Unless we are very much mistaken, the world of beer appears to be changing quite dramatically. Some well preserved myths surrounding our national drink are being given a right royal kicking, the latest being that clear beer is good beer. Should we use finings in our cask beer, or should we leave it ‘au naturelle’?
Still unconvinced? Go and seek out an unfined beer, ignore your predisposed objection to hazy ale and taste with your mouth not with your eyes. You’ll be rewarded, we promise.
If you want to help push for unfined beer through SIBA, Justin presents his case most eloquently Here .
Evolution not Revolution. Exciting times ahead.
In Lithuania – a country with excellent beer culture – unfined (and unpasteurized) beer is freely available in most pubs, bars and supermarkets (though like here, the big local brands still fine their beers) and "unfined" is generally considered a mark of quality among customers. Beers that are unfined and unpasteurized are frequently described as "real beer" or "live beer". In other words, almost the opposite situation as in the UK: "clear" beer, while preferred by some customers, is recognized as the exception, and unfined beer is the norm.
I like ale that tastes good so I’d probably prefer unfined. However I did not know about fined and unfined beers and will have the pleasure of finding out…pun unavoidable!
I come from the Czech Republic and while "clear" filtered lager is by far the most widespread brew on tap in most pubs and bars there, unfiltered and unpasteurized beers are often considered premium products and are usually more flavoursome and satisfying.And being a veggie, it’s not just about the flavour for me. I live in a rural part of East Yorkshire and I find it a bit frustrating that, in country pubs, there is no decent beer on offer the production of which doesn’t involve animal products.I’m not saying that all beer should be unfined of course, but as a consumer I’d like to have a choice when I go to a pub (and no, I don’t consider the macro lagers to be an option). Variety is good.
Hey Jiri, I think you’ve hit the nail on the head there. It’s all about giving people a choice rather than telling them what they should or should not be drinking. Summer Wine Brewery are Yorkshire based and are about to start producing a small amount of unfined beer, so pay attention to their blog and seek it out!
Quality and flavour are what we want to sell and what our customers want, however, education and promotion are essential for customers to know what they are buying, otherwise they just bring hazy beers back to the bar as if they are cloudy and off and demand a fresh pint. So the most important thing here is your pump clip saying unfined. Brilliant! Then the customer can choose if they want to try out, or if they want to stick with crystal clear beer. Means the cellar staff know where they are too when checking beer readiness. Would love to try some of your beers when you next drop round Leeds.RosalindGeneral ManagerWest Riding LRRDewsbury Railway StationTranspennine Ale Trail