Oktoberfest Dinner & Brew Cruise on MI Princess

 

Central Michigan University’s College of Science and Technology is tapping into the art of brewing and is working to create a certificate program in fermentation science.

 

Contrary to popular belief, Pumpkin Beers have been around the United States for a long time. The inclusion of Pumpkin in beer actually began as a matter of necessity, seeing as quality malt wasn't readily available in the 18th century. Brewers had to find a way to cheaply introduce fermentable sugars to their ales, and turned to two ingredients: pumpkin and brown sugar. Early versions of pumpkin beer are said to be made of 100% pumpkin meat, creating a hazy brown brew that would have been bittered in the style of Gruit.

As with most standard American styles, Brown Ale was born in Europe. The earliest English Ales were brown in color, using “brown” malt – base malt that had been kilned over a hardwood fire. These early beers were prized for their smokiness and dark color, and the first reference to brown ales was in 1750, by way of Partigyle Brewing.

There's something different about sitting down with a stout. Maybe it's the pitch black that lingers to the drops in your empty glass, the wide range of browns that may appear in the head, or the general consistency of the style, even when brewed in it's varying forms.