Beer school.
Despite brewing with fruit being as old as beer itself, many drinkers regard fruit in beer as they do pineapple on pizza – just plain wrong. But things are changing – look at menus, fridges in your local beer shop or the shelves in the supermarket and there are so many beers being brewed with fruit. It’s a big trend in beer today, and I reckon it’s a good thing (but then I love pineapple on pizza).
There’s a long history of fruit being added to beer, either fresh or dried, and often to add a different flavour. The Belgians have become the most famous fruit beer brewers, with wooden barrels of intentionally soured beer having cherries or raspberries added to temper the sharpness with a little sweetness.
That kind of beer is still popular, but we’re now seeing all kinds of fruit added to a whole rainbow of beer styles, and I like to think it’s making beer more welcoming. Craft beer can seem daunting, with a dizzying line-up of dozens of colourful cans, but see a beer with lemon, cherries or passion fruit and immediately it’s more approachable and understandable. We get what that beer might taste like and we’re intrigued.