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Miguel Palomares

Nov 2, 2005, 3:33 PM

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Burned beer

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Has anybody heard of burned beer? Cerveza quemada, to the locals. Mexicans are convinced that if you have chilled beer, and you leave those babies out of the fridge long enough to lose the chill, you cannot re-chill it because then the beer is "burned" and totally undrinkable, not fit for human consumption. They will drink it warm first. Yuck.

Now, I know there are some of you, especially in San Miguel, who insist that their chi-chi brand of brew must be served at just so a temperature, but I am talking about your everyday suds. Jax or Dixie. Beer with hamburgers and fries. That sort of thing.

Back in my lush days, I often drank what would have been cerveza quemada in Mexico. Never noticed anything wrong. Tasted fine to me, and I was content, if blurry-eyed. Great with raw oysters.

I even took a bartending course once up in New Orleans, the lush capital of the United States. Nobody ever said anything about burned beer. I am thinking this is a cultural myth. Has anybody else heard this?
From Tzurumutaro, Michoacan, "The Village of the Darned."
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The nuts and bolts of moving to Mexico:
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The dark side of living in Mexico:
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Scintillating life in a Mexican pueblo:
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Rolly

Nov 2, 2005, 5:31 PM

Post #2 of 16 (1632 views)

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Re: [Miguel Palomares] Burned beer

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I head that many years ago in connection with Coors beer. In those days, supposedly, Coors was not pasteurized (or some such thing) and had to be kept refrigerated from plant to consumer. If it was allowed to warm to room temp, it would be ruined. I never found it to be true. I think it was a myth.

Rolly Pirate

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Bear

Nov 2, 2005, 6:06 PM

Post #3 of 16 (1620 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Burned beer

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Although I have certainly heard the stories about ruined re-chilled Coors, it also was a common belief
among the construction trades in Northern California
that any beer, especially imported, looses it flavor
when warmed and re-chilled. Of course, they did not
refuse it, but I think, like Rolly, it was just a BS story. Bear

song_of_joy

Nov 2, 2005, 7:54 PM

Post #4 of 16 (1599 views)

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Re: [Bear] Burned beer

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My sons (20 and 22 now) swear it's true, but they're niños fresas. I'm no expert, but I can taste a difference.

Gringal

Nov 2, 2005, 7:57 PM

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Re: [Miguel Palomares] Burned beer

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Think of it as marshmallows. Good either way. Just different.

(This post was edited by Gringal on Nov 3, 2005, 8:53 AM)

MariaLund

Nov 2, 2005, 8:21 PM

Post #6 of 16 (1592 views)

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Re: [Miguel Palomares] Burned beer

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Sounds like burned champagne to me. Same story.
Vivere non est necesse, navigare necesse est!

Camille

Nov 2, 2005, 10:15 PM

Post #7 of 16 (1586 views)

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Re: [Miguel Palomares] Burned beer

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Yeah, and the lovely praying mantii bite and kill horses, according to the locals..... think I'll keep on encouraging the mantis-in-residence to enjoy my garden, and getting the beer boxes out of the truck as time permits.
Everyone north of Vallarta was happy when the LaCruz Pemex started seling cold Pacifico for 100 pesos per case, same price as Sam's, but without the hassle of the wait for your insulting little chit for your deposit on the bottles you'd just brought in.
By the time this kind-of-cold beer reaches my door, it is tepid at best... but by the next morning, by some grace of the grain spirits, it has been reborn and sings anew, and if it is not you, Anastasia, never tell me......
Oh sorry, got carried away. Bottom line, can't tell the difference......

Bubba

Nov 3, 2005, 8:27 AM

Post #8 of 16 (1552 views)

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Re: [Camille] Burned beer

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It probably comes from the good old days when beer and wine making was not as much of a science. Cold slows down the yeast action or can even kill it. When a product is cold enough it does not ferment if it warms up the yeast start fermenting again. This is why the products were considered non drinkable and tasted differently ,not to mentioned poped their corked or blew up the bottles. Champagne before the monk Dom Perignon figured out what was happening was called vin fou ( vino loco).The cellars were cold and remained cold all winter but when the weather warmed up people ended up with a mess . I would imagine that similar things happened to beer.

tonyburton

Nov 3, 2005, 12:13 PM

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Re: [Bubba] Burned beer

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I can't believe what I'm reading. This whole thread is completely ridiculous. Why on earth would anyone in their right mind wish to cool down or chill any decent beer??? It's hardly surprising that beer that has been subjected to such an indignity doesn't taste the same...

Gringal

Nov 3, 2005, 1:02 PM

Post #10 of 16 (1521 views)

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Re: [tonyburton] Burned beer

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Other than that, the British aren't bad people.

bournemouth

Nov 3, 2005, 1:52 PM

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Re: [Gringal] Burned beer

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Well, thank you for that "compliment" Gringal.

Gringal

Nov 3, 2005, 3:04 PM

Post #12 of 16 (1504 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Burned beer

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Wonderful folks, the Brits. But that beer.....

pipjane

Nov 4, 2005, 6:48 AM

Post #13 of 16 (1473 views)

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Re: [Gringal] Burned beer

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As the daughter of 2 British pub landlords perhaps I can just mention that many American Beers are really more like European lagers - which should be served very cold. Real British beer is more like a meal in a glass and you wouldn't serve your main course icy cold - if it's too cold you can't taste it very well. British beer was traditionally drunk at cellar temperature - not room temperature. Cool but not icy.

wendy devlin

Nov 4, 2005, 10:53 AM

Post #14 of 16 (1456 views)

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Re: [pipjane] Burned beer

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"As the daughter of 2 British pub landlords"

Real British beer can have that double vision effect.

pipjane

Nov 4, 2005, 2:36 PM

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Re: [wendy devlin] Burned beer

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Not in my case - I'm teetotal. But like most people I had a mother and father and both were pub landlords!

gbatrucks

Nov 9, 2005, 4:18 AM

Post #16 of 16 (1386 views)

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Re: [pipjane] Burned beer

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British beer is definitly and aquired taste, especially that horrible concoction called "stout". During my travels to Europe I discovered the wonders of German beer, but my favorites are the
Czech pilsners. Many of the Mexican beers are based on the Czech model, particularly the Bohemia brand. Mexican brewers, needing some guidance, invited Czech brewmasters from the Bohemia area to help establish the industry. I prefer most Mexican beers to the domestic swill found NOB, with the possible exception of Sam Adams & other minor botique brands.
"The trouble with life is there's no background music."