As aficionados of fine beer, wine, and spirits, most of us here at ABC are adventurous in nature, always on the prowl for a new flavor experience. In fact, there are quite a few people in the company whose job is to find the next new thing. With all this focus on what’s new, I thought it was a good time to explore something old.

    Brewing is an ancient form of food preparation. In cultures that brew it commonly predates both agriculture and writing. In fact, some of the oldest examples of writing from Mesopotamia deal with beer recipes and grain transactions. Some have theorized that brewing was the cause for agriculture, as the process requires quite a bit of grain. Most of these early forms of beer would not bear much resemblance to our modern definitions of the beverage. They would have been relatively low in alcohol, muddy-looking, and probably slightly sour due to the nature of wild yeast strains. That said, it was still a nutritious beverage, probably more so than the balance of many early diets.

    Similar to ancient beers that were brewed before the knowledge of bacteria, lambics are spontaneously fermenting. The ingredients are cooked together then left uncovered to invite the bacteria into the vessels and start fermentation. The beer is then allowed to mature in oak casks for a period of time, anywhere from a few months to several years. This produces what is called geuze. It is common for fruit to be added to the fermentation process to add flavor. These are traditionally named after the Belgian word for whatever fruit is used, such as framboise (raspberry), kriek (cherry), etc. Another variation is called Faro, where brown sugar is added. Unlike fruit lambics, Faro is not bottle fermented, as the added yeast would feast on the brown sugar and drastically change the desired flavor of the beer.

    The use of hops wasn’t always the norm. A gruit is a brewed mix of herbs whose addition to beer pre-dates the popular use of hops. In modern times it is a common term for a beer brewed without hops. Sahti is a Finnish beer that uses juniper berries and other ingredients in place of hops.

    Some of this history is being resurrected by modern brewers. Dogfish Head is known for their “off-centered ales” and has led the charge of ancient brewing resurgence here in the US. Their Midas Touch and Chateau Jiahu use molecular analysis of beverage residues to re-create and re-imagine ancient beverages. Midas Touch is an interpretation of the aforementioned Mesopotamian beverages (approximately 2700 years-old) while Chateau Jiahu is an homage to a 9000 year old Chinese specimen. They also brew an interpretation of Sahti with a modern twist, the addition of black Chai tea, called Sah’tea. In the UK, the Williams Brothers Brewery has made their mark brewing variations of traditional Scottish gruit, using heather flowers, pine needles, seaweed, or berries. Fraoch, the variety brewed with heather flowers, is highly recommended. Lambics are growing in popularity. Boon is a respected brewer of lambics, especially their geuze. They, along with the ever-popular Lindemans, also produce framboise, kriek, and faro varieties.

Here’s to trying something old!

              Reviews

    Dogfish Head Midas Touch- This is a golden amber delight with the smell of Muscat grapes and a hint of spices. The taste is Muscat and honey forward with lingering white wine qualities. A kiss of barley is present to balance the sweetness. This is a great beer to sip. Notice how the flavor changes as it warms. Highly recommended.

    Williams Brothers Fraoch- This light amber concoction smells like a meadow of heather with light malty sweetness. The taste is rather similar with an appealing floral quality and sweetness coming from the malts. There is a slight hint of honey and light grassy bitterness to provide balance. This is a very refreshing beer and a great departure from the norm. Recommended.

    Boon Oude Geuze- Pours golden orange with a nice fluffy head that emits scents of Granny Smith apples, light vinegar notes, and some must. With this beer you have to take the time to let the flavors explode in your mouth. The flavor parade starts with Granny Smith apples, sweet pears, bleu cheese, lemon candy, white vinegar, the sweet-tart quality of fresh raspberries, apple peel, and a bit of banana in the finish. Remember, this is unflavored so all of the complexities are from the beer alone. Take care removing the cork and cage as they have been known to shoot across the room. Bottle variation is common with this style, so your experience may vary. Highly recommended.

Stephen Schmitt is the beer guru at our Fletcher Road, Tampa, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits store