Believe me, It’s beer

All around the world, Choruses of Auld Lang Syne are ringing out again. Or, something like it. maybe it’s more like the sound of Barney from the Simpsons Burping. But, it’s all in celebration of the greatest holiday on the calendar: New Beer Day. Some people will argue about the best day. But, Believe me, It’s beer. Just ask the owner of any brewery, any sport fan, or any college student. You are bound to find an overwhelming majority in favor of malty, hoppy goodness.

Some of you may not be too familiar with the traditions and festivities of New Beer day. But, we can help. According to some people, New beer day entails “having a good time and making great memories over servings of beer.” Sounds like a pretty simple thing to do. But, the creating memories part could be a bit difficult if you drink enough beer. The phrase, Dude, where’s my car often follows beer celebrations.So, we have to remind you to drink responsibly. And, remember, today isn’t a day for mixing. That would be national cocktail day. Today is all about beer. So, stick with the theme.

Who first said Believe me, It’s beer?

While it’s not a very frequently used term, Belief and beer do have a history together. Like this sign that says “Everyone needs something to believe in. I believe I’ll have another beer.” (this phrase is also in a country song by Jamey Johnson). And, the edge brewing company from Boise, Idaho has a strong ale called Believe me, It’s yuuge. But, you rarely hear this exact phrase. It sounds like someone talking about margarine. And, it’s not often that beer gets confused for something else. But, it does answer the question: what is the meaning of life? Unfortunately, if you believe that, you may have a drinking problem. Still, it is one of the great pleasures in life.

But to get to the base of where this day and a belief in beer come from, You have to go back to the prohibition era. In 1933 the Cullen–Harrison Act passed congress. For the first time since the start of prohibition, weak, 3.2% beer was now legal. During prohibition, beer was capped at 0.5% alcohol. It was the first step on the way to the repeal of prohibition. So, after 13 years without alcohol, even this low level beverage was welcome. And, someone surely said Believe me, It’s beer to an incredulous populous. for more on this history, see our post from last year.

So, let’s celebrate with a variety of beers

Some people have a “go to” beer that they prefer, especially sports fans. It’s usually something simple like Corr’s, Bud, or Sam Adams. If you are brand loyal, perhaps today is a good time to branch out. Hence, the name New Beer day. Try something new. lager is the most popular beer style in the world. But, that leaves out a huge variety. Like they say at Edge Brewing, Believe me, It’s yuuge!. There are over 100 different styles of beer. And, micro brewers are constantly pushing the envelope on new variations.

And, like wines, one brewer’s interpretation of a style varies greatly from someone else’s. Even something as ubiquitous as lager comes in completely different forms. Corr’s, Budweiser, Miller, and Pabst are all very similar. But, totally different if you ask their fans. Then, you get into the fancier versions that really get unique. Try a Belgian style Whit ale, stouts, porters, pale ales, Doppel, trippel, sessions ales, or even flavored ales. And, if you are timid about beers or not a beer drinker, try a Hefeweizen with a fruit syrup. I remember drinking Berliner Weisse in the Wursthouse German Beer Hall in Cambridge, MA back in the day. They drizzled in a raspberry syrup and it was like pink champagne.

So, today, whether you are at home, on a picnic, or in a bar or restaurant, try a new beer. Even seasoned beer drinkers have not tried every beer out there. I have a friend who travels the world trying microbrews. He’s constantly finding something new. Cheers, Joe!

Savor the moment

While the general population often just chug down beer, today is a day to really enjoy it. Take your time. Treat it like a wine tasting. Pour it in a glass so you can truly experience the art of Ale. Take note of the color and clarity of the beer. Observe the effervescence of the carbonation. Marvel at the head. Really inhale the aroma. And, when you drink it, take smaller sips. See how it feels entering your mouth. Swish it around. Analyze which taste receptors are activated in various areas of the mouth. Feel it going down the gullet. And, experience the aftertaste. And, if you really enjoy it, don’t be ashamed to burp. Unlike Barney’s misplaced burps, a well timed burp can be a compliment to a brewer.

If you really want to get into it, you can even vary your glassware. Believe it or not, different types of beer work best with specific glassware. Guinness has their own glasses specifically made to show off their head and accent the experience. There is a 2 minute process to the perfect pour. It is a work of performance art in and of itself. German ales go best in a stein. Then there are snifters, goblets, pilsner, flutes, boots, and more. But, don’t worry, the red solo cup is still an acceptable vehicle for beer. Again, it’s all about the right vehicle for the right beer.

Take the show on the road

While we are advocates of celebrating in your own home, to really experience the world of beer, we would recommend going to a local microbrewery and trying a flight of their available ales. Most companies will pour anywhere from 4 to 10 ales and beers lined up in the order they should be sampled. So, you can compare and contrast different types without having to open a whole bunch of different beers. The point isn’t getting wasted, it’s enjoying beer as an art form. Remember, the goal is to create memories over beer. And, we want to remember what we did.

So, as Shakespeare once said (in different words): get thee to a Brewery!

Believe me, It’s beer made at home.

In addition to drinking beer, you may want to try your hand at home brewing. People will scare you with tales of how expensive and hard it is to do home brewing. But, it’s really a soothing hobby. And, it doesn’t take that long. You can brew and do other things at the same time. Remember, it’s brewing. Think of making tea or coffee. Those are also brewed items. This one just has alcohol in it. But, the alcohol and carbonation occur over time. The actually cooking/brewing part only takes an hour or two. The toughest part is transferring liquids and sterilizing your equipment. And, the equipment doesn’t have to be all that complicated either. We, generally, do what is called extract brewing as opposed to “mashing”. It requires less equipment and temperature controls aren’t as important.

The process goes something like this:

1. steep malts to flavor water, pretty much like brewing tea.
2. Add in malt extracts, and, bring to a boil.
3. Add hops and other flavorings in a couple stages
4. Strain the “wort” and transfer to a “carboy” for fermentation. Add water up to the desired level. Cool the liquid
5. Add Yeast and cap the carboy. Allow a few days to “blow off'” the sediment filled by product of yeast activation. Then, put an airlock on. Let it sit for a couple weeks
6. After a couple weeks of fermentation, Strain again, add “priming sugar” to reactivate the yeast to create carbonation. And, bottle or keg the beer.
7. Store for a couple more weeks to develop carbonation and final characters of the ale.
8. After about 4 weeks, you are drinking your own home brew.
9. lagers, pilsners, and other bottom fermented beers require more time and are held at lower temperatures.

So what do you say, It’s New Beer day! Let’s make some new beer!