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BEER
BREAK-
DOWN
Craft beer for beginners
MIKE COPLIN
P H O T O BY T R A S K B E D O R T H A
W
hile tap lists at local bars and breweries
seem to range from elusive to overwhelming
with not much in between, choosing a beer
can be a daunting task. With new craft
creations, a multitude of IPAs vying for
attention and beer pairing taking a seat at the table, it’s an
intimidating, brave new world.
So if you’re new to the brewery scene and playing
catch up on the craft beer revolution, EW is bringing you
the basics with Mike Coplin of 16 Tons Taphouse as our
cicerone (aka a beer sommelier).
If you’re thinking of embarking on the beer scene this
weekend with a couple of friends, walk boldly up to the bar
and ask for a sample of what is on tap. Samples are usually
free, and the bartender can help narrow down what you do
and don’t like, bringing you closer to picking that perfect pint.
“Sampling is absolutely crucial, so you can say ‘Well,
I like this,’ and have a point of reference,” Coplin says.
“If you like that, awesome, because then there’s like 500
other beers you’ll probably like.”
Light lagers are the most popular beer in the United
States and almost every other country in the world due to
their clean finish, beautiful color and crisp flavors. “If you
like Budweiser or Coors Light, it’s almost 100 percent
guaranteed you are going to like a craft beer, you just have
to find the right one,” Coplin says. Personally he prefers
Pilsners, pale gold lagers named for Pizen (Pilsen), Czech
Republic, where this light type of lager, with its balanced
flavor of crisp tartness and floral or citrus notes, originated.
Coplin believes recommending beer is hard because
it depends on personal taste. “You have no idea until you
actually taste it and everybody’s taste is different; it’s one of
the most subjective things in the world,” Coplin says. “A lot
of people don’t have very developed palettes but love coffee.
If you love coffee, then you’re probably going to love stout
because stout tastes like coffee. But that’s an easy one.”
Misconceptions of lightness or darkness determining
flavor have led some beer drinkers to fear beer they can’t
see through. “That’s why I really recommend tasting,
because it cuts through all the bullshit, all the strict styles
and, ‘Oh I don’t like dark beer,’” Coplin says. He explains
that roasted barley determines the coloring, which is why
some dark stouts have a roasted coffee flavor.
You can’t go wrong with a shandy, a popular summer
drink most often made by mixing a lager with citrus juice.
“Anyone who doesn’t like it is just a party pooper,” Coplin
says. “It’s like not liking lemonade, or sunshine, or smiles
or grass.”
Now if you’ve ever gone for the bad boy, then you’ll
understand the attractiveness of an IPA. India Pale Ales
come from the 18th century, when English sailors traveled
to India with pale ales preserved by extra hops. Not only
did the pale ale make it to India, but it arrived with a tart,
bold punch of flavor. They’re known for their in-your-face
bitterness, but in a hurt-so-good kind of way.
“People who don’t like IPAs, probably just haven’t
tried the right IPA,” Coplin explains, because IPAs can
taste like anything from pine trees to orange juice.
When you approach the bar this weekend, if
everything falls out of your head, one thing to remember
is that the game of craft beers doesn’t come with a lot
of hard-and-fast rules. At the end of the day, you can’t
really mess it up. Take Coplin’s advice: “Do what you
want to do. Taste beer and like what you want to like.
One of the awesome things about beer is that there are
not a lot of rules.” — Sarah Hagy
eugeneweekly.com • July 3, 2014
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