the wander project dispatches from over there

Basic barley-and-hops knowledge is really all that separates well-traveled beer connoisseurs from meandering alcoholics. TWP enlisted brewer Ryan Frank, fresh off an eight-country brewery tour and a stint at the Siebel Institute & World Brewing Academy, to profile four of the world’s best beer-producing destinations.

Belgium

We’ll start where any discussion of beer must: by paying homage to Belgium’s Trappist monks, who’ve created some of the best beer on the planet (in service to the Lord, of course).

Belgian Golden Strong As the name implies, beers in this category are generally golden in color and highly alcoholic. Belgian yeast is highlighted by heavy carbonation and bright flavors, like the fruitiness you’ll get across the nose and palate (that’s beer-geek for smell and taste). “The dryness and high carbonation rate make Belgian Golden Strong beers a wonderful drinking experience,” says Frank. “If I could only drink one more beer before I die, it would fall into this category.” Try these: Duvel Moortgat Duvel, Brouwerij Huyghe Delirium Tremens

Belgian Sours Sours include several styles that range from mildly tart to mouth-puckeringly sour. Approach them as you would wine, sipping slowly and enjoying them across your palate. “Don’t feel bad if you initially find sours repulsive– it’s an acquired taste,” says Frank, who recommends starting with fruit lambics, which are often mildly tart and sometimes blended to achieve a sweeter palate. Try these: Cantillon, Drei Fontenien

Brewer’s Note: Many Belgian styles are much stronger than beers you may be accustomed to— there’s a reason styles are called Dubbels, Trippels and Strong. These can easily reach 6%-11% ABV range. Take care not to overindulge!

The United Kingdom

Famous for beer so dark you can’t see through it, the UK is home to several fantastic and often misrepresented brews.

Dry Irish Stout Approaching inky black in color (err, colour), stouts get a bad rap as being “thick” and “heavy.” They’re dark, yes, but Dry Irish Stouts actually have a light body with a very dry finish and roasted flavor. Far from heavy, Frank insists, most have a lower caloric content than a mass-produced American lager like Budweiser. Though they’re poured from nitrogen taps in the states (which yields a thick head you’ve got to chew through), in the UK they’re often served on cask, which eliminates heavy carbonation. You might call it flat, but traditionalists refer to it as a “real ale.” Try these: Guinness Draught Stout, Beamish Stout

English Brown English Browns fall into three categories: Mild, Southern, and Northern. All are malt-focused with varying ranges of fruit, toffy, caramel and toasted flavors. Milds are the lowest in alcohol, while the rarer Southern English Browns are sweeter and lower in alcohol than their Northern counterparts. “Easily quaffable, an English Brown defines a session beer* for me,” says Frank. Try these: Theakston Traditional Mild (Mild), Mann’s Brown Ale (Southern), Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, and Newcastle Brown Ale (Northern)

Brewer’s Note: Beers tend to be served warmer in the UK. Don’t send it back — the warmer temp provides a different tasting experience. Give it a shot! Beers served ice-cold numb your tongue and affect your ability to taste.

*Session Beer: A beer with low enough ABV that a “session” of 4-5 beers leaves you (mostly) coherent.

Germany

The country that brings the world Oktoberfest doesn’t disappoint, so be sure to experiment with regional riffs on classic styles.

German Hefeweizen “Hefes” are traditional German wheat beers that are highly carbonated and have spicy clove and banana aromas and flavors. Light and refreshing, Frank recommends getting them as fresh as possible. “Having them at the source will change your life,” he says. Don’t limit yourself to “mit hefe” (with yeast) options, either: filtered krystal versions will pour clear and have subtle flavor differences; dark weizenbock versions typically have more alcohol and complex flavors imparted from dark malts. Try these: Schneider Weisse Unser Original – Tap 7 (Hefeweizen), Schneider Weisse Aventinus Eisbock (Weizenbock)

German Pilsners German Pilsners are crisp, clean brews highlighted by the county’s famous Noble Hops. “Dry on the palate, German pilsners tend to become more bitter, paler and drier as one moves north, so be sure to sample your way through the region,” says Frank. “These crisp and bitter characteristics set them apart from Czech or Bohemian Pilsners, which are often softer and rounder in their hop and malt profiles.” Try these: Bitburger, Trumer Pils, Pilsner Urquell (Czech Pilsner)

Brewer’s Note: If your German is rusty and you try to order one beer by holding up your index finger, you might get a surprise. Germans begin counting with the thumb, making your index finger number two. You’ll end up with two 1-liter steins, and that’s a lot of beer!

The United States

A product of America’s melting-pot past, the US brewing industry borrows heavily from each region mentioned above. The last decade has seen a tremendous increase in interest, quality and creativity from American brewers (and drinkers), resulting in fantastic domestic microbrews that can hold their own against anything from across the Atlantic.

California Common One of the first styles created on American soil, the California Common was born in the San Francisco Bay area and was the beer of choice from 1850 until prohibition. “A modern California Common will have light fruity notes, notable grainyness and minty Northern Brewer hops,” says Frank. Try these: Anchor Steam, Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager.

Imperial or Double India Pale Ale “Make it bigger” is a concept so ingrained in American culture that even brewers aren’t immune. By adding more hops and grain to traditional American India Pale Ales, they’ve arrived at a beer with firm-to-unbearable bitterness with floral, spicy and grassy hop characteristics. “Double IPAs should be super dry,” says Frank. “The focus here is entirely on the hops and their contribution to bitterness, aroma and flavor.” If you’re into hops, a well-crafted double IPA can be dangerous—endlessly drinkable while packing up to 10% ABV. Try these: Dogfishhead 90 Minute IPA, (West Coast) Moylan’s Hopsickle, Stone Ruination IPA, Victory Hop Wallop.

Barrel Aged Beers Though not a new concept, a recent trend among American craft beer brewers involves aging their products in wooden barrels, often those previously used to age other types of alcohol. “It’s a step that can be added to almost any style,” Frank says, “and it lends additional complexity to the beer from the wood, and maybe even hints of any residual alcohol from the barrel.” Try these: Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale, Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout, Allagash Curieux

About Our Expert: Ryan Frank has an International Diploma in Brewing from the Siebel Institute & World Brewing Academy and is the owner of Draught Genius. He is currently perfecting a California Common.

Photo: Josh Fulmer