Beer

If it is American IPA it is the hops. American breweries typically use boring, bland yeast that does not impart much flavor. That is the stereotypical American style and what differentiates our Pale Ales from England's. We go hoppier but less yeast flavor.

If it is American IPA it is the hops. American breweries typically use boring, bland yeast that does not impart much flavor. That is the stereotypical American style and what differentiates our Pale Ales from England's. We go hoppier but less yeast flavor.

So what gives a beer like Blue Moon or Pete's Wicked Summer Brew it's unique crisp bite? It is not the same as the slightly bitter hop taste in an American IPA. Is that yeast? Can you describe some characteristics of yeast flavors, or give examples of what different yeasts do for different beers?

If it is American IPA it is the hops. American breweries typically use boring, bland yeast that does not impart much flavor. That is the stereotypical American style and what differentiates our Pale Ales from England's. We go hoppier but less yeast flavor.

Craig,
In the Ommegang Abbey (burgundy), the flavor is more yeast related correct?
I noticed it was had a 'delayed' hop taste.

See, this is good stuff, great questions. Maybe the best way to discover is to have a recommendation of a pronounced hoppy beer, a yeasty (?) beer, etc. Then do a side by side comparison.

Dave a good example there would be Eliot Ness compared to Maudite from UniBroue (Canada). This is just opinion though.

We need to get to GLBC and get KassB to join us.
Only problem is they only serve their beer. I wish they would put a couple other brewers on tap. Brewpubs in the northwest do that.

So what gives a beer like Blue Moon or Pete's Wicked Summer Brew it's unique crisp bite? It is not the same as the slightly bitter hop taste in an American IPA. Is that yeast? Can you describe some characteristics of yeast flavors, or give examples of what different yeasts do for different beers?

Crisp, rounded flavor is generally achieved by lagering (which you can do with an ale). The use of a yeast that produces less chemicals (esters) will give a clean crisp flavor. That clean flavor is the absence of yeast produced chemicals. Generally speaking the chemicals that yeast produce are described as fruity. The bite you are refering to is from the adjuncts and possibly a combination of adjuncts and yeast. Those brews use wheat as an adjunct. When using wheat it is appropriate to use a yeast that leaves a citrus (typically lemon) and pepper flavor.

Craig,
In the Ommegang Abbey (burgundy), the flavor is more yeast related correct?
I noticed it was had a 'delayed' hop taste.

When ale yeast is active at high temperatires (above 75º) it produces an abundance of esters. This is where brewing gets tricky because some are not desirable so it is important to maintain an ideal temperature for the particular yeast you are using, miss the fermentation temperature a little bit and it will adversely effect the flavor. Ommegang ferments at 80º and lagers at just over 30º (it is an ale yeast). The flavor of that beer is primarily yeast however, they use spices such as ginger and anise, seeds of paradise and others but the fruit like flavor is strictly yeast they do not use fruit.

So, the Ness is hops and the Maudite is yeast? Man, we need to do some painstaking research Kingston!!! I mean, whatever it takes, I'm willing to go the extra mile, think out of the box, go global and whatever other catch phrase makes me sound like I know what I'm talking about!

Find out who uses Ringwood yeast, Google a guy named Pugsley and Ringwood. It is the poster child yeast of fruit flavor. Put it side by side to a West coast beer such as Sierra Nevada. The Sierra Nevada will have close to no yeast flavor whereas the Ringwood will have so much yeast flavor it will be complicated. Magic Hat uses Ringwood.

Simply put an adjunct is a sugar source other than barley. In the US corn used to be the major adjunct and is still used by some breweries such as Straubs but typically rice is used now.

I should have mentioned that in beers such as Bock roasted grain plays a big role in flavor.