 Boutique beer to please even the most refined beer gourmets
Added: 10/24/2005 |
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By definition boutique beer is the product of a small, and very often, private or family owned microbrewery, which generally produces no more than 10,000 barrels per year and normally sells the produced beers on the premises. A few other words can be used in reference to a microbrewery. The line of synonyms includes brewpub and boutique brewery.
The expression "boutique beer" per se makes us associate it with high quality and finely tuned production process. In fact, boutique beer producers claim that their product is not only of reliable quality and exquisite taste, but also possesses a spark of life as brew-masters try to avoid any type of pasteurization or conservation in order to offer beer-lovers the most original and natural taste. They claim that their cleansing beer will invariably leave the one who has tasted it at least once wanting more.
An opinion has been voiced that boutique beers can hardly be compared with their factory-produced counterparts, as the former invariably possess a richer taste with a spark of sweet and tart tints of flavor, which depends on the styles of boutique beer, which are very numerous. The quality of boutique beer, which is avidly guaranteed by the producers, nevertheless, doesn`t necessarily imply the prices going beyond reasonable. The production process of boutique beer is not distinctly different from the one familiar almost to everyone. Very simple ingredients during the meticulously conducted production process are miraculously transformed into a refined boutique beer. At the first stages the raw material for beer looks rather unpromising. The mash produced by means of roasting the sprouted grains may resemble oatmeal, but its aroma is indeed pleasurable.
During the malting process, the grain`s nutrients are extracted and this is when the exact temperature for every particular type of sugar is to be maintained. Further the mixture is in for filtering. Then, after the beer-to-be has been boiled a bit, comes the time to add the yeast. The amount of this ingredient is negligible compared to others, but it is of great importance for the flavor. Its importance can hardly be overestimated as the trace of spice and fruit, which is present in the yeast, can efficiently alter the taste of beer and make it distinguishable from another kind.
It is known that some brewing families that specialize in boutique beer production use certain yeast strains as a tribute to tradition and a special characteristic feature.
After the yeast has been added, the rest of the beer-making process is only a matter of time. As the result of fermentation, sugars will be converted into alcohol, and then, finally, beer in its classical form will come on the scene. Then it will only take passing the brew through a tangle of tubes and pipes, performing the final filtration and there comes the boutique beer that is certain to satisfy every taste. The range of boutique beer styles available for sale at some microbreweries by both the glass and bottle, is indeed breathtaking. The fact that the majority of the beer types are preservative and chemical free is still amazing. Some boutique breweries present a selection of seasonal brews, targeted at a specific market niche. The irresistible charm of consuming boutique beer on the premises is the realization of the fact that the production of the refined drinks is performed only a wall away from the place where they are savored.
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