By now, you may have heard the word “terroir” as it relates to wine. It’s a French term that describes the combination of climatic factors that contribute to nuances in wine, making one taste different from another. Among the contributing factors: soil, rain, sunlight, wind, latitude, frost protection, the grade of the land… You get the picture.
The concept can be applied to nearly any handcrafted agriculture product made in an artisanal way, though Europeans most often use it to explain the difference in prices from one vineyard to the next.
Can you say the same for beer, though?
When looking at the makeup of beer, you’ll notice that up to 97 percent of it is water. So naturally, you might believe H2O significantly influences the flavor. Not quite, says Ashley Routson, a craft-beer expert and blogger known as The Beer Wench (drinkwiththewench.com). “Today, most all breweries have the ability to filter and adjust the water to just the right specifications.”
Local hops, on the other hand, can greatly influence a beer’s profile. Contrast the growing environments of Bavaria and California, and you’ll find a noticeable difference in flavor. “The California version will be high in alpha acids and almost tropical in profile,” says Routson, “as opposed to the more herbal, earthy profile that you’ll find in Germanic growing areas.”
Here in the U.S., you’ll also experience regional tastes in beer while traveling from coast to coast. “The West Coast style is much hoppier and bitter,” says Routson, “as opposed to craft brews on the East Coast that tend to be lighter, less dominated by hops and more by malt and citrus.” So in the same way that the nation’s best pinot noirs come from the Pacific Northwest, the environment where the hops originated can ultimately impact the taste.
Craft beer is a serious endeavor these days, with more than 2,300 breweries nationwide and U.S. beer sales topping $100 billion each year—and the sector appears to only be growing. At press time, six microbreweries had opened or were slated to open locally this year, and Urban Chestnut had announced plans to build the region’s largest craft brewery. As the craft-beer scene continues to expand, you can expect to find more regional varieties—and more people discussing the terroir of beer.
A former sommelier at The French Laundry, Hoel serves as a senior wine advisor for Soutirage, a Napa Valley wine merchant and advisory firm.
