I went to a beer tasting class this weekend. I learned a lot about beer making and it’s primary ingredients water, barley, hops and yeast. A good beer is made up of a few simple components, and a bunch of scientific processes. The cult of craft beers has taken beer-making into another realm.
I found out that in our town, there will soon be a new tap room that only serves sour beer. Sour beer is a cross between champagne, wine and beer. In pushing the boundaries of beer, the beer-makers use fresh fruits such as, lemons, apricots, gooseberries, raspberries and other fruits to make a variety of this puckery, bubbly concoction.
We think of the future of beer-making and we ask ourselves how can they improve on beer? Just pass one over here. Whether or not you like sour beer, lager or good old-fashioned ale, the beer revolution is on. In the science of beer-making the brewmaster is a scientist and an artist. Both roles are valuable to him. When it comes to yeast culture in the beer, the brewmaster can be happy to exclaim: “It’s Alive!”

Musically yours, Amy Zents