Cream ale/American lager/blonde ale This blend produces a mild, pale, light bodied ale.
This can be made using a warm fermentation (either top or bottom) and cold layering or also by blending top and bottom fermented beers.
The hop bitterness in the style is normally very low, with hip aroma often absent. Sometimes they are referred to as cream ales, yet they are crisp and very refreshing.
American wheat ale/American wheat lager This type of beer can be made by using either lager yeast or an ale. Brewed with 50 percent wheat, the hop rates are higher and the carbonation is lower than German styles of wheat beers.
At low levels, a fruity eatery aroma and flavor is normal, although cloverlike characteristics shouldn’t be perceived. The color is normally golden to light amber, with the body being light to medium in character.
Fruit beers
These types of beers are made by using fruit as an adjunct in the primary or secondary fermentation.
Fruit beers provide a very unique taste, and they can also be quite potent if made in the right ways.
Vegetable beers
These beers use vegetables as an adjunct in primary or secondary fermentation, helping to provide an obvious, yet harmonious quality. These beers shouldn’t be overpowered by hop character.
Herb and spice beers
Herb and spice beers use either herbs or spices other than hops to create a very distinct taste and character. The spices can be derived from roots, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
Hybrid microbrews offer you a break from the ordinary beers, providing unique tastes and very distinct character. There are many types of hybrid microbrews available, all you have to do is look around or experiment.
Beer Ingredients
The main ingredients found in beer are water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. There are other ingredients such as flavoring, sugar, and other ingredients that are commonly used. Starches are used as well, as they convert in the mashing process to easily fermentable sugars that will help to increase the alcohol content of beer while adding body and flavor.
Water
Seeing as how beer is mainly composed of water, the source of water and its characteristics have a very important effect on the character of the beer. A lot of beer styles were influenced by the characteristics of water in the region. Although the effect of minerals in brewing water is complex, hard water is more suited to dark styles, while soft ware is more suited to light styles.
Malt
Among malts, barley is the most widely used due to its high amylase content, and a digestive enzyme that facilitates the breakdown of starch into sugars. Depending on what can be cultivated locally, other malts and unmalted grains can be used, such as wheat, rice, oats, and rye.
Malt is obtained by soaking grain in water, allowing it to germinate, then drying the germinated grain in a kiln. By malting the grain, enzymes will eventually convert the starches in the grain into fermentable sugars.
Hops
Since the seventeenth century, hops have been commonly used as a bittering agent in beer. Hops help to contribute a bitterness that will balance the sweetness of the malts. They also contribute aromas which range from citrus to herbal.
Hops also provide an antibiotic effect that favors the activity of brewer’s yeast over the less desirable microorganisms. The bitterness in beer is normally measured on the International Bitterness Units scale.
Yeast
Yeast is a microorganism that’s responsible for fermentation. Specific strains of yeast are chosen depending on the type of beer produced, as the two main strains are ale yeast and lager yeast, with other variations available as well.
Yeast helps to metabolize the sugars that are extracted from the grains, and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide as a result. Before the functions of yeast were understood, all fermentations were done using wild or airborne yeasts.
Clarifying agent
A lot of brewers prefer to add one or more clarifying agents to beer that aren’t required to be published as ingredients. Examples include Isinglass finings, which are obtained from swim bladders of fish and Irish moss, which is a type of red alga.
Since these ingredients can be obtained from animals, those who are concerned with either the use or consumption of animal products should obtain detailed information from the brewer.
Oregon Microbrews
To get the most out of a visit to Oregon, you’ll need to try a local craft beer. Even if you don’t like to drink craft beer, it’s something you should at least experience.
If you are knew to microbrews, you should know that just because the beer is a microbrew, it doesn’t mean that you’ll need a knife and fork to drink it. All over the state, you’ll find several different microbreweries that offer everything you could ever want.
All mass produced American style lagers have set a rather disappointing standard for the beer drinkers of the country. These beers can only be as good as their ingredients. Instead of the fine grains such as barley and wheat, corn and rice are often used as cheaper replacements. In place of the whole kiln hops, the bigger breweries rely on small pellets of compressed hop dust.
Throughout the state of Oregon, there are more than 50 breweries that provide both locals and visitors with many alternatives to drinking. The micro brewed craft will rely on tradition, using the more
expensive ingredients in place of money saving shortcuts. The implication here, is that these types of beer are normally bitter or overly sweet.
Anytime you visit an unfamiliar brewpub, there is a great way to sample a variety of brews without having to buy a whole pint. Several pubs offer a sampler tray with five to seven two ounce beers, often labeled to avoid any type of confusion.
Throughout Oregon, microbrews are very popular, in the pubs and on the street. You can find many different varieties, more than you can find in other states. If you don’t live in Oregon, and you get the chance to visit, you shouldn’t hesitate to check out some of the excellent microbrews.
Clipper City Microbrew Company
The Clipper City Brewing Company was founded by by pioneer Hugh Sisson, with the intention of restoring a rich brewing tradition to the entire Baltimore area. By focusing on the classic styles of beer that are made with fresh ingredients and high standards, Clipper City is the largest brewing company in Baltimore, giving the entire Bay area residents reason to celebrate.
After the inception of craft brewing in Baltimore, Hugh immersed himself in developing and market recognition of both Sisson’s brewpub and all of its beers.
The Clipper City Brewing Company produces three regular offerings year round – Chesapeake lager, Chesapeake amber, and the Chesapeake gold ale, which was chosen as the official beer of the Baltimore City bicentennial. Clipper City also includes a line of specialty beers under the Clipper Reserve heading.
***********These types include a Pilsner which is available in May, Irish stout available in February, Oktoberfest available in September, and a winter ale that’s available in late November. Clipper City also manufacturers a separate line of beer, known as the Oxford Brands, which include an English pale ale and a refreshing summer blend made with real raspberries known as the Oxford raspberry wheat.
For many years, Clipper City has proven that they are the dominant brewing company in the entire Baltimore area. Residents of the area enjoy the many varieties this brewing company offers, as they have everything for the seasons.
Even if you don’t live in the Baltimore area, there are other ways to get the excellent beers that Clipper City has to offer. There are several bars and pubs that carry their beers, although most are in the Baltimore and surrounding areas. If you’ve been looking for a brew that is different from the rest, you can count on the Clipper City Brewing Company to deliver everything that you’ve never thought possible about beer and microbrews.