The humble beginning of beer production in the New World goes back to the British colonial period in North America. A number of recipes have survived, especially from the 18th century. Their authors carefully wrote them down in the meticulous English of the time, which seems antiquated to us today.

Birthday beer with grandfather's yeast

Family history | It certainly happens from time to time that a brewer serves self-brewed beer for a special birthday. The fact that this beer was fermented with the brewer's yeast discovered by his grandfather is the absolute exception. Dr. Urs Wellhoener, Technical Director Brewing Innovation at The Boston Beer Company, Boston, MA, USA, was lucky enough to treat himself with this special brew for his 50th birthday, and BRAUWELT talked with him about his “birthday beer”.

On the trail of Trappist ale (Part 2)

Seven classics | The concept of the Trappists and their beers was explored in the first part of this series. The author also introduced the new generation of Trappist breweries, namely the five where brewing commenced between 2012 and 2018 (BRAUWELT International no. 6, 2020, pp. 440–442). In this second installment in the series, the focus will be on the traditional Trappist breweries.

On the trail of Trappist ale (Part 1)

Ora et labora | Anyone who has anything to do with beer is certainly familiar with the term “Trappist ale”, and most have likely already tasted at least one of them as well. But what is the story behind Trappist beer?

On a voyage of discovery through the US brewing industry

Summer school | Although still in its pilot phase, 2018 marked the first collaboration between the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT) and the Technische Universität München (TUM) in the form of an exchange program for brewing and food technology students.

Lambic

Beers of the world | Lambic is the revered yet mysterious beer native to the Pajottenland, a region to the southwest of Brussels between the rivers Dender and Zenne in Belgium.

Helles

Beers of the world | Helles and its associated styles Dortmunder Export, Festbier, Leichtbier and Kellerbier/Zwickel are fairly recent developments in the world of beer that started becoming popular only about one hundred years ago. All these beers have a yellow to gold color, high sessionability and a malty profile in common. They are generally well-rounded and evenly balanced.

Flemish Red Ale

Flemish Red Ale is the name for beers produced in the north western province of Belgium, West-Flanders. The province hugs all the coast of Belgium and everyone seems to know Bruges, the capital of the province.

Bacteria, Brueghel, Barrels, Blending and Brett (Part 1)

Wort and Must | Due to its location on the Continent and its dynamic history, tiny Belgium looms large in the beer world. Its past is awash in successive waves of Celto-Germanic beer and Roman, French and Spanish wine. It is one of those regions of Europe where the grape and grain have intermingled over time but in an inimitable manner as could have only transpired in a country on the edge of the Roman Empire and the North European Plain, nestled between the English Channel and France, the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg.

Specialty India Pale Ales

Over the last twenty years IPAws have become the most popular craft beer style in North America. This trend has spread to other beer markets around the world, and in some areas “India Pale Ale” is synonymous with “craft beer”. As part of the spirit of experimentation of craft beer and to differentiate their products from others, brewers introduced new variations of IPA, and with that many IPA sub-styles have evolved. The most popular of these will be the focus of this article: Belgian IPA, Black IPA, Brown IPA, New England Style IPA, Red IPA, Rye IPA and White IPA.

Schwarzbier is one of the oldest beers of Central Europe. Like Munich dunkles and Düsseldorf altbier, it is a relic of the once virtually unbroken landscape of dark beer that spread across Europe north of the Alps.