Often overlooked by the newer styles that contain more hops or sweet adjuncts, the Munich Dunkel is not given the respect that it rightfully deserves. Often looked at as the German version of a dark mild, this style is a good example of an everyday, easy drinking beer.   The Laws of Brewing A version of a Munich Dunkel was probably brewed by Benedictine monks in Munich, Germany around the mid 12th century. Two laws in Germany helped this style become what we know it as today. The first law is the Bavarian Beer Purity Law of 1516, which is better known as the Reinheitsgebot. The … [Read more...]

As history has proven time and time again, dark beers have been around for a really long time, Porters and Stouts usually take the price when novice beer drinkers begin to think about the wide color spectrum of beers. The one that hardly is ever mentioned is the classic German style Schwarzbier. In an attempt to offer up more variety of dark beers, I present to you the Schwarzbier.   Black Beer Schwarzbier, which translates to “black beer” in German, may be the oldest continuously brewed beer style throughout the world. Evidence points to archaeologists finding a Celtic tomb a … [Read more...]

Coming from the same family lineage of the rest of the Bock styles, the Doppelbock means “double bock.” A double bock is not really twice the bock. However, the name was well received by patrons and so the name stuck, much like the Eisbock. The first Doppelbock was brewed in Einbeck, Germanyin the 1300s. This beer was brewed with lightly kilned wheat and barley, top fermented yeast at a cool temperature. This was brewed with a fair amount of hops and usually considered a high gravity beer.  First Wave of Change As time went on, Muinich breweries started using only barley in their … [Read more...]

What Is Root Beer? Now, if you love root beer, you can tell that it is a sweet and ordinarily carbonated drink - just like your bottle of Coca Cola. However, did you know that it also comes imbued with extracts from roots, like sarsaparilla, sassafras and others? If we take a look at root beer's history, Charles Hires created the beverage and introduced it to the public in 1876, at the Philadelphia Centennial exhibitions. So, what is a root beer? It’s a non-alcoholic beer, pretty much like birch beer and ginger beer. Back in the day, the root was brewed to make a tea and take the extract. … [Read more...]

Baltic Porters came into existence as the response to hoppy Pale Ales that gained popularity and notoriety in Britain during the 18th century. Brewers took their base recipe for a Porter and made some adjustments. The main objective was to make sure it is strong enough to hold up to the hop additions and allow it to age well. How to Homebrew a Baltic Porter Beer: What’s in a Name? Have you ever wondered how a Porter received its name? Since this beer style was very popular with dock workers, who were busy loading and unloading ships, the term porter was used when referring to this … [Read more...]