Reinheitsgebot

[Synovia]

Synovia, just want to make sure I understand your comment. To continue our color/b&w analogy, are you implying that color photography is more creative than black and white?

Absolutely not.

I take that to read being FORCED to use only B&W would be the creativity limiter. The difference lies in the choice to use whatever method or material you want. That is exactly how I feel about the Reinheitsgebot.

This.


Saying that brewers can't use specific materials limits what they can brew. To continue the photography analogy, if a photographer has a black and white photo and says "Wow, this would really pop in color", the reighensbotgestervogaenhaven says he can't do that, despite the fact that it will make a better image. (and the point would be the same if your reversed the positions of black and white, and color)

Thats stifling creativity.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I agree with you Synovia but there is another side to the coin imo. Best analogy I can think of is that old asian form of line art where the whole drawing is made with one line, the pencil/coal/quill/whatever never leaves the paper once you start (another analogy could be Haiku). Being bounded by certain constraints inspires them to get creative, but in a different way than if there were no constraints.

But I also agree that we get caught up in the word 'Purity' within the phrase 'German Purity Law of 1516'. Reinheitsgebot just kinda sounds cool, and German which isn't a bad thing in the beer world. The law wasn't really about 'protecting the purity of beer'.

One should brew with whatever ingredients they want. If brewing to Reinheitsgebot, or writing in Haiku, or drawing that continuous-line art is what melts your butter, have at it I say.

 

[arturo7]

Creativity exists in the person creating, wholly separate from that which is created. I would agree that Reinheitsgabooty stifles variety, but not creativity.

Who would likely be more creative: me with a full palate of colors, or Leo di Vinci with a fraggin pencil?

cheers

 

[Synovia]

Who would likely be more creative: me with a full palate of colors, or Leo di Vinci with a fraggin pencil?

What would allow Di Vinci to be more creative? A pencil, or a full palate of colors?

If it wasn't the latter, why did he paint with color?

 

[arturo7]

What would allow Di Vinci to be more creative? A pencil, or a full palate of colors?

You would have to ask Leo that question. His paintings would have a wider variety of colors, but variety and creativity are not the same thing.

If it wasn't the latter, why did he paint with color?

Higher demand for the work. Most people buy paintings, not drawings.



Anyway, this discussion has gotten way off the subject of brewing. If you want to continue it start a thread in the debate forum.

peace, out

 

[Synovia]

You would have to ask Leo that question. His paintings would have a wider variety of colors, but variety and creativity are not the same thing.

I didn't say there were.


Maybe I'm not phrasing this the right way. How bout this: Restricting the ingredients that a brewer can use restricts the brewer's ability to express their creativity.


That work for you?