Last week we discussed the four ingredients of beer - malt, hops, yeast and water - and the role that each plays in the brewing process. Brewing, however, is about more than just tossing ingredients together, cooking them up and hoping for the best - it’s about balance. A true brewmaster will know her ingredients inside out: the terroir of the hops, the difference between two-row malt from different malthouses, the different profiles a yeast will develop when fermented at slightly different temperatures, and the subtle, seasonal variations in mineral content of the local water supply. A brewmaster isn’t simply mixing and matching, she is striving for balance - that perfect blend of four ingredients that makes the difference between a good beer and something sublime.
A beer judge will spend years developing their palate. In competition, a beer is assessed on its appearance, aromas, mouthfeel, textural characteristics, and finally the range of flavours that are present in the mouth. This all contributes to a language of beer that is every bit as complex as the languages of cheese or wine. Amidst all of this language rests the slippery notion of balance, and a well-balanced beer will always stand out from both relatively flavourless commercial beers and strongly hopped or malted extreme craft beers.
In the simplest terms balance refers to the ratio of hops to malt. For every variety of beer a different balance is struck. In the bitter family (consisting of pale ales, IPAs, bitters and ESBs), the balance of the beer tends to favour hops. Brewers can create full-bodied versions of these beers, but what most often stands out are the hops. Many Belgian Abbey ales, on the other hand, are balanced in favour of malt. While the hops offer a necessary bitter counterbalance to the sweetness of these ales, the most dominant flavour in many of these beers is a rich malt body, whether light or dark. In stronger versions there is also often a sweet finish, that reveals the presence of unfermented malt in the beer, and further tips the balance in favour of malt over hops. In both these examples there are dominant flavours and supporting flavours. Balance is not achieved with equal parts hops and malt, but rather by creating an appropriate relationship between the dominant and supporting flavours present in each of these ingredients.
Of course, balance is about more than the duality of hops and malt - there are four ingredients in beer after all. Real balance must also consider the role of yeast and water. Last week we discussed how yeast is used in brewing, and the different types of yeasts available to brewmasters. To continue with our examples above - British bitters and Belgian Abbey ales - yeast makes all the difference in the final product. British bitters tend to forefront the balance that exists between the malt and hops, and many British ale yeasts used in bitters are low in esters, low in fruitiness, and provide a clean finish. This choice of yeast lets the malt and hops speak for themselves. Belgian Abbey ales, however, use yeasts that emphasize the malt characteristics of a beer. These ales tend to offer high esters and a fruity nose that brings out the body of the beer. This choice of yeast complements the brewmaster’s malt and hop choices, providing a complex supporting taste.
Water remains the basic building block for beer, and though subtle, can have a substantial impact on the final product. Soft water will create milder flavours, conducive to the production of light lagers and ales, while hard water provides the necessary alkaline balance to the acidity of dark malts, used in porters and stouts. Too heavy a mineral content can cause yeast to suffer, or a batch to taste overly bitter. With knowledge of local water conditions, brewmasters adapt their efforts to meet the conditions of their geography.
A truly balanced beer represents a subtle, yet profound achievement for a brewmaster. A successful brewmaster cultivates the flavour provided to her in the appropriate proportions, with an understanding of local conditions. In a balanced beer the flavours imparted by each of the ingredients cease to be individual aromas or tastes, and instead come into concert with each other. They support and complement one another, providing the complex experience that comes with tasting a finely crafted beer.
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Matt Thomson is a decorated homebrewer and dedicated beer geek. Read his weekly column on local beer right here on The Dependent.
