OnTap Magazine

IPA in Burton Kölsch in Cologne Australian Sparkling Ale Rauchbier Bamburg Altbier in Dusseldorf Double IPA Russian River The brewing landscape of Britain today has only a tiny resemblance to that of the 19th century when the original interpretation of IPA was at its peak. And the spiritual home of IPA brewing in Burton on Trent has seen such a shift in terms of its breweries and its fortunes generally, that the historic IPA brewers in the city are mostly long gone. That said, there is enough interest in IPA, and enough remaining tradition to ensure that drinking IPA in Burton still carries a special sentiment which seem to make the beers taste drier and “hoppier”. A few beer styles exist which are so dominant in their home market that you can walk into any bar, simply order ‘beer’, and be certain to get that specific style. Kölsch in Cologne is exactly that. The beer style available throughout the city and dominating the hearts, minds, and preferences of the locals. Traditionally served in narrow 200ml "stange" glasses, this is the only beer style to carry a Protected Geographical Indication within the European Union. So, to be called a Kölsch, the beer must be brewed to specific standards, within 50km of the city – thus, to truly experience this style, one must pay a visit to the West German city. So many classic beer styles evolved out of brewers attempting to produce rivals to golden lagers using the local ingredients and conditions of the place they were in. Australian Sparkling Ale is exactly that, an attempt to rival the refreshing qualities of golden lagers in an extremely hot environment completely unsuited to lager fermentation. The result was similar to the steam beers of San Francisco – somewhere between a pilsner and a traditional British ale. This style lost favour as brewers were able to take advantage of modern refrigeration, yet one brewery (Coopers) still makes it to this day and it is still popular in Australia – where it is best enjoyed as necessary refreshment from the heat. People love to have a thing which is unique to them, or unique to the place they are from. And if that thing is divisive, they will love it even more! So, when it comes to smoked beer – loved and hated with equal intensity by beer fans – there is no doubt that the place to really experience the style is the Bavarian town of Bamburg. Trying these beers in one of the two traditional Rauchbier breweries - Schlenkerla and Spezial – placed in one of the most well-preserved medieval towns in Europe – will give you the best chance of appreciating this great style. Very similar to Kölsch in terms of presentation within a city, the beer of Dusseldorf is Altbier. The beer style is also very similar – as a top-fermented ale fermented at cooler temperatures and allowed to lager. Altbier is darker in appearance with the malt notes to match. It is also traditionally served in narrow 200ml glasses. There are 6 traditional bars in the Altstad of Dusseldorf where Altbier flows readily – as is best experienced in all its glory. Hoppy beer has come to dominate the offerings from craft breweries around the world, and double IPA no longer holds a sense of reverence in terms of pushing the boundaries of brewing. There was a time, however, when brewers in California were seen as mavericks chasing ever greater heights in terms of strength and hop character and developing the American IPA substyles into what they are today. Heading north from San Francisco, slightly east of the famous Napa Valley, this region is still the spiritual home of American IPA and so many classic examples of the style proliferate, making this a great destination to get your hophead chops. 07 09 11 08 10 12 ontapmag.co.za | Spring 2023 | 45