What do beer infections taste like?

Good question.



This past weekend, I had a friend who was infected and today at a great local craft fusion cafe there may have been some infection in ma biere.

For details on how to (without sounding like a beer snob) tell bars you think their beer is infected check out this CraftBeer mag article.

Me- I like that my De Molen Zus & Zo (aka This & That) Saison had a strikingly acidic background. I liked that my Nøgne Ø 2 Captains Double IPA this weekend was a dry, fruit and pine hopped beer that also happened to finished like carbonated sour tarts.

Beer infections

are caused by wild yeast/bacteria strains entering into a fermenting beer. It is a broad term that can refer to many things and be caused by many things.

[caption id="attachment_2513" align="aligncenter" width="458"] beer infection... it's still drinkable though, right?[/caption]

Essentially there are two types of beer infections:

Wild yeast

Brettanomyces pediococcus, lactobacillus, or acetobacter

Tart, acid, sometimes musky, vinegar, cheesy or woody 

Other

Diacetyl- buttered popcorn or butterscotch
Acetaldehyde- green apple
Trans-2 nonenal- oxidation or wet cardboard
Dimethyl sulfide (DMS)- cooked corn or canned asparagus
Methyl mercaptan- skunky
Ethyl acetate- nail polish remover
Isoamyl acetate- bananas

Practice your sensory skills with Randy Mosher's infinitely useful book Tasting Beer.

John Palmer's How to Brew explains beer HOW AND WHY beer infections:

Symptom: It smells like vinegar.

Cause 1: Bacteria In this case, it probably is. Aceto bacteria (vinegar producing) and Lacto bacteria (lactic acid producing) are common contaminates in breweries. Sometimes the infection will produce sweet smells like malt vinegar, other times they will produce cidery smells. It will depend on which bug is living in your wort. Aceto bacteria often produce ropy strands of jelly which can be a good visual indicator, as can excessive cloudiness, after several weeks in the fermentor (although some cloudiness is not unusual, especially in all-grain beers).
Cure: If you don't like the taste, then pour it out. Lactic infections are desired in some beer styles.

Cause 2: Wild Yeast/Bacteria Two other bugs are also common, Brettanomyces and Pediococcus. Brettanomyces is supposed to smell like horse sweat or a horse blanket. Raise your hand if you know what a horse smells like. From sweat, I mean. Anyone? I think Brettanomyces smells like leather, myself. Pediococcus can produce diacetyl and acidic aromas and flavors.

One man's garbage can be another man's gold though. These two cultures and Lacto bacteria are actually essential to the Belgian Lambic beer styles. Under other circumstances and styles, beers that taste like Lambics would be discarded instead of being carefully nurtured and blended over a two year period. Lambic beers have a pronounced tartness with fruity overtones. This type of beer is very refreshing and is excellent with heavy food.
Cure: Be meticulous in your sanitation or investigate Lambic brewing.

Why do (some) beer infections taste good?

[caption id="attachment_2512" align="alignnone" width="960"] Our beloved Cantillon is, essentially, a beer infection in a bottle[/caption]

As the rise in sour beer love evolves and we pucker up to sour beer education, we are transported back to pre-historic tasting beers. A time when yeast control was a thing of the future and we all beers were wild fermented.

As John Palmer stated above, Belgian Lambics are essentially beer that was left out in the open, infected by the wild things in the air and later sipped by beer geeks of the highest order.

Lambic is the beer style who production is most plagued by myth, misinformation, and archaic procedures

-The Mad Fermentationist

Make sure you understand that American's don't make Lambics!

And keep an open mind to Brett-y-nicey infections- they might be just the kick you were looking for.

XOXO

Quickie, Geekie, Good at Express de Lyon

Express de Lyon is Paris's stop over craft beer location because it is located so conveniently, as I've talked about before. Just jump out of the Gare de Lyon and cross the street- Bam, instant beer geek surprises await you.

I like surprises and I happen to be at Gare de Lyon.

It goes a little sumthin like this...

What's that Mikkeller Stout ya got up there with the squiggly lines by the name? It says the abv is 17%- sounds like hell.

Wana try it?

Fuck yes, I do. (The 2 ounce pour gave me a buzz.)

I'll take it.

How about this nice Chimay Rouge we got just got in- c'est tres bon!

Yeah, yeah, I'll drink your free samples. (Pretend to be interested in beer)

Naw, naw, that's all malty red fruits and surprisingly good balance. I'm looking more for something that will immediately give me a fun loving beer goggle effect.

You seem to have a Mikkeller Barley Wine up there that says it is 18%, does it come in pints?

It's a 14cl pour but it's better then the Tokoyo Stout.

Sold- fill her up.

I hate chardonnay. I don't know why I ordered this beer. Fucking attractive bar guy with his stupidly cute fohawk not getting my "I'm drinking alone and looking to get drunk, please talk to me" non verbal signals. Stop making me laugh and enjoy your free samples!

When will my Beer lovers dating website registration be confirmed? Damn rustic stone building, blocking my wifi signal.

Express de Lyon's MIKKELLER- Barely Wine from hell

A: Huge head, massive. Look at the picture, it's obscene. (And it takes up a lot of space in my little glass, I want a refill)

S: Just smells like a fucking chardonnay beer to me. Grapes that have been smushed on a barn floor covered with hay.

T: This is one of those sipping beers.

O: You sip and your mouth holds the liquid refusing to swallow. Act cool, you'll get it down. Your mind does a manual over ride and- down the hatch! A burning shiver starts at the back of your tongue and travels down to your forearm hairs.

If I didn't have another half glass of this stuff, I'd not do that again. Don't wince when your nose gets to it, someone might be looking!

Nitch signing off after one mini drink. I'm drunk and already have a hard time navigating the metro without all the haze and personal fits of laughter. Wish me luck!

XOXO

Tasting Location- Express de Lyon Paris, France

 

Express de Lyon

Paris, France

Where craft beer and French café intersect

If you happen to be near Gare de Lyon, whizzing your touristy way through Paris, take a metro break and cross the street to one of the most well hidden beer sampling locations in Paris- Express de Lyon. Camouflaged as a typical station stop café-bar, Express de Lyon is a heaven for hardcore beer geeks as well as vanilla beer drinkers.



A Yelp post by Cameron M. explains the secret behind Express de Lyon's unique place in the Paris bar society:

"...BUT the secret is, the owner is a huge beer geek. For me, this is a real Paris bar (well... except [that] there is amazing beer): you have the local flavor, the die hard gamblers sipping on a Heineken, beer nuts (expats and francophones) from around the city trying the lastest microbrew on tap, tourists drinking the classic Belgians (like Chouffe or Karmeliet or worse...Amstel!!), and even some travelers passing through who stopped by while they wait for their train at the Gare de Lyon."

Chidini over at Trip Advisor had this to say:

"This humble café has some of the most exciting tap selections in town, from Evil Twin, Mikkeller, BrewDog, Craig Allan, De Molen, and other rising stars of the European craft beer scene. The atmosphere is laid back and the opposite of pretentious, and the prices are more than fair."

And for those French speaking readers:

"Un bar typiquement parisien ! Une ambiance conviviale et populaire, des bières introuvables à la pression, une clientèle jeune et souriante...Que demande le peuple ! Le service est parfois un peu long mais l'équipe compense par sa bonne humeur et son accessibilité...Chaudement recommandé !"

Trendy Paris guide Paris by Mouth notes Express de Lyon as one if it's favorite Parisian locations:

"Although it appears on first glance like any other train station-adjacent café-bar, this place is a must for serious beer geeks in Paris."

Express de Lyon is owned by two brothers, one more beer addicted than the other. Brother beer drinker wasn't in when Nitch was there, but a return visit is promised. Geek session planned!

Tasting

[caption id="attachment_1587" align="alignright" width="696"] Note how the Funky E-star (in the foreground) has bigger, more round fat bubbles while the Green Gold has a tighter, more creamy head.[/caption]

MIKKELLER- Funky E-star 9.39% 4.90/5.50

Funky indeed.

S: Steeped malts, fermenting fruit like a cider in the fermenter

T: bitter and dry, with sweet beery hop notes and a skunky hop undertone, no strong alcohol presence

M: Dry with a light resin coating

O:  Likely to be better in the bottle than on the tap line, Funky E-star is one of my least loved Mikkeller beers to date. The off fruit tickles the nose and the hops are hidden under the malts.

MIKKELLER- Green Gold 7% 4.90/5.50

Smells Green!

S: Hops, citrus hops and a distinct uh.. hop smell

T: Fresh hops pop out bitter then a tart cherry bitter finish

M: More creamy then Funky E-star, smoother on the palate but still light to medium in body

O: More fresh and enjoyable then the first beer, Green Gold lives up to it's name as a treasure of golden green hop goodness.

[caption id="attachment_1588" align="alignnone" width="696"] Things are hand written on a chalk board, bistro style and, as you can see from the hand, are willingly explained but the bar man.[/caption]

Findings

Both beers tasted were a bit flat, green gold a bit less so, but there was a mild question mark as to rather or not the tap lines need a little cleany up. Dive bars aren't known for their cleanliness so, lets chalk it up to authenticity, shall we?

If you want to save yourself some piggy bank money, then sit at the bar (if possible) rather than a table. There is about a .60 cent mark up for table service. Not saying that you'll get better service at the tables or anything, more like you are charged for renting the table space; 4.90 for bar Mikkeller, 5.50 for table Mikkeller. Drink 8 bar beers and you've paid for your 9th in savings!

As we learned from Brandon over at Cave à bulles, Express de Lyon is owned by two brothers who recently were converted to the hop loving order. Brother hop maniac wasn't in attendance at the time of our visit, but we were assured by brother hop enjoyment that he would hold a lengthly vigil with us upon our next visit.

I like it- dive, dirty and divine

XOXO

Tasting Location: Cave à bulles- Paris, France

"Jack the ripper was high on hops"

Simon, owner of Cave à bulles (cave of bubbles, CaB) in Paris, is a firm believer in the health detriments and damaging mental effects of hops on the human mind and body.

"You are addicted to hops, I can tell," he says as I look up from sniffing a package of hop candy.

"Is it the t-shirt?," I question, knowing that my West Coaster, 'DRINK LOCAL BEER' threads could be a bit bold for the region.

Simon is a member of FHL- Front Hexagonal de Libièration and believes we need to liberated from the addictive trends of the hops. (Not really.) (Well kinda.) (More later, read on)

Cave à bulles

[caption id="attachment_1346" align="alignleft" width="410"] French craft beers get the main stage while American imports get a floor side box[/caption]

Located in the thrumming heart of Paris, CaB is within walking distance of the Musée du Louvre, crowded by cafés and open street shopping, housing over 100 boutique beers, most of which are French made. Thats right, you heard me- FRENCH CRAFT BEER. (I told you it was real!)

When you walk in, the shelf to the left is Northern France while the beers of Southern France fill the right. Belgium is tucked around the corner and the rest of the world get to share racks below and in the front window.

I stuck out a hand to the shop man to keep from spinning in circles like a dog chasing it's tail in fixated excitement. His name was Simon, owner, founder and all around crusader of proper beer culture.

"Of course you are looking for hops, you are an American- you are addicted." He stated plainly and then compared hop lovers to the mentally ill.

All I could do was shrug in compliance and ask, softly, "yeah, so... do you have any?"

"Of course we do! We love hops," stepped in the other shop man. He introduced himself as Brandon, but I knew him to be the American Beer Geek in Paris who's blog (now mostly discontinued due to a bustling reality) had popped up a few times in my searches, and boy howdy indeed, did they have some beers to share!

Both gents leaned into my questioning with charisma and charm, Simon pausing occasionally to greet new coming patrons. I could have put a tent in the middle of the store and lived there for a few days, but reminded myself that "this isn't holy beer Woodstock," and I would simply have to get as much of a contact high as possible.

[caption id="attachment_1354" align="alignright" width="300"] Simon pulled out a book and shared in depth (fairly beer feminist things) with me about traditional beer practices in Africa.[/caption]

Mr. American Beer Geek in Paris filled me in on the local craft beer scene. With about 16 brew related shops in Paris, the city is over due for some beer bars to help grow the love of artesian beer beyond the take come bottle (or box, in my case). He promptly stood from our chat session and returned with flyers and hand-out information on the two best beer sampling locations in town: Express de Lyon (adored by one of my favorite Paris blogs, Paris by Mouth) and La Finé Mousse.

He said that the facebook page of Express de Lyon was the best place to find what was on draught as the 11 taps were rotated often with obscenely hoppy and eclectic beers. Unlike Express de Lyon, La Finé Mousse has a wider selection of both bottled and tap beers from French brewers.

More about both of those locations in the future.

[caption id="attachment_1347" align="aligncenter" width="798"] My Beer Company and La Levallis (upper right picture) are the same company (check out this Paris urban blog for a backstory) and are brewed using La Valleé Chevreuse's brew equipment (upper left picture). What a community feeling we have here![/caption]

Not just for beer fanatics.

CaB pulls in people from the street, locals and tourists as well as a good size circle of regulars. With a great location and tourist season in start Mr. American Beer Geek in Paris admits that a large part of business will be from tourist foot traffic.

They also deliver to local restaurants, wine shops and, when duty calls, help customers arrange international shipping or hand transport cases of beer to disabled old ladies.

"It's pretty simple though, what sets us out from other beer shops in the city as that we genuinely care about beer and our customers. We want people to enjoy their time in our shop and every customer is different, so sometimes yeah I have to carry a case of beer for a little old lady..."

When asked what he recommends most to tourists seeking an authentic French brew, Mr. American Beer Geek in Paris pulled out a beautiful bottle of: Cuvee des Jonquilles which said he likes to suggest because it is uniquely and traditionally French. Here is a sweet blog by a beer hunter who got suggested this exact beer from a trip to CaB.

[caption id="attachment_1370" align="aligncenter" width="418"] Pricing is extremely easy[/caption]

Underground French Anti-Hop Resistance?

[caption id="attachment_1340" align="aligncenter" width="614"] FHL certified beers (left and right) 0 Hop CaB Beer (center)[/caption]

There have been points in French beer culture history when people would get into arguments about the influx of highly hopped beers, often degenerating into name calling: hop nazi, beer racist and so on. Thus the, FHL or French Hop Liberation was created to help with beer freedom, battling against people who have a hop addiction. Kinda like zombie fighters.

[caption id="attachment_1371" align="alignright" width="213"] FHL members demonstrating the mind altering effects of hops on the brain[/caption]

The FHL puts labels on all their supported brews and even puts out a 0 hop beer. How 0 hopped beer is possible you wonder, my friends, well dig this (high on hops) beer logic: 65 IBUs of hops form the northern hemisphere, and 65 IBUs from the southern hemisphere equal 0 hops.

"Because, as everyone knows, hops in the southern hemisphere grow downward," Simon explains with a impish curl of a smile forming from the edges of his mouth. Hops from the southern part of the globe are thusly, negative in IBUs, combine those with the positive IBUs of northern hops and they cancel each other out. Hop addiction, circumvented!

Although members of the FHL don't run through the French sewage system like typical French resistance fighters, they do believe in spreading the word and helping as many people as they can. Much like their historical counter parts, who fought to end fighting, these French combatants are working an underground sabotage of the hop industry. Mostly though, they are still in the information gathering phase, so they need to drinks a lot of IPAs...

Final Verdict

Rather you are going to CaB for some hop therapy (or anti hop guerrilla warfare training), a few bottles of french (and international) beer or just to swap beer culture, the scholarly gentlemen at Cave à bulles are more then willing to help. Heck, they'll even open beer for you!

I suggest, nay I insist, that if you, my dear friends and readers, get a foot on Paris soil, that you get your whole body into Cave à bulles. There is no better way to experience the full frontal assault of the French beer culture.

Merci beaucoup to Simon and Brandon for taking time out of their busy beer filled day and partaking in my interrogations. When FHL gets green berets with little hop toggles on the top- sign me up! Until then, Nitch signing off from France, kicking back with a locally brewed craft FRENCH American Pale Ale. Wahooo!

XOXO