SLN NOVEMBER 19 Final R

Page 4 November Edition Seven Lakes News
Craft Beer Scene
king. Pilsners tend to be very
popular, too; and recently there
are more and more people asking
for sours and fruit varieties on draft.
Today’s craft beer scene is
overwhelming. Even for those with
a grasp on hop varieties and local
breweries, combing through a tap
list can induce decision paralysis.
But if there’s one thing that should
guide an order, it’s freshness. Draft
beer has long been heralded as the
best option, whether for mouthfeel,
pressure control or a foamy head.
Now that so many craft breweries
are choosing cans over bottles
and kegs, is draft still considered
“better?”
The answer, it turns out, isn’t so
clear cut. Style — specifically when
it relates to a beer’s hop content —
influences the shelf life of a beer,
as does packaging.
Bobbie Atkins, representative with
R&D Brewing/Bull Durham Beer Co
a local craft beer brewery explains:
Is draft beer always better? Draft
beer is definitely better than
bottled, but canned can be better
than draft. It depends. If you look at
trends, locally and nationally, most
breweries are moving to canning
beers. What that allows for is a
proper seal. Even in a glass bottle,
oxygen can leak in. So flushing cans
with carbon dioxide and sealing
a beer shut keeps it fresher for
longer. Cans also prevent light from
getting in, which can be an issue
with bottles, even brown bottles.
Light and oxygen are the enemies
of beer.
Draft beers usually move faster,
and if you’re replacing kegs more
often, that usually means fresher
beer. So, in terms of quality and
turnover, it’s draft, then cans, then
bottles.
Are there particular styles that
move faster than others? IPA‘s are
Generally speaking, for an IPA,
you want to consume it within a
month of it being brewed. Hop
quality begins to fade after about
30 days.
Are local beers usually indicative
of freshness? Yes and no. Local
beer has a tendency to be more
fresh, but it has to be good beer
to be fresh enough that you’ll go
through kegs of it.
What sort of questions should
someone ask a bartender in order
to get the best or freshest beer?
Let the bartender know what type of
beer you like. Knowing what kind of
beer you like gives the bartender a
starting point, even if it’s Heineken
or Guinness. Any good beer bar
will allow you a few tastes before
deciding on a beer.
According to Bobbie Atkins,
choosing the right bar is also really
important. You want a staff that’s
casual and approachable and
knowledgeable, not snooty. In
Seven Lakes these craft beers can
be found at the Lakehouse, Shell
Friendly Mart and the Sandhills
Winery. The Resolution beer the
golfers beer can be found locally at
Foxfire Resort and Pinewild CC.
Their Flagship beer “Seven
Saturdays“ an IPA @6.8 ABV you
can always enjoy at “Seven Lakes.“
The Flagship beer won a Silver
Medal at the US Open Beer
Championship. The brewing
company also brews Storm Beer
for the Carolina Hurricanes hockey
team.
So when you are out and about in
Seven Lakes make sure you try one
of these awesome beers
By: Diane Keating, SLN Reporter