smartphone Case Bottle Opener

Designed mostly for iPhones, the Bottle Opener Phone Cases from HeadCase come in a variety of styles, including sports teams and national flags. The bottle opener is embedded in the back of the case, and an included app will play songs and display photos whenever a bottle is opened. The cases can also be customized with images or designs of your choice. (Imagine your dad looking at your smiling face while opening a beer—what could be better?)

Monogrammed Craft Beer Glasses

Spiegelau, manufacturers of the recently released IPA glass, are known for their quality glassware. Their Beer Connoisseur Gift Set contains four glasses in four different styles and is available monogrammed through Things Remembered or non-monogrammed through Amazon. As an added bonus, Spiegelau will be hosting a beer glass tasting in New York and New Jersey right around Father’s Day, with attendees receiving a set of glasses with their $50 admission fee.

Beer Tasting Tool Kit

Tasting Tool Kit

Developed by Jeff Alworth, writer of the Beervana beer blog, this beer tasting kit is a fun gift for the homebrewer or craft beer lover. The kit includes a booklet of tasting profiles, paper sleeves to hide the labels and four tasting notepads that help guide tasters as they pick out the flavors of the beers. I think this is a great gift for anyone who homebrews and has trouble getting an honest—or critical—review of their beers. Accompany the kit with a selection of Mendocino brews so he can get started right away!

Chillsner

The Chillsner

The Chillsner was created for people who love drinking ice cold beer straight from the bottle. It slips inside the bottle, cooling the beer from the inside out andeliminating the trauma of that last warm sip. Freeze it for 45 minutes, drop it in the beer bottle and enjoy. The specially designed openings at the top let you drink right from the bottle, and each set contains two Chillsners—so one can always be in the freezer and ready to go.

The Beer Buckle

Beer Buckle

If your dad is not already embarrassing enough, up his power with the Beer Buckle—a bottle or can holder that flips out from a belt buckle. Now he can hold his beer without his hands, leaving them free to adjust his Beer Can Hat.

Hops Tie

Featuring a deconstructed hops design in shades of brown and gold, the Hops Tie lets your dad share his love of beer while still remaining stylish enough for the office. It’s a creative take on the traditional gift.

Craft Beer

You like beer. He likes beer. So why not give dad a gift you both can share? Put together a sampler of his favorite beers, or seek out some of the Imperial and Seasonal varieties that can be more difficult to find. If you live near enough to visit your dad, sitting and sharing some great craft beers together may be the best gift you can give (although maybe you should bring extra for yourself).

What’s your plan for Father’s Day? Any gift ideas to share? Let us know in the comments below!

Posted in General | Leave a comment

Summer is “In Session” …Session Ales, That Is.

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Calee

British pub during WWI

We’ve been celebrating California Session Beer Month throughout May, and the approaching summer is a good time to reflect on these lighter, easy drinking beers. Many craft beer lovers prefer the complex flavors (and nice bite) of a beer with a higher alcohol content, but a good session ale can fit in nicely with the longer days and soft evenings of summer.

And, like most beer styles, it has an interesting and tangled past.

Born of war

Session beer as we think of it today is relatively new. Though the first use of the term is debatable, the style as we know it seems to have its origins in Britain. In 1800s Europe, the lightest beers were probably around 4.5 percent alcohol, but the demands of World War I and government taxation caused brewers to redefine their recipes to suit the new restrictions.

Malt and taxes

Wartime disruptions during WW I had led to shortages of malt, and in February of 1917 the British government ordered that all malting of barley be stopped. This restriction was eased a few months later, with the new order that the brewers could produce only a third of the alcohol they had produced the previous year. (Alcohol in beer is the result of yeast eating the sugars of the malts.) To brewers, this meant that in order to produce—and sell—the same amount of beer as the year before, the beer had to be only one third as strong.

Low Alcohol Wartime Ale

This trend toward lower alcohol continued even after the war was over, when the government began to tax beers based on their alcohol content. This made many of the stronger beers of pre-war days too expensive to sell, and encouraged brewers to continue to refine their low alcohol styles. One of the most popular beers served in British pubs today is an ordinary bitter, or session beer, with a strength of up to only 4.1 percent ABV.

A challenge to brew

Today, a beer of 5 percent ABV or less can generally be considered a session beer.Although lower in alcohol than the average craft beer, session beers are not lacking in taste. Many session beers are complex and rich, and carry the same nuances as higher alcohol varieties. This is no small feat, because it is the alcohol that suspends the flavor compounds in the beer. Alcohol also adds its own flavors and aromas, and it takes a skilled brewer to create an interesting beer without relying on alcohol’s familiar character.

Summer’s in session!

As you’re choosing your brews for your next summer event, consider slowing down with some full-bodied, lower alcohol session ales.At 5 percent ABV, Mendo’s Peregrine Pilsner is a standout of the Pilsner style. Brewed with Saaz hops, the hops of choice for traditional Czech-style pilsners, the result is a full-bodied beer with earthy, biscuit notes and a dry, slightly floral finish.

Two of Mendo’s upcoming seasonals are also only 5 percent ABV, perfect for the longer days of summer and gatherings with friends. Just released this week, Mendocino’s summer seasonal White Ale features a backbone of wheat balanced by floral and citrus hops with notes of Key Lime and spice. And in fall, watch for Mendo’s Pumpkin ale, a full and malty beer carefully seasoned with holiday spices and cacao nibs.

What’s your pleasure?

Festivals and cookouts, disc golf and biking, river floats and lazing about in the yard—where will you be enjoying your Mendo brews this summer? Let us know in comments below, or send us a photo of you and your brew on location!

Posted in New Brew | Leave a comment

Is Beer Actually Liquid Bread?

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Calee

Summer is approaching, and this year’s crop of summer seasonal craft beers will soon be on the shelves!Most of these beers will be wheat-laced (I’m looking forward to Mendo’s White Ale), because wheat tends to give the beer a lighter, tarter flavor that suits the warmer days of summer. But wheat is only one of several grains that can be used to brew beer, and the choice of grain has a significant impact on the beer’s personality.

Sampling Monk

Liquid Bread

Grains form the backbone of beer. They contribute to the flavor, color and mouth feel of the beer while also providing the sugars the yeast require in order to produce alcohol. Grains are cereals, and most people agree that beer was first brewed as source of stored nutrition. The alcohol content of early beers was relatively low, around 3 percent, and the beverage was consumed by children as well as adults. European monks, who still create some of the most respected beers in the world, originally brewed beer as a way to provide nourishment to the townspeople and as their own source of nutrition during religious fasts.

Main Grains

Roasted Barley Malt

Barley

Barley is the oldest known and still most commonly used brewing grain, with evidence of its use in brewing dating back as far as 3500 BC. It is well suited to the task of beer making—easy to work with and lending a clean, sweet flavor to the beer. Barley is sprouted and dried (malted) and roasted before brewing, and the amount of roast will determine the flavor, aroma and color of the final product. Although many brewers will also add grains such as wheat or rye to their brews, barley will generally make up the bulk of the beer’s grain bill. The other grains are considered adjuncts.

Wheat

As a brewing grain, wheat is second only to barley, and it is the central ingredient in styles such as Belgian Wits and Hefeweizens (claiming up to 50 percent of the grain bill). Beers made from large percentages of wheat tend to be smooth and light, and wheat beers are often released as spring or summer seasonals. Wheat also contains more protein than barley, which results in beers with a silky mouthfeel and thick, long-lasting heads. (Some brewers will even add a bit of wheat to their ‘non-wheat’ brews strictly to improve the foam retention.) Most wheat beers—though not all—are also left unfiltered, which gives them a slight haze from both the proteins and the suspended yeast.

Rye

Rye gives beer a spicy, dry taste and a slight, bitter twist. Rye beers were once very popular in northern European countries, but a spell of bad harvests in 15^th century Bavaria helped lead to the creation of the Reinheitsgebot, a declaration ruling that rye and wheat would only be used for baking bread (reserving the more difficult-to-mill barley for brewing beer). A little rye goes a long way, and today any beer brewed with rye is generally considered a rye beer, with most recipes containing only about 10 to 20 percent. Many American craft brewers like to pair the spicy flavors of rye with a hoppy bitterness.

Oats

Nourishing Stout

Oats have a high percentage of proteins, fats and oils, which give beer a rich, smooth texture and help to produce a thick, creamy head.Once a popular brewing ingredient in medieval Europe, the practice of brewing with oats seems to have almost died out until the early part of the 20^th century, when brewers initiated its revival by touting the nutritional qualities of these ‘porridge-like’ brews.Today, oats are most commonly represented in oatmeal stouts, where they make up 5 to 10 percent of the grain bill.

Corn and Rice

Often viewed with suspicion because of their association with pale, macro lagers, corn and rice can add their own desirable characteristics to beer. Corn will lighten the body and color of a beer without adding much flavor beyond a subtle sweetness, and is also a common adjunct in full-bodied, British bitters. Rice is used to help create a crisp, dry taste, and also imparts almost no flavor.

Reinheitsgebot…or not?

How seriously do you consider the ingredients in your beer? Do you feel beer should stick to its historical roots, or do you welcome new additions like basil and lime? Let us know in the comments below!

Posted in Food and Beer Pairing | Leave a comment

Mendo Pretzels and Mustard Dip

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Calee

Eye of the Hawk Pretzels

Beer and pretzels, already a classic combination, are made even better when a bit of Mendocino brew is added to the mix. These Eye of the Hawk Pretzels are soft and satisfying, and pair great with the spicy Blue Heron Mustard Dip.

Eye of the Hawk Pretzels

Makes 12 large pretzels

Ingredients

¼ cup lukewarm water

2 ¼ tsp. yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

1½ tsp. salt (kosher or sea salt is best)

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup Eye of the Hawk (at room temperature)

3 ½ to 4 cups of flour

2 cups very hot water

1 tsp. baking soda

1 egg, beaten

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 450F.

Pour the lukewarm water into a large bowl and add the yeast. Let stand about 10 minutes, until bubbles begin to form.

Add the sugar, 1 tsp. salt, olive oil and Eye of the Hawk. Stir to mix, then add the flour a little at a time to form a soft dough.

Knead the dough about 8 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let sit in a warm place for about an hour, until it has doubled in size.

After rising is complete, divide the dough in to 12 pieces. Roll each piece out to make a rope about 18 inches long. A rope of this length will make a large, soft pretzel, but if you like crunchier pretzels you can roll the rope out even thinner.

Bring the 2 cups of water to a simmer. While waiting, shape the ropes into pretzel forms. Add the baking soda to the water and carefully dip each pretzel in the hot water, then set them on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise 20 minutes.

Brush the surface of the pretzels with the beaten egg, sprinkle with ½ tsp. salt and bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Pretzels and Croquet

Blue Heron Mustard Dip

Ingredients

12 oz Blue Heron Pale Ale

½ cup whole grain mustard

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp mustard powder

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

½ tsp Worcestershire

Preparation:

In a saucepan, simmer the beer over low heat until it is reduced by half.

Add remaining ingredients to the warm beer reduction and let cool.

Share your dips!

Do you have any favorite pretzel or dip recipes that feature beer? Share them with us in the comments below!

Posted in Food and Beer Pairing | Leave a comment

American Craft Beer Week 2013

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Calee

The Mother of All Beer Weeks

Craft beer has been steadily growing in popularity over the last few years, with some of its success due to the increasing number of events that give people a chance to discover great new beers to love. In 2008, the Brewer’s Association declared that a week in May be set aside as American Craft Beer Week, which has prompted towns and breweries across the country to host their own craft beer celebrations. Dubbed “the Mother of All Beer Weeks,” this year’s celebration will be held from May 13 to 19, with events expected in all 50 states!

American Craft Beer Week was created to provide an opportunity for craft beer brewers and enthusiasts to share and celebrate the growth of beer culture in the US. Events include brewery tours, beer tastings, beer pairing dinners and special releases, and, for the first time ever, a simultaneous toast to commemorate the event! The toast will be held on May 16 at 11pm PST, when craft brewers and craft beer lovers will lift their glasses in celebration of the beer and the innovative brewers that make it possible. Check out the American Craft Beer Week events page to find the location of a toasting in your area.

While you’re at it check out this great video from Craftbeer.com

http://www.craftbeer.com/news-and-events/american-craft-beer-week/acbw-video

Create your own celebration!

American Craft Beer Week is meant to be shared with friends. If you can’t find enough events happening in your area to feel as if you’ve done craft beer justice, create a celebration of your own.

Host the toast: Can’t find a toasting event in your town? Host one yourself! Ask each friend to bring some of their favorite craft beer—enough to share!—and raise a glass with the rest of the nation. You can download the official toast here. And while everyone’s all together, why not go ahead and sign the American Craft Beer Week Manifesto? It’ll add an air of revolution to the evening. You can find it on the same page as the toast.

Food and beer pairing: A food and beer pairing is a delicious way to celebrate the tastes of craft beer, but it doesn’t have to be a lot of work. Instead of taking on the whole meal on your own, ask each guest to bring a favorite craft beer and a dish to go with it. You can suggest a specific pairing from each person in an attempt to have a well-balanced meal, or just leave it up to your guests. Sure, you could end up with nine different kinds of chips, but that’s all part of the adventure!

Add a movie event: There are several good documentaries that celebrate beer and its contributions to culture and society. And thanks to the internet, you can watch some of them instantly and for free.

· The Beer Hunter series, featuring Michael Jackson. Required watching for any craft beer fan! You can find them all on YouTube (check out the California Pilgrimage episode for a visit to the old Mendocino brewery).

· Beer Wars explores the US beer industry and the attempts of corporate breweries to control the market. Released in 2009, it was listed by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top must-see documentaries for entrepreneurs. It’s available for instant streaming on Netflix.

· How Beer Saved the World is a bit of an easy watch. Cartoon cavemen and beer culture experts take us on a beery romp through history as we learn how beer helped found civilization, build the pyramids and save us all from germ-filled water. You can watch it online.

· Brewed in America, which originally aired on the History Channel as part of their Empires of Industry Series, traces the origins and growth of the US’s beer industry, with most of the focus on the larger, corporate breweries

· The American Brew features great names in brewing, including Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada, Fritz Maytag and homebrew’s legendary Charlie Papazian.

Join the Revolution!

As American Craft Beer Week nears, more events will begin making their way to the calendar—so keep watching for festivals and tastings in your area. Mendocino Brewing will be pouring at two places on May 18: the Orange County Beer Fest at Lake Irvine and the West Coast Brewfest in Sacramento.

How do you plan to celebrate American Craft Beer Week? Let us know in the comments below!

Posted in Events | 1 Comment

The Peregrine Falcon

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Calee

Mendocino is proud of their birds of prey mascots, so, in celebration of this season’s new brood of Peregrine chicks, we take a closer look at these magnificent birds.

Death from Above

Peregrine Falcon – Open For Business

The Peregrine falcon may be the perfect predator. It dives from the sky in a daring plunge, snagging other airborne birds in mid-flight with its deadly talons. Its body is the epitome of aerodynamic design, allowing it to reach—and survive—speeds that would kill other animals. As it reaches its terminal velocity of over 200 mph, baffles in its nostrils prevent the force of the air from exploding its lungs—a feature that has been incorporated into jet engine design—and nictitating membranes on its eyes protect them from debris. It snags its hapless victims in its talons, ending their terror with a killing blow from its deadly-sharp beak.

Peregrine Diving for the Kill

Armed with Courage

The name Peregrine means ‘wanderer,’ and these falcons are found on every continent except Antarctica. This amazing bird has long been revered for its astounding hunting technique, and has been used in falconry for over 3000 years. Native American tribes would bury men of high rank in costumes meant to represent the prowess of the falcon, and Western European nobility of the late Middle Ages considered it a prince among birds, “more armed by its courage than its claws.” In more recent times, the Peregrine falcon has been enlisted to intercept homing pigeons during World War II and to scare away birds at airports in order to improve air-traffic safety.

Threatened with Extinction

Peregrine Falcon Nest

During the mid-20^th century, the Peregrine falcon population began to decline. The widespread use of DDT and other chemical pesticides caused toxins to build up in the falcons’ bodies, which reduced the amount of calcium in their eggshells and made them more prone to breakage. In some parts of the world, including the eastern US and Belgium, the falcons became locally extinct, but worldwide recovery efforts and the reduced use of DDT have helped the population recover, and the Peregrine falcon was removed from the US Endangered Species list in 1999.

Now a Media Star

Peregrine falcons have traditionally nested in open landscapes and near shores where sea birds are common, and many return to the same nesting site year after year (some particularly favored sites have been in use for hundreds of years). But more recently, they have also begun to choose cities with their suspension bridges, tall buildings and abundance of tasty pigeons. These nests are usually encouraged by the human city dwellers, and many cities have set up nestcams so people can have the chance to watch these deadly hunters as they enjoy a bit of family time. So take a moment, crack open a Peregrine Pilsner, and check out some of the live nestcam views of Peregrine falcon nests around the country.

Santa Cruz Peregrines

In the mid-70s, only two pair of Peregrine falcons were known to exist in California, with none to be found east of the Mississippi. The nestcam atop the San Jose City Hall is the result of a collaborative effort by U.C. Santa Cruz and Cornell University the restore the falcon population in California. After DDT was banned in 1972, the U.C. Davis Predatory Bird Research Group spent the next 30 years breeding the falcons, hatching their thin-shelled eggs, and placing the birds in cliffside nests.

Salt Lake City Peregrines

Peregrine falcons have been nesting in downtown Salt Lake City since 1984, with their favorite place being the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Currently the pair occupying the nestcam is caring for four eggs, which should hatch in mid to late May. As the young birds begin learning to fly, they often find themselves falling into traffic or crashing into buildings. Volunteers and members of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources scramble during this time to help rescue the fledgling fliers.

I really enjoyed the chance to peek in on these birds, even though the nestcam environment is a bit less than natural. Do you have any webcam recommendations for viewing other animals? How do you feel about the Peregrines’ migrations to the big cities? Let us know in the comments below.

Posted in Raptor of the Month, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

In Praise of Yeast

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Calee

Saccharomyces Cerevisiae – Brewer’s Yeast

The Mightiest Microbe

California may be home to the craft beer revolution, but Oregon has their share of craft beer lovers as well. On April 11, the resolution to designate Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or brewer’s yeast, as the official state microbe was passed unanimously by the Oregon House of Representatives. Now the vote is headed to the Senate, and I wish it well. For centuries, yeast was working its magic in beers and wine with no recognition at all, and it’s time for it to get the attention it deserves.

Do not disturb

Open Fermentation

When early beermakers would leave their wort out to cool, they extended an unwitting invitation to wild, airborne yeast. Called “spontaneous fermentation,” this method is still used by some brewers today. Traditional lambic brewers in Belgium leave their windows open at night, allowing the wild yeasts to drift into the cooling wort. Many of these brewers refused to remove the cobwebs or molds on the walls of the area where the beer ferments, believing such a disturbance would alter the taste of the beer. And their belief was sound because, like all living things, yeast will adapt to its environment.

Passing on the strains

The lambic brewers of Belgium may be surrounded by friendly yeast, but not all brewers are so lucky, and the wrong yeast can turn wort sour and unsuitable for beer. To make matters more difficult, there are hundreds of different kinds of wild yeast that can turn sugar to alcohol, but not all of them turn it in way that tastes good to humans. Wild yeast can be dangerous! These brewers learned, though, that transferring the dregs from a good brew to the next round of wort would help create a better beer. Some brewers even used stirring paddles handed down for generations, with each paddle carrying a healthy colony of yeast on its tip. This ensured the distribution of “good yeast” in brews, and led to a more consistent product.

Making the drink work

Gradually, people began to understand the importance of yeast in the brewing process. Anton van Leeuwenhoek, inventor of the microscope, got the first look at one in 1680—but he thought he was just seeing starchy particles of grain. In the 1755 edition of the Dictionary of the English Language, Samuel Johnson defined yeast as “the ferment put into drink to make it work; and into bread to lighten and swell it,” but still no one had any idea that yeast was alive. It took the observations of Theodore Schwann, a German physiologist, to confirm that these wondrous beasties are actually one-celled organisms—a type of fungi.

Breeding better beers

Finally, in 1857, Louis Pasteur published a paper with his proof that the conversion of sugars to alcohol was carried out by the living yeast, and not via a chemical catalyst, which was what most people believed at the time. In 1883, Emil Hansen, a chemist at Carlsberg brewing, found a way to isolate and clone the yeast used to make Carlsberg lager. Soon afterwards, people began to isolate yeast strains in pure culture form, which allowed them to produce pure strains specifically designed for the needs of the brewing industry.

Yeast has more influence over the character of beer than many people realize. Not only is it responsible for both the alcohol and the carbonation in beer, yeast also adds its own array of flavor profiles as a byproduct of fermentation. Different yeast strains can add the aroma or flavors of green apples, plastic, cooked vegetables, bananas, or sulfur, and whether the flavor is desired or not usually depends on the kind of beer the brewer was hoping to create (though few people aim for sulfur). A good example of a beer that draws much of its character from the yeast is a hefeweizen, or wheat beer. These beers tend to have a banana or clove-like accent that comes directly from the yeast.

So raise a beer in a toast to yeast, the microbe that adds a lightness to life. And tell us—what do you seek out in a beer? The malty notes, the hoppy bite or the subtle play of aromas and flavors created by these tiny, unsung heroes? Let us know in the comments below.

Posted in General, History | Leave a comment

From Skins to Steins

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Calee

Toasting with Tankards

People have been drinking beer for thousands of years, but it’s only relatively recently that we began developing vessels specifically for its enjoyment. We made do with skins and clay mugs until the 14^th century, which found us drinking from tankards and steins—the first drinking vessels linked specifically to beer. The open, wooden tankards evolved into the one-handled, lidded stein in the wake of the bubonic plague, when people became a bit more concerned with matters like sanitation and keeping flies out of their drinks.

Letting the Light In

Early steins were made of materials such as pewter or stoneware (stein is German for stone), but the spread of electricity and better brewing techniques eventually led to a greater demand for mugs made of glass. Brewers were achieving new levels of clarity in their beer, and the arrival of electric lights brightened the pubs and gave the patrons a better view of their food and drink. Glass also had the added bonus of not absorbing odors or flavors, a problem with ceramic mugs, and of not poisoning people (pewter contains lead). In the 1920s, the opaque steins began to give way to the classic 10-sided, large-handled pint mug, the first mass-produced beer glass.

The shifting popularities of beer styles, as well as the demands faced by bar owners, have led to a wide array of glassware specifically designed for beer. Amber ales, with their lighter color, began gaining popularity in the 40s, and were served in a dimpled mug that highlighted their coppery hue. The nonic pint glass, with its characteristic bulge that makes for safer stacking, followed in the 60s. Now, most beers are served in a straight-sided pint glass, which gets the job done well enough. However, if you’re looking to fine tune your beer experience, there’s no shortage of glasses to choose from.

The Weizen Glass

The weizen glass originated in Germany, and was designed to serve frothy, Bavarian-style wheat beers. Much of the aroma of wheat beers is carried in their foamy heads, and the tapered body and bowed-open top of the weizen glass will concentrate the classic weizen aroma while keeping the highly-carbonated beer safely contained. It’s a good glass for any wheat beer, and I’m looking forward to trying it out with Mendo’s Seasonal White Ale this summer.

The Pilsner Glass

Pilsner glasses are tall and slender, shaped a bit like an inverted cone. Its design showcases the color and carbonation of lighter beers while also helping to increase head retention.A beer like Peregrine Pilsner or Blue Heron Pale could be nicely accented by the pilsner glass.

The Tulip Glass

Shaped like a bowl with a flaring rim, the tulip glass was designed to encourage a thick, foamy head while also enhancing yeast-driving aromatics. This makes it a particularly friendly glass for Belgium-style beers. The tulip glass is also my favorite glass for beer drinking. The narrow rim helps to concentrate the aromas of the brew, and I like how the rounded base sits in my hand. I would drink any of Mendo’s beers from this glass, and enjoy them all.

The IPA Glass

Recently released as a collaboration between Dogfish Head, Sierra Nevada and Spiegelau, the IPA glass was designed with thin walls, which they say actually helps keep the beer cooler, and an odd, ridged base that creates an ‘olfactory cannon,’ bringing out the notes of the hops. I haven’t tried this glass yet, but I’d like to test it out with Mendo’s new Black IPA, and see how it handles the citrusy notes.

Beer Snob or Pint Swiller?

How do you enjoy your favorite brews? Are you a no-nonsense, pint-swiller, or do you believe each beer deserves a special glass? Let us know in the comments below!

Posted in History | 2 Comments

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