HOW TO ENJOY YOUR BEER AT ITS BEST
BOTTLE CONDITIONING
The majority of our Ales at Brunel Bières are “bottle conditioned”. This means that they undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle which results in deeper character and a natural, soft carbonation, rather than the forced carbonation used on soft drinks and ‘bright’ bottled beers.
Beers that are bottle conditioned are “Real Ale” and served from the vessel that they were last fermented in. In a pub this would mean beer would be served directly from the cask, here you are serving it from the bottle.
TIPS AND TRICKS
- Always transport and store your bottles upright.
- Store bottles in a cool place, around 12°C would be ideal, but in a home, your coolest cupboard out of direct sunlight would be fine, or your refrigerator. Try to avoid the fridge door.
- Rinse your glass first and then pour in one motion avoiding ‘glugging’ as the yeast may be disturbed. Stop pouring before any sediment comes out. Pouring under a good light really helps with this. You are aiming to leave about 1cm of beer in the bottle if the sediment is loose, less if it’s compacted.
- If the bottles have been disturbed allow the sediment to settle back down before serving. However, don’t fear the yeast, it’s very nutritious and has other very positive effects on the body. You only have to google “brewer’s yeast health benefits” and you will be inundated with information.
SERVING TEMPERATURE
This comes down to personal preference. The bottle will give you a guide, but ultimately it is up to you.
Here are some Real ale guidelines:
- Best bitters, ESB, (Cuthbert’s, Summer Ale, Goldings) 10-13°
- IPA’S (American, Philibert’s) Bière de Noël), a little cooler at 8-10°c
- Lagers can be served at fridge temperature, or slightly warmer at around 7°c
- Wheat beers at around 5°c
- Saison generally as cold as you can get it, the same for Biére de Garde. Although some people enjoy the malty flavours from the Bière de Garde at slightly warmer temperatures.
“CHILL HAZE”
You may have wondered why sometimes your real ale is crystal clear, and other times it has a slight haze. This can be due to a phenomenon known as “chill haze”.
Chill haze sometimes occurs in real ales when the temperature is dropped below serving temperature, and it is nothing to worry about. Sometimes it disappears when the beer warms up slightly, sometimes not.
Your beer from Brunel Bières is handcrafted. From brewing to bottling the utmost care has been taken for you to receive an honest beer, without artificial clarifying agents, intensive filtering or pasteurization that would be the normal process for mass-produced beers.
Take care and enjoy your beers from Brunel Bieres, if you have any suggestions or comments on our beers then please get in touch with us at brunelbieres.fr