Red-hot Chimay
A blogger from Oslo, Norway who calls himself the Beer Tourist has made an absolutely terrific discovery:
At the beer café De Gans in Huise, Oostvlaanderen they have their own way to make trappist beer hot: De Verbrande Trappist. A glass of Chimay Rouge gets an encounter with a red-hot poker from the open log-fire.
He wonders if it works because of the sugar used brewing the beer. Given that sugar should ferment totally to alcohol (a reason the monks use it), probably not.
But it’s worth checking out for the picture alone.
January 23rd, 2006 at 11:09 pm
During the mashing process (crushed grains stepped in hot water) not all starches are converted to fermentable sugars. At higer temps unfermentable sugars are formed which give the beer body, mouthfeel and balance against hop bitterness and alcohol. The red-hot poker would carmalize these sugars which I assume would produce a burnt nutty flavor as well as warmin the beer. I have never tried this and see no reason to change an already wonderful beer. But hell, you can always drink another.
January 24th, 2006 at 10:31 am
Good point, Rich. I was thinking about the misconception that many drinkers have about the effect the addition of sugar during brewing itself has on Trappists beers. In fact, that helps produce more attenuated beers - so I guess the theory is that the hot poker helps boost the impression of unfermtables.
As to temperature, there have been some new studies into the effects of temperature on what we taste. They indicate the value of expermimenting with different serving temps and seeing what you like.
April 15th, 2007 at 3:33 am
I have tried a red hot poker in beer. It caramelizes some of the residual sugars and gives it a slight toasted marshmellow flavor. The flavor and warmth depends on how big the poker is and how much heat it exchanges to the beer. It was something fun to do at our Christmas Party and made our club members more aware of different flavors. Cherry and other fruit beers and barley wines were the most interesting that I remember. The colonials and others did many things to beer that would make modern purists shudder. Egg in your beer? Why not!