Not much is needed to get folks to have their beers to go with food, in fact, some might say that beer and food are a match made in heaven and that nothing beats having supper after a couple of pints. And so when Barcelona's Damm Brewery had announced in 2008 the creation of a gastronomically designed beer, or a "beer specifically created to accompany food", which they named Inedit Damm ("Inedit" meaning "novel" and "never before seen"), in collaboration no less with Ferran Adria, the head chef behind then World's Best Restaurant (a record 5 times) El Bulli, the question on everyone's mind was a resolute "Why?" 

After all, as we've established, very little is needed to convince anyone to have their beer with food. Yet, taking a step back, putting aside cost and quantity, few would also fail to see the difference between an eatery and a fine dining restaurant - that's not to say that one is qualitatively better than the other, but rather the two formats are distinguishable by the difference in their philosophy. Where any restaurant at its core has the goal of serving good food that folks want, a fine dining restaurant is at least in theory given separate recognition for applying culinary techniques in expression of a concept or philosophical underpinning. One is focused on production and value, and the other on intentionality and artistic expression. Now, again to be clear, that is not to say that one is better than the other, but rather that the two different formats serve distinctly differing purposes and motivations. If one were to go to a Michelin starred restaurant with the sole desire of feeling full, they would either be sorely disappointed or would have clearly overpaid their dues.

El Bulli, five times the world's greatest restaurant.

And so for the same reason is why the Inedit Damm exists - a beer designed with the "aim to complement food once thought to be a challenge in terms of culinary pairings, including salads, vinegar-based sauces, bitter notes such as asparagus and artichokes, fatty and oily fish, and citrus." And in the close to two decades since its release, with the dust settled, the Inedit Damm has certainly proven its foresightedness in paving the way for the creation of similarly designed gastronomic beers, which have also since found their place at fine dining establishments where food pairing is of course kicked up a notch and is of ultimate consequence.

So with that let's take a closer look at the historic Spanish brewery, Damm, that is behind the Inedit Damm!

August Kuentzmann Damm.

Damm Brewery, who is behind the incredibly popular Estrella Damm lager, is the oldest beer brand in Spain and also the country's oldest continuously brewed beer brand, having been founded in Barcelona in 1876 by one August Kuentzmann Damm. Damm and his cousin Joseph Damm, had fled their hometown of Alsace which had fallen during the Franco-Prussian War, migrating to then Catalonia, Spain. Once there, Damm had sought to rebuild his life in the way he knew how - by making beers! Damm had been a brewer of European beers from Pilsners to Marzens and Bocks, and would thus together with his wife establish their new little brewery, the Damm y Compañía. It was here that Damm would create in 1876 what he called the Strasburger Bier, a special lager beer that was a lighter adaptation of the heavier European styles.

What Damm had realised was that the Mediterranean climate of Spain had called for something that was more crisp and refreshing, where up till then Spain had predominantly been a wine-drinking country with just top-fermented ales and stouts that had been imported in with little success. With his expertise in bottom-fermented lagers, Damm would thus create a particular lager that included the use of locally grown rice (from the Ebro Delta) in his recipe, which would serve as an adjunct that tempered the richness of the barley malt to produce a beer that was more crisp and dry on the finish. This was as rice is incredibly starchy, and thus brought to the recipe more fermentable sugars that helped to dilute the heavier, more syrupy proteins that came from the barley malt. This was hardly common at the time, with most recipes typically calling for a 100% use of malt. The use of rice was therefore not only Damm's wonder ingredient, but would come to revolutionise brewing in the Mediterranean!

And so with about 4% rice, along with barley malt, a variety of hops (today often cited as Nugget, Magnum, Taurus and Herkules), with then a proprietary yeast strain, the beer that would become the iconic Estrella Damm was born.

Unfortunately, Damm would pass away just the year after, with his cousin Joseph Damm taking over the brewery. The brewery would nevertheless carry on, and in 1888 would produce its first branded beer, the Bock-Damm, marking an introduction of traditional European styles to Spain (with later the Voll-Damm Doppelbock also introduced in 1955) and paying homage to Damm's brewing heritage - this too was quite the success! By 1905 the brewery had outgrew itself and would re-establish itself in the La Bohemia brewery located at the heart of Barcelona's Eixample district, where today it is known as the Old Estrella Damm Brewery and is where visitors can tour Damm's historic brewery, as brewing would once again outgrow itself and shift to the El Prat de Llobregat brewery in 1985. Damm would go from accolade to accolade, and heading into 1910, with only four breweries in Barcelona, a merger of all four was now on the cards, yet ultimately culminating in the merger of just three (Damm, La Bohemia and Maurer, with Moritz choosing to stay independent) which became Sociedad Anonima Damm (or S.A. Damm) as we know it today.

In 1921, the brewery would take on the brand identity of its famous golden star, now going by the name Estrella Dorado, to mean "Golden Star". It's worth pointing out that numerous Hispanic breweries too use the name "Estrella", which simply means "Star", which can sometimes cause confusion! Regardless with this new brand, the brewery would head to the landmark 1929 Barcelona International Exposition where it was served in its biggest international showcase up till that point. By 1991, the brewery would further refine its brand name to simply Estrella Damm, taking on the name of its flagship Mediterranean lager. In its 150 year history, the brewery would go on to expand beyond beers (and into mineral water, iced tea, coffee, milkshakes, and of course other breweries even beyond Spain, with notably UK classic Old Speckled Hen and the Eagle Brewery, as well as cafes and restaurants), sponsor major events like the 1982 FIFA World Cup and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, as well as is the official global partner of legendary football team FC Barcelona, and of course the Spanish National Football Team, amongst others.

Ferran Adria.

And so circling all the way to the 2000's, Estrella Damm would thus collaborate with Ferran Adria of El Bulli to produce the Inedit Damm - arguably the world's first gastronomic beer, designed for food pairings. To achieve this versatility, Estrella Damm would create a wheat and malt blend (with characteristic of both a lager and a wheat beer) that was then spiced with coriander, orange peel and licorice. On the surface, the recipe seems rather standard for a Belgian-style witbier, aside from the use of licorice, although Damm and Adria believes that the beer has much more to offer than meets the eye, and even recommends serving it in a white wine glass!

So with that said, let's give it a go!

Beer Review: Estrella Damm Inedit, Damm Brewery (S.A. Damm)

Blend of Lager and Wheat Beer, with barley malt, wheat, hops, yeast, and coriander, orange peel and licorice. 4.8% ABV.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Hazy Dark Gold

Aroma: Wow! Incredibly deep tones of floral acacia and manuka honey, with floral and herbal, honeyed overtones coupled with clove and cardamom spices. Orange blossoms, honey jelly, royal jelly, with also a drizzle of treacle, it's sensually perfumed.

Taste: Medium-bodied here, velvety and rich, with more of that herbal manuka honey, eucalyptus, acacia, accompanied by orange blossoms, white tea, clove spices, white pepper and ivy leaf. There's a delicate and mellow chewy sweetness of dough and breadiness that buoys the body, backing up that floral, spiced, herbal and honeyed top note.

Finish: More of those orange blossoms, clove spices, with now a slight savouriness of charred meat that joins some herbal cough syrup. It's honeyed all the way through, rich and luscious, with also some rustic wheatiness that veils the persistent floral, citrusy and herbal tones. Seamless and velvety, creamy yet clean and dry finish, with a light dash of white pepper and cloves lingering on, with a slight bit of mineral spring water.

My Thoughts

Even on its own, this is a phenomenal pour! It's herbal and rich, with overtones of florals, spices and citruses that are integrated and conveyed so beautifully over that luscious and velvety body. For sure the witbier side of things certainly seem to take the fore, whilst the lager bolsters the base. The licorice doesn't quite come through on its own, yet might just add to that really enjoyable herbal quality. This is so perfumed and aromatic, with such a luxuriousness about its body, ending off on a clean and dry finish that balances out the richness. It's even almost got this oriental vibe about it, evocative of waxy, resinous jasmines and agarwood, with a touch of traditional herbal roots to it. That said, it's certainly not as crisp or as dry as the classic Estrella Damm, here more bodied and rounder.

We subsequently pairing it with Thai green curry and blue cheeses, and it worked just as nicely, with the richness of the body really holding its own without being overrun, yet at the same time without a jostle to dominate the flavours of the food - it's sufficiently neutral to be a good food accompaniment, really just padding the palate for whatever you're having, giving everything this layer of honeyed richness, yet at the same time has sufficient body to remain present and not drowned out. That said, I enjoyed this just as much, if not more on its own!

Kanpai!

@111hotpot