MdV:
Merchant du Vin beer e-newsletter – Wednesday May 28, 2008: English
Pub Culture & Announcing Samuel Smith’s Organic Cider
MdV & fine beer in the news
Fine beer &
benchmark imports continue to gain more attention in the media:
Westmalle Trappist
Tripel received the first-ever score of "100 points" in the May/June
'08 issue of Draft
Magazine; Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout was mentioned by an American brewer as
her inspiration to become a brewer in the same issue; thedailygreen.com listed both Samuel
Smith's Organic Lager and Pinkus Organic Munster Alt
as "Great Organic Beers for Summer BBQs." Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter is featured in the current "Beer and Brewer - Australia
& New Zealand," and Green's Gluten-Free beers are in the
June/July 2008 issue of "Living
Without" magazine, a lifestyle guide for people with food sensitivites. At the 2008 Calgary, AB (Canada) Beer
Fest, Ayinger
Celebrator Doppelbock was chosen as the Best International
Lager.
A full current news listing is always on our news
page; you can also check local beer tastings,
dinners and festivals on our national
events page and read previous html versions of this
newsletter at our e-news
archive. If you are interested in beer glassware,
clothing and collectables we also have an online
e-store.
Beer
Chat from the Beer Court Jester: English Pub Culture
Last month we gave a
little history about craft-brewing pioneer Samuel Smith's, brewing benchmark
beers in Tadcaster, Yorkshire, since 1758. Samuel Smith's - which still uses open-topped
stone fermenters - is emulated, highly respected
and in wide US distribution.
Beers brewed in England come from a
deep, historical and rich beer scene, and for centuries English pubs
have been the face of English beer.
English Pub Culture: Possibly, part of the warmth and friendliness
of an English pub comes fom the small homes and dense
populations of English cities - people historically did not have big
living rooms in their homes, so they needed a place to gather. The
cool, damp climate may have also contributed to the cozy environment.
What seems clear is that part of the English character is to offer a true
"third place" - not home, not work, but a meeting place for
conversation, food, laughs, relaxation and great beer. An English pub is
a place to feel at home: the furniture and lighting will be comfortable.
The food will be hearty, and while it may be great it will never be
intimidating. Games tend to be slower-paced and not too loud - like
darts. But the key components to the calming magic of an
English pub are the staff, and the beer.
For every guest who walks through the
door, the publican strikes the right note. Guests who are
looking to have a quiet conversation will be able to hold one. Other
guests who want sports news, or local color, or even jokes, will find those as
well. In a manner that is time-honored, the staff of an English pub will
meet the wishes of their guests in ways that may be quite subtle.
And the beer: whether a pub has many
varieties of beer or only a handful they will offer a range of
flavors. They will have some dark ales, and
they will have at least one lager. They will offer a
stronger brew, as well as session beers. They will have a pale ale. They might even offer more than one
serving temperature, some beers served cold while others are served cool -
"cellar temperature." An English pub will almost always offer a
cider.
Samuel Smith's beers are available at pubs
throughout England, playing a part in what makes pubs great. In
return, just a little bit of English pub culture can be tasted in every
bottle.
Announcing:
Samuel Smith’s Organic Cider: Merchant du Vin and
Samuel Smith's Old Brewery are proud to announce the introduction of Samuel
Smith's Organic Cider. This exciting new addition to the Smith line will
be available nationally around the first of June.
Apple cider has a long history in America - it was a common drink even in the
1700s, before cider mills began to give free apple seeds to Mr. John
"Johnny Appleseed" Chapman around 1800. After the Civil War,
beer began to replace cider on American tables, and of course Prohibition
reduced US cider drinking sharply. But the popularity of cider has grown
strongly in the US since the early 1990s due to its approachable flavor, light
body and refreshing crispness. In England, sales
of cider have exploded in recent years. Beer retailers and bars
everywhere have noted that cider fits well into beer culture - beer and cider
have similar strengths, serving sizes, and they are both usually carbonated -
and consumers are pleased to discover the flavor and satisfaction of great
cider.
Apple juice used to produce cider contains a mix of apple varieties selected to
balance fresh apple flavor with tartness, acidity, and sweetness. Samuel
Smith's uses a wine yeast strain to ferment their cider, providing a clean
finish and allowing pure apple flavor to shine through.
Samuel Smith's Organic Cider is a bright
straw-gold with excellent clarity, presenting a
light body with brilliant conditioning, a crisp clean flavor, and a dry
finish. The bouquet offers fresh apples, with a soft floral note.
It's 5.0% alcohol by volume.
Naturally gluten-free, cider is also high in antioxidants. Samuel Smith's
Organic Cider is Certified Organic by the USDA-accredited UK Soil Association.
Merchant du Vin,
America’s Premier Specialty Beer Importer Since 1978