Pizza Today - January 2017 - 22

with KEITH COFFMAN

on tap

Tapping What's in Style

s mentioned last month, popular ales include pale ales, india
pale ales, brown ales, porters,
stouts, Hefeweizens, Kolschs, Goses,
sours and barley wines. IPAs and pale
ales are two of the most popular craft
beer styles in the United States.
IPAs and pale ales are hoppy and
bitter with higher ABVs (alcohol by
volume) and IBUs (international bitter units). Depending upon the hops
used, they can taste floral or piney.
They tend to be lighter in color due to
the fact that most are brewed with less
malty grains. IPAs and pale ales pair
well with spicy food, including pizza.
The higher acidity of IPAs cleanses
the palate and aids in breaking down
fats during digestion.
As popular as IPAs and pale ales
are with craft beer drinkers, their
bitterness can be polarizing for those
that have historically only drank light
beers. Be sure that your waitstaff asks
good questions when customers ask
for recommendations. It's helpful to
find out if they like hoppy or bitter
beers up front before bringing them
out a super-dank IPA.
2 2 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / J A N UA R Y 2 0 1 7

Porters, stouts and brown ales are
also extremely popular ale styles,
especially during the colder weather
months. They tend to be extremely
"malty" and "filling" with amazing
flavor profiles that come forward
while being enjoyed. Brewers love
getting creative when brewing darker
ales by adding coffee, cocoa, specific
brand chocolates, vanilla and more.
To make them even better, porters,
stouts and brown ales are some of
the most popular styles being barrel
aged. When barrel aged, they pick up
additional ABV and flavors from the
used barrels. Porters, stouts and brown
ales range in ABV from six percent to
upwards of 20 percent and are generally higher in calories. A pint of a
typical imperial stout may have more
than 600 calories! If you want to blow
your customers' minds, offer "Dirty
Milkshakes" on your menu made with
a Porter or Stout and your favorite
flavored liqueurs.
Sours and Goses have climbed
in popularity over the past few
years, even though they have been

around for centuries. They offer your
customers a wide variety of flavors
that range from being tangy to tart.
Sours get their "sourness" from either
bacteria (Lactobacillus or Pediococcus) or wild yeast, such as Brettanomyces, that are added during the
fermentation processes. Goses are a
style of sour beer typically made with
wheat, barley, coriander and salt. Fruit
flavors are often added to Goses and
complement their spices and salty
taste. Sours and Goses are lower in
ABV and are refreshing during the
heat of summer.
Pilsner, Märzen, Dortmunder, Bock,
Dopplebock and light lagers are all
popular lager styles. "The King of
Beer" and virtually all of the popular
Mexican beers are adjunct lagers and
are some of the most popular beers on
the market. Light lagers and pilsners
are the highest selling beers on the
market and you are probably already
selling them at your restaurant. Light
lager and pilsner fans like them for
their light, crisp taste and the fact
that they can enjoy several of them
without feeling bloated. Märzen is the
most popular Oktoberfest style and is
the original "seasonally" brewed beer,
hitting taps and shelves in late August.
Märzens are malty and sweeter tasting
and are perfect for cooler fall evenings.
Lagers have historically been lower
in ABV and lower in IBUs. This isn't
always the case now, as some brewers are testing style boundaries by
dumping hops in almost every style
imaginable. Don't be surprised when a
customer asks for an India pale lager.
Craft beer brewers are experimenting with a virtually endless number of
new styles. Try one for yourself and
enjoy a couple for me! ■
KEITH COFFMAN is the owner and
operator of Lost River Pizza Company.

By RICK DAUGHERTY

http://www.PIZZATODAY.COM

Pizza Today - January 2017

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