Best beer

[homebrewer_99]

So you agree it's only opinion. Good enough!

Can't argue there!

Now, where's the beer?

 

[Genghis77]

If the Belgiums simply roll open the roof and let their beers get infected by the natural forces, just how much contamination can you get away with? I imagine quite a bit. Considering this method was used for the first few thousand years of brewing, natural fermentation worked out pretty well.

 

[homebrewer_99]

If the Belgiums simply roll open the roof and let their beers get infected by the natural forces, just how much contamination can you get away with? I imagine quite a bit. Considering this method was used for the first few thousand years of brewing, natural fermentation worked out pretty well.

That's true, but the beer didn't taste nearly as good as beer does today.

I don't think anyone of us would recognize beer from 1500 years ago. Many of us would probably not even taste it based upon its smell.

 

[Glibbidy]

If the Belgiums simply roll open the roof and let their beers get infected by the natural forces, just how much contamination can you get away with? I imagine quite a bit. Considering this method was used for the first few thousand years of brewing, natural fermentation worked out pretty well.

Do you mean spontaneous fermentation?

That's true, but the beer didn't taste nearly as good as beer does today.

I don't think anyone of us would recognize beer from 1500 years ago. Many of us would probably not even taste it based upon its smell.

What is the source of your information i.e., how do you know? Although there is extensive information available that brewing did exist during the medieval and Renaissance periods, there is very little information available to tell us what these beers might have tasted like, or how they were brewed for that matter.

Or are you talking about tasting a beer that is 1500 years old?

 

[Ivan Lendl]

"the past is a foreign country. They do things differently there." (Hartley)

Do you think if we could go back in time with one of OUR homebrew's that they would like it?

 

[homebrewer_99]

What is the source of your information i.e., how do you know? Although there is extensive information available that brewing did exist during the medieval and Renaissance periods, there is very little information available to tell us what these beers might have tasted like, or how they were brewed for that matter...Or are you talking about tasting a beer that is 1500 years old?

What I meant was beer that was brewed 1500 years ago, not brewed in the 1500's.

In other words, a beer brewed in the year 506 would not look or taste like any beer we have today. First off, all beer was dark prior to 1842. Second, I believe the first mention of using hops in beer was somewhere in the 700s. Up until then brewers, or should I say "brewsters" (the female brewers - wives) used all sorts of forest plants in their brews, mostly herbs I'd say. I would venture a guess that beer probably tasted a lot like Jagermeister or Underberg. These are made from things that grow in the forests.

As far as recipes are concerned, the first "German" beer recipe was found in Kulmbach in about 800 BC, (Germany) geographically speaking since I don't think the Teutons/Alamani were organizing in that area.

 

[Glibbidy]

What I meant was beer that was brewed 1500 years ago, not brewed in the 1500's.

In other words, a beer brewed in the year 506 would not look or taste like any beer we have today. First off, all beer was dark prior to 1842. Second, I believe the first mention of using hops in beer was somewhere in the 700s. Up until then brewers, or should I say "brewsters" (the female brewers - wives) used all sorts of forest plants in their brews, mostly herbs I'd say. I would venture a guess that beer probably tasted a lot like Jagermeister or Underberg. These are made from things that grow in the forests.

As far as recipes are concerned, the first "German" beer recipe was found in Kulmbach in about 800 BC, (Germany) geographically speaking since I don't think the Teutons/Alamani were organizing in that area.

I hear what you are saying about beer brewed 1500 years ago.
I guess the sumerians don't count then eh?
Oh yes and them monks too. So much for everything I have read about monasteries setting brewing standards with scalability of production, better techniques, and better equipment then them alewive types gathering woodruff.

 

[homebrewer_99]

No, the Sumerians, Babylonians, Eqyptians, etc., count, but I was only going back 1500 years.

All the other stuff about the monks, etc., is relatively recent brewing history. A bit past learning about brewing (thousands of years of trial and error) and more at fine tuning (over a couple of hundred years more trial and error, but definitely more trial and success!).

 

[sullifan]

At the risk of sounding hopelessly light-weight, my two faves are Saten Ur-Maerzen & Pilsner Urquell. I enjoy many others but these constantly find their way into my refer.

 

[Cheesefood]

This sure sounds like a fun experiment - let's try to recreate beer from different periods in time. I doubt that we'd be able to finish an entire batch if we all tried together, but it might be fun nonetheless. They didn't use hops until the 1700's, so I imagine beer before then must have tasted pretty interesting.

 

[homebrewer_99]

This sure sounds like a fun experiment - let's try to recreate beer from different periods in time. I doubt that we'd be able to finish an entire batch if we all tried together, but it might be fun nonetheless. They didn't use hops until the 1700's, so I imagine beer before then must have tasted pretty interesting.

That's kind of like the point I was trying to make...damn Cheese, where do you keep getting pictures of my future ex-wife from? Hot-cha-cha!

 

[Caplan]

This sure sounds like a fun experiment - let's try to recreate beer from different periods in time. I doubt that we'd be able to finish an entire batch if we all tried together, but it might be fun nonetheless. They didn't use hops until the 1700's, so I imagine beer before then must have tasted pretty interesting.

Fun but as you say we'd never get round to it! 1 Gallon experimental batches might be worth a go but of course we'd need 'recipes' which might be a little thin on the ground. Remember that 'dead chicken' ale recipe posted a while back that i'm sure you got a few 'knob jokes' off???

 

[Caplan]

where do you keep getting pictures of my future ex-wife from? Hot-cha-cha!

Careful now! The trouble comes when your present wife catches you looking at pictures of your future ex wife.....

 

[homebrewer_99]

Careful now! The trouble comes when your present wife catches you looking at pictures of your future ex wife.....

...ain't that the truth!!

 

[Somerville]

I recently travelled to Amsterdam, Brussels, Koln, and Dusseldorf. One of my favorite beers in Brussels was Delirium Tremens. I drank it from tap at their own bar. They had 2004 different beers to choose from (an awesome cellar). The bartender also introduced me to Bier du Boucaneer (spelling) which is a golden strong belgian...absolutely awesome.
In Koln, the local Kolschs were all superb. In Dusseldorf, my favorite beer by far was the Fuchschen Alt or the Silber Fuchschen...
This trip to Europe was the very spark that lit my passion for beer and brewing. Europe is awesome :rockin:

 

[kenmc]

I recently travelled to Amsterdam, Brussels, Koln, and Dusseldorf. One of my favorite beers in Brussels was Delirium Tremens. I drank it from tap at their own bar.

I'd definitely put Delerium Tremens forward as a contender for (one of the!) BEST BEERS IN THE WORLD. Even as an Irishman and a dedicated follower of Guinness (when in Ireland - never abroad) I'd not put it in the same league as DT. It's a great session beer, but it's nothing special. There are so many frickin belgian beers that I don't think I could even sample each of them, never mind all the beers in the world.... I live in hope though!

Europe is awesome :rockin:

Europe is awesome at times, but China is awesomer still. The world-wide beer tour continues!

 

[kenmc]

(sorry double post! - there should be a way to delete these...)

 

[Cheesefood]

(sorry double post! - there should be a way to delete these...)

Edit the post and mark it for deletion.

 

[Cheesefood]

Careful now! The trouble comes when your present wife catches you looking at pictures of your future ex wife.....

I'll then post pictures of the new ex-wife, which is the current non-ex-wife.

My wife has learned the "Don't look, don't learn" rule when it comes to my computer. She stays out of my History folder. As a result, the arguments are a lot more rare. Ignorance is bliss for her, just like midget porn is bliss for some (I'm looking at you, Walker, wherever you are.)

 

[Somerville]

Europe is awesome at times, but China is awesomer still. The world-wide beer tour continues!

In terms of beer and China, what do you mean it's awesomer still?

 

[mysterio]

Delirium Tremens is great. You can buy it here in faux-clay bottles. Infact I've never tried a bad Belgian beer.

I must say though what I've tried of Chinese beers is nothing to write home about.

 

[kenmc]

In terms of beer and China, what do you mean it's awesomer still?

Oh nothing to do with the beer I'm afraid, just that as a European, Asia is a class place, and China is a rocking place. The great wall, some of the scenery around Yunnan, the people are nice. The beer is nothing special, although there are plenty of different beers, they are all pretty weak lagers unfortunately, although I did manage to get a nice dark beer in Hong Kong

 

[Somerville]

Oh nothing to do with the beer I'm afraid, just that as a European, Asia is a class place, and China is a rocking place. The great wall, some of the scenery around Yunnan, the people are nice. The beer is nothing special, although there are plenty of different beers, they are all pretty weak lagers unfortunately, although I did manage to get a nice dark beer in Hong Kong

I really want to go to China someday. I'm in college now and took a class on it's history; it was pretty cool. I find that it's best to travel after learning a lot about the location. Things around you will mean more. Like paintings, if you dont know anything about them, they might be pretty boring to look at. But, after studying origin, skill, purpose, etc, they become much more meaningful. Same thing with countries. Oh, and I would never doubt China's party potential
Back to beer...perhaps there is a potential market for craft brews in China.
Going back on topic, anyone ever try Fuchschen Alt?

 

[kenmc]

Delirium Tremens is great. You can buy it here in faux-clay bottles.

Yeah thats the same bottle you get in Belgium too. It's just glass sprayed whitish. I have a case of them at home I'll be using when I get home to brew again. Look the business.

 

[Rodan]

no one said anything about St. Bernardus? Ive had the apt 12 and the triple and they rank quite high with me. I love belgium beer though... its very rare that i am dissapointed (like leffe blond... yech). La Chouffe is another beautiful bottle (depending on its age cause young samples are a little... stiff?)

Anyway, boddingtons is great too....