Don’t Freeze Those Glasses!
Nothing beats coming home from a hot day, opening the fridge and grabbing a beer. But what happens next is of optimal importance. Do you pop the top off that beer and pour it into a clean pint glass? Or do you open up the freezer and pour your brew into a frozen glass?
Don’t worry, we don’t judge. But we do educate! And if you are using a frozen mug or pint glass, you may want to rethink things.
By now you have heard that some beers are best enjoyed cold — pilsners, lagers, and hefeweizens come to mind. Others are best when consumed at room temperature — stouts, porters, IPAs, etc.
But absolutely no beer should be poured into a frozen glass! Here’s some reasons:
Taste. Say you have a super robust Belgian quad, filled with dense fig and raisin notes and a subtle burnt sugar finish. Sounds delightful, right? Now, let’s dump it into a frozen glass. When you take that first sip, what is the first thing that touches your lips? That frozen glass. And what comes next? A cold Belgian quad. The temperature of the glass and the now-colder beer will dull — or numb — your taste buds, preventing all the brewer’s hard work from being appreciated. Heck, it would be better if you drank the beer through a straw. (Um, don’t drink your beer through a straw.)
Carbonation. Like most things in life, beer needs to breathe. This means it must release some of the stored carbon dioxide used in the brewing process, giving the beer its aroma and reducing the filling effect of beer when ingested. The colder the beer, the less carbonation is released. If it’s released in your stomach, you feel more full and drink less beer. For shame! So using a frozen glass promotes the storage of carbonation in the beer and reduces its aroma.
Foam. Depending on the style of beer, a frozen glass will actually produce more foam due to its freezing temperature. This means more beer going down the drain and less going into you. There are two things that cause a beer to foam up — pressure and temperature. When beer is poured into a frozen glass, it reacts with the cold temperature and the ice crystals that form on the inside. This is not a good combination if you are trying to reduce foam.
Smell. Those ice crystals on the glasses don’t just cause foam, but they also absorb odors from the refrigerator. Yeah, it’s kinda like rolling your glass in that baking soda in your fridge and then pouring some beer into it. I’m sure that works for some people, but I’d rather taste the beer and not the musky smell of a three-year-old refrigeration unit.
Like we said earlier, we’re not going to judge you if you pour your beer into a frozen glass. That’s up to you. But if we’re hanging out at your place, make sure you ask us first. We’re not interested in tasting last week’s leftovers!
Why You Should Drink Craft Beer!
There are a plethora of reasons to ditch the “big beer” macro breweries and, instead, enjoy a cold glass of craft beer – but we’ll just name a few. Here are 9 reasons: Why You Should Drink Craft Beer.
- In the last decade, the craft beer industry has exploded and the macro breweries took notice. In the last few years, these macro breweries have been buying out as many of the craft breweries as they can get their hands on – blurring the line between craft beers and “big beer.” The most disappointing part of a buyout is that, when these craft breweries are acquired by the major brewing companies, they lose the soul and uniqueness they once had by deciding that mass production is their priority. Choosing a craft beer over a macrobrew is taking a stand against the big beer buyouts.
- Drinking craft beer, in moderation of course, may actually have health benefits! We have all heard that drinking a glass of wine a day may also be good for your health – but did you know that craft beer actually contains more protein and vitamin B, and just as many antioxidants as wine? In addition, studies have suggested that the hops in beer could be protective against cognitive decline, aiding in decreasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Craft beer is also rich in silicon which may help prevent osteoporosis, as it is known to increase bone mineral density.
- The craft beer world offers more choices than the macrobreweries. The small, local craft breweries often produce more of a selection of styles of beer than your average macro brewery. With over 7,500 craft breweries and counting now in the United States alone, the number of brews is infinitely on the rise.
- Craft breweries are known for their impressive selections of seasonal brews. Often times, the breweries will create specific styles for specific seasons, or use seasonal ingredients, such as pumpkin in the fall, to create tasty seasonal brews. This keeps the craft beer world fresh and up-to-date, and creates an excitement for the return of these brews and new creations, each season.
- Thats right – craft beer often contains more alcohol compared to the macro breweries “beer water” as it has been called. The average craft beer ranges from 5-10% ABV, however, there a few brews that reach all the way to 40%!
- Craft beer is the new wine when it comes to food pairings. With the impressive number of craft beer styles and flavors, there is a craft beer to pair perfectly with just about anything food you can think of.
- More often than not, you will find that craft brewers are not only passionate about beer, but also about the environment. Many craft brewers try to promote sustainable brewing by using renewable energy, using compost and providing local farmers with the by-product, or spent grain. In addition, many craft breweries will promote the use of growlers that can be reused as well as filling your own keg!
- Craft breweries are small and local. They add to the culture of a community and every time you enjoy a cold glass of craft beer from your hometown, you are supporting local businesses. The Brewers Association reported that the majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a craft brewery – giving you the opportunity to actually walk into these breweries, meet the brewers, and taste the fresh brews!
- If we’re being honest, craft beer tastes better than “big beer,” and it definitely doesn’t hurt that the craft brewers use better ingredients. Craft breweries are known to use the freshest highest quality ingredients in their brews, with some breweries even using locally-grown or organic ingredients. Aside from what goes into the beer, craft brewers are passionate about the quality of their beers – no sacrifices on quality or taste will be made.