Are you fed up with IPAs, imperial stouts and the like? We are not.
14.2.2018
Translation: machine translated
Yes, they do exist, the people who can't do much, if anything, with all the "new" types of beer. Sooner or later, every movement creates a counter-movement. This is no different with what we call the "craft beer" movement in Switzerland. In the USA, where craft beer has been on everyone's lips for over 30 years, this has been the case for some time.
Beer enthusiasts are no doubt wondering how this is even possible. Well, I can see a few reasons. For example, the eternal know-it-alls who smugly shake their heads as soon as you drink an IPA 2 degrees too cold or from the wrong glass or "god forbid" bottle. The flood of ever new domestic and foreign microbreweries with their hip labels, which at some point overwhelm you or even get on your nerves, could also be listed here. And yes, I was also annoyed that every local brewery now has to bring what feels like IPA number 7,596 onto the CH market, for better or worse.
But craft beer is more than just an uninspired IPA. We owe a lot to the many breweries, even if we don't need to know them all, namely a noticeable increase in the quality of the beers. And most importantly: there is still soooo much to discover. Take your time, Rome wasn't built in a day. You won't discover the whole world of beer in a week, that would also be quite unhealthy.
But where to start? In Switzerland, for example. With the highest density of breweries in the world, certainly not the worst place. As the "scene" is relatively unencumbered by history, it is relatively easy to find good examples of different types of beer. Bier Factory, White Frontier, BFM, Pilgrim, Storm & Anchor are just a few excellent examples of modern Swiss brewing.
For those who find this too boring, I recommend the next level; traditional beers from Belgium. Allen voran, Sauerbiere wie Lambics, Faro and Gueuze. But beware, you are definitely leaving your comfort zone here. The experience for your palate is a bit like going to a salsa club and a Cuban heavy metal band is playing inside. At first, the flavour has very little to do with a conventional beer.
One last type of beer that I would like to recommend to curious explorers is porters or (imperial) stouts. Due to the sometimes very high alcohol content, your drinking habits will need to be adjusted a little, as more than one of these in an evening is usually not an option. Also because at some point your taste buds will be overwhelmed. However, the variety of flavours of these beers and the cool combination options with food (dark chocolate, BBQ ribs as a starting point) are quite something.
But before I drift off onto the know-it-all track here, my conclusion: if you're happy with your 5-litre can for CHF 1.50, you should continue to be. And anyone who is interested in beer now has more opportunities than ever to embark on a long, wonderful journey through the world of beer.
Manuel Furrer
Category Development Manager
manuel.furrer@digitecgalaxus.chCooking
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