Beer in England is more than an invigorating liquid, it is a way of life, a circle of acquaintances, it is particularly intimate conversations, which in Italy are born with a glass of Chianti.
The geographical location, the isolation of island England from the rest of the world is also reflected in the beer produced there. While almost all other parts of the world prefer low-fermented beers, the British remain faithful to the old beers with surface fermentation, such as good old ales.
English beer has a long history. British ales, like Belgian monastic beers, are very close to the beverage drunk in Europe 2-3 centuries ago-before low fermentation and all low-fermenting beers were discovered.
Until the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, large-scale beer production was established in the large English monasteries. In Great Britain, isolated by seas and oceans, English ales were flavored with rosemary, a plant that was attributed magical properties to drive away evil spirits. So rosemary was very important during the countless religious and pagan festivals that filled British daily life. Beer was the main drink for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
From the 17th century hops began to be brought to the British Isles from Flanders and a new drink appeared. But the new drink had to retain its former name “ale” in order for it to be accepted throughout the country. Since that time the term “ale” has been used to refer to the traditionally English beers, while the common word “beer” means any barley-based beverage. Ale is a purely English invention compared to other beers around the world. Ale…the fruity flavor of this type of beer comes from a fairly rapid fermentation that takes place in heat with the addition of various types of yeast that rise up during the fermentation. This fermentation is known as “bottom-up fermentation,” a characteristic of ales. The color and strength can vary. There are many varieties of ale.
In the United Kingdom, bitter beers are the most popular. Currently, these varieties account for more than three-quarters of the total volume of ale produced. Bitter beers are represented in any bar and usually in a larger than all other beers. The color range varies from golden yellow to old gold, including all the close copper-red hues. Bitter ales are low in alcohol.
All Bitter beers are dry, with a noticeable bitterness, because more hops are added, which gives the beer a specific hop flavor. Pale ale is one of the brightest representatives of bitters. One of the most famous is India pale ale, a high quality ale with a fruity taste and a large hop content. It was named so because it withstood a long journey to India for the British troops without loss of quality, unlike the usual varieties. Brawn ale – there are two varieties of this beer in Great Britain, differing from each other by the degree of sweetness. Cream ale – not a very strong golden ale. Mild – in England it is an ale with a lot of hops, usually not strong, sometimes dark. Old ale (Old ale) – a dark ale of medium strength, which is most often drunk in winter. Stout is a very dark, almost black strong beer. By the way of cooking stouts are one of the varieties of ales, but so peculiar that it is accepted to separate into a separate group. The most famous representative of stouts is a unique beer, which began to be brewed by Arthur Guinness in Dublin in the mid-18th century. Guinness, which has become a symbol of Ireland, today is produced by many breweries around the world. Due to its enormous popularity, in addition to the draft version of the traditional ale, it has been sold in bottles and even in cans. Brewers distinguish three main types of stouts.
Dry stout (including Guinness) is necessarily bitter in taste and is made from well roasted barley. This beer has a unique bouquet and a thick creamy foam. This beer is not the strongest (containing 5% of alcohol), but the most popular of stouts, especially in Ireland. Imperial stout is even stronger and more expressive than its dry cousin, it usually contains 7-9% alcohol and especially a lot of hops.
Sweet stout is quite rare but particularly appreciated by connoisseurs. As strong and hoppy as Imperial Stout, but specially sweetened after the fermentation, this beer rivals dessert wines. Porter is a very dark ale and great-grandfather of stouts; it is made from the especially dark (not roasted) malts and especially soft water, moderately strong – about 5% of alcohol and very tasty. It differs from stout not only in taste but also in color, as porter has a slightly reddish tint. This beer first appeared at the beginning of the 18th century as a mixture of three ales: pale, mild and dark. According to one of the versions, its name comes from the English word porter, as the drink was very popular among porters in the markets of London. The recipe of porter was gradually improved and its popularity reached its peak in the 19th century. Today porter is again popular in many countries around the world.
The peculiarity of English beer is that the beer undergoes the pre-fumigation in kegs, where additional sugar is added, thereby obtaining live beer with natural carbonation. To find the native real beer of England you need to go to the pub. Pubs are a purely English national institution, as important as royalty. For an Englishman the pub is a second home, a special world with its own life and traditions, where you can relax, change your look, take off your strict suit and come in jeans.
There are about 70,000 pubs in Britain, which are as essential to beer as the brewers themselves. As a rule, the brewers themselves own most of the pubs. Beer is poured there by magnificent hand-pumps made of wood or porcelain and decorated with ornaments. They have nameplates with the emblems of beer brands attached to them, which can be ordered. To use these pumps, the bartender needs to pull the lever two or three times to pump a pint of beer. After ordering at the bar and paying immediately, you can sit anywhere and sit as long as you like. This creates a wonderful fraternity atmosphere. In the daytime, when the pubs are almost empty and pensioners sit quietly at their tables, business dates are arranged. Working-class neighborhood pubs have a different vibe than business-class pubs in London. The British spend two or three nights a week in the pubs. They necessarily have a bell over the bar. At 10.50 p.m. the barman strikes it to inform the customers that the closing time is approaching. Isn’t beer in Britain not only a refreshing and soul-warming drink? Beer is a special religion here…