Many beer lovers hear drinks from Ireland, Belgium and Germany. There are connoisseurs of domestic product in Russia. But what can American beer be like? Russian consumers are unlikely to hear the names of the brands of foamy drink from the United States. Nevertheless, in Hollywood films, the heroes destroy one jar after another, effectively pulling off the rings from them. And the movie, as you know, even fantastic, is a reflection of real life.
In fact, beer is considered the staple of the average American consumer basket. According to the use of this drink per capita, the United States takes 15th place in the world. What is so interesting for gourmets for New World beer? Let's figure it out. In this article, we suggest you take a gastronomic tour of the most famous US breweries. We will also introduce you to the history of the development of this drink in the States. It is naive to think that Europeans brought it to the New World.
History of Brewing in America
The Indians made a foamy drink long before the landing of Columbus. But ancient American beer recipes mention that the aborigines did not use barley as raw materials, but corn common in two India. They acidified the grain with birch sap. But the white aliens did not take advantage of the cultural achievements of the Indians in the field of brewing, but began to be guided by Dutch and Irish recipes.
According to the chronicles, the first farm where they made a foamy drink appeared in North America in 1587. For commercial sale, the drink began to be produced since 1632. Since the British and Dutch owned the colony, the American brewers copied mostly Irish ale. But soon the German emigrants introduced the recipe for the lager. Unexpectedly, a new type of beer gained great popularity among the people. Yes, and at the manufacturers it was held in high esteem, since hops, which served as a natural preservative, did not let the drink sour for a long time.
The emergence of indigenous American beer
Lager and El coexisted for a long time together. But American enterprise has taken its toll. Numerous experiments to combine both types of drink have finally been successful. So in the 19th century, “steam” beer appeared in San Francisco. It was a truly American product, a kind of know-how in the production process of making a drink. Hybrid ale with increased carbonization and lager was distinguished by a rich bouquet in which notes of malt, caramel and fried grain were felt. But at the beginning of the 20th century, American brewing, as well as the producers of stronger alcoholic drinks, was waiting for a strong blow.
In 1919, the 19th amendment to the US Constitution was adopted, better known by the people as the Prohibition. Brewing was especially affected by it. After all, if people risked breaking the law, then they drank whiskey and rum, and not weak alcohol. After the abolition of the amendment to the Constitution, small enterprises never recovered from their lethargic sleep. And the remaining factories were concentrated in the hands of huge concerns.
Budweiser
Large manufacturers have focused not on improving recipes, but on advertising and marketing. To win the largest possible consumer audience, they began to brew beer of an average taste. Playing on the struggle of overweight Americans and a love of a healthy lifestyle, they reduced the number of calories and degrees in their product. All this affected the taste characteristics of light beer. Therefore, in the late 70-ies of the twentieth century, the fame of the tasteless and “no” was entrenched in drinks from the USA.
The overall gloomy picture was saved by the Budweiser. This is the best American beer, which satisfies not only the domestic market, but is also exported abroad. He, unlike many other brands that have not survived the Prohibition, has an ancient history. The plant was built in 1852 by a certain George Schneider, who a few years later sold it to Eberhard Anheuser. This brewer extremely successfully married his daughter to Adolfus Bush, a German from Bohemia. The son-in-law brought the Czech camp recipe from the Old World. And Anheuser-Busch's American Budwieser appealed to consumers more than the usual ale.
American craft beer
For a long time it was believed that, in addition to the "Budweiser", in the US there are no worthy brands of amber drink. However, at the end of the twentieth century, the situation with brewing changed radically. More precisely, she became the same as before. Prior to the Prohibition, each American town had its own brewery. Now, too, despite the fact that 60-70 percent of the domestic market is accounted for by large companies such as Anheuser Bush, SABMiller, InBev, and the like, small manufacturers are making themselves louder.
At present, there are more than three thousand such breweries in the country. Pubs that serve their own product are also not uncommon now. American craft beer has its own specifics. The ingredients in it can be hops, malt, sugar, various fruits. The main thing is that the control over the recipe, as well as the production process, remains not with the investors, but with the owners.
Styles of craft beer from the USA
The fashion for a foamy drink, prepared according to the original recipe in a small enterprise, was launched by the New Albion Brewing Company. Behind her, craft breweries began to appear like mushrooms after rain. Now, wherever you are in the USA, be sure that there is a local manufacturer within a radius of 50 kilometers. The assortment of craft American beer is very wide.
Most entrepreneurs took the German camp recipe as a model. But they also brew an American double, IPA, creamy and amber, and even pumpkin ale. Special mention should be made of steam beer. He is here referred to as the "California Common" or Steam Beer. The name "steam" came from the fact that when a hot wort is poured into a wide vat for cooling, a white cloud hangs above the brewery. The fortress at this top fermentation camp is 4.5-5.5%, and the bouquet is malt and fruit.
American ales
Residents of the United States gained independence from Britain, but remained faithful to the English method of brewing. Although you need to give them their due: in America they make special types of ale. Let's look at the most popular varieties.
American beer Kentucky Common ("Kentucky ordinary") - the oldest type of authentic ale, it began to brew in the middle of the year before last. It tastes sweet, full-bodied. The Kentucky Commons arrived immediately after cooking.
Americans prefer light domestic varieties, but among the ales there is also Amber, which is distinguished by its copper-red color. Lovers of dry beer with bright hop bitterness can be advised by Blonde Ale. Creamy Ale with hop-malt balance is actually a bright lager with a strength of 5 degrees.
Original varieties
Americans not only duplicate English or German methods of brewing beer. They also have varieties that can only be tasted here in the USA, and nowhere else. An example of this is American Wild Ale. In making this wild American beer, Brettanomyces yeast is used. The resulting drink with its fruity taste reminds connoisseurs of "Lambic" from Belgium.
Another original variety is Pumpkin Ale. It is boiled without the addition of hops, but with ground vegetable pulp. A very strange taste with a powerful malt note, for an amateur - such reviews are left by those who have tried pumpkin ale. In general, in craft beer, manufacturers follow their own recipes, focusing not on the general consumer, but on loyal regular customers. Therefore, the taste and bouquet of ales and lagers can be anything.
Original American versions of traditional European varieties
Brewers in the United States are constantly adding some innovations to the recipe. A striking example is the American lager variety. The type of Czech brewing American manufacturers have remade almost beyond recognition. Together with traditional ingredients, they add rice or, what happens more often, corn. The American camp is less strong and lighter in color. Or here's another example - American Pale Ale, which is a local analogue of the British beer of the same name. "American Pale Ale" differs from English in pronounced malt profile, so strong that sometimes you can’t hear the hops at all. Only local ingredients are used to make this drink.
But the nuances of production are left to the brewers. As a result, the color of American Pale Ale can vary from very light to rich amber. The foam cap is not high, but it lasts a long time. Ale can pinch by the tongue, it feels round in the mouth. The bouquet can be very different, depending on the manufacturer. Tones of resin, needles, herbs, and caramel, rye bread, sweet berries, biscuit and tropical fruits can be guessed in it. Pale Ale Fortress ranges from 4.5 to 6.2 degrees.
American beer culture
A distinctive feature is that residents of the United States do not regard the foamy drink as alcohol. He is not savored in pubs. There are no unwritten beer traditions in America. They just get washed down with food or refresh themselves during the summer heat. In US stores, it is not customary to buy beer bottles. It is purchased in barrels or packaging. Every American family believes that you need to have beer "in reserve". Therefore, the United States takes the second place in the world (after China) in terms of sales of this drink, and the first in terms of production.
In this case, a significant amendment needs to be made. Unlike German, Irish, Czech or Belgian beer, American almost everything goes to the local market. Another feature of the culture of beverage consumption in the United States is a large proportion of light drinks. Usually these are low calorie foods. Americans love such a beer, the use of which does not interfere with driving. The degree of such a drink does not exceed the strength of kvass. Therefore, the most popular American beer brands are Coors Light, Bud Light and O 'Doul's.
What is exported
Recently, a foamy drink from the United States is back in fashion. In fairness, it must be said that the Budweiser brand has never lost its position. But other brands have been selling more successfully around the world. American beer is still little known in Russia. But in stores you can buy not only Budweiser, but also other products of Anheuser-Busch concern. Miller, Adolph Coors, and drinks from The Boston Beer Company are also available.