When Lisa Morrison first started blogging about beer in 1998, it wasn’t even called blogging yet. Regardless, Portland’s nickname of Beervana had recently been coined and Morrison was tasked with keeping an online column about the goings on of the Rose City’s burgeoning beer scene for KOIN-TV. At that time, some of Morrison’s favorite craft beer styles — which were still regarded as “microbrews” — were ESBs and red ales. ESB, which stands for Extra Special Bitter, has been virtually supplanted by another acronym, IPA or India pale ale. And those toffee accented red ales that were de rigueur for microbrewers to create in the late 20th century are being replaced in favor of barrel-aged sour beers including Flanders red ales.
Fifteen years later in 2013, Morrison became a co-owner of Portland’s esteemed bottle shop and tap house, Belmont Station. Her personal tastes have modernized to an affinity for IPAs and Flanders reds, although she says she still loves a well-made ESB.
Is there a new wave of old school beer styles?
I think these styles — golden, blondes, cream ales — are seeing a renaissance. Some of it is coming from younger, newer brewers who are brewing them for the first time. Some are from more established brewers going through their brew books for ideas of what to brew again. It seems the consumers also are split between newer drinkers who might find the lighter styles more approachable and the more experienced craft beer drinker going down memory lane.
As a retailer, does this resurgence portend longevity or a “micro-trend?”
I wouldn’t say they are hot sellers, but there’s enough of them going around that it’s worth paying attention to. The interesting surge in Scottish ales around late February is a good example: many breweries were making them and they sold well. Will it happen again next year or was it just because it was a style that sort of popped up again on everyone’s radar and will disappear just as quickly?
Are these retro, or throwback styles, part of the session trend of low-alcohol or have beers become too bitter?
Holy milds! I think malt might be making a comeback. Or malt is finding a newfound group of fans, as more people try craft beer. Maybe.
We’ve tried beers made with every ingredient under the sun. What do these retro styles say about simplicity?
I think the collective palate might be getting a little weary of all the different flavors being thrown into beer these days. There’s a bit of a backlash exhibited especially in pilsners and light lagers. I sampled a beer recently that was a lovely pilsner collaboration and my first comment was, “It tastes like beer!” It was delicious. Sometimes you just want to drink a beer and not have to think about it so much.
