I was invited to the launching of a new kind of beer by 961 brewers. I asked for a press release from them because I wanted to share with you my dear readers the good news. 961 beer is now producing a beer with local herbs and spices. I like that! Take a minute to learn about the subject.
961 BEER: THE LEBANESE PALE ALE
The first edition of the Brewmaster’s Select: A beer that represents the diversity of Lebanon in one sip.
The Brewmaster’s Select for 961 Beer is a modern interpretation of beer with a distinctive Lebanese background. 961 Beer is releasing its first craft brew to the public - The Lebanese Pale Ale (LPA). This specialty brew is an interpretation of the classic English India Pale Ale combined with Lebanese ingredients that symbolizes Middle Eastern intricacies.
10.000 years in the making, the LPA marks the return home for beer. From the land where beer and human civilization were born, comes a new brew that is a marriage between Western brewing tradition, Eastern complexities, and a sublime expression of the Lebanese Renaissance. It was inspired straight from the Lebanese spice markets. For decades there has been little choice in the diversity of Lebanese beers. This beer provides an alternative for the Lebanese population, with ingredients such as za’atar, sumac, mint, sage, anise, and chamomile. The use of such herbs and spices makes this distinctive craft brew truly Lebanese.
Filled with flavor and fragrance, the LPA has already received international recognition through media coverage by ARTE TV, and Brewbound. The beer was co-brewed with Anders Kissmeyer who was the brew master at Carlsberg for over ten years. Kissmeyer founded one of Europe’s most awarded microbreweries ‘Nørrebro Bryghus’, and now owns his label, Kissmeyer Beer & Brewing. He is also a judge of numerous beer competitions around the world. In August 2011, he received the award for ‘Best Master Brewer in the World’ by the Scandinavian School of Brewing.
During the siege in 2006, Mazen Hajjar and his friends began brewing beer in his kitchen. Two years on, Mazen Hajjar now runs the only microbrewery in the entire Arab world. Within six years, 961 Beer expanded tremendously from producing 200,000 bottles per year to 12,000,000 bottles. 961 Beer has expanded into global markets with orders coming in from the United States of America, the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Hong Kong, Spain, and many more.
Tawlet Souk el Tayeb will be hosting the launch of this craft beer. Since 2004, Souk el Tayeb has evolved from an experimental farmers’ market to a vibrant organization working on many projects that promote Lebanese food, culinary traditions, rural heritage, and natural environments. Souk el Tayeb's vision is to celebrate food and traditions that unite communities while supporting small-scale farmers and producers, and preserving the ethnicity of sustainable agriculture. Tawlet is the farmers' kitchen where a different producer/cook prepares typical food from his/her region everyday.
961 Beer brews 4 other beer styles, which include the Red Ale, Witbier, Porter, and Lager. 961 Beer is available in bottles and on tap in selected locations throughout Beirut.
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| Here is a closer look at the bottle |
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