Riga - original (according to the technologies of the USSR). Beer "Rizhskoye": description, composition, types, manufacturer and reviews
Beer is a unique intoxicating drink that quenches thirst, improves mood and improves appetite. Who would have thought that its origin goes back centuries?! As it turned out, they knew about him even in Rus'. For a long time, the recipe and composition of this drink have changed. That's just the name due to tradition practically did not change. One of these immortal species is the beer "Rizhskoe". What is this drink? What does he look like? What types are there? And what is its composition?
A brief excursion into the times of the USSR
For some reason, many people associate memories of the famous unification of the USSR exclusively with Zhigulevsky beer. But only in those days there were other types of this intoxicating drink, about which some admirers Soviet era forgotten for some reason.
So, after the war, a number of production changes took place in the Union, including those that affected the brewing industry. At that time, "Russian beer" was distributed, which, after the introduction of the all-Union state standard (GOST 3473-46), received a new name. From that day on, they began to write on the labels - “Riga beer”. The USSR, to the surprise of many, supported the name change. It's time for a change. And in the Union they understood this, although shortly before that, for quite a long time, everything foreign was considered “bourgeois”.
What was "Rizhskoye" like in the USSR?
According to historians, the composition of beer, the amount of sugar, yeast and other ingredients have changed not only over time, but also depending on the quality standards being implemented. For example, after the introduction of the new GOST 3473-53, they began to add special yeast, which did not lead to the fermentation of sucrose. As a result, the drink acquired a pronounced hoppy taste.
At the end of the 60s, the beer "Rizhskoe" (according to GOST it met the standards of 53 years old) received an additional prefix "Original". As a result, in the product line alcoholic drink from the light varieties, another species has been added, which has a characteristic hop taste, specific aroma and pleasant bitterness.
If you believe the old Soviet reference books, editions of which date back to 1974, then "Rizhskoe" at that time was characterized as a bitter beer. Here is what they write about it: “Rizhskoye” is a light beer made from one malt. In its taste there is a special hop bitterness, comparable to the wonderful aroma of hops. For its preparation, 3.2% alcohol, 30 g of hops were used, and the fermentation process lasted 7-8 days.
The reference books also mention beer "Riga Original". It is described as a drink with a more pronounced hop flavor and rich aroma. Based on the data, the highest grade of malt was used for the production of this beer, 35 g of hops were used, and the fermentation process lasted 8-9 days.
General information about the modern "Rizhsky"
Years later, on the shelves of our stores, there are still names from the bygone Soviet era. Including in almost every supermarket and store you can find the light “Rizhskoe”, already beloved by many. According to the manufacturers, it contains the following ingredients:
- water;
- light type malt;
- hop.
Beer "Rizhskoe" light is most often brewed according to the current GOST R51174-98. This means that the percentage of alcohol in it is no more than 4.5%, and its density is 12%. You can buy a similar drink in glass bottle with a capacity of 0.5 l and in plastic container 1.5 and 3.0 liters.
What varieties of "Riga beer" can be found today?
If earlier the production of "Rizhsky" was limited to one or two types, then at the moment they are on the menu of a beer lover. great amount. For example, it can be not only light, but also filtered, unfiltered, bottled, draft, live, pasteurized. His choice depends on taste preferences connoisseurs foamy drink.
Producers of Riga Pivo: Kirov and Tomsk plants
The number of manufacturers that can offer several options at once " Riga beer", is simply huge. For example, the Kirov plant "Vyatich" offers beer "Rizhskoye" of light varieties with a sweetish malt aroma and a mild, clean taste. According to many users, this drink contains a slight bitterness. However, all of it remains on the larynx, where it stays for a long time.
Tomsk Pivo also has its own "Rizhskoye" - it is a light foamy pasteurized barley drink that does not contain preservatives. As planned by the manufacturer, it is produced in glass container with a volume of 0.5 l and is manufactured in accordance with GOST R51174-98.
Manufacturing companies: Lyskovsky, Krasnodar and Trisosensky plants
Beer "Rizhskoye bar" is at Lyskovsky located in the Nizhny Novgorod region. According to the manufacturer, this type of drink has been produced since 2012. In addition to the ingredients already known to us, its composition includes corn grits and light barley malt.
This drink is a filtered pasteurized and lager beer, which, due to corn grits, does not contain the usual bitterness. There is "Rizhskoye Original" at the Krasnodar brewery, where it has been produced since 1957. This beer is light and slightly bitter. The Trisosensk factory also has a Riga beer. Trehsosenskoe, according to many users, has a sweetish, sugary, if not lemonade taste. Moreover, some beer lovers point to a fruit and berry aftertaste. According to their stories, they managed to catch discriminating taste gooseberries, apples and even plums, but not rye bread and hops.
Draft or bottled: which is better?
As we said earlier, "Rizhskoe" can be bottled and drafted. Which question is debatable. Here, as they say, a matter of taste and habit. For example, some users are sure that there is nothing better than a real "live" drink, which is recommended to be consumed in ready-made(and the sooner the better).
According to them, canned or bottled beer has undergone a number of treatments. So, if you are holding a bottle of foamy drink, be sure that the beer in it is either filtered or pasteurized. Therefore, it contains preservatives that extend the shelf life. Beer "Rizhskoye" draft, on the contrary, is stored for a short time and does not contain harmful impurities and substances.
As a rule, such a drink is poured 1-2 days before its sale and brewed according to a special technology that allows to reveal and preserve all the taste qualities of beer to the maximum.
How much "live" beer is better than unfiltered?
In addition, beer "Rizhskoye" can be filtered and unfiltered. Undoubtedly, a drink that has undergone less processing is healthier and safer for health. In addition, it has a rich taste and a special aroma. IN this case“live” beer looks the most advantageous. However, in Lately even it began to lose ground before an unfiltered drink.
By the way, some beer lovers are still sure that these concepts are identical. But unfiltered beer has been pasteurized, therefore, it is not always “alive”. In addition, many manufacturers add preservatives to it in order to extend the shelf life of products. As a result, useful and tasty yeast bacteria die.
What is
According to the employees of one of the places where “Rizhskoe” beer is produced (reviews and opinions about it can be heard from both experienced consumers and novice fans of this drink), pasteurization is necessary to artificially increase the product’s sales time.
It is carried out according to the following scheme: first, the beer is subjected to rapid heating, and then cooling. After that, the drink is bottled and tightly closed with a lid. As a result, the fermentation process seems to be frozen, and the beer partially loses its original taste.
Soviet beer... For some reason, "Zhigulevskoye" and only "Zhigulevskoye" appear immediately, as if there was nothing else. But Soviet beer was by no means limited to this variety, and it did not come to all the well-known Zhiguli at once. I would like to slightly open some pages of the history of beer in the USSR.
After the civil war, factories and plants, including breweries, began to recover, this happened especially rapidly during the NEP period, when many breweries were leased out. What kinds of beer were brewed at that time? In general, the same as before the revolution. If you look at the labels of those years (although bottled beer was then produced in very limited quantities), then these are "Viennese" (and "Viennese, tafelbier"), "Munich", "Pilsen", less often "Bohemian", "Bavarian", "Extra -Pilsen" and "Pilsen Export", "Kulmbach" (named after their place of origin), as well as "Velvet" (and "Black Velvet"), "Bok-Bir", "Double Gold Label", "Cabinet", "Amateur", "March", "Juniper", "Experimental No. 2" (obviously there was also "Experimental No. 1"), "Porter" (and "Highest English Porter"), "Pel-Ale", "Table" ( and "Canteen No. 2"), "Light", "Black", "Export". Rarely, but beer was called by the place of production - "Pskovskoye", "Primorskoye" or by the name of the manufacturer's plant - "Severyanin", beer with original title- Ribis. What can you say about this beer? "Viennese" - beer brewed on Viennese malt, slightly roasted, therefore it has an amber or even bronze color, malty taste. In Germany, this variety was brewed dense and aged longer, so the Oktorberfest variety appeared, which is drunk at the beer festival of the same name in Munich. In the USSR, on the contrary, they brewed a lighter, table version (which could even be called "Viennese, tafelbier" - "table", as can be seen from the label above), while the dense version of the Viennese was cooked darker and was called "March". "Munich" - brewed with dark Munich malt - this is a fairly dense dark beer with a rich caramel flavor. "Pilzenskoe" - the famous beer from the Czech Pilsen - light golden, filtered to a shine, well hopped. "Export" - this style of beer was brewed dense and well attenuated so that it had good "strength" for transportation (for export). "Bok-beer" is a German variety with a long history, well-aged, with a very high density, and therefore a fortress. Porter is a famous English beer that has been around for 300 years. Brewed from dark and roasted malts and roasted barley. Very dense, rich, full-bodied and strong (in Russia and the USSR this variety was strongly influenced by the Russian imperial stout - even denser and stronger, which means it was more dense and strong in relation to the founders of this genre, the British, one of the options for porter is and was called - "Extra Double Stout"). "Juniper" seems to have been a prototype of "Taiga" and "Magadan" with pine needles. As you can see, not only bottom-fermented beer (lagers) was brewed, but also top-fermented beer, including Pel-el. As you can see, most of the varieties came to us from Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and England. But "Black" in the old encyclopedias is called the Russian variety.
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By the end of the 1920s, the NEP began to be phased out, and the state became increasingly important in the economy. The first standards were introduced, for beer it was OST 61-27, which was put into effect on January 1, 1928. According to this all-Union standard, beer was brewed in 4 varieties:
"Pale Beer No. 1" (density 10.5%, ABV 2.9% wt.) was characterized by a pronounced hop flavor
"Light beer No. 2" (11% by 2.9%) - a combination of malt and hop flavors
"Dark beer" (12% to 3%) - a pronounced malt flavor (taste of dark malts, that is, caramel)
"Light beer" No. 1 and No. 2 differed, judging by the color of the malt used - No. 1 - light (Pilsen), No. 2 - darker (Viennese). "Dark" beer was brewed with dark "Munich" malt. "Black beer" - top-fermented (the previous ones were bottom-fermented, that is, lagers) - had a strength of only 1% at 13% density. "Black beer" was a kind of kvass and differed from it in raw materials (barley, not a mixture of barley and rye) and the absence of lactic acid fermentation. The fermentation itself went on for 3 days (and for lager varieties, the minimum aging period in the cellar was 3 weeks), that is, like kvass. Beer in the OST was described as a fermented malt drink with hops, barley was offered as the main raw material, although the use of wheat malt or rice chaff (up to 25%). It was allowed to brew special beers with a density of over 15%. The next OST 4778-32 did not introduce anything fundamentally new.
| OST 61-27 | |||
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Radical changes took place in 1936. There is a legend that the beer "Venskoye" from the Zhiguli plant from Kuibyshev won at the agricultural exhibition in Moscow. And Anastas Mikoyan, who was in charge at that time food industry asked why your beer has such a "bourgeois" name? Let's rename it after your plant to "Zhigulevskoye"! (There is a version of the story that Mikoyan would have been at the Zhiguli brewery and he really liked the beer "Viennese" and he offered to arrange its production at other breweries under the name "Zhigulevskoye"). Both versions are somewhat doubtful, active work was carried out on expanding the range and the new OST, and it was planned to expand it precisely due to the "bourgeois" varieties, but as a result, "Vienna" really became "Zhigulevskiy", and at the same time other "bourgeois" varieties were renamed - " Pilzenskoye became Russian, Munich became Ukrainian and Extra-Pilsen became Moscow. Leningrad, "Moskovskoye" - the brewery of Moscow, "Zhigulevskoye" - the Zhiguli brewery in Kuibyshev, "Russian" - the Rostov plant Zarya and "Ukrainian" in honor of the plants in Kharkov "New Bavaria" and the city of Odessa. Probably these the renamings were included in OST NKPP 8391-238 (I still can’t find it, it’s not even in the RSL) and finally fixed in OST NKPP 350-38.Not only beer was renamed, but also malt - light Pilsner malt began to be called Russian ( there is a variant where it is called Moscow), Vienna malt was renamed Zhiguli, respectively, and dark Munich malt was renamed Ukrainian. These names were included in OST NKPP 357-38 for malt.
According to OST NKPP 350-38 brewed:
"Zhigulevskoe" - light, bottom-fermented, 11% density, the fortress is not lower than 2.5% alc. (hereinafter - by weight, the value by volume, which is used now, is more by a quarter). "Zhiguli" ("Viennese") malt was used, which differed slightly more high temperature drying and therefore having a darker color. In addition to malt and hops, it was allowed to use up to 15% of unmalted raw materials (hulled barley, defatted corn, soft wheat, rice chaff) and the beer had to have a mild hop taste (as the heir to "Viennese", the taste had to be more malty than hoppy) - 175 grams of hops were added per 1 hl. finished beer. Exposure in the basement - not less than 16 days.
The remaining light varieties were brewed from "Russian" ("Pilsen") malt.
"Russian" - light, bottom-fermented, 12% density, 3.2% alc., aging in the basement - not less than 30 days and should have had a strongly pronounced hop taste (as the heir to "Pilsensky") - hops were added 260 grams per 1 ch.
"Moscow" - light, bottom-fermented, 13% density, 3.3% alc., aging in the basement - not less than 30 days and should have a strongly pronounced hop taste and aroma - hops 360-400 gr. The recipe provides for the addition of 4.5 kg. rice slices per 1 ch. beer. "Extra-pilsen" - probably a Czech variant german beer"Export" - more dense, strong and hoppy (for "export" - that is, long-term transportation) and "Moskovskoye" received the same features.
"Leningrad" - light, bottom-fermented, 18% density, 5% alc., exposure in the basement - not less than 45 days, the composition should have been 3.3 kg. sugar per 1 tsp. beer, and have a winey and strongly pronounced hop taste (450 g of hops per 1 hl.). The prototype probably served as a beer "Bok-beer" and even rather a double bock type "Salvator" - dense, aged, strong (hence the wine) and quite hoppy.
"Ukrainian" - dark, bottom-fermented (brewed from "Ukrainian" ("Munich") malt), 13% density, 3.2% alc., aging in the cellar - at least 30 days, and should have had a pronounced malt flavor (like the "Munich" tastes of dark malts should have been felt). Hops were added 160 g per 1 hl.
"March" - dark, bottom-fermented, 14.5% density, 3.8% alc., cellar aging - at least 30 days, slightly sweet taste with a strong malt aroma (caramel - from dark malts), hops 200 g. The variety also belonged to the Viennese style, as it was brewed with Viennese (Zhiguli) malt, but with an even darker version. This and subsequent varieties did not have a "bourgeois" character in the name and were not renamed.
"Porter" - dark, top-fermented, 20% density, 5% alc., cellar aging - at least 60 days and another 10 days in bottles, should have had a malt aroma and hop bitterness (hops were added 450 g per 1 hl .). Unlike modern porter, at that time they still used the traditional technology of top fermentation (ale) for this style. And according to tradition, the taste was distinguished by the richest aroma of dark malts, while the beer was well hopped.
"Caramel" - also dark and top-fermented, 11% density, not more than 1.5% alc., aging in the basement - at least 3-4 days. In the composition - 4.5 kg. sugar and 0.1 kg. sugar color per 1 hl. beer, hops 100 g. Must have sweet taste, lack of wort flavor and malty aroma. This is the heir to the "Black" and a kind barley kvass with sugar color.
| OST NKPP 350-38 | |||
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In addition to the above varieties, beer "Polyarnoye", "Soyuznoye", "Volzhskoye", "Stolichnoye" and "Moskovskoye, the highest grade" was produced, indicating OST NKPP 350-38. There is no information about Soyuznoye, and Polyarnoye was a clone of Moskovsky and because of this it was discontinued before the war. "Stolichnoye" (at that time - density 19%) and "Moskovskoye, the highest grade" (density 18%) began to be brewed in 1939.
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After the war, the state all-Union standard for beer was adopted - GOST 3473-46. In fact, he repeated his predecessor, OST 350-38, but the following changes were made to the varieties: "Russian" was replaced by "Rizhskoe" (since Riga ceased to be a "bourgeois" city, this variety began to be brewed as early as 1944), and the density of "Leningradsky" increased from 18 to 20%. The terms of exposure in the basement have also changed somewhat - at Zhigulevsky up to 21 days, at Rizhsky and Moskovsky up to 42 days, at Leningradsky up to 90 days. The mention of bottom and top fermentation has disappeared. Probably the widespread use of captured German equipment finally fixed the production of exclusively lagers in the USSR (although later variety"Velvet", at some plants, still fermented with top yeast).
| GOST 3473-46 | |||
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Next GOST 3473-53. Variety "Caramel" was replaced by "Velvet" - density 12%, fortress not higher than 2.5% alc. by wt. In its manufacture, sugar was also used, as well as special yeast - not fermenting sucrose. The organoleptic characteristics of the varieties have changed somewhat and are as follows:
"Zhigulevskoye" - pronounced hop flavor
"Rizhskoye" - strongly pronounced hop flavor
"Moscow" - strongly pronounced hop taste and aroma
"Leningradskoye" - wine flavor
"Ukrainian" - a pronounced taste and aroma of dark malt
"March" - slightly sweet taste and pronounced malty aroma
"Porter" - malt flavor and wine taste
"Velvet" - sweet taste and malty aroma.
Also, "Summer" meets this GOST.
| GOST 3473-53 | |||
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Since the end of the 50s, instead of GOST, they began to use republican specifications. The first in Russia was RTU RSFSR 197-57, then RTU RSFSR 197-61 - we will consider it, since the range of varieties has grown significantly. 8 varieties from the previous GOST have been retained, and the following have been added:
"Refreshing" (light, density not less than 8%, strength not less than 1.8% wt., exposure not less than 14 days) - hop taste and weak hop aroma
"Kazan" (light, 14%, 3.9%, 60) - hop taste and aroma - development of a plant in Kazan
"Double Golden" (light, 15%, 4.2%, 60) - specific malt flavor and hop aroma
"Nevskoe" (light, 15%, 4%, 60) - hop aroma, pleasant bitterness and mild wine flavor
"Isetskoe" (light, 16%, 5%, 50) - light wine aftertaste, hop taste and aroma - development of the Iset plant in Sverdlovsk
"Stolichnoe" (light, 23%, 7%, 100) - sweetish taste with wine aftertaste and hop aroma
"Light" (dark, 14%, no more than 2%, 16) - sweet-malty taste and slightly pronounced hop aroma
"Ostankinskoye" (dark, 17%, 4.5%, 45) - mild taste and malty aroma - development of the Ostankino plant in Moscow
"Samarskoye" (light, 14.5%, 4.5%, 60) - a pronounced hop taste and aroma with a slight wine tinge
"Taiga" (dark, 12%, 3.2%, 20) - slightly pronounced hop taste with a subtle aftertaste of coniferous extract
"Magadanskoye" - (dark, 13%, 3.5%, 16) weakly pronounced hop taste with a subtle aftertaste and aroma of elfin needles.
The varieties "Rizhskoye original", "Moscow original", "Leningradskoye original" were also added - they differed from the usual "Rizhskoye", "Moskovsky" and "Leningradskoye" by using only the highest quality raw materials, more hops and longer fermentation. For the manufacture of beer, depending on the recipe, barley brewing malt, colored barley malt and unmalted materials were used: barley flour, rice flour or rice chaff, defatted corn flour; sugar (including glucose), hops and water. And for varieties "Samarskoe" - soy flour, "Taiga" - coniferous extract, "Magadan" - infusion of elfin.
I will dwell on some varieties, especially since I have already drunk some of them, although in much more modern versions. "Capital" - I often see in books an indication that the strongest beer in the USSR was "Leningrad". This is not so, the strongest (and densest) beer was Stolichnoye! Before the war, it had a density of 19%, after the war - 23%. Perhaps his heir was the beer "Gubernatorskoe", which was brewed in Irkutsk in our time. With a fortress of 9.4% vol. (this is only half a percent more than 7% by weight of that Stolichny) beer was easy to drink, had a wine-malt taste and quickly fell down. Tasty and merciless :-) "Light" - how did you manage to get only 2% alcohol with a density of 14%? Thanks to a kind of "ice" technology, the fermentation temperature was lowered from 5-6 to 1 degree already on the 5th day of fermentation, kept for another 2 days, then the yeast was removed with a separator and sent for fermentation. Alcohol, in this mode, did not have time to ferment. "Isetskoye" - developed at the Isetsky brewery, in the then Sverdlovsk, the prototype was bock style beer. Some factories continue to brew it to this day. The taste is dense, malty, slightly winey, while moderately strong. "Double Gold" - elite variety having pre-revolutionary roots. Also distinguished by a dense malt flavor with little alcohol noticeable. "Ostankino" - dense dark grade beer developed at the Ostankino plant. In my time it was distinguished by caramel and wine taste. "Taiga" - should have had an interesting coniferous aftertaste, but the modern version I drank practically did not have it. Varieties "Kazanskoye", "Magadanskoye", "Samarskoye" were obviously named after the factories of the respective cities, "Nevskoye" was developed at the Leningrad breweries. Non-alcoholic beer at that time it was not released, but it was replaced by a very light variety "Refreshing". In addition to "Isetskoe" (and a high-quality version - "Isetskoe, original"), the Sverdlovsk Brewery developed recipes for "Sverdlovsk" - 12% by 3.6% - a light beer with a pronounced hop taste and aroma and a high degree of fermentation and "Uralskoe" - 18% to 6.5% - dark beer with a predominance of malt taste harmoniously associated with hop bitterness and the taste of wine (and a high-quality version - "Ural, original"). These varieties are not listed in the RTU, although it may appear on the labels. I note that with the indication of RTU 197, the Yantarnoye variety was also brewed, which had a density of 11% (and the quality version of Amber, original). The Yurga brewery brewed Special and Souvenir beer, the Rostov brewery Zarya brewed Lvovskoye, which is popular in Ukraine. Also, branded varieties were brewed at the Ardon brewery ("Pikantnoe"), Astrakhan ("Astrakhan" and "Astrakhan, white"), Votkinsk ("Votkinskoye", Irkutsk ("Irkutsk"), Krasnodar ("Kubanskoye"), Nalchiksky ("Vostok ", "Queen of the Fields", "Original"), Novosibirsk ("Novosibirsk"), Ordzhonikidzovsky ("Ossetian"), Orenburg ("Orenburg"), Partizansky ("Primorskoye"), Penza ("Penza"), Pskov (" Pskovskoe"), Saransk ("Mordovskoe"), Saratov ("Saratovskoe"), Sochi ("Sochi, original"), Cheboksary No. 2 ("Chuvashskoe"), Ufa ("Ufimskoe"), Khabarovsk breweries ("Vostochnoe", "Khabarovskoye"), Sakhalin breweries ("Sakhalinskoye"), Bashkir breweries ("Bashkirskoye"), Stavropol breweries ("Kavkazskoye", "Pyatigorskoye"). In addition to the "original" versions (Zhigulevskoye, original was also produced), there were also "anniversary" - "Zhigulevskoe, anniversary", "Isetskoe, anniversary", "Riga, anniversary".
| RTU RSFSR 197-61 and others. | |||
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In the late 60s, GOST 3473-69 was re-adopted. The types of beer in it correspond to GOST 53 years - these are Zhigulevskoye, Rizhskoye, Moscowskoye, Leningradskoye, Ukrainian, March, Porter, Velvet. In GOST 3473-78, the list of varieties has not been changed. A much more extensive range of varieties is given in the Russian republican standard. So, in particular, the following varieties are given in RST RSFSR 230-84 (for new ones I give their characteristics and for all the features inherent in this variety): light beer:
"Russian" (10%, 2.7%) - with hop taste and aroma with pleasant hop bitterness
"Slavyanskoye" (12%, 3.6%, developed at the Moscow Brewery) - with hop taste and aroma combined with hop bitterness
"Admiralteyskoye" (12%, 3.5%) - with a pronounced hop taste, with pleasant hop bitterness and hop aroma
"Don Cossack" (14%, 3.9%) - with pleasant hop bitterness and hop aroma
"Nizhegorodskoye" (16%, 4.8%, developed at the Gorky Volga brewery) - with a hop flavor with a touch of caramel in the aroma
"Our brand" (18%, 5.3%, developed at the Badaev brewery for the 50th anniversary of Soviet power) - with a pronounced hop aroma and wine flavor
"Norilskoye" (10%, 2.7%) - with hop taste and aroma
"Klinskoe" (11%, 3%, developed at the Klin brewery) - with a taste of pleasant hop bitterness
"Petrovskoye" (14%, 3.6%) - with a pronounced taste and aroma of hops.
Light original beer:
"Riga original" - with hop taste, pleasant hop bitterness and hop aroma
"Moscow original" - with a strongly pronounced hop taste and hop aroma
"Leningrad original" - with a hop taste and aroma with a wine flavor.
Light specialty beer:
"Kazan" - with hop taste and aroma
"Samarskoye" - with a pronounced hop taste and aroma, with a slight wine tinge
"Nevskoe" - with a hop aroma, pleasant bitterness and a mild wine flavor
"Double golden" - with a specific malt flavor and hop aroma
"Isetskoye" - with hop taste and aroma, with a slight wine flavor
"Festive" (17%, 5.5%) - with hop taste, pleasant hop bitterness
"Jubilee" (17%, 5.3%) - with hop taste, pleasant bitterness and wine flavor
"Moskvoretskoye" (17%, 5%, developed at the Moskvoretsky brewery) - with a hop flavor, pleasant bitterness combined with a wine flavor.
Dark beer:
"Ostankinskoye" - mild taste and malty aroma
"Ladoga" (14%, 3.8%) - taste and aroma of hops with a touch of caramel malt
"Novgorod" (16%, 4.2%) - with a hop flavor with a touch of caramel malt in the aroma
Ossetian "Iriston" (18%, 3%) - with a mild taste of a fermented malt drink, with a pleasant hop taste, with a touch of caramel in the aroma.
Of these varieties drank already most(though later, in the mid-late 80s, and mostly in the early-mid 90s). I will especially note "Admiralteyskoye" and "Slavyanskoye" - classic sorts of light beer like Pilsner, with a noticeable hop bitterness. "Petrovskoye", "Donskoye Cossack" - quite dense (with a density almost like that of the sides), but not at all strong beers (with a strength like a pilsner) - in my opinion a very successful combination that gives power of taste with ease of drinking, varieties like these are by far my favorite of the light beers. "Moskvoretskoe", "Nasha Marka" - dense, rich, malty and slightly vinous with an acceptable level of alcohol. "Russian" is a very light and watery beer to quench your thirst in the heat. "Klinskoye" - a variation on the theme of "Zhigulevskoye", but with rice, giving a special softness of taste. Of the "original" varieties of saws, only "Moscow, original" and it produced indelible impression precisely to their the highest quality, great to distinguish it from the background of mass varieties. The low-alcohol variety "Svetloe" (9%) was brewed according to the RST RSFSR 230-71 (and later) and had a hop taste and a pleasant hop bitterness. At the same time, the variety " barley ear"(11%) - cheap beer with big amount unmalted barley (boiled according to TU 18-6-15-79), and in Moscow - "Capital" (12%, TU 18-6-10-78 - not to be confused with the old "Capital"). It was brewed mainly by the new Moscow brewery (now Ochakovo) and it already had a high-quality clean taste. "Amateur" (12%, TU 18-6-12-79) - "low-carbohydrate" - that is, well-fermented. For the Moscow Olympics"80, the first Soviet canned beer "Golden Ring" was brewed.
I came across an interesting book "Variety Beer Technology" published in 1974, which discusses the starting data for making beer with given varietal features, approximate technological calculations are given that precede the brewing of a particular type of beer. The topic became interesting to me and I decided to compile and cook a cycle of recipes with the general name "According to the technologies of the USSR" All recipes from this cycle are compiled according to technological maps that time and maximum as much as possible, correspond to GOST 3473-79 I invite everyone to the forum who will be interested in questions about lager brewing, recipes from the times of the USSR, how to make a camp tank at home and much more .. Please pay attention to the fact that indicated in many recipes in the main calculator final density and alcohol is not true due to the fact that, according to technology, we will stop fermentation at a certain phase. I will indicate the actual data separately in each recipe.
Many recipes will have decoctions, as this technology was very popular at that time. This is due in my opinion due to the low quality of raw materials and the convenience of increasing the temperature of the mash during the transition to the next phase of mashing. I have tried my recipes with and without mashing. There is a difference, of course, but for novice brewers who are intimidated by decoction, they can skip this step. Still cooking delicious beer guaranteed
Riga original - light 12% beer, made from one malt. The taste of Riga beer is dominated by hop bitterness, harmonically associated with the delicate aroma of hops.
The main fermentation of beer lasts 8 days until the apparent extract is reached. 4.2°P by hydrometer. In lager tanks, beer is aged for 60 days.
Final gravity 4.2°P, Alcohol 4.19% vol
Ingredients
Cereals:
Hop:
Yeast:
446 billion yeast cells are recommended for fermentation: 4 fresh bags or vials liquid yeast or 22 grams of dry yeast.
Other Ingredients:
Water profile:
Moscow, Russia): Calcium: 62 mg/l, Magnesium: 15 mg/l, Sodium: 14 mg/l, Sulphates: 37 mg/l, Chlorides: 23 mg/l, Bicarbonates: 201 mg/l
Mash options
Mashing method:
Cereal (with decoctions)
Temperature breaks:
Water requirement:
Mash water: 18.2 l(hydraulic module 3.5 l/kg) | Wash water: 15.12 l(grain absorption 1.1 l/kg) | Total water: 33.32 l
Cooking parameters
Cooking efficiency: 75 %
Boiling time: 90 min| Whirlpool / sludge after boiling: 0 min| Cooling: 15 minutes
Batch size after boiling: 25 l.| Evaporation: 10 %
| Batch size before boiling: 27.6 l.
Density of the wort before boiling:
Carbonization parameters
Batch volume after fermentation: 22.5 l.| Carbonization temperature: 11 °С
Primer:
Extra options
Energy value:
Beer in the USSR. national varieties. Part 1 - Riga and Kyiv breweries. November 1st, 2013
The main volume of beer brewed in the USSR in the post-war period was made up of beer varieties described in GOST. These are light: Zhiguli, Riga, Moscow, Leningrad and dark: Ukrainian, March, Porter, Velvet. But the assortment was not limited to this and there was a significant number of beers brewed according to republican standards. Some of them were brewed in all republics, and some were purely national varieties. Let's talk about the national beers of the USSR today.
To begin with, a few explanations (when describing beer varieties, I omitted this information, since it is common to everyone). The main technology for mashing wort in the USSR was decoction (when the thick part of the mash is taken and brought to a boil, and then returned to the main mash in such a way that the temperature rises to the next temperature pause). Fermentation was lager (with one exception), cold (main - up to 10 degrees, after-fermentation - about 0), grassroots yeast. The fortress is indicated everywhere in weight percent. Modern volume percentages are more than a quarter. That is, if 4% is indicated, then this is modern 5% vol. But in any case, Soviet beer with the same density was weaker than modern beer, since it had a very low degree fermentation despite the fact that the post-fermentation time was significant. The degree of bitterness of a particular beer can be judged by the amount of hops added.
And a little myth busting. Now mRocketologists of many breweries are widely appealing to Soviet GOSTs on beer, as if hinting that "Soviet means excellent!". But GOST and republican standards allowed very, very much. So the vast majority of beer brewed in the USSR contained unmalted raw materials in significant quantities, in some varieties it reached 50%, and it was possible to mash the wort with such an amount of unmalted raw materials only with the use of enzymes. On the other hand, the widespread use of rice, corn and other grains created a peculiar flavor for this or that beer.
But let's move on to the actual beer. Let's start with beer from Riga breweries.
Aldara-alus (Beer of the brewer) - light 14% beer of Riga brewery"Aldaris", which has a malty taste, hop aroma and a pleasant, mild hop bitterness. This beer is made from pale malt (84%), rice flour (15%) and caramel malt (1%). For hopping the wort, 30 g of hops are used per 1 dal of beer given in 4 doses. Fermented for 8 days, fermented 50 to the degree of fermentation of 52% and the alcohol content of 3.8%.
Aldaris-100 (Pivovar-100) - 17% beer of the Riga brewery "Aldaris", created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the plant. This beer belongs to high-density light varieties, has a malty taste, and a mild hop aroma. This beer is made from light malt of the 1st grade. For hopping the wort, 38 g of hops of the 1st grade are used for 1 dal of beer given in 3 doses. Fermented for 9 days, fermented for 70 days to a degree of fermentation of 55% and an alcohol content of 4.9-5%.
Dizhalus is a dark high-density 21% beer from the Ilgetsiemsky brewery (Riga), which has a characteristic sweetish taste and aroma of barley-malt extract, combined with a fairly strong hop bitterness. This beer is made from pale malt (74%), malt extract (20%), caramel malt (3%) and raw sugar (3%). For hopping the wort, 58 g of hops are used per 1 dal of beer given in 3 doses. Fermented for 9-10 days, fermented 55 to the degree of fermentation of 51% and alcohol content of 4.5-5%.
Ilgeciems alus is a dark 14% beer from the Ilgeciemsky brewery (Riga), which has a mild sweetish taste combined with a slight hop bitterness and aroma of malt extract. This beer is made from pale malt (72%), caramel malt (11%) and malt extract (11%) containing 78% extractives. For hopping the wort, 25 g of hops of the 1st grade are used for 1 dal of beer given in 3 doses. Fermented for 8 days, fermented for 42 to a degree of fermentation of 44% and an alcohol content of 3.2%.
Senchu is a light 11% beer from Riga breweries, which differs from Zhiguli beer in that it is made from malt alone without the addition of any substitutes. The beer has a clean barley malt taste, harmoniously combined with soft bitterness and hop aroma. For hopping the wort, 22 g of hops of the 2nd grade are used for 1 dal of beer given in 3 doses. Fermented for 7 days, fermented for 26 days to a degree of fermentation of 50.5% and an alcohol content of 2.9%.
In the Ukrainian SSR, the number of national varieties was especially large, very interesting varieties developed by the brewers of Kyiv breweries, to which we will move on.
Dneprovskoe is a dark 15% beer from the Kyiv Brewery No. 1, which has a pleasant pronounced taste and aroma of malt and slight hop bitterness. This beer is made from pale malt (50%), dark malt (25%), melan (17%) and caramel malt (8%). For hopping the wort, 25 g of hops of the 1st grade are used per 1 dal of beer. Ferment 60 days to the degree of fermentation of 51% and alcohol content of 4%.
Kyiv is a light 16% beer, which differs from other varieties of the same density by its light color and strongly pronounced hop bitterness, which is in harmony with the wine taste. The recipe was developed by technologists of the Kyiv Brewery No. 1. This beer is made from light (Russian) malt (78%), wheat malt (15%) and sugar (7%). For hopping the wort, 50-55 g of hops of the 1st grade are used per 1 dal of beer given in 3 doses. Ferment 8-9 days, ferment 60 to the degree of fermentation of 53% and the alcohol content of 4.5%.
Kievskoye new - light 10% pleasant beer mild taste, which has a good thirst-quenching effect. This beer is made from light malt (50%), dark malt (30%), defatted corn grits (20%). For hopping the wort, 20 g of hops of the 2nd or 3rd grade are used per 1 dal of beer given in 3 doses. Fermented for 6-7 days, fermented for 16 to the degree of fermentation of 51% and alcohol content of 2.6%.
Kiev Light - light 14% beer of the Kyiv Brewery No. 1, which has a pleasant bitterness and hop aroma, combined with a slightly pronounced wine taste. This beer is made from pale malt (90%) and rice chaff (10%). For hopping the wort, 40 g of hops of the 1st grade are used for 1 dal of beer given in 3 doses. Ferment 8-9 days, ferment 60 to the degree of fermentation of 55% and alcohol content of 4%.
Pereyaslavskoye is a light 16% beer with an original taste and aroma determined by malt, hops and honey. This sort of beer was offered by the brewers of Kyiv Brewery No. 2 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the reunification of Ukraine with Russia. This beer is made from pale malt (66%), rice chaff (17.5%) and natural honey(16.5%). For hopping the wort, 50 g of hops of the 1st grade are used for 1 dal of beer given in 3 doses. Fermented for 9 days, fermented for 60 days to a degree of fermentation of 53% and an alcohol content of 4.5%.
Podolskoye is a light 15% beer from the Kyiv Brewery No. 2, which has a strongly pronounced hop taste and aroma and wine flavor. This beer was created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution. This beer is made from pale malt (80%), rice chaff (12%) and sugar (8%). For hopping the wort, 45 g of hops of the 1st grade are used for 1 dal of beer given in 4 doses. Fermented for 10 days, fermented 55 to the degree of fermentation of 57% and the alcohol content of 4.5%.
multifaceted the most delicate taste and recognizable aroma - this is what a classic Riga beer is. This is a special kind of beer that appeared during the Soviet era and firmly entrenched in the international arena. The article describes in detail the features of this alcohol, variations of its choice in the shops of the city, methods of proper tasting and individual selection of snacks. In addition, you will get acquainted with the popular representatives of the segment, which for several decades have not ceased to pamper the consumer with remarkable organoleptics.
Did you know? Modern Riga is brewed according to GOST R51174-98.
Light Riga beer is a great opportunity for every taster to have a good time. This type of froth is made from pale malt. premium, clean water and a large number hops, which necessarily undergo a long fermentation. Also, special yeast is added to the composition, which minimizes the fermentation of sucrose.
As a result, all representatives of the segment acquire an expressive hop structure. The density of the wort, prepared in accordance with generally accepted product standards, does not exceed 12%, and the strength of the drink is within 4.5%.
Color
The products of this segment indulge in attractive golden hues with a variety of amber, straw and copper overflows.
Aroma
The aromatic structure emerges with multifaceted outlines, which, in addition to the hoppy share, may be dominated by trails of honey, fruits and spices.
Taste
Gastronomic indicators are distinguished by perfect balance and measured structure. Each product pampers with rounded malt-hoppy outlines.
How to buy quality alcohol
The choice of alcohol these days comes with a lot of risks. The modern consumer systematically has to deal with fakes for a wide variety of popular brands. Therefore, if you want to treat yourself to the alcohol discussed in the article, be prepared to show responsibility. Indeed, otherwise, with a negligent attitude, you will have to get acquainted with fakes, whose taste and aroma do not match high standards quality.
So that this does not happen and you can really enjoy bright drink We recommend taking into account the following points:
- Place of purchase. Riga beer today can be purchased both in the Red and White store, and in any stall. At the same time, you should give your preference to outlets where, in addition to consultations and an excellent assortment, quality certificates can be provided to the client. Try to bypass offers of dubious places for the sale of alcohol.
- Container. Many manufacturers bottle drinks from 0.5 to 3 liters. At the same time, if you are interested in a particular brand, do not neglect the opportunity to visit the official website of the manufacturer and get acquainted with how the branded container should actually look like.
Did you know? Old Soviet reference books dated 1974 characterize Rizhskoe as bitter and intoxicating.
How to serve
To recognize all the organoleptic colors of the representatives of the segment, try to serve them to the table in accordance with generally accepted classical principles tastings. Drinks should be poured into tall transparent beer glasses, which will contain intense foaming and allow you to study the brand color of the drink, as well as its most delicate aromatic notes.
When serving, the glass must be held at an angle of 45 degrees, allowing the drink to be poured along the walls as evenly as possible. Also important point is the tasting temperature. It should be around 5-7 degrees. Warmer serving options will upset you with chaotic flavor and aroma colors.
Suitable snacks
Any representative of the variety perfectly manifests itself in combination with a light gastronomic accompaniment. Serve with snacks, chips, dried chopped or low-fat meat cuts. Also products can be enjoyed in pure form without biting. They do not cause a quick effect of intoxication.
Original cocktails
An important advantage of representatives Soviet grade is versatility. Hoppy works great in combination with other ingredients, allowing you to create bright and memorable mixes.
Using the product to create such cocktails as Gin Punch, Bishop, Royal Purple and Hoof Kick, you are guaranteed to surround yourself with new vivid impressions.
Popular representatives of the variety
Having become closely interested in the intoxicating variety that came to us from the USSR itself, you will get acquainted with an impressive number of drinks that are still prepared in full accordance with GOSTs. The most famous variants of such foam on the market include:
- Beer Riga - Trekhsosensky -. Light amber spirit with a delicate fruity aftertaste. The basis of the aroma is a light hop share.
- Beer Riga Vyatich. It has an amber color and a pleasant caramel sweetness in taste. The aromatic structure is based on an attractive honey-hoppy outline.
- Beer Riga Bristol. Pampers with golden-amber outlines and sweetish aftertaste. The aromatic nature is based on a refreshing hop structure.
- Beer Riga Original. Light foamy, the aromatic base of which is dominated by an expressive hop aroma. The taste is smooth and refreshing.
- Riga beer. Straw colored alcohol recognizable smell in which you can hear barley and hops. Gastronomic characteristics guarantee bright sweetish portions and a long aftertaste.
- Beer Riga Traditional. Light straw liquor with the most delicate aroma, which is dominated by tones of yeast and banana. The taste is dominated by undertones of hops and caramel.
- Beer Riga - Bar -. Dark straw pasteurized spirit with low hop aromatic nature. The taste indulges with the replacement of bitterness with distinct yeasty tones.
No less interesting brands of foam
If the popular alcohol of the USSR did not bring you the desired vivid impressions from the tasting, we recommend that you pay attention to products of other varieties. The most interesting and popular foam products that have already gained confidence in the modern market include:
- imperial. Golden amber hoppy with hints of hops, honey, caramel and citrus in the aroma. Gastronomic ambitions are built on malt shades and noble bitterness.
- Genuine Draft. Golden yellow frothy with sweet outlines of malt, corn, grains and herbs in the aroma. The taste is hoppy and indulges with a sweetish malt share.
- — Zhigulevskoe — Original. Pampers with a golden color and restrained classic hop aroma. The taste is built on a balanced hoppy note with a distinct bitterness.
- Premium Pilsner. Light amber product with distinct trains of grain, bread and barley malt in flavor. Taste qualities are based on traditional bitterness with a deep hop base.
Did you know? For the preparation of the drink considered in the article in Soviet times, 3.2% alcohol and 30 g of hops were used. At the same time, the fermentation process itself lasted at least 7-8 days.
Historical reference
After the Second World War, an impressive number of changes took place on the territory of the USSR, which affected the most diverse areas of society. Brewing is no exception in this case. At that time, Russian beer was especially popular on the territory of the Union, which began to be prepared according to the new GOST 3473-46. Subsequently, the name of this alcohol was changed to Riga.
Appreciate unsurpassed gastronomic flavors and like to relax with a glass of fragrant hop? Treat yourself to the elegant Rizhskoe beer. This alcohol designed to satisfy all the needs of the modern consumer. A glass of intoxicating wine will allow you to have a good time with old friends, take a break from everyday stress in an individual format, and also get a lot of bright emotions at a noisy party. Share your opinion about this beer. Do you like its taste? Or do you prefer other drinks? Write about your impressions in the comments.
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