How often do we really scrutinise a label on a bottle of beer or the artwork on pumpclip before we part with our hard earned cash at the till? Speaking personally, a cursory glance the name of the beer, brewery and style usually does the trick for me and possibly, for most others. What other reason do people have to check a label on a bottle or pumpclip before buying? Well, given a bit of thought, there are actually quite a few. Dietary lifestyle choices such as being vegan (or vegetarian) renders any beer fined (making the beer clear, rather than cloudy) using isinglass undrinkable. Then we come to a whole raft of food sensitivities, intolerances and allergies, with the latter potentially having serious consequences. This is before we even consider thing such as alcohol units and the discrepancies across Europe; where the UK standard for alcohol is 8g compared to over double that in Hungary (17g). Thankfully most confusion surrounding this is mitigated by the percentage by volume of alcohol, which usually adorns a label, but there is the potential for confusion with some stock in the UK imported and not labelled correctly for the units. There is a huge range of gluten-free beers now available to coeliacs and those of a sensitive disposition to the protein present in many, many grains, which are often used for malt in brewing. With time, the labelling on this aspect plus the overt marketing for a gluten-free beer means those who would normally have to suffer the rather awful symptoms can now enjoy a beer without fearing for stomach problems following a drink or two. Sadly, there are still glaring issues that may not be initially apparent when it comes to a tipple and those of us who have dietary complications. With beers being brewed with ever more adventurous adjuncts and ingredients, there is a risk to labelling and ingredient consideration being an afterthought in an industry which can possibly admit to the biggest faux-pas in recognition of ingredients in its history; the German Reinheitsgebot (a purity law which initially stated that only barley/hops and water were allowed – neglecting the little powerhouse of fermentation, yeasts). It is not entirely uncommon for people to be allergic or have an intolerance to peanuts and chilli, both of which have made it into a number of beers recently. Beers which spring to mind such as Charlie Brown from Thornbridge, Yankee Sandwich from Wild Beer Co., Rogue Ales’ Sriracha Stout and Chilli Chocolate Stout from Bristol Beer Factory contain these ingredients and by virtue of the name (and labelling) it is clear that they will contain ingredients that are potentially of issue for some. However, some of the labelling in beers is less fastidious and none moreso than at Beer Festivals and indeed in pubs, where the name really doesn’t spell out what’s in a beer and the pumpclips are often only brief in the description (at best) and at worst are handwritten at festivals; with the name and alcoholic strength of a beer only. Recently, a personal acquaintance had a run in with beers containing peanuts, once in a pub serving Yankee Sandwich on keg (pump clip present but no mention of peanuts), ordering said beer before I intervened saving a rather uncomfortable situation later, thankfully his allergy is much less severe than many others’. Another case of labelling confusion involves Mad Hatter’s Smoky Bacon Banana, which oddly enough contains no bacon or banana (the smoked malt and use of a specific yeast strain provides notes of these), but you’d have to read the back of the bottle to ensure you knew it was vegetarian friendly as the flavour imparted really does translate both the monikered elements. Another beer of note in the confusion is Buxton’s Yellowbelly, (a formidable and delicious peanut butter biscuit stout) has a remarkable flavour set including that, as would be expected, of peanuts. I felt the need to check on this, as the labelling did state that it did not contain any peanuts or derivative thereof. Upon contacting Buxton Brewery, I was informed that it definitely did not use peanuts or derivatives of peanuts in making the beer; however upon being served this at a beer festival, the ABV and name of the beer were the only things present on the pumpclip (this was before my query to Buxton). It took an enquiry with the server about the Yellowbelly to find out that the beer did not contain any nuts, although they were not 100% sure themselves. From Buxton; “Yellow Belly doesn’t have any peanut or peanut derived ingredients in it at all - We are in fact required to be a peanut-free production site, as we supply M&S, among others, who stipulate it.” Whilst there is a serious argument for people being sensible about what they are drinking and reading labels carefully, there are also cases where subtleties slip through the gaps where people are drinking – as all bottles of wine usually state when sulphites are present, beers really should take the same care, whether this be at point of sale or at the brewery, to state when there are ingredients in the brew which some drinkers may potentially be sensitive to. One gripe in particular for me at the moment comes from the habit of some breweries (especially some not based in the UK) who have a penchant for labelling bottles with some aesthetically brilliant stuff, but not stating any information about the beer within. Whilst this is sometimes enigmatic and a talking point to go with their product, it is also really annoying – no mention of style, ingredients beyond the grain, yeast, water and hops (i.e. adjuncts or sugars etc) and sometimes there isn’t even a name for the beer on the bottle. I am surely not the only one who wants to know what they’re buying and drinking? There are a number of other allergen-components in our beer which can trigger an allergic reaction from those susceptible. A variety of cogeners, histamines, preservative agents, pesticides and other animal products in beers in non-vegetarian friendly beers can all trigger a reaction ranging from anaphylaxis to a mild headache or stomach ache. In addition to isinglass, egg albumin and casein can be used to fine a beer, these can also trigger reactions in certain individuals, not to mention he presence of lactose in certain milk stouts – any unfermented lactose could trigger some unpleasant symptoms for those with an intolerance. With the advent of such a prolific age of brewing, ideas are being thrown around like confetti with ever increasing beer flavourings. Since the use of adjuncts in beer has been around for a long time, with Belgian lambic ales incorporating fruit into the brews, there are a large number of UK brewings who have been using other fruits, herbs and vegetables to increase the flavour set and depth of their beers. Whilst the idea is nothing new in principle (herbs used in gruit were in British beers before hops reached the shores for flavouring) to use something other than malt and hops to bring out the best in a beer, the methods and disclosure are often a little hazy or in some cases, downright guarded. Essences, nuts, beans, fruit flesh, flowers and foliage all often used and only occasionally declared for a lot of beers. It makes things a little difficult for those who need to monitor their intake with extreme focus, but should brewers, pubs and outlets take some responsibility for making things transparent for these people? Should more of an effort be made, albeit with limited space on pumpclips and on bottle labels?
As of December 2014 there were a new set of laws that Publicans had to abide by with regard the point of sale for alcoholic drinks. Beer and wine are also governed by these new EU rules, which many places are probably still unaware of. Although it seems time consuming (indeed, a UKIP politician has commented on the unnecessary nature of labelling in a flurry of electioneering later on in 2014), there is also a positive side to ensuing people know what makes up their beer such as the avoidance of illness. More info: [http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Legal/Legislation/Publicans-reminded-they-will-need-to-give-allergens-advice-for-drinks] [http://www.beerlabelling.com] And also for information here are the allergen/food labelling laws change 13th December 2014: [https://www.food.gov.uk/science/allergy-intolerance/label] [http://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/food-allergen-labelling-technical-guidance.pdf] So where do you stand with the labelling of beers, be they served in a bar, pub, festival or from bottle shop or off license? Should a full disclosure be given as to what constitutes our beer? Pedro. ------- N.B. Article amended to reflect ingredients used in the Mad Hatter Brewery 'Drink Me Smoky Bacon Banana' - 22/09/2015
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This cake packed with risotto rice, is a cake prepared a little all over Italy with variations originating from region to region, some of which are distinctly savoury rather than served as a dessert; with some recipes calling for a hefty dose of Parmigiano-Reggiano. The alcohol is optional, with some areas using rum, others using amaretto or coffee liqueur. The version of the rice cake proposed here is based on a traditional recipe from Emilia Romagna, the region of my sister-in-law’s family, which was apparently usually prepared for Easter. This torta is best accompanied by a Prosecco or Asti, heavier dessert wines do not convey quite as well when twinned with this relatively dense dessert. What you need: 1 litre milk 100g caster sugar Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 250g risotto/arborio rice A little melted butter to grease the tin 20g desiccated coconut 4 eggs, separate the yolks and whites 100g whole Almonds/Hazelnuts, finely chopped 100g candied peel ½ tsp of vanlla essence 1tsp rum sprinkling of pine nuts pinch of salt Icing sugar, to dust What to do:
1. Put the milk, caster sugar and half the lemon zest in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Bring the milk to the boil, then stir in the rice with a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 25 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the milk absorbed. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, stirring the rice mixture occasionally. 2. Now preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4) and grease a deep, 20-25cm springform tin with softened butter, then coat with the desiccated coconut. 3. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff but not dry peaks. 4. Stir the almonds, candied peel, yolks and remaining lemon zest into the rice mixture, then fold in the whipped egg whites, rum and vanilla essence. 5. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and then sprinkle over the pine nuts, now bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until set and golden, testing the centre with a skewer, if any mixture is stuck to the skewer the batter needs further baking. Cool in the tin slightly, then carefully remove and put on a wire rack. 6. Finally, serve slices of the torta warm or at room temperature, dusted with icing sugar and with a dollop of mascarpone or whipped cream. Enjoy!! Pedro. We’ve got another unusually structured review for the beers this month, firstly in part down to the addition of another fantastic local bottle shop, but also due to a generous donation from a brewery for a review of one of their limited release ales, which I will go into a little more depth with compared to my usual summations. Firstly, let’s go back to my first reason for the restructure; another great bottle shop in West Lancashire, Holborn Cask Ales in Ormskirk. The shop has been around for a few years and was set up in conjunction with the Belpasso Wine and Oil shop on the same business park, whilst it indulges mainly in wholesale business, the shop is open to the public too and as a result, in a position to provide quite an impressive range along with some very reasonable pricing. Speaking to the proprietor, Ian McClelland, he is looking to ever expand the range of beers he gets onto the shelves, along with a doubling of size of the shopfloor he wants to take on some more unique and local stock. The shelves are shared with an impressive selection of wines and spirits; leaving plenty of scope for stocking up on party supplies. The pricing is very, very fair thanks to the nature of the business run at Holborn, you can easily pick up a large range of impressive beers for under £20. The brewery range is very impressive, boasting the likes of Thornbridge, Buxton, Flying Dog, Ludlow, Bank Top, Coniston, Hawkshead, Salopian, Roosters along with some less well-known Italian craft beers and continental lagers and ales. It is very easy to lose a lot of time agonising at Holborn’s premises, in time it seems it will only get harder, with Ian looking to add many more London breweries to a growing roster. So on with the bottle round up, although an additional aspect of the blog this month is a bottle I was given for review… it’s actually first in the line up this month… Meantime Brewery – Barrel Aged IPA Much has been made of the takeover of Meantime by SAB Miller, though there are plenty of articles out there covering the transition, we’ll concentrate on the release of this limited release IPA from the Greenwich based brewery. Firstly I have to thank a friend who works for Meantime for procuring this and giving me the opportunity to review the IPA, so cheers! This barrel-aged IPA is a 7.5% strength effort which pour a dark golden to light and red-brown colour crested with an off-white head. The carbonation is good, as would be expected for a cork-cage bottle. The aromas come in a markedly sweet set; brown sugar, honey, touches of wood, especially cedar are accompanied by a confected golden syrup note. The sweetness trend continues with the flavours, translating into prunes and figs with a touch of vanilla and a surprisingly light and creamy body for such an ale. Sadly it doesn’t really deliver on what it sets out to do; there is little hop presence in the aroma for what should be quite a bitter and possibly pronounced IPA. The finish is very boozy, akin to a fortified wine and pretty sweet, meaning the balance isn’t quite right here. In its own right, this would make a good dessert beer with certain puddings, but for a barrel aged IPA something is amiss, definitely short on bittering hops and hop aroma. I invited a few other writers to share this bottle with me; the response was mixed, but the outcome comments all similar; maybe longer needed in the barrel and the use of more hops? On with the regular tasting…
Hope you enjoyed the read this month guys, see you again soon! Pedro. ------------------------------------------------------------- Holborn Cask Ales Unit 4G Malthouse Business Centre Ormskirk L39 1QR Tel: 01695 577016 Twitter: https://twitter.com/holborncaskales |
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