The Dairy Jungle

Dairy products take many forms and their origins sometimes appear obscure to us. Raw milk generally comes from cows, but can be obtained from other mammals such as goats, sheep, horses…

The following diagram shows the most common foods derived from milk and how they are created.


CHEESE
Ripening/Renneting
The original goal of cheesemaking was to preserve the nutritional elements of milk (fats and proteins) and remove the fermentable elements (water and sugar) since refrigeration was unavailable in olden times. These elements are separated by two types of milk coagulation:

• Chemical using rennet (renneting)
Rennet is a natural complex of enzymes produced in any mammalian stomach to digest the mother's milk. The active enzyme in rennet called rennin or chymosin coagulates the milk’s proteins, causing it to separate into solids (curds) and liquid (whey). Vegetable rennet can also be made by isolating the coagulating agents of certain plants.

• Biological using bacterial culture (ripening)
The microorganisms most often used are Streptococci and lactobacilli. Cheese cultures are divided into two basic types: mesophilic and thermophilic. These terms describes the temperature the culture thrives at. Mesophilic cultures prefer room temperatures while thermophilic cultures require a higher temperature. The bacteria feed on the lactose of milk and create lactic acid which dissolves calcium. This is why cheeses issued from biological coagulation are poor in calcium and therefore their consistency is rather soft (calcium accelerates moisture loss).

Some cheeses are designed using both bacterial cultures and rennet.

Salting
Salt has a number of roles in cheese besides adding a salty flavor. It preserves cheese from spoiling, draws moisture from the curd, and firms up a cheese’s texture in an interaction with its proteins. Some cheeses are salted from the outside with dry salt or brine washes. Most cheeses have the salt mixed directly into the curds.

MILK
Homogenization & Pasteurization
Milk is often homogenized, a treatment which prevents a cream layer from separating out of the milk. Homogenization confers no health or safety benefits to the milk, only the convenience of not having to shake the bottle before use.
Pasteurization is the partial sterilization of milk at a temperature and for a period of exposure that destroys harmful (and beneficial) organisms as well as enzymes without major chemical alteration of the substance. Pasteurized milk may affect the flavor of cheese.

Separation
The higher butterfat-layer is removed from the top of milk (fat skimming) or separated by centrifugation in commercial settings.

CREAM
Butterfat content determines the classification of a cream. The fat content of light cream is 18 to 30 percent, light whipping cream is 31 to 35 percent, and heavy whipping cream is 36 to 40 percent.
Half-and-half is a milk and cream mixture with 10 to 17 percent fat content.

BUTTER
Aging
Cream is held at low temperatures to crystallize the butterfat globules so the final product has the right consistency.

Churning
Cream is agitated to form butter granules that will increase in size and merge as the process progresses. At the end of churning, there are a semi-solid phase (butter) and a liquid phase (buttermilk).

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Guide To Tasting And Evaluating Beer part 2

Selection of Beers
A casual tasting will usually include a variety of styles with the beers tasted in "spectral" order, lightest to darkest, comparing beers of like type and character. A professional tasting evaluates one style of beer with up to ten different examples within that style.

Pouring the Beer
Approximately two fingers of foam at the finish of the pour is desired. Pour the beer gently into a tilted glass to determine the amount of carbonation then continue slowly or rapidly. Finish pouring with a straightening of the glass.

Recommended Temperatures
Pale Lagers 45 - 50°F.
Amber & Dark Lagers 50 - 55°F.
Pale Ales 50 - 55°F.
Dark Ales & Stouts 55 - 60°F.

Glassware
Sure, there's a marketing component to beer glassware, but one only needs to look beyond the branding to discover that something bigger is taking place. As soon as the beer hits the glass, its color, aroma and taste is altered, your eye candy receptors tune in, and your anticipation is tweaked. Hidden nuances, become more pronounced, colors shimmer, and the enjoyment of the beer simply becomes a better, more complete, experience.
Studies show that the shape of glassware will impact head development and retention. Why is this important? The foam created by pouring a beer acts as a net for many of the volatiles in a beer. What's a volatile? Compounds that evaporate from beer to create its aroma, such as hop oils, all kinds of yeast fermentation byproducts like alcohol, fusels and fruity esters, spices or other additions. So a glass that promotes a healthy foam head may enhance the trapping of certain volatiles. And as varying levels of head retention and presentation are desired with different styles of beers, different styles of glassware should be used accordingly. Presentation marries science.

Flute Glass

Enhances and showcases carbonation. Releases volatiles quickly for a more intense upfront aroma.
Bock, Czech Pilsner, Euro Strong Lager, Gueuze, Lambic…



Goblet or Chalice

Designed to maintain head. Wide-mouthed for deep sips.
Belgian IPA, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Dubbel, Quadrupel, Tripel…




Mug or Stein

Easy to drink out of. Holds plenty of volume.
Amber, Blonde & Brown Ales, Porter, Stout, IPA…




Pilsner Glass

Showcases color, clarity and carbonation. Promotes head retention. Enhances volatiles.
Czech Pilsner & Lagers




Pint Glass

Most English, Scottish, Irish and American Ales & Lagers. Preferred glassware of Pubs especially for beers on tap.




Snifter

Captures and enhances volatiles.
Belgian Ales, Quadrupel, Old Ales, Gueuze, Lambic, Imperial Stouts and Barley Wines




Tulip

Captures and enhances volatiles, while it induces and supports large foamy heads.
Strong Belgian Ales, Quadrupel, Gueuze, Lambic…




Weizen Glass

Specifically produced to take on volume and head, while locking in the banana-like and phenol aromas associated with the style.
Wheat Beers



Oversized Wine Glass

Allows for headspace, while the open bowl creates an amazing nose.
See Snifter for beer types

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Guide To Tasting And Evaluating Beer part 1

Beer varies so much in how it appears, smells and tastes, that a massive lexicon of terms and definitions has been written over the ages to help you better describe your favorite beer. The best way to fully appreciate a beer is to take your time and dissect all the subtleties of its appearance, scent, and taste. Those sensations will tell you the story of how the beer was made and make your beer drinking experience all the more enjoyable.

Appearance: You may think, "What does how the beer look like have to do with how it tastes?" A lot. Color, carbonation, and turbidity are all good indicators of the "health" of the beer and how closely it matches the style it was brewed for. Raise the glass to the light. Beer color can range from a very light greenish-yellow (straw) color as in pilsners, to the deep chocolate browns, sometimes opaque, for the stouts and porters, to the pinks and reds of the fruit flavored lambics, with almost every color in-between. Does the color fit the style? The color of beer is the result of a blend of malted grains. The length of exposure of the grain to the kilning process determines the color of the malt and the beer.

1.Color: Take note of the color of the beer. There are guidelines for the color of each style of beer, and a beer whose color falls outside those guidelines may not taste exactly as you were thinking it would.

2.Carbonation: Carbonation is also an important vital sign of the health and quality of the beer. A good all-malt beer should, on average, retain half of its head for a minute and then leave "Brussels" lace on the side of the glass as the head falls.

3.Turbidity: The turbidity (cloudiness) of a beer is a quick way to determine if a beer has spoiled or not. Bottle-conditioned beers should be cloudy, but if the beer has been filtered and you notice "floaties" in there, you had better dump it.

Scent: When evaluating the aroma/bouquet of a beer, be careful to take your time with each sniff as your perception of smell is dulled after about four sniffs. Scent also helps deepen the taste and flavor of a beer so never drink beer straight from the bottle. The scent of beer can be broken down into three separate parts: aroma, bouquet, and odor.

1.Aroma: The aroma is typically determined by the malt, grain, and any fermentation by-products. The aromas that originate from the malt and grain are often described as nutty, sweet, grainy, and malty. The fresh, earthy quality of malted barley combined with the bitter, apparent, antiseptic aroma of hops gives the beer it's aroma or bouquet. Immediately after the pour, smell the beer in the glass to capture the volatile aromas as they are soon on their way out of the glass and the beer. Do the aromas reveal the raw ingredients of the beer or have these been muted? Is there a strong hop or faint hop smell? Is there a malt character? Is it full or light? Alcohol and yeast add to the bouquet, but to a smaller degree than malt and hops, in most beers.

2.Bouquet: Hops alone determine the bouquet of a beer. Their aroma is best noticed right after a beer has been poured as its scent dissipates quickly. Different hop varieties contribute different qualities to the bouquet, and some hops may not be appropriate for some styles. Terms used to describe the hop aroma include herbal, pine, floral, resin, and spice.

3.Odor: Odor is reserved for the scents that are attributed to defects in the beer. A very common defect, which is not the brewer's fault, is "skunkiness." The oxidation of the beer from light infiltration will cause beer to develop a skunky odor. Other terms used to describe off-aromas are butter, sulphury, cooked-vegetable, fishy, oily, and chlorine.

Taste: Taste is by far the most subjective and important factor when evaluating a beer. Water is the best way to cleanse the palate but the more casual tasting may include crackers and/or food. Tasting the beers alone without food will allow the individualities of the beers tasted to better express themselves without being overpowered by the food. Taste, like appearance and scent, can also be broken down into three categories: mouthfeel, flavor, and finish. Raise the glass to the lips and swallow enough of the beer to allow it to wash the entire tongue. Try to separate the hop taste and the malt taste. Are they well balanced for the style? Balance is the blending of all of a beer's properties - bitterness, acidity, esteriness, hoppiness, etc. The more malted barley used (in relation to the water), the more full and powerful the taste. Is the body full or thin? Beer can be dry, (lacking sugar) and with a usually strong bitter hop character, or fruity (the presence of sugar), or rich (a full taste of malt and fruit). How is the aftertaste? The aftertaste should confirm the taste. Is it clean and pleasant? You want to experience a slight degree of aftertaste. Alcohol strength has little to do with the overall quality, but alcohol does play a part in the taste of the beer. Can you taste too much of the alcohol? Feel the carbonation. Is it distracting? Yeast: There are many different strains of yeast, each with their own characteristics. Fed more maltose, yeast provides a smoother beer; more glucose and it makes a "winey" beer. Fermented slowly, the yeast also releases more "elegant" flavors; fermenting quickly, it will also make a more "winey" beer. Water: The quality of the water effects greatly the quality of the beer. Water can be hard or soft; alkaline or acidic. Each of these characteristics will affect the final beer.

1.Mouthfeel: Mouthfeel is the perception of body in the beer and is caused by the residual proteins and dextrins in the beer. For each style, there is an appropriate amount of body to be expected. Body is generally classified as light, medium, or full. Body is how heavy or how light a beer feels in the mouth. This is a result of how much malt sugar has been converted into sugar. Full bodied beers have more residual sugar than light bodied beers.

2.Flavor: By far the most important and enjoyed element of drinking a beer is its flavor. To best taste all the flavors of a beer, make sure the liquid visits all four areas of your tongue: bitter, sour, sweet and salt. Take special notice of the orchestration of the balance between the hop bitterness and malt sweetness.
- Flavor as "Maltiness"
Malt provides the yeast the food to make much of the beer flavor. This can be described as a sweetish or dryish "earthy" flavor. A heavier roasted malt will also contribute a degree of "roasted" taste to the beer. (What grapes are to wine, malt is to beer).
- Flavor as "Hoppiness":
Hops provide an "herbal, crisp, bitter, palate cleansing" effect to beer. Aromatic hops provide the herbal "grassy" nose, while bittering hops provide the gentle bitterness or "bite" in beer.

3.Finish: (aftertaste) The lingering sensation after a beer has been swallowed is called the finish. Again, depending on the style, a beer might have a long lingering bitter finish, or it might completely disappear without a trace.

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Where Are All The Good Beers?

One of the facts of life we have to live with is that only a small fraction of strong ales is imported into the U.S. and even less in Texas due to restrictive alcohol laws and regulations. As an amateur of strong specialty beers I’m always looking for some new brews to try.

World-renowned titles such as Maredsous, Delirium, Kwak, Affligem and most of the Unibroue line-up are well represented. The same goes with Trappist beers, as products from five out of the seven Trappist breweries (Achel, Chimay, Koningshoeven, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle & Westvleteren) are available in the Metroplex. You can find most of these beers in pubs like The Idle Rich Pub, The Ginger Man, The Amsterdam Bar, Trinity Hall, The Old Monk, The Libertine Bar or The Flying Saucer.
But if you want to break away from these classics and try to find a new gem your best bet is a gourmet grocery store such as Whole Foods Market or Central Market. They usually carry a wider selection and from time to time they get a few new beers so keep your eyes peeled.

Ultimately you might want to check out Hall's Grocery in Colleyville and Mr. G’s Beverage Center in Plano. There you will find rare beers like the McChouffe, Lucifer, Malheur-10, Scaldis, Abbaye des Rocs, Floreffe…

Also in the last few years, several American brewing companies (Avery, Left Hand, Dogfish Head, Great Divide, Lagunitas…) have pushed the envelope and released bolder, stronger beers ranging from IPA & Belgian-style ales to Stouts & Barley Wines. This movement known as extreme brewing proves that you don’t have to import to get some good strong beers on U.S. ground but to get most of them in Texas, well...that’s another story.
You can find some of these breweries’ offerings in the aforementioned places.

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Mr G's Beverage & Deli Center
1453 Coit Rd Plano, TX 75075
Phone: (972) 867-2821
Just be aware that the Belgian beers at Mr. G’s are not refrigerated.

Kegs & Barrels
601 W. Parker Road Plano, TX 75023
Phone: (469) 467-2468

1905 W. 15th Street Plano, TX 75075
Phone: (972) 578-3132

Hall's Grocery & Farmers Otlt
4200 Glade Rd Colleyville, TX 76034
Phone: (817) 267-6803

The Meddlesome Moth
The Libertine Bar
Black Friar Pub
The Amsterdam Bar
The Old Monk
The Idle Rich Pub
Trinity Hall
The Ginger Man
The Flying Saucer

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KEFIR - One Hell Of A Probiotic!

What is Kefir?

Kefir is a fermented milk pro-biotic that originated in the Caucasus region. It is prepared by inoculating cow, goat, or sheep's milk (or any milk for that matter) with kefir grains.

Kefir grains are a combination of bacteria and yeasts in a matrix of proteins, lipids, and sugars. This symbiotic matrix forms grains that resemble cauliflower. Today, kefir is becoming increasingly popular due to new research into its health benefits. Many different bacteria and yeasts are found in the kefir grains, which are a complex and highly variable community of micro-organisms.

Traditional kefir is fermented at ambient temperatures, generally overnight. Fermentation of the lactose yields a sour, carbonated, slightly alcoholic beverage with a tart and refreshing flavor similar to a drinking-style yogurt. The naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in kefir combine symbiotically to give superior health benefits when consumed regularly. It is loaded with valuable vitamins and minerals and contains easily digestible complete proteins.

While some drink kefir straight, many find it too sour on its own and prefer to add fruits, honey, maple syrup or other flavors or sweeteners. Frozen bananas, strawberries, blueberries or other fruits can be mixed with kefir in a blender to make a smoothie. Vanilla, agave nectar and other flavorings may also be added. Still others enjoy kefir, in lieu of milk, on cereal or granola.

For the lactose intolerant, kefir's abundance of beneficial yeast and bacteria provide lactase, an enzyme which consumes most of the lactose left after the culturing process.

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For everything you ever wanted to know about Kefir but never dared asking:

Dom's Kefir In-Site

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