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Whether you're a fan of German beers or not, each April 23 is a momentous day on the beery calendar--and this year's even more so. Every year on this date German beer enthusiasts celebrate the "Day of German Beer" which commemorates the establishment of the Reinheitsgebot, or the German Purity Law. Established in the year 1516, this law--which these days is more-or-less adhered to voluntarily--decrees that German beer shall only be made with four ingredients: water, barley, hops and yeast. With this Saturday being the 500-year anniversary of the advent of the law, we're going to party like it's 1516! Well, maybe not. We like our indoor plumbing and Sky OnDemand. Interestingly, Germany--and its modern craft brewers--are finding themselves at a bit of a crossroads. Do we or don't we accept beer standards that were set in place 500 years ago? While much has changed in 500 years (for a start, at the time the law was written yeast was not included as one of the ingredients
Whether you're a fan of German beers or not, each April 23 is a momentous day on the beery calendar--and this year's even more so. Every year on this date German beer enthusiasts celebrate the "Day of German Beer" which commemorates the establishment of the Reinheitsgebot, or the German Purity Law. Established in the year 1516, this law--which these days is more-or-less adhered to voluntarily--decrees that German beer shall only be made with four ingredients: water, barley, hops and yeast. With this Saturday being the 500-year anniversary of the advent of the law, we're going to party like it's 1516!
Well, maybe not. We like our indoor plumbing and Sky OnDemand.
Interestingly, Germany--and its modern craft brewers--are finding themselves at a bit of a crossroads. Do we or don't we accept beer standards that were set in place 500 years ago? While much has changed in 500 years (for a start, at the time the law was written yeast was not included as one of the ingredients
Interestingly, Germany--and its modern craft brewers--are finding themselves at a bit of a crossroads. Do we or don't we accept beer standards that were set in place 500 years ago? While much has changed in 500 years (for a start, at the time the law was written yeast was not included as one of the ingredients because it hadn't been discovered yet!) there is still a bit of nationalist pride that goes along with following the rules of the Reinheitsgebot. Indeed, beer in Germany--as in most beery places--is not just about drinking. It's about culture, terroir, geography and ultimately, identity.
There is a problem with too much rigidity, of course. The Schwarzer Abt (Black Abbot) beer has run afoul of the German Purity Law because--as it has been since 1410--it is brewed with sugar. Brewed by monks in a brewery north of Berlin for centuries, it could be argued that this beer is about as German as it gets. Yet, apparently it can't even call itself "beer" in Germany. So should a brewery--modern or ancient--reject the unyielding purity law in the name of doing it their way? Probably. That's the modern beer culture anyway. There is a necessity for promoting a tradition, however. No matter how rigid it is.
Beer in the modern age is exciting and varied but always hearkens back to its origins. The basic concept of beer has remained the same for hundreds--thousands--of years. Sure, there are always better ways to do things and access to ingredients from around the world is a lot easier to gain these days than it was during the days of the Gauls but couldn't that mean that beer is becoming a bit more homogeneous? How can a brewer or a market set themselves apart from the others?
Take the American Pale Ale style, for example. It's probably one of the most ubiquitous styles out there. Brewers from Portugal to China to Brazil import hops from the American West Coast. While there are great beers coming out of these places, how can that particular beer be called Portuguese? Or Chinese? It is simply an American-style beer made in Portugal (you get the point.)
As alluded to earlier, beer is exciting because it tells the story from whence it came. Whether it's a Belgian Tripel or a German Helles there is history (no matter how long or short) in that bottle. So while the Reinheitsgebot doesn't leave much room for chucking a bunch of stuff in a bucket and seeing what comes out the other end it does allow for the German beer story to be told its way. Old or new, boring or wacky, beer is as varied as the people who drink it. And, on this German Beer Day, that should all be celebrated.
--Maggie
Beer Sommelier
Father’s Day, 19th June 2022, is the special date in the calendar when we celebrate and give a nod to the Dads in our lives. It’s an excuse to spoil them with a little something to say thank you for being awesome. If you’re looking for inspiration for a craft beer-loving Dad, then check out our top 7 Father’s Day beer gifts.
Every year, Beer Hawk releases a lineup of limited edition craft beer mixed cases for the holiday season. This year's lineup of festive Christmas beer gifts is guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face.
Remember the childhood excitement of opening a new door on your advent calendar every day in the run up to Christmas? It gave each day a little sparkle of festive magic, even though those tiny chocolates behind the doors were always a bit rubbish. How would you like to recapture that childhood magic, but with bottles of delicious beer instead of powdery chocolate? Sounds amazing, right? In that case, you need to get your hands on our Craft Beer Advent Calendar.
Pairing beer and food together isn’t all rules and science. That would make for a terribly boring dinner party! Instead, it’s the art of taking a good beer, some good food and partnering them together to make something even better. It’s the adventure of discovering what works, what doesn’t and what you like. It’s you taking a bite, taking a sip and then declaring your undying love for that imperial stout and chocolate cake.
Barrel-ageing beers is not a new thing, but it is getting more and more popular, and has probably never been as inventive. Adrian Tierney-Jones explores the new wave of ageing beer in wood
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