We recently read an article that although beer is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, few actually know how it is made. As a result we chose to dedicate this month’s article to the art of brewing to help ensure we all know how our beloved beer is made!

Brewing is the production of beer through steeping grains (or another starch source) in water and then fermenting with yeast. It has taken place since the 6th millennium BC, with archaeological evidence suggesting that this technique was used in ancient Egypt.

The basic ingredients of beer are water; a fermentable (convertible into alcohol) starch source, such as malted barley; a brewer’s yeast to produce the fermentation; and a flavouring, such as hops. More adventurous brewers add almost any other ingredient to the brew, e.g. spices, oranges, tea, honey, chocolate and coffee! There are several steps in the brewing process (illustrative diagram below):

1. Malting – converting barley into malt by allowing grain to germinate

2. Milling – here the malt is crushed to break apart the grain kernels and expose the starches, key for fermentation

3. Mashing – converts the starches released during the malting stage, into a sugar rich liquid or "wort" that can then be fermented

4. Lautering – during this stage the wort created during the mash is then strained through the bottom of the mash tun

5. Boiling – where the wort is moved into a large tank, known as a kettle and boiled with hops to help create the flavour, bitterness, and aroma of the beer

6. Fermenting – yeast is added to the wort, converting sugars into alcohol

7. Conditioning – here the yeast starts to settle to the bottom of the tank once fermentation has finished

8. Filtering – is undertaken to stablise the beer’s flavour, and give its polished shine

9. Packaging – putting beer into containers which will leave the brewery

Our 3rd beer on the growler for 2012 is Holgate’s Road Trip IPA. Inspired by Paul and Natasha’s recent brewery and beer tour through the craft brewing "capital" of the world – the Pacific North West of the USA – this IPA is loaded up with multiple additions of Chinook, Centennial and Cascade hops from that region creating a piney and passionfruit hop fest with a hint of grapefruit and marmalade. Quickly becoming a beer enthusiastis favourite the Roap Trip is a very drinkable hop bonanza!

What would you say to a beer that is sour in taste? We have just recently started trying a few sour beers and are finding them to be an interesting concept! Sour beer is a style characterised by an intentionally acidic, tart, sour taste. A strange idea indeed when you consider that for most other beers an acidic taste suggests that the beer has encountered an undesired infection during the brewing process.

Unlike traditional beer-brewing, which is done in a sterile environment to guard against the intrusion of yeast, sour beers are made by allowing yeast strains, bacteria, or alternatively fruit to enter the brew, often creating a secondary fermentation. Two great examples of sour beers are Mikkeller’s Sur Munk and Cantillon’s Gueze.

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and got to enjoy a few fantastic beers.

For those that were lucky enough to receive a Beer Cartel Beer Club subscription, the January club pack will be shipped out in the 2nd week of January, to maximise people being back at home rather than travelling on holiday.

Click here to view the January club beers

Enjoy!

So you want to get some wicked beers for Christmas or New Years but need to know our store hours – then wait no longer!

Friday 23rd: 8:30am – 6pm
Saturday 24th: 11am – 3pm
Sunday 25th – Thursday 29th: Closed
Friday 30th: 11am – 3pm
Saturday 31st: 11am – 3pm
Sunday 1st – Monday 2nd: Closed

Tuesday 3rd: normal hours return:

8:30am-6pm Monday – Friday, 11am-3pm Saturdays

Wishing all a Merry Beery Christmas and a great New Year!

If you are looking for a great beer gift for Christmas here are two unique ones:

Ultimate Beer Guide – $24.99

Beer & Brewer magazine’s ULTIMATE BEER GUIDE includes a collection of weekend away travel articles to 33 destinations and lists 1800+ beers and ciders across Australia & New Zealand. All known breweries that are open to the public across Australia & New Zealand are featured, plus cider producers, distilleries, good beer venues, such as bars, restaurants and bottleshops, even homebrew shops, plus beer events and things to see and do for the family along the way!

Ultimate Beer Guide’s 33 weekend away travel articles have been written by 26 leading beer and travel writers all over Australia and New Zealand, whom have the necessary local and professional experience required to best report on the local beer, brewing and family things to see and do in each region.

A great travel companion on any beer related road trip!

Beer & Brewer Magazine – $32.99

Beer and Brewer is a quarterly magazine celebrating the beer lifestyle and industry in Australia & New Zealand. Each edition serves up industry and beer news, travel ideas, beer & food matching, home brewing tips and recipes and tasting notes on beers available in Australia & New Zealand.

A great read and a must have for any beer enthusiast!

Add this magazine to your shopping cart and have the next issue delivered straight to your door!

With Christmas approaching fast we have dedicated this months newsletter to the ‘12 days of Christmas’ – here is our top 12, perfect as a gift for friends and family or even yourself! Available online and via our Sydney store; Unit 9, 87 Reserve Road, Artarmon.

1. Mixed Boutique Beer Pack – from $30
With 6 and 12 packs available, the beers in this mixed pack have been hand picked from breweries around Australia and abroad. Includes tasting booklet with information on each beer; where it’s made, recommended serving temperature, history of the beer, awards won and suggested food pairings.

2. 4 Pines Brewery Experience – $95
Head to the 4 Pines in Manly for this great experience. Includes tasting rack, Mega Burger Meal, 4 Pines T-Shirt and a 6 pack of beer.

3. Spiegelau Beer Connoiseur Pack – $59.95
From the world’s leading beer glass brand comes this great pack including a Wheat Glass, Tall Pilsner Glass, Lager Glass and Stemmed Pilsner Glass.

4. Holgate Brewhouse Getaway Package for 2 – $250
The Holgate Brewhouse located 1 hour north of Melbourne at Woodend is the ultimate getaway to recharge the batteries. This offer includes 1 nights accommodation in a spacious Village room, 3 course dinner for two, breakfast for two and a beer tasting paddle.

5. Little Creatures All Sorts Pack – $29.99
The Little Creatures All Sorts mixed beer and cider pack gives you the chance to sample your way through Little Creatures brews and get a real appreciation for the work of one of Australia’s first micro breweries.

6. Stone and Wood Pacific Ale 24 Pack – $79.99
Stone and Wood Pacific Ale is cloudy and golden with a big fruity aroma and a refreshing finish. Pacific Ale was named No.1 beer in the recently released ‘Critic’s Choice: Australia’s Best Beers’.

7. Beer Cartel Club Membership – From $28 per month
Available in half dozen and dozen options, every month the lucky recipient will get either three (with half dozen) or four (with dozen) different beers to try from Australia and around the world. Includes tasting notes plus beer scoring sheets to rate each beer. As seen in the Sun Herald Gift Guide.

8. Brew your own 50 Litres of beer – from $235
Available in both Sydney and Melbourne this experience gives the lucky recipient the chance to brew their own beer from a wide range of recipes available, producing 144 bottles (6 cartons) of great beer. A fantastic hands on experience.

9. Australian Beer Lovers Guide 2011 Edition – $29.95
A year on from the first release of The Beer Lovers Guide to Australia comes the 2011 updated edition. With more breweries added and a greater depth of coverage this is truly the book to have if you are into Australian beer.

10. Beer Cartel Growler Gift Pack – $65.00
Enjoy those tap only beers that we have available in our Beer Cartel Sydney store. Includes glass Growler, two tasting glasses, tasting booklet and one free Growler fill.

11. Two Birds Golden Ale – 24 pack – $69.95
From the ex Head Brewer of Mountain Goat comes this great easy drinking golden ale – perfect for enjoying on Christmas day. Melon and citrus aromas with spice and apricot notes make this an excellent beer for summer.

12. Deluxe Beer Gift Pack – $189
This is the king of gift hampers! It contains a selection of fantastic Australian and International boutique beers as well as gourmet food items, two beer glasses and the book The Beer Lovers Guide to Australia. All beautifully presented in a specially designed open-top wooden box, the Deluxe Beer Gift Pack is guaranteed to put the smile on anyones face!

Please note: due to the increase in parcels being sent by Australia Post during this busy time of year we recommend all online orders are placed prior to the 16th December to ensure receipt prior to Christmas. And don’t forget if you’ve left it to the 11th hour we’ll send you a gift card to give to the person on Christmas Day! Store pick up available right up to Christmas Eve!

Christmas is just around the corner – we can almost smell it! And with Christmas it means the chance to enjoy a few very special beers that you wouldn’t otherwise get to taste in the normal turn of the year. We always get such a thrill working out what beers we’re going to sample over the break – our eyes light up and we’re just like kids in a candy store!

And while it is a chance to try something different, there are brewers who also take it as a chance to create something different. Take for instance Mikkeller, the "phantom” microbrewery, originally based in Copenhagen, Denmark who now brew throughout the world including Norway, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 2011 they created not just one but four Christmas beers:

Mikkeller Fra Til (meaning From To) – a Spiced Imperial Porter

Mikkeller Santas Little Helper – a Spiced Strong Dark Belgian Ale

Mikkeller Hoppy Lovin’ Christmas – an Indian Pale Ale (IPA) new for Christmas 2011 brewed with ginger and pine needles

Ris a la M’ale – inspired by the dessert Risalamande, brewed with cherries, almond and vanilla

Thankfully we have the first three in stock – hopefully there might just be a couple left over for us!

Looking deeper on the subject of Christmas beer we found that in Denmark there is a special style of beer that is marketed specifically around Christmas; Julebryg and Juleøl (Christmas beer). The beers vary in strength and style, though tend to be malty and around 6% abv. Examples include Tuborg Julebryg (a 5.6% pale lager), Svaneke Julebryg (a 5.6% dark lager), Fur Julebryg (a 6.5% brown ale), Fjordens Juleøl (a 6% dark lager), and Raasted Juleøl (a 8.5% dark ale).