Arrowine

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

People often ask me about ‘what’s next’ in craft beer. What will be the next big thing? The next hot brewer, or brewery, or style? In all honesty I can only offer guesses, but I think there’s something building here that no one may quite be expecting, and it may turn out to be a great force in beer here in America: the emergence of Italian craft beers and their potential influence on food-pairing in gastropubs and (increasingly) in fine-dining restaurants here in the States. With a rich craft beer scene spearheaded by brewers who came up during the 90s, it’s easy to make the joke that these beers are arriving on ‘Italian time.’

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

This Saturday, April 7th, is Session Beer Day. Conceived by legendary beer/whisky writer Lew Bryson, Session Beer Day aims to celebrate the now-resurgent Session beer category—Ales and Lagers whose ABV (alcohol by volume) is 4.5% or less. Bryson has long been a staunch advocate for Session beer, and a defender of the 4.5% line. Today we’re going to look at the difference between “Session” and “sessionable”, and suggest some beers for you to celebrate the day with.

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

Men are scared to be seen drinking ‘fruity’ beers. Let’s be blunt and state the simple fact here; there’s a stigma attached to beers that utilize fruit and fruit flavors and it is completely undeserved. Big ad campaigns and decades of social stereotypes have made the presence of fruit in beer something most men are downright afraid of. Let me state one thing right now: there is nothing manly about the fear of being perceived as less manly. Fear is the antithesis of bravery; it is the anchor of ignorance, and the only true barrier separating uncertainty from understanding. If you’ve taken anything away from this ‘Beer 101’ series I’ve been writing, I hope it’s the confidence to never let anyone tell you what it is you should or shouldn’t like and I include myself in that statement. The truth is that fruit has been used in beer as long as there has been beer on this planet and enjoying it says nothing about a person beyond what their taste buds respond to.

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

We’ll be taking a quick detour from wrapping up our series focusing on Belgium this week to take a look at one of the best and most important topics pertaining to beer right now: local breweries.

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

Today’s column touches on a sensitive subject related to last week’s look at Lambic beers. That would be the subject of brettanomyces, the wild yeast that makes the spontaneous fermentation of Lambic happen. Brett is a touchy topic as many tend to either love or hate its presence in beer. In fact, brett is the dividing line that keeps many wine drinkers from appreciating beer, as its presence in wine is a basic, inherit fault. In beer however, brett has a long history of use and is a major factor in the profile of many beer styles.

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

Our “Beer 101” series is finally upon one of my favorite styles; one that sees much casual indifference among many craft beer fans who’ve never taken the time to experience the joys of its better examples, and often shied away from by relatively new drinkers unprepared for some of the key aspects to its glory. I’m talking about Lambic beers today of all types, from the ripest fruit-infused Kriek to the sharpest, most sour Gueuze. Bear in mind that I do want to go further into the subjects of both sweet and sour beers at some point, but for this week let’s just focus on Lambic, okay?

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

Of all the topics we’ve covered in our tour through Belgian beer, and all of the categories yet to come, Abbey and Trappist Ales are going to get the shortest shrift. It’s unfortunate but inevitable; there is simply too much history and nuance within these beers and their breweries to produce one fully comprehensive, properly detailed article without writing a missive that would frankly be too long to hold the beginning beer enthusiasts’ attention. So this week let’s get a relatively brief rundown on what you really need to know about some of the best beers in the world.

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

It’s hard to imagine here in 2012 American, but the Belgian style of beer known as Saison was near-death not 15-20 years ago. Like many other beer styles, the rise of the American craft beer scene created an interest in Saison that brought this clean, refreshing Ale back from the brink and then some. In fact, it seems difficult these days to find a brewery that isn’t making a Saison of one form or another. Let’s take a look at a style of Belgian beer that has charmed the world.

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

Continuing our look at the many beers of Belgium, this week’s column features one of the most common and varied styles of Belgian beer—the Golden or Blonde Ale. For the sake of this column we’re going to put Golden and Blonde Ales under the same umbrella. Outside of color, the common thread through many Golden Ales is the use of Pilsner malt and bottle conditioning, either through the beer being unfiltered (and left to condition in the bottle) or by adding yeast to a filtered beer causing an extra fermentation. Golden Ales tend to strike a fine balance between their bright, slightly citrusy notes and their alcohol level (which can range anywhere from 6-9% ABV and up).

Editor’s Note: This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway).

Our first Belgian style spotlight is going to be on Witbier (“white beer”). If you set aside the ubiquity of Stella Artois (a Pilsner), it is more than likely that Witbier is the most popular Belgian beer style in the United States. Much of this is due to another mass-produced and mass-market Ale, the MillerCoors-produced Blue Moon. Through the proliferation of Blue Moon, interest and demand for Witbiers has skyrocketed and craft brewers have stepped up with amazing examples of the style to rival the classics.