Microbrewed Adventures Page 17

  Tipo Pils— (Autoconscienza—“the self-consciousness; when you finish drinking it you will have reached a state of self-consciousness”) With a rich, dense head, this is every bit in the clean, crisp, refreshing and flavorful tradition of a Bavarian-style pilsener—brewed south of the Alps, leaving you wondering if you’ve gone to another heaven.

  Bibock— (La Prepotenza—“strength and power as from a goat; enabling one to do what they want to do” Agostino encourages you to “get in touch with the Bibock”) This is an Italian creation, an amber “Italian bock.” It’s 6.2 percent alcohol, with more hops than a traditional bock, along with the rich maltiness usually evident in the stronger German version. You wouldn’t be able to call it a bock in Germany, but then again, this is Italy. Its aroma is reminiscent of fresh rising bread dough, and its maltiness is complemented with a unique apricot character in both flavor and aroma. German Hallertau and Perle hops are used for aroma.

  Weiss Beer— (L’ Mirage—“a dream of a woman taking a bath in a tub of Weiss beer,” explains Agostino.) This seasonal brew was not available when I was there.

  Dunkel Weizen— (Voo Du—L’ Originia—“the original because all original styles were dark”) This seasonal brew was not available when I was there.

  2000— (La Birra Terzo Millennio—“the beer of the third millennium”) At 6.5 percent alcohol, this is currently Birrificio Italiano’s only ale, though, as in Bavarian Weizenbier tradition (but using English ale yeast), it is bottle-conditioned with lager yeast. It’s a light brown ale, plumlike and dry, with a soft, well-balanced cocoa and roasted malt character. The beer is served in a special large, robust glass requiring two hands to carry the precious liquid forward to the mouth—most definitely a glass with purpose, to drink deliberately with depth and balance…This is Italian beer poetry and “moves towards the new millennium for Italian beer,” proclaimed Agostino.

  Agostino’s departing wisdom: “Semel in Anno Lecit Insanire”—Once a year it is okay to be crazy. “At least once a year,” he emphasized.

  Birrificio Lambrate

  EAST OF THE CITY CENTER of Milan (Milano) resides a sparkling jewel of a brewpub that features absolutely top-quality beers along with regional specialty foods purchased fresh from the producers. Fresh beer is brewed in the adjacent building. The Skunky Brewpub serves fresh beers brewed by partner-owners Davide Sangiorgi and Rosa Gravina. The Birrificio Lambrate brewing company was founded in 1996 near the heart of Milan. They brew about 1,500 hectoliters of top-fermented ales annually, served in nearby restaurants and at their own brewpub. Young students, businesspeople, artists and beer enthusiasts flock to this warm, bohemian-style bar to enjoy fresh food and an assortment of ales that reflect the creative and poetic spirit of the Italian brewery renaissance.

  The Beers of Birrificio Lambrate

  The beers at Birrificio Lambrate are all named after places or cultural elements in the Milan area.

  Montestella—An extraordinary hoppy, well-balanced blond ale. At 30 bittering units, the hop flavor of Hallertauer, Hersbrucker and Spalt contribute a wonderful balance to the Pilsener malt base. This is world-class ale, yet lager-like in its smoothness. All the brewery’s ales are brewed with dry “English” ale yeast, with world-class results.

  Lambrate—Meaning “amber,” this ale is strong at 7 percent alcohol. Its overall impression is sweet, with malt flavor being more memorable than hops. It’s an excellent, well-balanced ale with suggestions of fruitiness.

  Santàmbroeus—A pale 7 percent alcohol ale brewed with 5 percent wheat malt; the balance is brewed with pils malt. A strong malty aroma and flavor dominate. Though it’s somewhat “bock”-like, remember, it’s an ale.

  Porpora—Referred to as a red beer, but more indicative of brown ale at 6.3 percent alcohol. It has evident malty and roast malt characters with no astringency and good balance and is relatively dry. Hop flavors are notable but not assertive.

  Ghisa—Ghisa is Milanese slang for “street police,” in reference to the black uniform they wear. I never had anything quite like this before visiting Birrificio Lambrate. It’s a unique, dark, smoke-flavored beer using 30 percent German beechwood-smoked malt, Munich melanoidan malt, caramel and (black huskless) Carafa malts. With 6.2 percent alcohol, this beer is surprisingly smooth in body and flavor. The smoke flavor is well balanced; the dark and toasted malts offer a velvety texture. This smoke-flavored ale is not assertively hopped and is smooth with excellent drinkability. It is both poetry and balance.

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  POETIC BRIGHELLA ITALIAN-BELGIAN-GERMAN-ENGLISH-AMERICAN ALE

  Here’s a clear shot at recreating one of the most unusual beers I experienced on my first tour of Italian breweries. As noted above, it is a golden, very fruity ale reminiscent of Belgian Flanders–style old brown ales. This recipe can be found in About the Recipes.

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  Brighella—Birrificio Lambrate’s Christmas beer, at 8 percent alcohol. It’s a golden, very fruity ale reminiscent of Belgian Flanders–style old brown ales. Here is expressed the epitome of Italian beer poetry and creativity. The use of 10 percent German-made sauer malt is what makes Brighella unique. I have never heard of this being done elsewhere. The sauer malt (soured by natural lactic fermentation, often used in very small percentages by German brewers in order to naturally acidify brewing water) contributes remarkably soft acidity without the often overpowering complexity of bacterially fermented Belgian ales, from which this beer’s pedigree emerged. Dried English ale yeast is used in this brew, as it is in all of their beers.

  INDEED, THE craft brewers of Italy to whom I was introduced in 2000 were unlike any other craft brewers in the world. The combination of their romantic culture, exquisite regional cuisine, respect for their wine heritage and creative brewing techniques gives them the distinction of being the poets of the brewing industry. Currently they are few, but their ranks are growing. The world will be a far better place when the brewing poets of Italy emerge in numbers and offer their quality creations alongside all the other wonderful things Italy has to offer.

  The Piozzo Experiment: The Secret Life of Beer

  La Baladin, Piozzo, Italy

  EINSTEIN ONCE SAID, “There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

  There are many facets of beer and brewing that go far beyond art and science. They are the mysteries and miracles. These are the things that intrigue me the most. I enjoy being able to appreciate them even though I don’t fully understand them.

  Whenever I brew, I still “feel” the beer and am absolutely certain the beer knows that I care. So often I am asked about the difference between homebrewed and microbrewed beer and mass-produced beer. I am dead serious when I say the difference has something to do with the caring spirit that a homebrewer or microbrewer is able to transmit to the very nature of the wort and the care of yeast and fermentation. I’m not talking about scientific care but a frame of mind, which is transmitted. Who can deny that attitude of mind affects humans and their performance?

  I’ve thought to myself, what about other living organisms? It is quite common knowledge that all living organisms respond to a variety of stimuli. Brewing scientists measure the effects of heat, time, pressure, motion and other forms of stress on yeast. The stream of activities is adjusted accordingly to produce beer as efficiently as possible with the desired qualities. This is what most professional brewers do to earn a living.

  Homebrewers do not earn a living from making beer. For them, beer is simply a matter of pride and caring. Money and its impact on efficiency are less relevant. Though they consider the science of brewing, homebrewers are closer to and more accepting of the mysteries of brewing.

  There is an Italian brewer who brews craft beers in the tiny hilltop village of Piozzo. On a second visit to La Baladin and Teo Musso’s brewhouse and fermentation area, a small group of American craft brewers and I marveled at Teo’s latest project. He had fitted
his fermentation tanks with giant headphones. Piping in music for several hours a day, Teo had recently embarked on a two-year experiment attempting to discover aspects of “the secret life of beer.”

  First impressions may elicit the reaction that this is preposterous. Yet Teo is serious, and he is not alone. There are scientists and healers throughout the world who would recognize that Teo might be on to something. Music is not only of a powerful essence in the lives of people, but it has also been a proven factor in the health of plants and other living organisms.

  Just before I sat down to write of my experience and thoughts of the little village brewery in Piozzo, I remembered a book about music that author and acquaintance Don Campbell had given me a few years ago called The Mozart Effect (Avon Books, 1997). I had never read it, and now I wasn’t about to tackle its 350-plus pages. I took it off my shelf for a quick look. I did not thumb through its pages. I magically opened it directly to page 82 and a heading entitled “Sonic Bloom.” A brief introduction explored the use of music to enhance plant growth.

  Headphones on the tanks; music for yeast

  My fingers anticipated that there must be more background and support for the experiment in Piozzo. I then magically turned to page 64, with the heading “How Music Affects Us: A Medley.” George Gershwin is quoted: “Music sets up a certain vibration which unquestionably results in a physical reaction. Eventually the proper vibration for every person will be found and utilized.”

  In the tiny village of Piozzo, Teo Musso embarked on an experiment no brewing scientist would dare risk his reputation on. “Yeast is a living animal. Why shouldn’t it be affected by music as other living organisms are?” Teo explains quite emphatically, nurturing the legitimacy of what at first appears to be an exercise in brewing insanity. But then, with contemplation…

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  PIOZZO ITALIAN PALE ALE

  While the secret life of beer will forever remain mysterious, there is nothing mysterious about the simplicity and greatness of this India pale ale. Might I suggest exposing this beer to Indian sitar music throughout fermentation and cellaring? At the very least, savor its flavor while listening to music. This recipe can be found in About the Recipes.

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  There are significant implications to Teo’s ideas. Perhaps his experiments and measurements will be inconclusive. Perhaps they will be enlightening. Whatever the results of the Piozzo Experiment, I hope it inspires an ongoing appreciation of yeast. I hope it inspires a variety of perspectives. Yeast is a sensitive living organism that we know very little about. I appreciate the guidance brewing science has given to me as a brewer. It has helped improve my beer. But without appreciation of the mysteries of yeast and the life processes involving beer, all the science in the world is a bunch of hooey.

  Islandic Vellosdricke

  Gotland Island, Sweden

  NEVER EVER EVER EVER trust a homebrewer who says, “This is the last beer we’re going to taste.” NEVER EVER in a million years EVER!

  I LEARNED MANY YEARS AGO that homesick Swedes brought the dandelion to America. Now I could scarcely doubt this as we drove past expansive fields yellow with carpets of dandelions blazing against a startlingly blue springtime sky on the island of Gotland. Surrounded by the Baltic Sea, Gotland is a small island, about 25 miles wide and 50 miles long, situated off the southeast coast of Sweden. There, dense stands of birch and pine trees accent flowering trees and red, white, yellow and blue springtime tulips and daffodils. The sea is dark blue and cold; the winds are brisk.

  Sixty-four-year-old Vello Noodapera greeted Swedish Homebrewing Society member Jesper Schmidt and me at the Gotland airport. We were both curious about the legendary beer of Gotland Island. Overwhelmed by the excitement of our arrival, Vello immediately set the record straight: “Do you know what day is today?” Was it something special? I didn’t know, and with a thirsty smile I asked him to explain. “It is Folknykterhetens Dag, which roughly translates to ‘a day of people’s soberness.’” My god, I had arrived on a national day of abstinence! I thought to myself, “Shit! Get a grip, Charlie! You might get off on smelling the dandelions.” But Vello quickly confided with a hearty laugh, “…but we’ll ignore it.”

  We were on our way to Vello’s small farm and later to Sweden’s first brewpub (it had officially opened only two weeks before my arrival), the Virungs Bryggeri. My quest was to discover the mysteries of the island’s special beer, Gotlandsdricke. The 45-minute drive along scenic and winding roads was interrupted briefly as we stopped at a roadside parking area. It may have been 10 in the morning, but it was not too early for a homebrew. At this time of year the sun stubbornly sets late anyway. Up popped the trunk of Vello’s Saab and within seconds Jesper, Vello and I were toasting the occasion with a mugful of delicious ale, brewed with the local baker’s yeast. I knew I was about to have my horizons broadened.

  I had no idea how wonderful this day was about to become. As we approached the farm, I noticed in the distance an American flag flying high on a pole. Vello proudly explained, “That is in your honor, Charlie. It flies near my house and homebrewery today.” Off on the side-wall of a large red barn, a skillfully carved and painted signproclaimed “The Ardre Brygg”(Ardre Brewery). From the room behind that wall emerged the simple mash, lauter and brewing kettles from which Vello proudly brewed his beer. From home-fashioned tubs and adapted pieces of dairy equipment, Vello Noodapera brewed some of the best damn beer I had in all of Europe. What I was particularly interested in was the specialty of the island, Gotlandsdricke, ale brewed with smoked malt, hops, juniper branches, bread yeast and water.

  Now it would be simple to assume that one could learn and brew this unique beer by following a recipe, but I discovered, as with all traditional beers, that if one wishes to come close to authenticity, it is absolutely imperative to experience it firsthand—and in your hand. I did. From this experience I came away with a feeling of admiration for a beer loved by the people who make it.

  Vello Noodapera with his brewery kettle and Gotlandsdricke

  Gotlandsdricke is brewed everywhere on this tiny island. It is estimated that 5,000 hectoliters of this beer is homebrewed here by its 50,000 residents. That’s 10 liters homebrewed for every man, woman and child on the island. The island is self-sufficient, with its own barley, hops, malt houses and yeast strains.

  Dan Andersson, one of Vello’s brewing neighbors, soon arrived for this occasion with a most recent batch of Gotlandsdricke. I drooled with anticipation, watching amazed as this amber nectar was poured from a wooden vessel into a magnificent mug made from juniper wood. The rich, creamy head and the aromatics from the juniper resulted in love at first sip. Wow, was this stuff ever good! A huge pile of birchwood logs caught my eye and I asked whether the malt was smoked with birch with the bark left on. They confirmed my speculation: “Yes, we leave the bark on the wood when we smoke the malt.” No small detail, since birch bark itself has its own unique qualities. “But everyone makes their own style of Gotlandsdricke,” Jesper translated to me from a side conversation going on in Swedish. Details, details. How did they do it? Freshly cut juniper (note: juniper is not the same as cedar) branches are boiled in water for about two hours to make an aromatic amber broth. I noted that the juniper was of the variety that is usually low growing and difficult to handle because of the very thorny nature of the needles (I immediately recalled seeing these types of bushes growing in home gardens and on the mountains of my home state, Colorado).

  This is the brewing liquor, which is added to crushed malted barley. Thirty percent is malt dried from the heat and smoke of burning birch logs. The remaining malt is the brewer’s preference, consisting mostly of pale lager-type malt. Some of the amber water is reserved for sparging. The lauter vessel and bottom screen is lined with more freshly cut boughs of juniper. The mash is then poured into the lauter vessel and sparged (rinsing the grains with hot water), and sweet aromatic malt extract is drawn off the bottom. In the kettle local hops are usually used, t
hough the more experienced homebrewers were now making the effort to import German-grown varieties.

  When the mash is cool, what seemed to be an infinitesimal amount of baker’s yeast is added. At Vello’s brewery, about one square centimeter of cake yeast was used for a 100-liter (about 25 gallons) batch. The beer was snorting, foaming and in full fermentation within six hours. I didn’t understand the significance of the careful utilization of yeast until after I visited the brewpub in the nearby village, where Gotlandsdricke also was made. Added to 800 liters (about 200 gallons) of fresh wort was a mere 25 grams (less than one ounce) of cake yeast. This is the equivalent of using a half-ounce of dried yeast for a 200-gallon batch of beer! Infinitesimal by brewing science standards, but it worked well.

  Vello Noodapera, Gotland

  Someone mentioned, “We tried using cultured brewing yeasts, but the quality was not the same.” When asked why so little yeast was used, no one seemed to have a scientific explanation. Though I now postulate that because this yeast is so active, a small amount is desirable to reduce the quantity of heat generated during the initial fermentation. With greater amounts of yeast, the explosive activity would generate heat that might in turn cause the yeast to produce undesirable flavor compounds, typical of high-temperature fermentations. The relatively cool environment and viability of this yeast produced a balance of flavors the people of Gotland Island had learned to love.