Try the Black Pilsner first, as its much lighter body and delicate and soft flavours will be washed out if you sample the very full-bodied, sharp, alcoholic and slightly fusel flavours of Delirium Tremens first. Despite what most people expect upon mere visual inspection of these beers, Black Pilsner is less heavy and rich, while Delirium Tremens is more viscous and sharp.

Black Pilsner gets its dark colour in part, from the use of a small amount of a type of barley called black patent malt is very dark, which is the result of roasting at a very high temperature, and the use of even a small amount of it adds a substantial amount of colour to the final beer. However, the use of soft brewing water and delicate noble hops and the fermentation of the beer by a pilsner yeast results in very soft and subtle flavours. Had Brew Brothers used the exact same recipe, but fermented the beer using an ale yeast, the colour would be identical, but the flavours would be amplified, fruitier and less clean.

On the other hand, Delirium Tremens is brewed almost exclusively with pale malt, which is very light on colour because it is dried at a low temperature. A large amount of pale malt us used, along with additional brewing sugars to increase the alcohol content. The absence of any dark grains in the brewing results in its light colour, but the high alcohol content, the large amount of hops added to provide adequate balance, and the fermentation of the beer by a special Belgian ale yeast combine to create the harsh, full-bodied flavors.

So next time you're in a restaurant, you'll know not to order a dark beer and some brown food.

Used without permission from Vol 7 No 45, FFWD, Calgary's News and Entertainment Weekly. http://www.greatwest.ca/ffwd/Intro/index.html