here's to beer! (part 1)

In the summer, a young woman's fancy turns to thoughts of beer. At least, mine do. And beer sommelier, educator, writer and super-cool beer chick Christina Perozzi is here to tell us all — chicks and non-chicks alike — about the finer points of our favorite fizzy lifting drink.

In this installment of our three-part interview, find out all about beer trends and summer favorites. Then stay tuned for future posts with advice on throwing a beer-pairing dinner and how to turn your favorite beerphobes into beer fans.

As a beer educator, what are the most common misconceptions you hear from people learning about beer?
Oh, beer is completely misunderstood, in almost every way. People don’t even know what its made of. A lot of people have heard the word “hops” but they have no idea what it is or the effect it has on beer. The biggest misconception by far is that a beer that is dark is a bitter and heavy beer. The color of a beer has absolutely nothing to do with how bitter it is or how much alcohol content that beer has. I always say that judging a beer by its color is like judging a book by its cover!

How much difference in flavor and quality is there between beer on tap, in bottles and in cans?
Well, some beers are bottle-conditioned and/or bottle-fermented and meant to be served out of a bottle and are better that way. A lot of people assume that draught beers are always better, but that’s not the case at all. It all depends on the style of beer and how the brewer feels that the beer is best served.

Whether the beer is served from a bottle or a can or on tap affects the balance of the beer in terms of temperature and carbonation levels. I actually like beer in cans…but not the ones that you are thinking of. You’ve probably heard people talk about a beer being “skunky.” Well, skunkiness in a beer comes from the hops in the beer being hit by light rays. That’s why the best beers are always served in dark bottles.

A can is even better because there’s no threat of light hitting the beer. The cans I like are a little different. They are lined inside with some kind of plastic, I think, so you don’t get any of that tinny flavor. And these beers should be poured into a glass and not consumed straight from the can so you can get the aromatics. There are some great craft beers that are being served in a can these days. There’s Oskar Blues and Surly Brewing Company, off the top of my head.

What are the new trends in beer?
Sour beers have a kind of cult following right now…and I am one of the followers. They are beers that use a wild fermentation process that gives them a super sour, tart and puckery funkiness that doesn’t sound good as I’m saying it, but are awesome if you acquire the taste. Some of them are like biting down on a lemon. They are challenging and interesting beers — but definitely not for the weak-hearted. I call them advanced beers.

Are there certain beer styles, flavors or beer-making countries that are getting trendy?
Craft and artisan beers have been growing exponentially in popularity — but I don’t think that it’s a trend. I just think that finally beer is getting its due.

A cold beer is great on a warm summer day. Do you have any seasonal favorites, or any other beers you recommend specifically for summer?
I love the beer seasons. This summer, I’m really loving a style of German ale called Kolsch. The real ones are only from Cologne (or Koln), Germany. It's nice and bright, but light and nuanced and just yummy beer goodness.

I also love the Belgian and Belgian style Wit beers. They are crisp, unfiltered wheat beers that are traditionally fermented with curacao orange zest and coriander. There’s also a great summer style of beer that I love called Smoked Black Lager. It's black as night but totally lifts off of the palate, not heavy at all. And the smokiness of it is great with summer barbecue.

There’s also a great brewer here in Los Angeles called Craftsman Brewing Company — they make the Smoked Black Lager and another beer that I love for summer called Orange Grove Ale. It's orangey, but not sweet — so good.

What is your favorite food/beer summer combo?
I just said it, I think! Right this minute it's Smoked Black Lager and ribs. But this could change at any moment!

Check out Christina's website and blog.

Comments

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