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16-07-2023, 11:21
Visit the Paul Bailey's Beer Blog site (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2023/07/hazy-cloudy-milkshake-or-just-plain.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVooMYwHaacflIRtooa4HhHEBut24DBCMAKEfcQ8cGKa pBHLvknGJHVc2aVHlyIvtx1L9LOyHZ0XcjyFQbtK2rbqaITmYx kgGmAGF5rucz66BW1X0JLyaB-zo-DI7SJmCFLN1DmwkQkqGCPqnGcmc8-y_h9c6z7WK7DyZqXpn2lZOYZl6pNoTkapMsj68/w304-h400/WingDing%20Beer.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVooMYwHaacflIRtooa4HhHEBut24DBCMAKEfcQ8cGKa pBHLvknGJHVc2aVHlyIvtx1L9LOyHZ0XcjyFQbtK2rbqaITmYx kgGmAGF5rucz66BW1X0JLyaB-zo-DI7SJmCFLN1DmwkQkqGCPqnGcmc8-y_h9c6z7WK7DyZqXpn2lZOYZl6pNoTkapMsj68/s3950/WingDing%20Beer.jpg)
Beer was never meant to be cloudy, certainly modern beers. Throughoutthe ages brewers went to great lengths to perfect methods of delivering a beerthat looked attractive to the drinker, and this became far more important withthe advent of clear, glass drinking vessels. They could get away with cloudybeer when stoneware, or pewter tankards were the order of the day, but glasswas much more unforgiving. One method of ensuring a clear and attractive looking drinkfor the consumer, was to leave the partially finished beer in the fermenter orsubsequent maturation vessel to drop right of its own accord. This could bequite time consuming, so the discovery of finings, such as isinglass, was animportant one, especially as it sped up the process by several orders ofmagnitude. Finings work by causing yeast cells, suspended in the maturing beer,to clump together, so they eventually drop out of suspension, leaving a brightand sparkling end product.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vgR0Sl2LvGMvu9rXetQMuR5eSLfusFtiuwhzPzPeoj oYTEg_thu-zG1SrP6_6O5tci3ThUaJgxiGr4uYGwo3b9fil6GcFlHwMza-5I7mspmir9KDo36FAt-NEczsiZ0s_6-RPO7f6yzDRGKi2L9N9YqryaWccjwkRXGVWBS4A77e5ohOucVg_ Jy9_j0/w350-h400/Cloudwater%20murky.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vgR0Sl2LvGMvu9rXetQMuR5eSLfusFtiuwhzPzPeoj oYTEg_thu-zG1SrP6_6O5tci3ThUaJgxiGr4uYGwo3b9fil6GcFlHwMza-5I7mspmir9KDo36FAt-NEczsiZ0s_6-RPO7f6yzDRGKi2L9N9YqryaWccjwkRXGVWBS4A77e5ohOucVg_ Jy9_j0/s3327/Cloudwater%20murky.jpg) This method was used for ages, but the adoption of filtrationas a method to clarify beer, took things to a whole different level, especiallywith the advent of pressure filtration systems. Filtration is the method mostcommonly used today, and it is widely used for virtually every type of beer, withthe honourable exception of cask conditioned ale. The latter, still relies onfinings, added to the beer after racking, to achieve a clear, bright pint, butit is hamstrung by the live yeast that remains at the bottom of the cask.
Careless handling, or not allowing sufficient time for thebeer to clear and the yeast to settle, can result in a hazy, or downrightcloudy pint, but the majority of cellarmen and licensees are experienced enoughnot to let this happen. Indeed, those of us who've been drinking cask ale for along time, have grown to expect a beer which looks bright end sparkling in theglass, and most drinkers worth their salt would quite rightly return a glass ofbeer that doesn't look right.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijdNiFRh2Zb3-8F23xABTfRJ6fjrRefiSWM9DAjwONbwQEawBhnL68pCwYZcH1S SbQ8ReBRbcNiN8ud_VzSOL-rImpaA7skkVmNuBp2TFV0qTjX96EbI6ynBKri-0eGFFOnAU3QyR8-zCRPBARgUyEArIzQkjjXdYqERTaq8L9mBbEHi3FBM6iVXwB5o/w400-h225/DSC_0580.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijdNiFRh2Zb3-8F23xABTfRJ6fjrRefiSWM9DAjwONbwQEawBhnL68pCwYZcH1S SbQ8ReBRbcNiN8ud_VzSOL-rImpaA7skkVmNuBp2TFV0qTjX96EbI6ynBKri-0eGFFOnAU3QyR8-zCRPBARgUyEArIzQkjjXdYqERTaq8L9mBbEHi3FBM6iVXwB5o/s3104/DSC_0580.JPG)
Occasionally, despite the best practices in the cellar, a cloudypint can still get through and this is where the difference between a good anda bad licensee comes into play. The publican who knows what he or she is doing,will change a dodgy pint without question, and also take steps to find out whysuch a situation occurred. Cloudy beer is either due to insufficient maturationtime, or the cask is fast approaching empty, and the sediment in the “belly” ofthe cask, is being drawn up through the lines and into the customer’s glass.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWC4c7dBaP1gO4QOsM17F2zxzaYNQXzOJ3pLoC1l6vz NQUPtBWq-7v8VO_KQ_wR48pSmt8mWq-Ak_p6o6-3BM2CnTQHu7yTwcqkLiPt7rnzqfRhd5DzJdN67hfmJcsCFo_Ur CdxDb8sVtJa_lOy62ughyirPeOhWFLShEOOa47qLiWKjlLJ7lt PPv1po/w400-h216/Sambrooks%20taps.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWC4c7dBaP1gO4QOsM17F2zxzaYNQXzOJ3pLoC1l6vz NQUPtBWq-7v8VO_KQ_wR48pSmt8mWq-Ak_p6o6-3BM2CnTQHu7yTwcqkLiPt7rnzqfRhd5DzJdN67hfmJcsCFo_Ur CdxDb8sVtJa_lOy62ughyirPeOhWFLShEOOa47qLiWKjlLJ7lt PPv1po/s3668/Sambrooks%20taps.jpg)
An inexperienced or sometimes unscrupulous licensee wouldclaim that “It's real ale and it's supposed to look like that!” Over the yearsthat untruthful and rather pathetic excuse has fortunately disappeared, or atleast most of us thought it had, until the rise of so-called craft ale/craftkeg. Many of these beers are unfiltered, and also un-fined, the excuse beingit’s a more natural product, but whilst this this may well be true, the factthat the kegs still contain live yeast, is bound to result in a cloudy pint.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6C4MG4DZBIvTYIoLSlVHQf67it3x4I1YcV4aAgfKpf SDl4Flq2whAV9yc_AYtydnT32uQzfEsUg0Cj90laUlPrnG-EQredoXkPh2EcPH5Jl8cz5kN6z9e3qWxxDuSKAtnNeGuaXIkPS YecDjIkx3Nk-5GdguvtEgrQYtS1s5BARRu8nl_Ldku_-Yv-c/w400-h195/Beer%20stash.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6C4MG4DZBIvTYIoLSlVHQf67it3x4I1YcV4aAgfKpf SDl4Flq2whAV9yc_AYtydnT32uQzfEsUg0Cj90laUlPrnG-EQredoXkPh2EcPH5Jl8cz5kN6z9e3qWxxDuSKAtnNeGuaXIkPS YecDjIkx3Nk-5GdguvtEgrQYtS1s5BARRu8nl_Ldku_-Yv-c/s3563/Beer%20stash.jpg)
Worse still, rather too many of these “natural” beers don'tjust have a slight haze but are what many of us have come to describe as “craftmurk.” In other words, they are thick, turbid, and just look completely wrongin the glass. The argument put forward by craft devotees is these beers aresupposed to be like that – sounds familiar, although who exactly said that, andwhen they made such a declaration remains a mystery.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4zre5ZwxogaygR_jbSJaDFHswmyb1sZ_Bl2dMQC8_1 Kr-tBuvhDbn1bcXqDcSVIlw7wbrP9wcm4XfYNszfnHpgQej3MJgUQ DOn9uN33QIEOz9Hy4qwOerpAqN2RgoKGL4t_OjvFffrG56_C0-ypDG9LrZ6le9iBSnlYIhRWqSst3nHtW8dL7u5xSGyE/w400-h225/Curious%20bar%20taps.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4zre5ZwxogaygR_jbSJaDFHswmyb1sZ_Bl2dMQC8_1 Kr-tBuvhDbn1bcXqDcSVIlw7wbrP9wcm4XfYNszfnHpgQej3MJgUQ DOn9uN33QIEOz9Hy4qwOerpAqN2RgoKGL4t_OjvFffrG56_C0-ypDG9LrZ6le9iBSnlYIhRWqSst3nHtW8dL7u5xSGyE/s4000/Curious%20bar%20taps.jpg)
The plot thickens further, if you’ll pardon the pun, as itturns out that some new styles of beers are designed to deliberately appear cloudy,murky if you prefer because “That's what they're supposed to be like.” This isthe claim put forward by the brewers who produce these murky beers and theoutlets that sell them. Probably the worst offender here is the style known asNew England IPA, or NEIPA for short. As far as I'm aware this is a totallymade-up faux style of beer, but unfortunately due to hype, peer pressure, therise of beer ticking - Untappd, and sites such as Rate Beer, where subscriberssing their praises, or otherwise, NEIPAs and other cloudy/murky beers have acquireda large following.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThSe2zeBCTpn2tUb9_56x6fEGJ6akgsqI61CQNGTGQG lwTFGsmApzOEzVj2KBMxNrKUxYoPt_-vYCL-B44FUQu8kBOKVy9CuFuqQ2Y9JBl9q-50zopmhRGEcpZSvCRQxIprSKj32HyV9uUG5cOpEKC5hjD4bleK ueGKN4aKbY7npL_iMDswz7FQViiNE/w220-h400/Beer%20Fridge.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThSe2zeBCTpn2tUb9_56x6fEGJ6akgsqI61CQNGTGQG lwTFGsmApzOEzVj2KBMxNrKUxYoPt_-vYCL-B44FUQu8kBOKVy9CuFuqQ2Y9JBl9q-50zopmhRGEcpZSvCRQxIprSKj32HyV9uUG5cOpEKC5hjD4bleK ueGKN4aKbY7npL_iMDswz7FQViiNE/s3570/Beer%20Fridge.jpg)
To me this is yet another case of the "emperor's new clothes",as no one is prepared to call out the people promoting this false style of beer.I say false because the group of small American states in the far northeasterncorner of the USA that constitute New England, never had much of a tradition ofbrewing India Pale Ale. However, as with West Coast IPA, and also East Coast, the termIndia Pale Ale has become seriously debased, just for the purpose of makingmoney from selling craft murk to gullible people.I'm not even sure how they make these beers so deliberatelycloudy. Does the end product have a surplus of yeast or is the “milkshake”appearance of NEIPA down to bad brewing techniques? Normally, trub, which isthe protein and spent hop residue leftover from the brewing process, is leftbehind in the copper or whirlpool, rather than being allowed to make its wayinto the fermenter, so is it this protein haze, or other, suspended matter thatgives the beer its orange juice like appearance? Perhaps it is no coincidencethat aficionados of these beers describe them as being “juicy.”
Personally, I prefer my beer to taste of malt and hops, ratherthan orange or pineapple, because that's what much of this craft murk stufflooks like when served up. Unfortunately, this type of nonsense has undone muchof CAMRA’s good work when it comes to promoting good cellar practises. So now abar person, with very little knowledge of beer, can quite truthfully trot outthe excuse it's supposed to look like that, when serving up a glass of murk toan unsuspecting customer.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjpKh0Gzq158Aqg-B-6Tqljjnt0NMytWa3iqsQMXMfWhVo7wOEa9JJRSz94O1X3dE1eO okWKFRVxPlFci85whxOISFJn5Al91SrgTN_SJwjw42YJJ13lTe cRGeE-RkRUeGXaBo68FG8TkLacZU6GT5xQ0JefIzq-aDiYOvcQhhn5POevn76sTlkjJryKc/w400-h223/Brew%20Dog%20beer%20list.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjpKh0Gzq158Aqg-B-6Tqljjnt0NMytWa3iqsQMXMfWhVo7wOEa9JJRSz94O1X3dE1eO okWKFRVxPlFci85whxOISFJn5Al91SrgTN_SJwjw42YJJ13lTe cRGeE-RkRUeGXaBo68FG8TkLacZU6GT5xQ0JefIzq-aDiYOvcQhhn5POevn76sTlkjJryKc/s3881/Brew%20Dog%20beer%20list.jpg)
I was reminded of this on Friday, when I called in at a well-knownlocal beer emporium in Tonbridge. There was a range of beers including two from IronPier Brewery of Gravesend. I opted for the Wealdway IPA, the Wealdway being a long-distancefootpath running right across the Kent & Sussex Weald, from Gravesend on theThames Estuary to Eastbourne, overlooking the English Channel. A friend and walkedthis particular trail back in 2010, so Wealdway IPA seemeda rather fitting beer, as it brought back special memories.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYiz-58SlxWRIcPJKNrfZfQwiN8wgNLKeHMVqAkv9qVC8wd901qHTFB P91Xb0BYEYfdTSI1fb-bf8d5jo3f0MsoeawhBo0zQOjSs7ZZhevaIvbgRE9-RldeoDWnvcQwVkfg_TByVPamSmQxSyt3jpPWAzH5030oiUsLe4 8HgQr1i0ROTWW1pQNaje6qy0/w400-h259/Strange%20brews.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYiz-58SlxWRIcPJKNrfZfQwiN8wgNLKeHMVqAkv9qVC8wd901qHTFB P91Xb0BYEYfdTSI1fb-bf8d5jo3f0MsoeawhBo0zQOjSs7ZZhevaIvbgRE9-RldeoDWnvcQwVkfg_TByVPamSmQxSyt3jpPWAzH5030oiUsLe4 8HgQr1i0ROTWW1pQNaje6qy0/s2628/Strange%20brews.jpg)
The barman pulled me a pint, but when I went to pay for it,I noticed the beer was taking a long time to clear in the glass. I asked if itwas supposed to be a hazy beer, and was told, “yes.” I wasn’t impressed, as hadI known this, I wouldn’t have ordered it, but having paid for it, was willingto give it a try. Fancying a spot of al fresco drinking, I took my pint outsideand began drinking it. The beer was all OK, but despite what some might argue,whatever was causing the haze, spoiled the taste, and it certainly wasn't the perfectmarriage of malt and hops one would normally expect from an IPA.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVp77RhLP1nPyNfGMETtRP4phK_2m9bMS7uQ_CZx8qM-vc_5OZtPtXtYEizcRv7eqIs51MOOClCA6hWSbreHotqUbauG97 pUhUgtgen8wIaSYhmPRRK8cr5syTR_c8NjRVG1kabUmy3fQEaq P_lT_S2tvsTjV5o2sj6O2HaiFpNVFYFHYlI9KPqZLG_8/w400-h300/Richmond%20beer%20list.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVp77RhLP1nPyNfGMETtRP4phK_2m9bMS7uQ_CZx8qM-vc_5OZtPtXtYEizcRv7eqIs51MOOClCA6hWSbreHotqUbauG97 pUhUgtgen8wIaSYhmPRRK8cr5syTR_c8NjRVG1kabUmy3fQEaq P_lT_S2tvsTjV5o2sj6O2HaiFpNVFYFHYlI9KPqZLG_8/s4128/Richmond%20beer%20list.jpg)
Whilst prepared to put this down to experience, I was alittle peeved there was no POS material on the bar, or the plump clip, advisingthat this beer was supposed to be hazy. When I went to “tick” the beer on Untappd,I noticed a friend from West Kent CAMRA had ticked the same beer at the same outlet a coupleof hours before me. He too thought the beer should not have been murky, so Imessaged him said the same thing.When I'd finished the beer, I returned the glass, but thistime there was a different person behind the bar. I expressed mydissatisfaction with the beer and informed him that a friend had alsoquestioned its cloudiness and posted about it on Untappd. Following mydisclosure, the beer was removed from sale, as it was either coming to the endof the cask, or possibly it hadn't dropped right bright in the first place. Whateverthe reason it should not have been served, but obviously mistakes can sometimesoccur, even in the best run establishments.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhCYczDWSNeuhVqM7o3ligfo_m9iwvbdgGC-ey8EOo8fVc-JlXCEXJX018m66KkC6mey5H5OMeXXvazvAjDBl_Ywgub4xrYou F9v7mJKAIk1D1YOA5fM2CbXb4KOr5dU5yhZOeEpr8YOJmrA-Cwg1j7ZR3i8KhNXfzS0YPkY3YV0FRp7eyBKMrQqLM3c/w261-h400/Fuggles%20fridges.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhCYczDWSNeuhVqM7o3ligfo_m9iwvbdgGC-ey8EOo8fVc-JlXCEXJX018m66KkC6mey5H5OMeXXvazvAjDBl_Ywgub4xrYou F9v7mJKAIk1D1YOA5fM2CbXb4KOr5dU5yhZOeEpr8YOJmrA-Cwg1j7ZR3i8KhNXfzS0YPkY3YV0FRp7eyBKMrQqLM3c/s3446/Fuggles%20fridges.jpg)
Once the error was highlighted, the pub acted in the rightway by removing the offending beer from sale. The barman apologised and askedif I'd like another beer instead. I declined this kind gesture, primarily becauseI needed to get home. Had I been a bit more on the ball I could at least askedfor a stamp on my pub loyalty card, the one they use to promote cask ale. Onestamp per pint, and after 10 stamps the card holder is rewarded with a freepint.I’ve droned on too long, but wanted to make the point about theway craft murk has muddied the water. For the record, and just to make sure Iwasn’t talking out of my rear end, I checked Iron Pier’s website, as well as onUntappd, and like any other self-respecting cask ale, Wealdway IPA is supposedto drop bright. Vigilance pays in these uncertain times!
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More... (https://baileysbeerblog.blogspot.com/2023/07/hazy-cloudy-milkshake-or-just-plain.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVooMYwHaacflIRtooa4HhHEBut24DBCMAKEfcQ8cGKa pBHLvknGJHVc2aVHlyIvtx1L9LOyHZ0XcjyFQbtK2rbqaITmYx kgGmAGF5rucz66BW1X0JLyaB-zo-DI7SJmCFLN1DmwkQkqGCPqnGcmc8-y_h9c6z7WK7DyZqXpn2lZOYZl6pNoTkapMsj68/w304-h400/WingDing%20Beer.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVooMYwHaacflIRtooa4HhHEBut24DBCMAKEfcQ8cGKa pBHLvknGJHVc2aVHlyIvtx1L9LOyHZ0XcjyFQbtK2rbqaITmYx kgGmAGF5rucz66BW1X0JLyaB-zo-DI7SJmCFLN1DmwkQkqGCPqnGcmc8-y_h9c6z7WK7DyZqXpn2lZOYZl6pNoTkapMsj68/s3950/WingDing%20Beer.jpg)
Beer was never meant to be cloudy, certainly modern beers. Throughoutthe ages brewers went to great lengths to perfect methods of delivering a beerthat looked attractive to the drinker, and this became far more important withthe advent of clear, glass drinking vessels. They could get away with cloudybeer when stoneware, or pewter tankards were the order of the day, but glasswas much more unforgiving. One method of ensuring a clear and attractive looking drinkfor the consumer, was to leave the partially finished beer in the fermenter orsubsequent maturation vessel to drop right of its own accord. This could bequite time consuming, so the discovery of finings, such as isinglass, was animportant one, especially as it sped up the process by several orders ofmagnitude. Finings work by causing yeast cells, suspended in the maturing beer,to clump together, so they eventually drop out of suspension, leaving a brightand sparkling end product.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vgR0Sl2LvGMvu9rXetQMuR5eSLfusFtiuwhzPzPeoj oYTEg_thu-zG1SrP6_6O5tci3ThUaJgxiGr4uYGwo3b9fil6GcFlHwMza-5I7mspmir9KDo36FAt-NEczsiZ0s_6-RPO7f6yzDRGKi2L9N9YqryaWccjwkRXGVWBS4A77e5ohOucVg_ Jy9_j0/w350-h400/Cloudwater%20murky.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vgR0Sl2LvGMvu9rXetQMuR5eSLfusFtiuwhzPzPeoj oYTEg_thu-zG1SrP6_6O5tci3ThUaJgxiGr4uYGwo3b9fil6GcFlHwMza-5I7mspmir9KDo36FAt-NEczsiZ0s_6-RPO7f6yzDRGKi2L9N9YqryaWccjwkRXGVWBS4A77e5ohOucVg_ Jy9_j0/s3327/Cloudwater%20murky.jpg) This method was used for ages, but the adoption of filtrationas a method to clarify beer, took things to a whole different level, especiallywith the advent of pressure filtration systems. Filtration is the method mostcommonly used today, and it is widely used for virtually every type of beer, withthe honourable exception of cask conditioned ale. The latter, still relies onfinings, added to the beer after racking, to achieve a clear, bright pint, butit is hamstrung by the live yeast that remains at the bottom of the cask.
Careless handling, or not allowing sufficient time for thebeer to clear and the yeast to settle, can result in a hazy, or downrightcloudy pint, but the majority of cellarmen and licensees are experienced enoughnot to let this happen. Indeed, those of us who've been drinking cask ale for along time, have grown to expect a beer which looks bright end sparkling in theglass, and most drinkers worth their salt would quite rightly return a glass ofbeer that doesn't look right.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijdNiFRh2Zb3-8F23xABTfRJ6fjrRefiSWM9DAjwONbwQEawBhnL68pCwYZcH1S SbQ8ReBRbcNiN8ud_VzSOL-rImpaA7skkVmNuBp2TFV0qTjX96EbI6ynBKri-0eGFFOnAU3QyR8-zCRPBARgUyEArIzQkjjXdYqERTaq8L9mBbEHi3FBM6iVXwB5o/w400-h225/DSC_0580.JPG (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijdNiFRh2Zb3-8F23xABTfRJ6fjrRefiSWM9DAjwONbwQEawBhnL68pCwYZcH1S SbQ8ReBRbcNiN8ud_VzSOL-rImpaA7skkVmNuBp2TFV0qTjX96EbI6ynBKri-0eGFFOnAU3QyR8-zCRPBARgUyEArIzQkjjXdYqERTaq8L9mBbEHi3FBM6iVXwB5o/s3104/DSC_0580.JPG)
Occasionally, despite the best practices in the cellar, a cloudypint can still get through and this is where the difference between a good anda bad licensee comes into play. The publican who knows what he or she is doing,will change a dodgy pint without question, and also take steps to find out whysuch a situation occurred. Cloudy beer is either due to insufficient maturationtime, or the cask is fast approaching empty, and the sediment in the “belly” ofthe cask, is being drawn up through the lines and into the customer’s glass.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWC4c7dBaP1gO4QOsM17F2zxzaYNQXzOJ3pLoC1l6vz NQUPtBWq-7v8VO_KQ_wR48pSmt8mWq-Ak_p6o6-3BM2CnTQHu7yTwcqkLiPt7rnzqfRhd5DzJdN67hfmJcsCFo_Ur CdxDb8sVtJa_lOy62ughyirPeOhWFLShEOOa47qLiWKjlLJ7lt PPv1po/w400-h216/Sambrooks%20taps.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWC4c7dBaP1gO4QOsM17F2zxzaYNQXzOJ3pLoC1l6vz NQUPtBWq-7v8VO_KQ_wR48pSmt8mWq-Ak_p6o6-3BM2CnTQHu7yTwcqkLiPt7rnzqfRhd5DzJdN67hfmJcsCFo_Ur CdxDb8sVtJa_lOy62ughyirPeOhWFLShEOOa47qLiWKjlLJ7lt PPv1po/s3668/Sambrooks%20taps.jpg)
An inexperienced or sometimes unscrupulous licensee wouldclaim that “It's real ale and it's supposed to look like that!” Over the yearsthat untruthful and rather pathetic excuse has fortunately disappeared, or atleast most of us thought it had, until the rise of so-called craft ale/craftkeg. Many of these beers are unfiltered, and also un-fined, the excuse beingit’s a more natural product, but whilst this this may well be true, the factthat the kegs still contain live yeast, is bound to result in a cloudy pint.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6C4MG4DZBIvTYIoLSlVHQf67it3x4I1YcV4aAgfKpf SDl4Flq2whAV9yc_AYtydnT32uQzfEsUg0Cj90laUlPrnG-EQredoXkPh2EcPH5Jl8cz5kN6z9e3qWxxDuSKAtnNeGuaXIkPS YecDjIkx3Nk-5GdguvtEgrQYtS1s5BARRu8nl_Ldku_-Yv-c/w400-h195/Beer%20stash.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6C4MG4DZBIvTYIoLSlVHQf67it3x4I1YcV4aAgfKpf SDl4Flq2whAV9yc_AYtydnT32uQzfEsUg0Cj90laUlPrnG-EQredoXkPh2EcPH5Jl8cz5kN6z9e3qWxxDuSKAtnNeGuaXIkPS YecDjIkx3Nk-5GdguvtEgrQYtS1s5BARRu8nl_Ldku_-Yv-c/s3563/Beer%20stash.jpg)
Worse still, rather too many of these “natural” beers don'tjust have a slight haze but are what many of us have come to describe as “craftmurk.” In other words, they are thick, turbid, and just look completely wrongin the glass. The argument put forward by craft devotees is these beers aresupposed to be like that – sounds familiar, although who exactly said that, andwhen they made such a declaration remains a mystery.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4zre5ZwxogaygR_jbSJaDFHswmyb1sZ_Bl2dMQC8_1 Kr-tBuvhDbn1bcXqDcSVIlw7wbrP9wcm4XfYNszfnHpgQej3MJgUQ DOn9uN33QIEOz9Hy4qwOerpAqN2RgoKGL4t_OjvFffrG56_C0-ypDG9LrZ6le9iBSnlYIhRWqSst3nHtW8dL7u5xSGyE/w400-h225/Curious%20bar%20taps.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4zre5ZwxogaygR_jbSJaDFHswmyb1sZ_Bl2dMQC8_1 Kr-tBuvhDbn1bcXqDcSVIlw7wbrP9wcm4XfYNszfnHpgQej3MJgUQ DOn9uN33QIEOz9Hy4qwOerpAqN2RgoKGL4t_OjvFffrG56_C0-ypDG9LrZ6le9iBSnlYIhRWqSst3nHtW8dL7u5xSGyE/s4000/Curious%20bar%20taps.jpg)
The plot thickens further, if you’ll pardon the pun, as itturns out that some new styles of beers are designed to deliberately appear cloudy,murky if you prefer because “That's what they're supposed to be like.” This isthe claim put forward by the brewers who produce these murky beers and theoutlets that sell them. Probably the worst offender here is the style known asNew England IPA, or NEIPA for short. As far as I'm aware this is a totallymade-up faux style of beer, but unfortunately due to hype, peer pressure, therise of beer ticking - Untappd, and sites such as Rate Beer, where subscriberssing their praises, or otherwise, NEIPAs and other cloudy/murky beers have acquireda large following.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThSe2zeBCTpn2tUb9_56x6fEGJ6akgsqI61CQNGTGQG lwTFGsmApzOEzVj2KBMxNrKUxYoPt_-vYCL-B44FUQu8kBOKVy9CuFuqQ2Y9JBl9q-50zopmhRGEcpZSvCRQxIprSKj32HyV9uUG5cOpEKC5hjD4bleK ueGKN4aKbY7npL_iMDswz7FQViiNE/w220-h400/Beer%20Fridge.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThSe2zeBCTpn2tUb9_56x6fEGJ6akgsqI61CQNGTGQG lwTFGsmApzOEzVj2KBMxNrKUxYoPt_-vYCL-B44FUQu8kBOKVy9CuFuqQ2Y9JBl9q-50zopmhRGEcpZSvCRQxIprSKj32HyV9uUG5cOpEKC5hjD4bleK ueGKN4aKbY7npL_iMDswz7FQViiNE/s3570/Beer%20Fridge.jpg)
To me this is yet another case of the "emperor's new clothes",as no one is prepared to call out the people promoting this false style of beer.I say false because the group of small American states in the far northeasterncorner of the USA that constitute New England, never had much of a tradition ofbrewing India Pale Ale. However, as with West Coast IPA, and also East Coast, the termIndia Pale Ale has become seriously debased, just for the purpose of makingmoney from selling craft murk to gullible people.I'm not even sure how they make these beers so deliberatelycloudy. Does the end product have a surplus of yeast or is the “milkshake”appearance of NEIPA down to bad brewing techniques? Normally, trub, which isthe protein and spent hop residue leftover from the brewing process, is leftbehind in the copper or whirlpool, rather than being allowed to make its wayinto the fermenter, so is it this protein haze, or other, suspended matter thatgives the beer its orange juice like appearance? Perhaps it is no coincidencethat aficionados of these beers describe them as being “juicy.”
Personally, I prefer my beer to taste of malt and hops, ratherthan orange or pineapple, because that's what much of this craft murk stufflooks like when served up. Unfortunately, this type of nonsense has undone muchof CAMRA’s good work when it comes to promoting good cellar practises. So now abar person, with very little knowledge of beer, can quite truthfully trot outthe excuse it's supposed to look like that, when serving up a glass of murk toan unsuspecting customer.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjpKh0Gzq158Aqg-B-6Tqljjnt0NMytWa3iqsQMXMfWhVo7wOEa9JJRSz94O1X3dE1eO okWKFRVxPlFci85whxOISFJn5Al91SrgTN_SJwjw42YJJ13lTe cRGeE-RkRUeGXaBo68FG8TkLacZU6GT5xQ0JefIzq-aDiYOvcQhhn5POevn76sTlkjJryKc/w400-h223/Brew%20Dog%20beer%20list.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjpKh0Gzq158Aqg-B-6Tqljjnt0NMytWa3iqsQMXMfWhVo7wOEa9JJRSz94O1X3dE1eO okWKFRVxPlFci85whxOISFJn5Al91SrgTN_SJwjw42YJJ13lTe cRGeE-RkRUeGXaBo68FG8TkLacZU6GT5xQ0JefIzq-aDiYOvcQhhn5POevn76sTlkjJryKc/s3881/Brew%20Dog%20beer%20list.jpg)
I was reminded of this on Friday, when I called in at a well-knownlocal beer emporium in Tonbridge. There was a range of beers including two from IronPier Brewery of Gravesend. I opted for the Wealdway IPA, the Wealdway being a long-distancefootpath running right across the Kent & Sussex Weald, from Gravesend on theThames Estuary to Eastbourne, overlooking the English Channel. A friend and walkedthis particular trail back in 2010, so Wealdway IPA seemeda rather fitting beer, as it brought back special memories.
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The barman pulled me a pint, but when I went to pay for it,I noticed the beer was taking a long time to clear in the glass. I asked if itwas supposed to be a hazy beer, and was told, “yes.” I wasn’t impressed, as hadI known this, I wouldn’t have ordered it, but having paid for it, was willingto give it a try. Fancying a spot of al fresco drinking, I took my pint outsideand began drinking it. The beer was all OK, but despite what some might argue,whatever was causing the haze, spoiled the taste, and it certainly wasn't the perfectmarriage of malt and hops one would normally expect from an IPA.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVp77RhLP1nPyNfGMETtRP4phK_2m9bMS7uQ_CZx8qM-vc_5OZtPtXtYEizcRv7eqIs51MOOClCA6hWSbreHotqUbauG97 pUhUgtgen8wIaSYhmPRRK8cr5syTR_c8NjRVG1kabUmy3fQEaq P_lT_S2tvsTjV5o2sj6O2HaiFpNVFYFHYlI9KPqZLG_8/w400-h300/Richmond%20beer%20list.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVp77RhLP1nPyNfGMETtRP4phK_2m9bMS7uQ_CZx8qM-vc_5OZtPtXtYEizcRv7eqIs51MOOClCA6hWSbreHotqUbauG97 pUhUgtgen8wIaSYhmPRRK8cr5syTR_c8NjRVG1kabUmy3fQEaq P_lT_S2tvsTjV5o2sj6O2HaiFpNVFYFHYlI9KPqZLG_8/s4128/Richmond%20beer%20list.jpg)
Whilst prepared to put this down to experience, I was alittle peeved there was no POS material on the bar, or the plump clip, advisingthat this beer was supposed to be hazy. When I went to “tick” the beer on Untappd,I noticed a friend from West Kent CAMRA had ticked the same beer at the same outlet a coupleof hours before me. He too thought the beer should not have been murky, so Imessaged him said the same thing.When I'd finished the beer, I returned the glass, but thistime there was a different person behind the bar. I expressed mydissatisfaction with the beer and informed him that a friend had alsoquestioned its cloudiness and posted about it on Untappd. Following mydisclosure, the beer was removed from sale, as it was either coming to the endof the cask, or possibly it hadn't dropped right bright in the first place. Whateverthe reason it should not have been served, but obviously mistakes can sometimesoccur, even in the best run establishments.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhCYczDWSNeuhVqM7o3ligfo_m9iwvbdgGC-ey8EOo8fVc-JlXCEXJX018m66KkC6mey5H5OMeXXvazvAjDBl_Ywgub4xrYou F9v7mJKAIk1D1YOA5fM2CbXb4KOr5dU5yhZOeEpr8YOJmrA-Cwg1j7ZR3i8KhNXfzS0YPkY3YV0FRp7eyBKMrQqLM3c/w261-h400/Fuggles%20fridges.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhCYczDWSNeuhVqM7o3ligfo_m9iwvbdgGC-ey8EOo8fVc-JlXCEXJX018m66KkC6mey5H5OMeXXvazvAjDBl_Ywgub4xrYou F9v7mJKAIk1D1YOA5fM2CbXb4KOr5dU5yhZOeEpr8YOJmrA-Cwg1j7ZR3i8KhNXfzS0YPkY3YV0FRp7eyBKMrQqLM3c/s3446/Fuggles%20fridges.jpg)
Once the error was highlighted, the pub acted in the rightway by removing the offending beer from sale. The barman apologised and askedif I'd like another beer instead. I declined this kind gesture, primarily becauseI needed to get home. Had I been a bit more on the ball I could at least askedfor a stamp on my pub loyalty card, the one they use to promote cask ale. Onestamp per pint, and after 10 stamps the card holder is rewarded with a freepint.I’ve droned on too long, but wanted to make the point about theway craft murk has muddied the water. For the record, and just to make sure Iwasn’t talking out of my rear end, I checked Iron Pier’s website, as well as onUntappd, and like any other self-respecting cask ale, Wealdway IPA is supposedto drop bright. Vigilance pays in these uncertain times!
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