I realize it has to do with the process in which the beer is made but is it possible to know whether a beer is top or bottom by just tasting it/looking at it?
I realize it has to do with the process in which the beer is made but is it possible to know whether a beer is top or bottom by just tasting it/looking at it?
by Anonymous, on 04.16.09 @ 4:22 pm
You can’t tell by looking at it, or the taste.
It is all down to do with the yeast used (Saccharomyces Cerevesiea for top, S. Pastorianus for bottom).
On the whole lagers are bottom fermented, with beers & ales being top fermented.
But this doesn’t really help as some beers/ales are now being made with bottom fermenting yeasts.
As already mentioned, you also can’t really tell from the look and taste, there are lagers out there that are the colour of Stouts and Porters, mainly from Eastern Europe, and there are very pale beers/ales.
Just find what you like and don’t worry about the fermentation process.
Top and bottom fermenting is a bit of a misnomer anyway.
In all fermentation the yeast is distributed throughout the beer, the difference is that top fermenting yeasts produce a thick foam on top of the beer during brewing.