Belgian Beer: You're probably doing it wrong

[system]

@dmtaylor

You and me both.  I’ll spout things as truth without providing the basis, only to find later that what I said was partially or fully correct, even though I couldn’t remember why.

Along similar lines as above, I believe I’d heard someplace that Scotch ale was developed to emulate either doppelbock or Belgian dubbel, I cannot remember which, except that it does help to explain my extraordinary love for all three malty styles, especially considering if they originally had actually been intended to be somewhat similar in malt character.  But my memory fails me, as usual.  Now that I come to think of it, I wonder if it must be dubbel & Scotch ale that are related, as doppelbock is not quite the same.  But it’s equally likely to be a tie between two other ones.  Like a blind triangle – which of these three is not like the other, come on, can you tell which one.  But I royally digress.

That may have been one of the stories but unfortunately that is complete bunk.  Scotch ales historically were brewed lighter and more highly hopped than even british ales of the time with shorter boils.  And many that were exported were just their regular light colored ales colored with brewers caramel.  Really need to check out shut up about Barclay perkins: http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/

Remember beer stories were told in bars by people of various degrees of intoxication and accuracy

[pmorrissette (Phil_M)]

The story I’d heard about the birth of what we think of as Scotch ale (Not the pale hoppy stuff mentioned above) was that it was brewed by the Belgians as a “this is what we think the Scots would drink” sort of thing.

Again, I offer no guarantees of historical accuracy, this is just something that stuck in my brain. I may have read it on Ron’s blog, or it could be bunk from elsewhere.

[system]

Yeah, I have started going into all beer origin stories assuming they are incorrect or at the very least slightly fudged.

[pmorrissette (Phil_M)]

Yeah, I have started going into all beer origin stories assuming they are incorrect or at the very least slightly fudged.

I haven’t gone that far. Some authors, Ron being an excellent example, do a fantastic job of backing their stories up with documentation.

But yes, I’d take the modern assumptions and stories with more than a few grains of salt.

[pkervran]

]I think that article misses the mark in many regards.  Condescending, douchey attitude aside, I would venture to guess that most US brewers are not trying to replicate beers regardless of country of origin.  Inspired brewing with a “make it my own” attitude is the way of the American brewer.  The attitude that only Belgian originals are doing it right is narrow minded.

[denny]

@pkervran

]I think that article misses the mark in many regards.  Condescending, douchey attitude aside, I would venture to guess that most US brewers are not trying to replicate beers regardless of country of origin.  Inspired brewing with a “make it my own” attitude is the way of the American brewer.  The attitude that only Belgian originals are doing it right is narrow minded.

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I SO agree with you!

[zwiller]

Kinda funny, I don’t pick up on the tone at all, in fact, I find it slightly humorous and I think that’s what the author was trying to do.  “Seriously though, consider locking up the spice cabinet”.

I believe that US craft is too chicken to make beers true to style in fear that it will not sell and that’s probably true.  Let’s be serious, it’s actually quite simple to brew something in the spirit of belgian style.

[jrdunne (Joe Sr.)]

@zwiller

Let’s be serious, it’s actually quite simple to brew something in the spirit of belgian style.

In my experience, a lot of domestic brewers miss the mark, though.  Maybe because they don’t keep it simple.  Often because of poor yeast choice or underattenuation.

Attempts at humor aren’t always successful.  I found the flaws in his logic outweighed any humor that was there.