Discovery!

I have discovered the most phenomenal LIGHT BEER that has ever existed! 


Dixie Brewing out of New Orleans has a few decent beers. The one of highlight however is the Jazz Amber Light.


My first thought on this beer was that it was going to be another "diet" beer for the poor saps who think that matters.


I was quickly corrected. It IS a light beer, but actually has a ton of good malt flavor with a refreshing quality that you just can't beat. It has 4.13% ABV and only 92 calories. This is a testament of Dixie's ability to brew a good session beer.


Despite the never-ending snobtastic reviews from the multiple beer reviewing websites, I gave this one a try and am quite pleased. 


To all of you who shun a well made light beer, shove it.

Hops

Hops are an important ingredient in beer. They not only add flavor, aroma and bitterness... but actually improve the shelf life of a beer as well.

There are many varietals of hops. I would even go as far as to say grapes are to wine as hops are to beer. The make-up of a hop is what gives it's different characteristics. For instance a hop with a low alpha acid typically gives a less bitter aspect (or so I have observed). Something like Fuggle hops will not be a serious bittering hop and more of a flavoring hop. A Columbus hop with give a big bitter note.

Check out Northern Brewer to get some ideas on all the different varietals of hops.

There is a simple rule with hops. The time when you add them to a boil will affect the beer.

-Hops added early on right after the heat break correlate directly with bitterness.


-Hops added at a middle point (your choice depending on you beer) will correlate with flavor.


-Hops added toward the end correlate with aroma. Some people steep whole hop leaves in an act called "dry hopping" to add even more aroma. This is done long after the wort boil.

I am going to attempt to grow my own hop vines, so wish me luck!