Charlie Ayers, Google’s own chef, has just released a book entitled Food 2.0: Secrets from the Chef Who Fed Google in which he claims that much of Google’s success comes from an office diet of sushi and, well, free beer… Ayers told the Sydney Morning Herald that Google got top results out of it’s employees by,

easing the computer engineers into the long hours culture with innovations including free beer and fortnightly “big-ass” barbecues. To introduce computer experts fresh out of university to early mornings, he developed breakfast specials, such as “French toast with coconut, macadamia and rum”. The rum, beer and barbecues provided perfect cover for converting the “googlers” to a diet that ensured they kept working after lunch, weaning them off pizzas and on to salads.

Not only do they get to work for a company like Google but they get free sushi and beer? Not fair!

source: “The Secret To Google’s Success: Free Beer And Sushi” [TechCrunch]

[tags]Beer, Google[/tags]

This is part four of a six-part series (click here for part one, part two, part three, part four, part five & part six) on improving your beer drinking experience. While the series is written for Better Beer newcomers, it is advice that is beneficial to even the most seasoned beer drinkers out there. Cheers.

Part two of this series described all of the smells and tastes that can come from a properly poured and drunk beer, but lots of those sensory stimulants are enhanced when the beer is drunk from the right kind of glass.In order to fully experience all of the characteristics expertly crafted into a beer, you need to drink it from the right kind of glassware:

• For aromatic, hoppy, or strong beers, try glassware that resembles a brandy snifter. This type of class will trap the complex and exciting fruity aromas released by the carbonation.
• Elegant and complex beers are enhanced by slender and thin-walled glassware.
• Hearty, dark beers like stouts, browns and porters work best in hearty straight-up pint glasses or handled mugs.
• And lastly, for barrel-aged and/or very strong brews, try short-stemmed wine-type glassware.

Be sure and check back tomorrow for Part 5 of “How to Drink Better Beer”. Be sure and subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss another moment of BAB!

(image by clappstar)
[tags]beer, how to[/tags]

This is part three of a six-part series (click here for part one, part two, part three, part four, part five & part six) on improving your beer drinking experience. While the series is written for Better Beer newcomers, it is advice that is beneficial to even the most seasoned beer drinkers out there. Cheers.

Yes it’s true that some beers that are high in alcohol content (ABV), have been aged already, or are very hoppy can be cellered — in the right conditions — for years, just like wine. Enjoying a cellered beer after a year or two is a wonderful treat and something you should absolutely get your hands on, if given the opportunity.

However, most of the beer you buy every week is going to be much tastier if consumed fresh. Check the bottles’ freshness dates like you do when buying milk, and try to purchase beer within 90 days of being bottled or within the manufacturers Best Before Date (many brewers provide a freshness date on their package), if there is one.

To get the most out of the beer you buy (which is especially advisable as the price begins to climb), take care of it. If it’s celler-able, keep it in the celler; if it’s low in alcohol and belongs in the fridge, keep it in the fridge. Not taking care of the beer you buy before you drink it will result in the loss of all of the little nuances I mentioned yesterday, as the beer begins to skunk. There are reasons beer is refered to as “liquid bread”; would you enjoy a loaf of bread more three months or a few days after you bought it?

Be sure and check back tomorrow for Part 4 of “How to Drink Better Beer”. Be sure and subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss another moment of BAB!

(image by one/million)
[tags]beer, How To, Fresh Beer[/tags]

This is part two of a six-part series (click here for part one, part two, part three, part four, part five & part six) on improving your beer drinking experience. While the series is written for Better Beer newcomers, it is advice that is beneficial to even the most seasoned beer drinkers out there. Cheers.

If you’re drinking at home, pouring your beer can be a delicate process. Too quickly and you’re left with more head than beer; pour too slowly or use the side of the glass too much and you’re left without any head at all. The perfect pint should, of course, have a nice, balanced combination of the two.What’s the best way to do that? Well, start by pouring the beer straight down the middle of the glass. Then, as the head forms to your liking, slow down the pour and shift to pour from the side.

People drinking wine will always leave room at the top of their glass and swirl and smell their wine before drinking, but this process isn’t unique to wine-drinking (or at least it shouldn’t be). You always want to leave a little open space at the top of your glass in order to smell the beer and swirl it in your glass (without spilling). Doing this will release the carbon dioxide carbonation — which brings with it the aromas of the hops, malt, and fermentation — out of the beer, through the foam of the head and to your senses. Like wine, gently inhale as you quaff your brew.

Next, be cognizant of your senses as you drink. I know this is easier said than done but if you do so, you’ll begin to notice exciting shifts in flavor and aroma balances as you drain your glass and the beer warms. Look for floral and spicy hop smells and tastes, sweet and roasted malt characters, fruity fermentation, bold, complex alcohol, and other intended (or not) surprises. Can you taste the beer on the front of your tongue or the back? Is the beer slick on the tongue or drying, and how does the taste change from sip to swallow?

There is no need to be obsessive about these observations (at least not when you’re starting out on your journey of beer appreciation) but just being aware of the subtle nuances and differences in all beers will quickly elevate your appreciation and heighten your new obsession.

Be sure and check back tomorrow for Part 3 of “How to Drink Better Beer”. Be sure and subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss another moment of BAB!

(image by diegocardf)
[tags]beer, How To[/tags]

This is part one of a six-part series (click here for part one, part two, part three, part four, part five & part six) on improving your beer drinking experience. While the series is written for Better Beer newcomers, it is advice that is beneficial to even the most seasoned beer drinkers out there. Cheers.

Nearly every town in the first world of any magnitude has a watering hole worth visiting – and the ones that don’t aren’t worth visiting – but finding them can sometimes be a chore; especially if what you’re after is the best beer lineup. There are also thousands of breweries scattered around the world, many of which offer tours (and tastings).Seeking out the best beer can be done easily in one of two ways: if you know exactly where you’re heading on a trip before you leave, check the Internets. There are plenty of sites, such as The Beer Mapping Project, which list and map out the best pubs and breweries in the U.S.

The second option is – once on the ground at your destination – to ask the locals. They often can recommend pubs and bars that are less touristy and more down to earth. No one knows the local bars better than those who call a town home. More often than not, you will find their recommendations vastly different than the heavily commercialized offerings you might find listed in your hotel directory, for instance.

Be sure and check back tomorrow for Part 2 of “How to Drink Better Beer”. Be sure and subscribe to the RSS feed so you don’t miss another moment of BAB!

(image by Sandra Leidholdt)
[tags]beer, How to, craft beer, pub, brewery[/tags]