Days of the Beer, September 17

The beer for today is Lost Coast Brewery, Lost Coast Pale Ale.

On September 17, 1179, Hildegard of Bingen died. Saint Hildegard was a German abbess, artist, author, counselor, linguist, naturalist, scientist, philosopher, physician, herbalist, poet, visionary, and composer. She was born in 1098.

She was one of the first composers with a biography. One of her compositions, Ordo Virtutum, has been called the first opera, and may be the origin of the opera.

Of the other things she did, in her book Physica Sacra, she described the use and value of using hops in beer making, she wrote "(Hops), when put in beer, stops putrification and lends longer durability."

Some people think that her mention of hops in the book, started the downfall of the use of gruit.

Today is also the day of her saint feast.

Lost Coast Brewery is woman-owned brewery, in Eureka, California. Lost Coast Pale Ale is a California Pale Ale.

This highly hopped california style pale ale showcases the brewer's art of balancing malt and hop characteristics. A generous addition of munich malts balances the bittering from chinook hops, and cascade hops round out the flavor profile.

So, for the lady who said that hops preserves beer, have a woman produced beer that's made with lots of hops.