Revelry at the Inn, Jan Steen, 1674
Lager Day
Dec 10
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"Beer makes you feel the way you ought to feel without beer."
– Henry Lawson (1867-1922)
Lots of lager, a bit of music on the pipes, and some dancing always makes for some fine revelry. The term “lager,” comes from the German word largern, or “to store.” Bavarian beermakers in the 15th and 16th centuries discovered lager when they left yeasts in cold storage for months at a time and noticed they were still fermenting - lager yeasts could withstand the near-freezing environments that made their ale counterparts go dormant. While lagers are known for their crisper, slightly more mellow flavor (a result of fermentation at the bottom of the wort in cooler temperatures), ales tend to be fruitier (utilizing top-fermenting yeasts, which interact with sugar near the top of the wort). Cheers and Sláinte! 🍺 🍻
Lager Beer
Lager is a type of German beer that is bottom fermented and lightly hopped. It is the dominant style of beer throughout the world, except in England, where ale is the favorite style. Ales ferment and age quickly at warm temperatures, while lagers ferment and age slowly at cool temperatures. These different types of fermentation allow for a vast difference in flavor and aroma.
There are devotees and awards for all sorts of lagers: World's Best Amber/Vienna Lager, World's Best Bock, Worlds' Best Czech-style Pale Lager, World's Best Dark Lager, World's Best Dark Lager, World's Best Doppelbock, World's Best Dortmund, World's Best German-style Pale Lager, World's Best Gluten-free Lager, World's Best Helles/Munchner, World's Best Low Alcohol Lager, World's Best Low Carb Lager, World's Best No Alcohol Lager, Worlds' Best Seasonal Lager, World's Best Strong Lager!
For the World Beer Awards, click the Venn diagram of Beers and Ales.
Cheers to that!
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
