Choices, Influences & Seasons

Consciously or subconsciously, you probably took a personal selection journey to settle on what is now your favorite beer. This selection process is more complex than most people realize.

Humans are unique in their personal preferences and tastes, and each beer produced also is unique in its composition and complexity. You see, despite the reputation of beer being an unsophisticated drink, it’s actually one of the most – if not the most – complex drinks we consume.

Wine is seen as a more sophisticated drink because of the allure of the winemaking process. Let’s compare the two for a moment. There are about 200 different wine styles available in the world while beer has about 100 different styles. The principles of making wine and beer are very similar. Yeast attacks the sugar presented and converts it to alcohol. But this is where the similarities stop.

Beer contains hops. Hops are a flower from the plant Humulus lupulus. They are used for three reasons in beer making: taste, aroma and color. With more than 250 hop varieties and 200-plus yeast strains, as well as a wide variety of grains, the styles of beer that could be produced is very extensive. Yes, beer is made from four simple ingredients – water, grain, hops and yeast – but the variation of these four ingredients allows for the imagination to create an unfathomable number of different beers.

We humans are so unique. We think differently, see differently and most certainly taste differently. What suits your taste buds will almost certainly not suit your spouse’s taste buds. This is why the beer industry will continue to evolve, invent and create new beer styles for the foreseeable future.

As a brewer, my focus is to offer products that suit the masses. We target beer styles that a wide range of people would appreciate, also recognizing that there are other taste buds we have to satisfy with different styles of beer.

Additional driving factors in any given beer you select include your mood and your environment. If you are in a relaxed mood, you may want to sip on a stronger style, or if you need to quench your thirst, you might choose a light refreshing beer.

I consider my palette well rounded. I want a refreshing beer in the summer; a spicy beer in the fall; heavy beer in the winter; and something in the middle for the spring.

At Lake Martin Brewing, we have developed two beer styles to substantiate the taste buds during these hot Alabama summers. Let me introduce you to Bay Pines Mango Ale and Dam Light Beer.

Bay Pines

Mango Ale is a light bodied ale, medium color, light earthy notes with a crisp refreshing mango finish. For all the manly men out there, this is a nice way to forgo the umbrella in your drink.

For the traditionalist, we have brewed the Dam Light Beer. There is a reason why domestic beer is popular. People want a light bodied, refreshing beer that can be gulped down. The Dam Light Beer extends the domestic experience toward the positive.

You see, our beer has all the expectations of your favorite domestic with added benefits. These benefits include no offensive off flavors as the beer warms up and more flavor without compromising the domestic experience.

You can drink a light beer that has a bit of complexity, depth and flavor. As the seasons change, your taste buds will follow suit.