No more Newky Broon

[Gob]

A change to the recipe of Newcastle Brown Ale to attract American drinkers will mean the beer’s appearance will no longer be... brown.



Its distinctive hue comes from caramel colouring but brewers want it removed after fears in the US that it causes cancer.

EU officials have twice ruled that the chemical – 4-methylimidazole – is safe and US counterparts agree, but brewer Heineken has bowed to pressure from consumer groups across the Atlantic. A spokesman for Heineken confirmed: ‘We are in the process of changing our recipe for Newcastle Brown Ale and it will no longer include caramel colouring. ‘The amount used in Newcastle Brown Ale is well within the recommended safe levels set by these bodies.

‘However, we listened to consumer concerns that have been expressed, particularly in the USA, and chose to review our recipe. ‘We will now achieve the distinctive colouring and flavour of Newcastle Brown Ale, that our consumers enjoy, by using roasted malts instead.’ Beer expert Alistair Gilmore reassured drinkers that the flavour was unlikely to change. ‘It is absolutely possible for them to maintain the taste and appearance of the beer by changing the colouring,’ he said. ‘It should be exactly the same. ‘Some people say they have changed the ingredients over the years but I’m not sure whether they have or not. ‘People say it does not taste the same as it used to. This could be a mixture of nostalgia, modern brewing techniques or the change in water.’

The bottled beer was brewed next to St James’s Park football ground in Newcastle from 1927 until it moved to Gateshead in 2005, and finally to North Yorkshire.

[Guinevere]

Yuck. Never enjoyed that beer and who would want to drink a beer with artificial flavors or colors. Beer is such a wonderful, wholesome food when it's well done. Yuck again.

On a slightly related note - I always found IPAs too bitter and too hoppy to enjoy much. However, the ongoing boom in American microbreweries has included a large component of amazing IPAs and my beer palate has expanded to include some new favorites (the Shed in VT and Peak Island from ME) and even a double IPA (Heady Topper from Alchemist in VT).

The next round of hip beers (on the East Coast anyway) is sour beer. Anyone drink any they particularly like/recommend?

[rubato]

So they were putting coloring into it to make it look the way it was supposed to all along? Shouldn't they have just figured out how to make it right the first time? Or would it effect the production of raw materials for Marmite?


No loss. There are a lot of good beers made here, more all the time.




"Never say die."

Pricy but if you drink less you can drink better.

The regular production Old Rasputin is good too.



yrs,
rubato

[MajGenl.Meade]

It's tough work killing even one bottle though.

[rubato]

сильная воля!

yrs,
rubato

[MajGenl.Meade]

собственную удачу дьявола