They're effectively culturing super yeast to brew beer that alcoholic.
No yeast can tolerate exposure to alcohol concentrations that high.
As far as I can see, they actually just distill the beer to get it that high.
It's not exactly distillation, in the legal sense or the chemical sense. It's "freeze fractioning." The technology is wicked old. It's also worth noting that TTB (formerly the ATF) regulations stipulate that you may remove no more than 0.5% of the volume of beer as ice crystals. Removing more than that qualifies it as a "beer concentrate" which is subject to a totally different set of regulations. The most noteworthy of these is that "beer concentrate" must be diluted back to at least its original concentration (or made more dilute) before being packaged and sold.
So, more than likely, these 50%+ ABV beers are illegal. Not that I think they should be, per se, but according to current regulations, their manufacture is not allowed in the US.
EDIT: If you didn't know, freeze fractioning is a process in which you reduce the temperature of the beer to slightly below freezing. Since alcohol freezes at a lower temperature than water, the water will freeze and separate itself from the rest of the beer. You can then chip away the ice, thaw out the beer, and have a greater concentration of alcohol by volume.
Lets be honest dude, it's not always about taste when you set out to brew a beer that alcoholic.
Why even brew it? At that point, just add Everclear to a pilsner. Or just make homeopathic pilsner. It's Everclear, right? But there's statistically a small chance that one or two molecules of pilsner may still be present.
Girly drinks are essentially drinks that disguise the fact that you're drinking alcohol. Schnapps, girly; Wild Turkey, man's drink. Cosmopolitan, girly; Rusty Nail, man's drink. A lot of duos and trios are manly, while most things heavily leaning on both flavored alcohols and mixers are girly. If it doesn't burn at least a bit, it's probably a frou-frou, lame, or girly drink.
What is this I keep hearing about about frou-frou/lame/girly drinks? Why does this label exist and what makes it so?
1) Sex and the City 2) I'm not really sure if this is true, as I have no science to back up this claim, but I think it's just a natural thing for men to like bitter things whereas women prefer sweet things. Either that, or men just have a higher tolerance for bitter things.
But realistically, these days, no one really cares what you drink. And if they do, tell them to piss off.
I think this statement says it all. The ABV is usually the deciding factor. 30% and higher is considered manly.
Girly drinks are deceptive; they're way more alcoholic than they taste. Manly drinks are also deceptive, in that they look tastier than they actually are.
I think this statement says it all. The ABV is usually the deciding factor. 30% and higher is considered manly.
Girly drinks are deceptive; they're way more alcoholic than they taste. Manly drinks are also deceptive, in that they look tastier than they actually are.
Bullshit. My girly drinks taste alcoholic. Your palette just isn't refined enough to penetrate beyond the sweetness. You're not man enough to be able to parse the flavors of sweeter drinks. If I can't taste the alcohol, what the fuck is the point of having it in there in the first place? Just make a virgin drink. Alcoholic drinks should draw a significant component of their flavor from the alcohol. Otherwise, you're drinking just to get drunk, which makes you a loser.
It can't be added to a finished product; it needs to be added during fermentation. At least, that's how it seems. I'm emailing White Labs right now to inquire further.
Generally, the cultural idea is that girls tend to not like quote-unquote real drinks, prefering alco-pop or fruity drinks because they can't stand the taste of alcohol. I've found that I (the sole drinking male in the group most of the time) tend to drink the "girliest" drinks in the room.
I like me some girly drinks, but I'm also a fan of some (not all) of the "manlier" drinks. It's partially a matter of what I'm in the mood for and also a matter of what's available... I've found fruity mixed drinks are pretty much always good though.
I generally don't have much liking for particularly sweet drinks, and that applies to cocktails also. However, I think the Margarita, the Mojito and the Bloody Mary are all decent drinks. I haven't tried many cocktails, though.
There's a difference between aiming to mask the taste of alcohol, and aiming to complement it.
If I want to suck on a sugar cane, I'll suck on a sugar cane. I want my drink to taste like a burning pine cone in my mouth.
I should bring you some of my home-made rum. It's like an Angel jizzing vanilla and spices down your throat. And then, being 55%, it kicks you in the chest like Bruce Lee.
Comments
So, more than likely, these 50%+ ABV beers are illegal. Not that I think they should be, per se, but according to current regulations, their manufacture is not allowed in the US.
EDIT: If you didn't know, freeze fractioning is a process in which you reduce the temperature of the beer to slightly below freezing. Since alcohol freezes at a lower temperature than water, the water will freeze and separate itself from the rest of the beer. You can then chip away the ice, thaw out the beer, and have a greater concentration of alcohol by volume.
2) I'm not really sure if this is true, as I have no science to back up this claim, but I think it's just a natural thing for men to like bitter things whereas women prefer sweet things. Either that, or men just have a higher tolerance for bitter things.
But realistically, these days, no one really cares what you drink. And if they do, tell them to piss off.
EDIT: 3) What WUB said.
It can't be added to a finished product; it needs to be added during fermentation. At least, that's how it seems. I'm emailing White Labs right now to inquire further.
On a side note I make a pretty awesome cosmopolitan.
There's a difference between aiming to mask the taste of alcohol, and aiming to complement it.