Flemish or Flanders ales
In 1860, Belgian Eugene Rodenbach went to England to learn brewing. At that time, the most popular beer there was the London Porter. It was aged in giant barrels of 100,000 liters. The more it was aged, the drier and more sour the beer became. Not everyone could afford to drink beer that had spent several years in a barrel. That’s why in pubs they mixed beers of different ages into one glass.
On his return to Belgium, Eugene reproduced the porter production technology at the Rodenbach family brewery and obtained the first samples of Flemish ale.
The essentials about production technology
Basic facts you should know about the production of Flemish ales:
— When brewing, predominantly light malt is used with a small addition of dark, roasted varieties.
— Unflavored, old hops are used. It is added at the very beginning of brewing so that it does not give bitterness and flavor, and does not interfere with the balance of the ale.
— Mixed fermentation is used. After brewing, cultured brewer’s yeast and lactic acid yeast are added: the former converts the sweetness from the wort into alcohol, the latter adds sourness.
— The beer is aged in a barrel or tank. From 8 months to 3 years the wort is kept in special oak tanks. They give the beer wine notes.
— Aged and young beer is blended. After the beer has been in the barrel for more than a year, it is mixed with less aged beer. This is how you get the perfect blend of flavors.
FlandersRed
Flemish red ale is produced using red-brown malts and aged in oak barrels for two to three years. As a result, the beer interacts with sour bacteria, which imparts a characteristic sourness to the flavor. To reduce the tartness, younger, sweeter beers are added, which increases the flavor and complexity of the finished brew, and adds carbonation (carbonation) to the final product.
Flemish red ales tend to be pungent and bracingly tart, with a fruity and winey flavor. The aroma is winey, with hints of fruit. The flavor is dominated by vinegar sourness, plum, cherry, currant and orange. Also in the red ales one can feel the oak barrel. It opens with notes of vanilla, wood, spices and tannins. Red Flemish ale is produced with a small addition of dark roasted malt, but still the base is light. The fruity and sour profile of the drink dominates.
Oud Bruin
Another mixed sour ale from Flanders is called Oud Bruin, or flanders brown — a Flemish brown ale. Although it is often considered the equivalent of Flemish red ale, these styles are quite different (also, Oud Bruin originated in East Flanders, not West Flanders — this matters to the Flemish).
While Flemish red ales have a pungent flavor, Oud Bruin tends to be more malty and somewhat sweeter, with notes of ripe plums and raisins, and much less tart. As in Flemish red ales, the fermenting bacteria traditionally come from tall oak barrels where the beer is aged. But many modern versions are fermented in stainless steel vessels, with yeast and bacterial cultures added.
In brown Flemish ales, more dark, heavily roasted malts are added. Therefore, bread notes and caramelization are felt in the flavor. The flavor and aroma of brown Flemish ales is fruity and malty with sourness. It contains plums, dates, dried fruits. Maltiness is expressed in hints of caramel, chocolate and molasses. The longer the brown ale is aged, the more distinct the acidity is felt.
It’s interesting
Despite its Belgian origins, the inspiration for the Flemish red ale is likely to have come from the sour blended porters that once dominated the English beer market. The godfather of the style is considered to be Eugene Rodenbach, who trained in brewing in England and brought porter blending techniques to Belgium. Rodenbach created the first examples of Flemish red ales at his family brewery. Rodenbach sour ales, with their deep red color, are characterized by a berry and plum flavor with notes of balsamic vinegar and an inherent sourness that is created by the bacterial fermentation of the wort in oak barrels.
There are many articles on the internet that say roughly the same thing, yet one says Flemish ale and the other says Flanders ale. And any person, even a biergic, might have a question: what is the right one?
Both red and brown Flemish ales are produced in Flanders, a region in the north of Belgium. But Flanders is inhabited by the Flemish.
If we talk about the Rodenbach brewery, and they are the originators of this style, they have «FLEMISH» written on the bottle. The BJCP (world beer style chart) also has a section for «Flemish ales.»
The most famous Flemish ale that comes immediately to mind is Bourgogne des Flandres. It is made using a different technology from the classic Flemish ale. It’s also labeled «lambic» or «brune» on the bottle.
To find a classic Flemish red ale on the store shelf, look for «flemish» on the label and read about the beer’s production. It should be aged in barrels. If you want to find a brown Flemish ale — the label will say «oud brun».
And you can try it in any beer restaurants of the Lambic chain. We are waiting for you!
Taste without degrees: how non-alcoholic beer is made
Non-alcoholic beer is a great alternative to the usual foam beer when drinks with degrees are prohibited. And if earlier the taste and quality of such beer left much to be desired, now it has become a self-sufficient product that can bring no less pleasure than alcoholic varieties. We tell you how non-alcoholic beer is produced and at what point it loses degrees. A bit of history The first batch of non-alcoholic beer was made in 1976 in the Czech Republic. At first it was so unpopular that manufacturers had to engage in its mass promotion. In the 1980s, beer without degrees began to be actively promoted, including talking about the harm of drunk driving. But it didn’t help much — until the end of the nineties its market share was less than 1%. Non-alcoholic beer has gained real popularity only recently — in the early 2020s. The reason is the trend towards a healthy lifestyle. People all over the world are giving up meat, practicing sports and now — preferring beer without degrees to drinks with alcohol. Secrets of production Non-alcoholic beer contains the same ingredients as regular beer. Only the production technologies differ. They are based either on reducing the degrees by eliminating the fermentation stage or on removing alcohol from the finished beer. Here are the three most popular methods: — The interrupted fermentation method - when the fermentation of the wort is stopped and then the resulting liquid is carbonated, pasteurized and filtered. This is the most common method that most producers use;— evaporation - the degrees leave the beverage under the influence of high temperature;— membrane filtration method - the finished beer is filtered, separating the alcohol from the drink. Non-alcoholic beer is the right product if you are health-conscious. In addition to the fact that it does not contain alcohol, which in large quantities negatively affects the body, it is also low in calories. In beer without degrees only 30 calories per 100 grams — against 45 or more in the usual. But be vigilant: to improve the flavor of the drink, manufacturers often add extra sugar and various chemicals. You can try tasty and high-quality non-alcoholic beer in any beer restaurant of the Lambic chain. Our menu includes hundreds of beer varieties from all corners of the world. Non-alcoholic beer section also pleases with the choice: there are varieties from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia and even South Korea. Come and let us find a drink for your lunch or dinner that will surely give you pleasure!
19 September 2024
Gluten-free beer: what kind it is and how it differs from gluten-containing beer
Gluten intolerance affects about 1% of the world’s population. Once in the GI tract, gluten, which is found in cereal plants, causes inflammation and leads to stomach upset. Sometimes intolerance becomes a disease when the villi of the small intestine begin to break down. This disease is called celiac disease. Until a couple of decades ago, people with celiac disease had to simply exclude gluten-containing foods from their diet, making it much more sparse than for normal people. Today, the problem is almost solved: manufacturers produce gluten-free pasta, breads and pastries, and many restaurants have gluten free items. Gluten-free beer: what kind of beer is it? Since beer is brewed on the basis of malt, which is sprouted grains, it contains a significant amount of gluten. But this does not mean that those who suffer from intolerance will have to give up their favorite drink — gluten-free beer has also been invented long ago. It is divided into two groups: low gluten and gluten free. Beverages from the first group can be consumed in moderate quantities by people with gluten intolerance, and those who suffer from celiac disease are recommended only gluten free beer. A completely gluten-free beer is one that contains less than 20 milligrams of gluten per kilogram (or 20 parts per million). Secrets of production Two technologies are used to make gluten-free beer: — beer is brewed on the basis of malt from gluten-free cereals: rice, corn, buckwheat, and gluten-containing grains are removed from it completely;— gluten is removed from the finished beer with the help of a special enzyme that breaks down the protein. If only part of the protein is removed, the beer is labeled as low gluten. In the first case, the drink may have a slightly different taste than the usual foam, while in the second case, all the characteristics of beer are preserved, including taste, color and foaming. Therefore, gluten-free beer made in this way is no different from regular beer. To try delicious gluten-free beer, come to the beer restaurants of the Lambic chain. For example, we have Baladin Nazionale Gluten Free — 100% gluten-free beer originating from Italy, which has an exquisite taste and aroma. We look forward to your tasting!
19 September 2024