Being a wine enthusiast, I eagerly research the terroir, or sense of place, of each wine I drink. Whenever I open a bottle, I want to dig deeper than general facts about the region where the wine came from. I enjoy reading any information I can find about the vineyard’s soil, climate, or terrain, in addition to the specific practices, the winemaker implemented when crafting the wine. I’m a sucker for the wineries that list all sorts of details on the label or the website; I feel so much more connected to these wines. When I drink them, I can appreciate what made them this way.

In contrast, I don’t usually consider the terroir of beer when I crack open a can or a bottle. However, after attending the Savor lecture on “The Terroir of Beer,” I realized that I should. During the event, I had the opportunity to listen to the opinions of leaders in this area, including Missy Begay, who holds an MD and is the co-founder and creative director of Bow and Arrow Brewing Co., the first Native woman-owned brewery in the US, and Ron Silberstein, the co-founder of Admiral Maltings, a company that sells local and sustainable craft malts. The event was moderated by Glen Fox, a former professor of mine who is an expert on brewing science.

Throughout the events, Begay, Silberstein, and Fox engaged in fascinating conversations on the roles of sustainability and terroir in the brewing industry. Historically, terroir was a fundamental part of brewing, with water mineral content, hops, and malt reflecting the place the beer was brewed. Now, with the globalization of beer and large-scale brewing operations, consistency is hailed by consumers of brews produced by larger companies. However, both Begay and Silberstein are bringing sustainability, locality, and terroir into their work in the brewing industry.

Silberstein works directly alongside farmers, and in the beginning, he says that he learned with them while pursuing his goals of farming regeneratively and sustainably. Sustainable farming practices Silberstein and his partnering farms implement include not tilling the land, limiting water usage, and rotating animals throughout the farms to aerate the soil and provide the land with natural fertilizers. In addition, Silberstein mentions farmers’ pride when drinking beers with malts that started as their crops. Not only do the farmers enjoy this, but also the customers. Admiral Malting’s in-house taproom, The Rake, can tell customers which farmer grew the barley that went into their beer. It provides the link between farmer and consumer, reminding us of the beer's locality and terroir.

Begay’s take on terroir is making “beer that [she feels] good about and that tastes good.” She highlights indigenous ingredients that her ancestors have been using for thousands of years while also preserving these plants for generations to come. Begay’s Bow and Arrow Brewing Co. released a roasted blue corn pilsner using what the local land provides. This brew was made with heirloom blue corn, which Begay describes as a staple to tribes for ceremony, tradition, and diet. In addition to this blue corn brew, Begay created the Foederland beer, a brewery favorite that utilizes wild yeast and bacteria collected from local lavender fields. Begay also forages for native Neomexicanus hops, which have been used medicinally for centuries, and incorporates them into her brews.

No longer is terroir limited to wine. It also includes beer. As seen in previous Robert Mondavi Institute events, even breastmilk has terroir. Next time I have a beer, I look forward to engaging with its sense of place and admiring its terroir.

To view the video recording of the event, visit the Savor webpage.

Kendal Koorenny is a current master’s student in the viticulture and enology program at UC Davis. She adores food, wine, and science and writing about it all! When she is not in class or working, you can find Kendal reading a book, crafting a new cocktail recipe, or spending time with her kitten.