Estrella Damm Inedit and Lager

In July of 1870 negotiations between France and Prussia broke down based on a royal insult in an ongoing disagreement over the succession of the Spanish throne, and open warfare between the two nations began. The Franco-Prussian War pitted a heavily modernized Prussia, led by Otto von Bismarck, against an ill-prepared France, led by Napoleon the III. The war lasted for less than a year and resulted in a Prussian victory.

The victorious Prussian took control of the region of Alsace, causing some locals to leave the area. For many it seemed that Alsace would continue to act as the battlefield between France and Prussia and that only destruction and ruin waited for them if they stayed in Alsace. August Kuentzmann Damm and his master brewer cousin, Joseph Damm, realized this possibility and fled to Spain in 1872, thus skipping out on the festivities of World War I. After four years, August opened a brewery in Barcelona, naming the brand Estrella Damm. In 1905, the family opened the La Bohemia Brewery that poured out volumes of beer until its closure in 1992.

Joseph Damm began the Estrella Damm line with the creation of a dopple bock and a beer surprisingly similar to Fischer Biere D’Alscace Amber Traditional, but instead of corn, it utilized pearl rice, which we know as the Estrella Damm 1876 recipe. Over the years, the brewery created numerous styles of ale and beer, however; their lager is their tried and true product.

The people of Spain thirstily embraced the beers of the Damm family resulting in the massive growth and prosperity for the brewery. The people of Spain embraced Estrella Damm as their own. It is now the most recognized iconic brand of Spain. To show their gratitude the Damm family, who still act as master brewers, began investing in the arts and culture of Spain as their prosperity grew. They have sponsored numerous if not countless events. It is hard to find a venue that does not have the Estrella Damm logo stamped somewhere. In many regards, the Damm family makes the brewing giants of America look like Ebenezer Scrooge.

Estrella Damm holds an interesting claim to fame that no other beer in the world can claim, the 1992 Barcelona Olympic mascot Cobi, drank Estrella Damm. In another words, Estrella Damm is the only beer consumed by an Olympic Mascot. You can still buy images of Cobi sitting on an oak barrel holding an Estrella Damm on Ebay. In addition, Estrella Damm continues to produce its own malts, unlike the majority of the world’s breweries.

Inedit is a true rarity in the brewing world. It holds a short history, however; the concept and story of its creation holds a unique twist. Inedit owes its design to a combination of two of Spain’s top sommeliers (Ferran Centelles and David Seijas), two world renowned chefs (Ferran Adria and Juli Soler), and of course the brewing team from Estrella Damm. Instead of trying to produce the perfect beer, the group embarked on creating the perfect accompaniment to food. This concept gave Inedit its name that means, “Never been done before.”

Inedit is a perfect combination for the minds of a sommelier and cicerone; it holds the ability of satisfying both the wine and beer connoisseur. The bottle of Inedit, alone, holds the characteristics of both a prosecco and sparkling wine. It seems at home sitting in a tub of ice in the center of a table holding decadent Mediterranean Cuisine hailing from the Spanish, French, and Sicilian coast. Inedit is not for a beer glass or mug, all of its tasting aspects and aromas need the attentions of a white wine glass meant for a Chardonnay. To place Inedit into a beer glass or mug is to smother and abuse it shamefully.

Inedit blends the concepts of lager, hefeweizen, and spiced ales. Inedit is a true rarity. Areas across the United States only receive a handful of cases. It is not something to share with anyone other than friends and family on special occasions. It is like a bottle of Cristal Champagne, though it is by far cheaper and harder to find.

Holding a surprisingly light 4.8% abv, Inedit holds many characteristics in common with a wheat beer, however; it fails to manifest both its flavors and aromas if placed in Hefeweizen glass. The coloration of the flesh is a deep golden pale that looks similar to a well-aged Burgundy Chardonnay. The head that forms from the pour springs forth in a Champagne like manner. The sharp crisp hiss of carbonation rushing to the lips of the glass shatters the silence like a ginger ale, and the mouse quickly subsides. It is easy to forget that it is a beer rather than champagne, prosecco, or sparkling wine when watching the mousse subside. The initial pour will leave a thin lace, however; adding more Inedit to the wine glass will kill the delicate lace and it vanishes from sight.

The aromas hint at a rich combination or orange and coriander with hints of licorice and ginger hiding in the background. The aromas delightfully embrace the olfactory senses and harmoniously intertwine in a delicate balance. When tasting Inedit it brings reminiscent thoughts of gently sipping champagne while sitting outside of a Parisian Café watching the bustling worried world around you. The flavors offer a fascinating twist of citrus, licorice, yeasts, and a slight hint of toasted barely.

Inedit offers countless breathtaking pairing combinations. It pairs well with lightly breaded seafood fare, paella, and oriental dishes. It is godlike when paired with Sicilian Swordfish or Mediterranean stuffed Swordfish partnered with a Les Crudites D’Ete salad, stemmed asparagus, and spinach laced with pine nuts and raisins.

Estrella Damm Lager is the cornerstone of a simple well-lived life in Spain. It is impossible to visit a Spanish store and not find it resting gracefully upon a shelf amongst a myriad of other beers. Estrella Damm holds one of the longest histories of any lager ever produced. Few lagers match the 130 years of unbroken production. Estrella Damm is the forefather of most Latin American beers and its characteristics cause most drinkers to reminisce about lagers such as Quilmes from Argentina or Palma Louca from Brazil.

It is important to note that unlike most lagers, there is no corn component in Estrella Damm. In Spain, only the northern areas hold soil fertility and conditions capable of corn production. This voided corns use by Estrella Damm, in the 1870s, due to a lack of a significant reliable infrastructure to obtain it by. This is the source of much of the negative criticism aimed at Estrella Damm. Those who clump it in the category of Euro-lagers, like Beer Advocate, create much of this criticism while ignoring this fact (Even one of the founders of Beer Advocate claimed in his review that he could taste the corn). This is similar to drinking a bottle of vinegar and rating it as a bottle of wine.

Instead of using a standard beer glass for Estrella Damm, use a tulip style glass. This allows its characteristics to develop. Estrella Damm holds a low 4.4% abv, making it a wonderful beverage to enjoy while basking in the afternoon sun. The flesh once exposed to the world offers an unblemished appearance of clear golden straw. The head produced from the pour develops into white silky foam that rushes to the lips of glass. The head slowly dissipates into a thin and at sometimes-nonexistent lace like a tantalizing negligee.

The aromas offer a balanced expression of grains, hops, with a slight hint of honey resting easily in the background. Estrella Damm Lager offers a subtle sweetness that is refreshing after a hard day’s work. With this sweetness, the flavors of toasted grains and honey gently embrace the tongue in a balanced and delightful manner. The mouth feel is slightly watery, since the alcohol content is extremely mild in comparison with other lagers.

Estrella Damm pairs well with Spanish dishes such as Paella and salt-crusted fish. Other pairing recommendations include Cerviche and Greek gyros.