Chris Shanahan: Brewer adds “terroir” to the beer dictionary

At www.beerandbrewer.com winemaker-turned-brewer, Brad Rogers, introduces the French wine concept of “terroir” into the beer dictionary.

Rogers, a partner at Stone and Wood Brewery, Byron Bay, writes of the pale ale style and “how we’re making it our own”.

He describes how pale ales, across a wide range of styles, can’t be beaten at revealing the complex world of hops. He mentions uber hoppy American pale ale, the highly aromatic Little Creatures from Australia and English and Indian versions.

He introduces wine’s “terroir” concept, writing, “with hops different conditions do translate to different flavours. The Cascade hops grown in the Pacific Northwest and the Cascade hops grown in Tasmania’s Bushy Park… display different attributes”.

The growing numbers of hop-season beers released are a practical revelation of hop varieties and hop “terroirs”.