Beer-FAQ

Kolschbier is a popular “warm weather beer” and German classic.  The name Kolsch (pronounced “kelsch”) is derived from its location… Koln, Germany (or Cologne for us Yanks).  The name indicates that the beer was brewed in the traditional style of that particular city.

In order to officially called a Kolsh, the beer must be brewed by a member of the Koln Brewers Union.  Much like the name “champagne” in the snobbier world of wine, the name Kolschbier is protected and controlled by the Union and may not be used by anyone else.

I think Ben Franklin gives us the best definition of what beer is….

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

If you need to know more than that.. read on.

Simple Definitions

According to Webster’s online dictionary, "beer is a fermented alcoholic beverage brewed from malt and hops."  Other definitions have expanded on this slightly by discussing other ingredients (yeast, water, etc.), but the simple definition above is accurate.

Wikipedia (as you would expect) has a more detailed definition that I rather like:

This question was recently submitted by a reader, and to tell you the truth I did not know much about the formaldehyde in beer issue.  My initial reaction was "of course there is not formaldehyde in beer", but as I dug deeper into the research I began to grow concerned.

Now when I hear "formaldehyde" I think of preserving corpses… not exactly getting me in the mood for a cold one.  So to start off I figured a definition of formaldehyde was in order:

Steam Beer – History

The steam beer, or California Common, is an American original and was first produced in California during the gold rush (late 19th Century).  The style of beer is very much tied to the west coast and in particular San Francisco.

At its height, this style of beer was brewed by as many as 27 different breweries in California.  Today, “steam beer” is a trademarked term, and can only be brewed under that name by Anchor Steam Brewing Co. in San Francisco, CA.  Other brewers now use the name “California Common” for this style.

History of Porter Beer

The porter has a very interesting history and a fair amount of disagreement on what it is and should be, leaving the question of exactly what is a porter beer?.  Originally, a “porter” or porter beer was not a single beer at all but a combination of beers mixed together based on customer requests.  The British have a custom of mixing cheaper and lighter beers with heavier more expensive aged beers (i.e. a black and tan). The combining of these beers would create what was called an “entire beer”.