Beer 101

Having a desire to learn more about beer and the brewing process gives a whole new slant on a ‘thirst for knowledge’. Some have a passing interest to find out more about the amber fluid, and others have a full blown obsession. Either way, there are plenty of ways to gather significant information to satisfy most hop heads.

Most Capital cities have major breweries that provide tours of their facilities. It’s a matter of giving them a call to find out the who, what, where, and when’s to getting on board. Small breweries and pub-breweries are also very accommodating with brewers often leading the tour and proud of their set-ups and products. Without sounding to schoolmarmish, it’s always a good idea to take pen and paper to jot down interesting comments and questions you’d like to ask, as after a few pints you might forget.

Our big breweries are often maligned but when it comes to educating the public about beer, their efforts have been first rate. An enormous amount of expertise, manpower, and financial support has been expended to better inform and educate the hospitality employees and beer enthusiasts in general

Carlton & United Beverages developed the Draught Beer Academy in 2001, and has trained over 2,500 workers in every state and territory. The star of the show is undoubtedly the massive “beer school on wheels” which has covered 65,000 miles including remote and rural areas around the country. In fact, its popularity has demanded that another beer bus be built in 200x. The academy was created with the assistance of more than 25 leading publicans and hoteliers to insure that Australians received the most perfectly poured and presented beers in the world. To learn more about the Draught Beer Academy, go to their website at www.draughtbeer.com.au. There you can find out about the course content, take a virtual tour, and even pinpoint where the ‘beer truck’ is located at the moment on the location tracker.

In May 2002 Lion Nathan Australia developed an education program called Beer Masters that is available on CD-ROM and as a link from their website that can actually be used by TAFE and hospitality students to gain accreditation/credit points in their courses. Beer Masters enables the students to sit exams online and obtain a certificate that, if successful, is recognised as meeting the academic requirements of Operate a Cellar System module which is part of a number of hospitality courses run by TAFE Meadowbank (NSW) campus. Novices like me can visit the website http://www.lion-nathan.com.au/all+about+beer+appreciation/beermaster.htm: There you can learn about the history of beer, a flowchart explaining the brewing process, beer appreciation, and a whole lot more including a virtual brewery tour.

Ian Watson is an independent ‘Beer consultant and Sommelier’. The job description includes helping restaurants, cafes and pubs with their beer and food menus providing independent tasting notes to venues and breweries, staff training-, plus speaking at beer tastings, dinners and festivals as well as being on the restaurant floor. His base of operation is “Oropa Bier Café” at the Spotted Cow hotel in Toowoomba, Qld. On Friday and Saturday evenings he can be found helping diners with their beer selection for both pairing with a meal and general consumption.

According to Ian “The key to this is education of both staff and consumer, helping them understand flavour profiles like sour, chocolate, champagne and banana. I often encourage the consumer to realize their own selection through a series of flavour analogy examples rather than straight deciding their accompaniment for them. But many want my choice to be theirs as well, understandable when Oropa has a menu of about 12 draught beers and 40 bottled beers as well as another 20 or so beers that I keep aside as my hidden treats.”

Beer education is also achievable in slightly more formal or direct settings of beer tastings, beer dinners and Beer 101 classes. At theses events it is possible to take things to a more specific area or a more involved level. An example of which is an upcoming event that I am doing called “la Femme de Bier”. This is a women’s only beer tasting that will explore the important role that women have played in the last 10 000 years of brewing history, as well as give some of the girls a chance to explore the concept of beer without the intimidation of guy The more we can get people talking about beer, the more they will learn about beer the more craft beer will grow in Australia

“Tales and Ales” are presented by the brewers of James Squires ales, lagers, and porters. These events are the equivalent of a beer cocktail (tale) function, where a variety of beers are tasted (and described), while being matched with a variety of interesting food dishes. It is an informal stand-up version of a beer dinner (similar to the wine dinner hosted by the winemaker). According to Doug Donelon “We have found that this format works very well in the hotel environment and also allows the hotel to showcase some its finer dishes to an interested and enthusiastic group of connoisseur’s. Ideally all the beers would be on tap (served in jugs), but bottles served on trays can be just as effective.

Format as follows:
1. Upon arrival, guests are given a beer glass that is used throughout the evening. This special glass is their “ticket” to further beers. In some instances the first beer may be a light beer. This beer is used as a palate cleanser and is the only beer served until most of the people arrive.

2. The 2nd Beer is served. A Malt Shovel Brewer describes how to taste and fully enjoy the beer “an organoleptic evaluation” and usually some history about the beer. As the Brewer is talking, the first finger food dish is served. Brewer will comment on why the choice of this beer & food has been matched together.

3. About 15 minutes later, the second beer is served (via jugs or bottles served around). The Brewer talks and the food is served.

4. This sequence is repeated, using the same glass throughout, until all beer & food combinations have been enjoyed.

5. At the conclusion of the beer and food matching a cleansing larger/ale is served to finish off the evening. The Brewer makes some concluding remarks about beer & food enjoyment and of course introduces the chef. Total time is about one & half to two hour’s maximum.

6. The Patrons can then go on to enjoy the beers they have sampled throughout the night.

SAMPLE BEER& FOOD MATCHINGS
Possibly Hahn Premium Light (on tap) upon arrival as a palate cleanser.
1. Australian White Beer oysters with a dill/vinaigrette sauce
2. Hahn Premium Lager Sashimi/sushi with wasabi
3. James Squire Amber Ale Lamb Cutlets with mint sauce
4. James Squire Pilsener Chicken satay kebabs with peanut sauce or another spicy dish
5. James Squire Porter Chocolate mud cake/fudge/brownies
6. Cleansing Lager/ale from the tap – Draught James Squire is the usual preference.

Getting involved with beer lovers and increasing their understanding of beer and brewing is central to Matilda Bay Berwery’s philosophy. The entire Matilda Bay team spends a substantial amount of their time with bartenders, consumers and the media discussing all facets of the humble blend of malt, hops and water.

“Our goal is to make everyone as obsessed about beer as we are! Beer appreciation is meant to be fun and we always keep it that way” said Michael Comerton, The Words, Pictures and Directions Guy from Matilda Bay.

Education sessions are regularly conducted for bar and hotel staff, and an array of events are held in venues across the country. Lavish beer and food matching dinners, informal finger food evenings, and Matilda Bay’s Beer 101 (beer, food and a “very unserious” test) are coordinated for groups of varying sizes throughout the year.

“Sometimes Brad Rogers could be discussing dark lagers with a group of six at Kingsleys Ale House in Woolloomooloo, while on the same night Phil Gallagher is fielding questions about wheat beer from a crowd of 100 at the Sail & Anchor in Fremantle” Comerton said.

Matilda Bay’s Bar Shouts are naturally very popular too and the teams in each of the states often undertake a wee crawl around a few pubs, shouting Matilda Bay beers for those present and chatting about various beer styles and flavours.

Providing a very different business experience, Matilda Bay also holds corporate events with an emphasis on education around beer flavours, styles and dishes. In addition, Matilda Bay’s website has a key focus on education. Online, the brewing process and ingredients are explained in detail, along with ‘Brewer’s Notes’ from Brad covering his thoughts on each beer’s recipe and process.

And if you like getting along to shows, you’ll find Matilda Bay at numerous festivals and events nationally. Matilda Bay is present at Australia’s leading food and wine events, and Brad can often be found in the demonstration kitchens or auditoriums discussing brewing with the crowd.

According to Comerton “many people are surprised when they meet us at pubs or at shows and get chatting. People find it refreshing not to get a sales pitch – we just love to chat about beer! We enjoy talking with fellow beer lovers about beer styles, brewing, and food among other things. And it’s so important to hear feedback from people who have tasted our beers and are already entrenched fans as well as from those who are tasting any of our beers for the first time.”

Without trying to bow my trumpet to loudly, I present a beer appreciation course at the Melbourne Belgian Beer Café Bluestone on one Saturday afternoon a month that is coordinated through the Centre of Adult Education (CAE). The course lasts for two hours in which participants taste test eight beers that are accompanied by specially selected entrée sized dishes that compliment the differing beer styles. During the class, the course content includes presentation, glassware, handling and storage, as well as palate identification, judging a beer, styles of beer,and a short history of beer through the ages. It’s a great day out but we do advise you take public transport home as many students continue their further education at the bar afterwards.