What makes a good beer?

Just before Christmas I was lucky enough to be asked to speak on a panel, along side some fully signed-up members of the beer writing glitterati, on the topic of good beer.  In the past few years, especially since we have seen an increase in "big beer" takeovers, there seems to be the assumption that small is good, big is bad and that the beers produced by breweries which are purchased can go from one to the other overnight (I will leave it to my writing elders to elaborate on this but click here for a pretty good take...).  This (in my opinion) frankly idiotic view annoys me more and more as it takes hold, especially when applied to the likes of Dark Star and Fullers, both exceptional breweries.  Surely whether a beer is good or not should really be about, well, the beer? 

With that in mind my notes from the December talk are below - please note that lack of the words "craft", "small batch" and "experimental". 

Decembers panel at Blackwells Bookshop, Oxford. 
Image blatantly stolen from @HalfPintGent

What makes a good beer?

For me the definition of a good beer is simply one which is a true example of a style, has been well made and well-kept.

To elaborate:

Beer styles vary widely and it’s unlikely that you will like every one, however just because you don’t like a particular style or individual beer it doesn’t mean it isn’t good.  You will frequently hear statements like “all lager is crap” when in fact this couldn’t be further from the truth – even the most mass produced beer can still be a great example of a style – for example very lightly flavoured lagers might not be to everyone's taste but, they do taste how they are meant to.

In my opinion a well made beer is one with no faults.  In the same way that wine can be oxidised or corked, beer can have faults too which can be caused during the brewing process, by how the beer is stored and by how it is served.  A good beer should be free of these.  Having a well kept beer is especially important for draught beers, particularly those which are cask conditioned.  For cask beer how it is kept can mean the difference between a pint which is bright and full of life and one which is flat, dull and unpleasant to drink.   Keeping a beer bottled in the correct conditions (mainly cool and away from light) will help to keep if free from faults and in the best possible condition.  Sometimes beer can leave a brewery tasting fantastic and taste awful when it gets to the end customer – this doesn’t mean the brewer made a bad beer – everyone in the supply chain is responsible for making the beer in your glass as good as it can be.

To achieve the above I think that process and people are the two keys to creating a good beer.                   

Process:

“I’m not sure beer should be made by love but by know-how instead”. - Simon Evans

One of my favourite beer quotes is from the comedian Simon Evans who said  “I’m not sure beer should be made by love but by know-how instead”.  I can’t agree more.  Brewing is a science and no amount of love or enthusiasm can make up for a lack of knowledge.  Having good processes, from cleaning to packaging, are the first step to producing good beers – from there a brewer can create amazing beers, but trying to make great beer without having a good framework in place is a recipe for disappointment.

People

Good people make good beer is a rather sweeping statement and one that isn’t always correct – the beer industry like all parts of life contains a mix of people and I am sure that some less than delightful people make excellent beer.  Likewise unfortunately being a lovely person doesn’t mean the beer you make will be equally lovely, however broadly speaking I think there is some truth in that statement.   People who care about the product they are making and serving will put more effort into sourcing the best ingredients, making a consistent product and making sure it gets to the customer in great condition. 

In addition to this, for me the people I share beers with are just as important As the beer itself .  Beer is a social drink, it’s a leveller, in sensible amounts it helps us to think and speak more imaginatively.  For centuries beer has brought people together, from use in ceremonies to a few drinks after work whenever people in the gather together, whether to celebrate or commiserate there is beer.  It’s a massive part of our combined culture.   The beers I have enjoyed most in my life are those drunk in a pub, with friends.

So for me a good beer is a true example of a style which has been well made and well-kept. And is drunk with those closest to you.

PS - The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly sniggering with my long term beer crush, the utterly marvellous Mr Pete Brown, over the repeated use of the work "jerking", complete with hand movements.  It's safe to say to say my childish humour is still alive and well!