Download July 2010 - Bite Magazine

26
BITE
‘n’
SLURP
BEER
THE CALIFORNIA COMMON
Full steam ahead!
It is not widely appreciated, but
lager is a bloody difficult drink to
make. Even the blandest commercial
pish requires meticulous control of
yeast and a constant cool
temperature throughout the brewing
process.
This is one of the reasons why
pilsner originated in Bavaria
and the Czech Republic –
regions with an abundance of
cool, stone vaulted cellars. A
commodity that was in short
supply during the Californian
gold rush.
This posed a problem for the
state’s breweries. After a 14-hour shift
of hard labour in very dangerous and
extremely hot conditions, the
prospectors were hardly in the mood
for a pint of mild or a bottle of porter.
The solution hit upon was to brew
using a bottom fermenting lager yeast,
but at the warmer temperatures
associated with heavier beers. The
resulting drink had the light, zesty,
refreshing character of a lager, but with
the depth and creaminess of a pale ale.
One of the downsides of this new beer
was its volatility. New casks had to be
vented with a great hiss and a blast of
beery smoke. Thus the beer was
christened Steam beer.
The best known of Steam beers is
produced by the Anchor brewery in
San Francisco, but now an Edinburghbased
brewer has introduced a Scottish
interpretation of this American classic.
The California Common is the
inaugural release from Knops Brewing
Co.
It is a pretty, vibrant, golden
beer with gentle
effervescence and a fine head.
Nicely aromatic with hints of
wet straw and shortbread
biscuit. The palate is light
and zesty with a crisp finish
and a quite definite citrus
edge. It is by no means a
complex or powerful beer,
but it is poised, balanced, clean and
refreshing. It is clearly designed as
session ale and weighs in at a moreish
4.6% a.b.v. At £1.70 for a 33cl bottle it is
reasonably priced and if there is any
justice, it will be available at every one
of this summer's barbecues. You can
also catch it on tap at The Cumberland
Bar, Kay’s Bar, The Filmhouse, The
Windsor Buffet, The Malt & Hops, The
Halfway House, The Blue Blazer & The
Stockbridge Tap.
James Wrobel is the proprietor of
Cornelius Beer and Wine on
18-20 Easter Road, and can be
contacted on 0131 652 2405.
www.corneliusbeers.com