The goop Guide to Beer (+ Some Choice Snacks)
The goop Guide to Beer
(+ Some Choice Snacks)
If you’re not exactly new to beer but also not exactly knowledgeable, welcome to the club. “The biggest misconception about beer is that it’s just for guys,” says Katy Heppell of Scotland’s Wooha Brewing Company. “It’s surprising how often we still come up against the idea that drinking beer isn’t ‘ladylike.’” Plenty of women love beer, of course—and they brew it, too. For the lay of the land, we talked to three top women in the beer industry, each at the helm of an amazing brewery. With their insights in mind, even the most novice beer drinker should be able to order their next pint with confidence.
Once you’ve got your new favorite beer picked out, our recipes for homemade Dark Stout Pretzel Bites and mustardy Chicken Schnitzel on a Stick will absolutely hit the spot.
THE GOOP GUIDE TO BEER
Dark Ales
Dark ales are creamy with surprisingly bright fruity notes; they’re often brewed with malt or barley for color and richness.
Dark beers can seem intimidating, but Heppell says they’re actually a perfect place to start: “People can be put off by really dark beers, but they can sometimes be the sweetest and easiest-drinking,” she says. Emily Thomas, the CEO of Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery in Santa Cruz, agrees. “Whenever I meet a new beer drinker, I always ask them if they drink coffee,” she says. “If they do, they’ll probably love dark roasted beers, browns, porters, and stouts.”
goop favorites: Kettlehouse Brewing Co. Cold Smoke Scotch Ale, Chimay Grande Réserve, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing Shadow Puppet Stout, Plan Bee Farm Brewery Stock Ale
Sours
Arguably the oldest type of beer, sours are made with wild fermented bacteria and yeasts. Tartness levels run the gamut, depending on terroir (where it’s brewed), as well as the recipe, bacteria, and yeasts used.
If you’re into wine (especially natural wines), you might like the fermented, lactic tang of most sour beers. “Gueuzes can have flavors akin to a crisp white wine, so they’re great for people who love something a bit drier on the palate,” says Heppell. Bailey Spaulding, the CEO of Jackalope Brewing Company in Nashville, suggests Gose and Berliner Weisse as starter sours. “They’re generally more mild and have similar acidity to wines,” she says.
goop favorites: Jackalope Brewing Company Casper Gose, Rushing Duck Brewing Co. Zingerbier, Allagash Brewing Company Coolship Cerise, Three Weavers Brewing Company Surfwood Saison
Lagers
Lagers are usually crisp and highly carbonated with a smooth finish from their long aging process.
Even if you don’t know much about beer, you’ll probably recognize a lager, the most ubiquitous style of beer (Tsingtao, Corona, Foster’s, and Miller Light are all technically lagers). Thomas says Czech-style pilsners are great for people just getting into beer: “A well-made pilsner is light and delicate but still complex.”
goop favorites: Wooha Brewing Company Lager, Drake’s Brewing Co. Flyaway Pils, Pilsner Urquell, La Virgen Marcian Pils
Dark Stout Pretzel Bites
Dunk these crusty, salty, chewy nuggets into mustard and enjoy with reckless abandon. They’re the ultimate beer food.
Chicken Schnitzel on a Stick
This fun, delicious party snack makes just about everyone happy. The tender meat is dredged in a mustard-beer bath before it’s dipped in crispy, gluten-free panko bread crumbs, fried until perfectly golden brown, and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of salt. And of course, it pairs beautifully with beer.
