https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog Tue, 30 June 2026 15:37:31 Tue, 30 June 2026 15:37:31 The rise of low and no-alcohol beer has been one of the most significant shifts in modern brewing. As more consumers moderate their drinking, brewers are proving that flavour, style and technical quality do not need to depend on alcohol.  Few understand that challenge better than Nirvana Brewery, one of the UK’s early pioneers in dedicated alcohol-free brewing. Drawing on insights from a recent WSET webinar with Head Brewer James Rabagliati, this article explores how brewers have helped transform the category.    Brewing beer, not substitutes  Alcohol-free beer has not always been brewed with style diversity in mind. For many years, the category focused primarily on creating alternatives to existing beers rather than building distinctive products in their own right.  When Nirvana Brewery was founded in 2016, alcohol-free beer was still often treated as a compromise. Choice was limited, styles were few and many products felt more like alternatives rather than beers people genuinely sought out.  From the outset, the brewery approached alcohol-free beer in the same way many breweries approach their wider portfolio. Rather than producing a single alcohol-free option, the focus was on building a range of styles including IPA, lager, stout, Hefeweizen, Radler and amber ale.  This reflected a broader shift taking place across the category. Beer drinkers have varied preferences and increasingly, breweries recognised that removing alcohol did not necessarily mean limiting stylistic choice.    Smarter brewing has changed everything  Early alcohol-free brewing often relied on relatively simple methods that focused primarily on limiting how much alcohol was produced during fermentation. While effective, these approaches sometimes came with compromises in flavour and texture.  One common technique involved using specific yeast strains that were unable to ferment all of the sugars naturally present in the beer. This helped keep alcohol levels low, but often left brewers with a challenge: the finished beer could taste thin or lack the body and complexity people typically associate with beer. Some breweries compensated by adding ingredients such as lactose or maltodextrin to improve texture and mouthfeel.  Over time, brewers began developing more sophisticated ways of reducing or removing alcohol while preserving flavour.  One approach involves brewing a beer in the traditional way before removing the alcohol afterwards through a process known as vacuum distillation. By lowering the pressure inside specialised equipment, alcohol can be removed at lower temperatures, helping preserve delicate aromas and flavours that might otherwise be lost if the beer was heated too aggressively.  Another innovation has come from new yeast strains developed through classical breeding programmes. These yeasts ferment only certain sugars, allowing brewers to create beer below 0.5% ABV while retaining more of the texture, balance and overall drinking experience consumers expect.  While the category has evolved significantly, producing high-quality alcohol-free beer remains technically demanding. In many cases, brewing alcohol-free beer can actually involve more precision and intervention than brewing a traditional full-strength beer.    Why brewing alcohol-free beer is technically demanding  Removing alcohol changes far more than the strength of a beer.  Alcohol contributes body, carries flavour and creates balance. Once it disappears, even subtle flaws become much more noticeable.  One of the biggest challenges comes from aldehydes, compounds that can produce unwanted flavours ranging from cooked vegetables and cabbage to solvent, varnish or cooked meat. They become particularly noticeable in alcohol-free beer because fermentation behaves differently and there are fewer flavour compounds available to hide them.  Managing those flavours begins long before fermentation.  It influences malt selection, mash temperatures, yeast health, oxygen management and recipe design. Every decision has consequences and there’s no universal solution, either.  An IPA demands different decisions from a stout. A pilsner requires a different balance from an amber ale. Every style asks its own technical questions, and every recipe evolves differently.    Experience matters as much as flavour  Producing high-quality alcohol-free beer is only part of the category’s success story. The wider drinking experience has evolved too.  For many years, choosing alcohol-free beer often meant a noticeably different experience for consumers. Limited packaging formats, restricted availability and fewer options in bars sometimes reinforced the idea that alcohol-free beer was a niche alternative rather than part of mainstream beer culture.  As brewing quality has improved and product ranges have expanded, that perception has gradually begun to change. Larger bottle formats, increasing availability on draught and greater investment from pubs and retailers have helped alcohol-free beer become a more integrated part of the wider drinking experience.  But serving alcohol-free beer presents its own technical considerations. Because alcohol acts as a natural preservative, factors such as hygiene, line cleaning and cellar management become even more important when storing and serving these products. Brewing great beer is only part of the challenge. Ensuring that it reaches the consumer in perfect condition remains just as important.    The growing expectations of consumers  The idea that alcohol moderation belongs to one generation no longer reflects reality.  Consumers of all ages are becoming more mindful of when, why and how much they drink. Many aren't giving up alcohol altogether. Instead, they're alternating between alcoholic and alcohol-free drinks during the same occasion.  As a result, people are no longer looking simply for an acceptable substitute. They want an IPA that drinks like an IPA. A stout that still delivers roasted depth. A lager with genuine crispness and refreshment.  The growing success of alcohol-free beer suggests the category is increasingly delivering exactly that.    Why beer continues to lead the no and low movement  Beer has become one of the strongest categories within the growing no and low-alcohol movement, driven largely by advances in brewing expertise and a stronger understanding of how to preserve flavour and quality without relying on alcohol.  Across the industry, breweries have invested in new brewing techniques, improved ingredients, innovative yeast strains and a deeper understanding of how different production choices influence the final beer. This has allowed brewers to expand stylistic choice and produce a much wider range of alcohol-free options for consumers.  As the category has evolved, expectations around alcohol-free beer have changed significantly. Consumers increasingly expect the same diversity, flavour and quality they would find in any traditional beer category.  Today, alcohol-free beer is increasingly judged by the same standards as any other beer style, reflecting just how far the category has developed in recent years.      https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/the-evolution-of-low-and-no-alcohol-beer https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/the-evolution-of-low-and-no-alcohol-beer Tue, 30 June 2026 15:37:31 From hazy Bavarian wheat beers to bright and refreshing Belgian classics, wheat has helped define some of beer’s most distinctive styles. But what exactly does wheat contribute during brewing, and how does it influence what we taste in the glass? In this guest article, beer educator Ryan Guererri explores the brewing science, flavour characteristics and classic styles behind one of beer’s most versatile ingredients.    Wheat beer is a broad category of beers united by the use of wheat alongside barley. Although the name suggests a single style, it actually encompasses everything from soft, banana-forward German hefeweizen to bright, tart Berliner Weisse and citrusy Belgian witbier. While barley remains the foundation of most beer recipes, wheat contributes distinctive texture, appearance, and drinkability. Understanding wheat's role in brewing can help tasters better identify what they are tasting, smelling, and seeing in the glass. Whether examining brewing techniques, flavour characteristics, or classic styles, it all begins with understanding what wheat brings to the finished beer.    Why wheat matters in brewing  Wheat influences much more than what you taste. Compared with barley, wheat contains higher levels of protein, which can contribute to the hazy appearance commonly associated with many wheat beer styles. These proteins also help support the dense, long-lasting foam that often crowns a freshly poured wheat beer.  Many wheat beers display a softer, smoother mouthfeel than beers brewed primarily with barley. While wheat may contribute subtle notes of bread dough, cereal grain, or freshly baked bread, its greatest impact is often textural rather than flavour-driven. Combined with lively carbonation and expressive fermentation character, wheat helps create beers that are both distinctive and highly refreshing.    How wheat beer is made  So what exactly makes a beer a wheat beer? Well, wheat beer is produced much like any other beer, with wheat added alongside barley in the grain bill. The proportion of wheat varies by style, but it plays an important role in shaping the overall profile of the finished beer.  During brewing, the grains are mashed to convert starches into fermentable sugars before fermentation begins. Yeast selection is especially important in many wheat beer styles. German hefeweizen, for example, relies on specific yeast strains to produce its characteristic banana and clove aromas, while American wheat beers often use cleaner fermenting yeasts (you’ll learn more about these styles later on).   Once fermentation is complete, some wheat beers are filtered for clarity, while others are left unfiltered. Unfiltered examples often retain yeast and proteins that contribute to their recognisable appearance.    Key Characteristics of Wheat Beer  While individual styles vary, many wheat beers share several common sensory characteristics. They are often pale gold to amber in colour, frequently displaying a natural haze and a dense, almost mousse-like white foam that lingers well after the first sip.  On the nose, wheat beers can show aromas ranging from fresh bread dough and grain to banana, clove, citrus, or spice depending on the style and yeast used. On the palate, they are often defined by a soft, smooth mouthfeel, lively carbonation that lifts aromas from the glass, and low to moderate bitterness. Some styles may also display tartness or acidity, contributing to their reputation as highly refreshing beers. Wheat beers are a great example of a truly versatile, complex, and global category of beer.     Types of wheat beer  Hefeweizen - Germany's classic wheat beer style, commonly found in Bavarian biergartens and on weekend brunch tables across Munich, before becoming popular around the world. Typically brewed with a high proportion of wheat and a distinctive yeast strain that produces banana and clove aromas. Naturally hazy with a soft palate, high carbonation, and very low bitterness. Style Example: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier    Witbier - Belgian wheat beer is often brewed with unmalted wheat and spiced with coriander and orange peel. Typically pale and hazy with a light, creamy texture and a citrus-driven aromatic profile. Style Example: Hoegaarden Belgian Wit    Berliner Weisse - Originating in Berlin, Berliner Weisse is a low-alcohol wheat beer known for its bright acidity. While traditionally enjoyed with syrups (often fruit-based), many modern examples incorporate fruit directly into the beer, creating a wide range of flavour expressions.  Style Example: Berliner Kindl Weisse    Dunkelweizen - A darker variation of hefeweizen that combines classic wheat beer yeast character with richer malt flavours. Expect notes of banana and clove alongside bread crust, caramel, and toasted malt. Despite its darker colour, it remains smooth, highly carbonated, and easy drinking. Style Example: Ayinger Urweisse    Weizenbock - A stronger wheat beer style that combines the expressive yeast character of a hefeweizen with the richness and alcohol of a bock. Depending on the example, notes may range from banana and clove to dark fruit, caramel, and toasted bread. Style Example: Schneider Aventinus    Gose - Originating near Leipzig in Germany, gose is a wheat beer known for its refreshing acidity and unique addition of coriander and salt. The result is a beer that balances tartness, minerality, and subtle spice while remaining highly drinkable. Style Example: Leipziger Gose    American Wheat Beer - American wheat beer takes inspiration from traditional European wheat beer styles but often places greater emphasis on hop character. Cleaner-fermenting yeast strains allow citrus, floral, or pine-driven hop aromas to play a larger role, while wheat contributes body and drinkability in the background. The result is a style that bridges classic wheat beer texture with modern American brewing influences. Style Example: Bell's Oberon      Practical tasting tips When tasting a wheat beer, start with texture before chasing aromas. A soft, pillowy mouthfeel and persistent foam are often stronger clues that you're drinking a wheat beer than any single individual characteristic. Once texture has been assessed, tasters can then consider whether the beer's aromatic profile is being driven by yeast, spices, acidity, or hops.  It is also important to separate wheat-derived characteristics from flavours created by other brewing choices. The banana and clove notes associated with hefeweizen are produced primarily by yeast, while the citrus and spice notes found in witbier often come from coriander and orange peel. In Berliner Weisse and gose, acidity plays a larger role in the beer's overall impression, while in many American wheat beers, hop-derived citrus, floral, or pine aromas may be more prominent than wheat character.  Wheat beer is a diverse family of beers united by the use of wheat alongside barley. From classic German hefeweizen and Belgian witbier to tart Berliner Weisse and gose, wheat contributes texture, appearance, and refreshment in a variety of ways. Understanding wheat's role in brewing can help tasters better identify styles, interpret sensory characteristics, and appreciate the diversity found within this category of beer.     About the author Ryan Guererri is a Certified Cicerone®, beer judge, writer, and educator based in New York. Through the_beerdery, he creates approachable beer education that helps enthusiasts better understand beer styles, brewing, and sensory evaluation. He is particularly interested in fostering diversity of people and perspectives within beer culture, as well as supporting independent breweries. Follow him on Instagram at @the_beerdery.  https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/wheat-beer-explained https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/wheat-beer-explained Tue, 23 June 2026 13:03:11 Slovakia is not a country many people immediately associate with wine. Yet this small Central European nation has been producing wine for more than 2,000 years and is home to a remarkably diverse and historically significant wine culture.  Inspired by a recent WSET webinar with Lucia Dovalova, this blog explores the history, geography and grape varieties that have shaped Slovak wine, along with the producers helping bring greater international attention to the country today.    A small country with a rich wine heritage  Slovakia’s winemaking history stretches back thousands of years, with evidence suggesting vines were present in the region as early as the sixth or seventh century BC.  During the Roman era, viticulture expanded further, with new grape varieties introduced under the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Over the centuries, migration, trade and cultural exchange all helped shape the vineyards that exist today.  Like much of Europe, Slovak viticulture has faced periods of disruption. Vineyards were damaged during invasions, later rebuilt and eventually reshaped by phylloxera, which prompted widespread replanting onto American rootstocks.  In 1825, another important chapter began when Johann Evangelist Hubert established sparkling wine production in Bratislava. Inspired by the techniques used in Champagne, Hubert began producing traditional method sparkling wine, laying the foundations for a production style that remains important in Slovakia today.  The twentieth century brought significant change during the communist era, when large-scale production became a priority. This period also saw extensive grape breeding programmes focused on improving disease resistance, frost tolerance and vineyard reliability. Many of the varieties developed during this time still play an important role in Slovak wine today.    Slovakia’s six wine regions  Slovakia officially has six wine regions: Small Carpathian, South Slovak, Nitra, Central Slovak, Eastern Slovak and Tokaj. Despite the country’s relatively small size, these regions display considerable diversity in terms of climate, soil and topography, allowing producers to make a surprisingly broad range of wine styles.  The Small Carpathian region in the country’s west is known for fresh, mineral-driven white wines grown on soils that include granite, sand and gravel. Further south, warmer conditions and fertile soils help produce fuller-bodied wines, both red and white. Nitra’s volcanic influences contribute complexity and structure, while Central Slovakia combines elevation and diverse geology to produce more concentrated, spicy styles. Eastern Slovakia, meanwhile, tends towards lighter, fresher wines.  This diversity is underpinned by an unusually varied geological landscape. Slovakia contains 23 recognised terroirs, with limestone, loess, sand, volcanic rock and clay all appearing across different regions. Together, these conditions help shape the distinct regional identities that increasingly define modern Slovak wine.    Climate and viticulture in Slovakia  Situated between 47 and 49 degrees north, Slovakia sits towards the cooler end of Europe’s wine-growing latitudes, with climatic conditions well suited to producing wines with freshness and balance.  The country experiences four clearly defined seasons, each playing an important role in vineyard development. Cold winters help reduce disease pressure, while warm summers provide enough heat for grapes to ripen fully. At the same time, diurnal temperature variation helps preserve acidity, particularly in aromatic white varieties.  Moderate rainfall and good sunshine exposure further support balanced ripening across the growing season. Together, these conditions allow producers to achieve both fruit concentration and freshness across a wide range of styles.  As a result, Slovakia is capable of producing everything from crisp white wines and elegant reds to traditional method sparkling wines and long-lived sweet wines.    The unique story of Slovak Tokaj  One of Slovakia’s most historically significant wine regions lies in Tokaj.  Many wine drinkers associate Tokaj exclusively with Hungary, but the historic Tokaj region extends beyond modern national borders. Slovakia is home to the westernmost part of this historic region and shares the right to produce Tokaj wines.  Only three principal grape varieties are permitted in Slovak Tokaj: Furmint, Lipovina (known as Hárslevelű in Hungary) and Yellow Muscat.  The region’s distinctive character comes from a combination of warm autumn days, misty mornings and volcanic soils. These conditions encourage the development of noble rot, allowing producers to create intensely sweet wines with impressive concentration and complexity. Rich flavours are balanced by vibrant acidity and a pronounced mineral character, preventing the wines from feeling overly heavy.  Beneath the region’s small cellar entrances lies an extensive network of underground tunnels, some stretching hundreds of metres. These historic cellars provide ideal ageing conditions, helping produce wines capable of evolving in bottle for decades.    Traditional grapes meet modern innovation  Slovakia’s vineyards combine long-established varieties with newer grapes developed specifically for local growing conditions.  Traditional white varieties include Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, while red plantings feature Blaufränkisch, St Laurent and Cabernet Sauvignon. Alongside these familiar grapes is a growing number of varieties developed within Slovakia itself.  Many of these were created through decades of research led by breeder Dorota Pospíšilová, who played a major role in shaping modern Slovak viticulture. Her work resulted in numerous officially approved grape varieties designed to perform reliably in local conditions while producing high-quality fruit.  Among the best-known examples is Devín, a highly aromatic crossing that has become one of Slovakia’s signature modern grapes. Known for its aromatic intensity, it highlights the success of Slovakia’s long-standing grape breeding programmes.  Even the naming of these varieties reflects local identity. White varieties are often named after towns and locations, while red varieties frequently take their names from rivers. Dunaj, named after the Danube, is one such example.  Interest is also growing in PIWI varieties, bred for improved resistance to fungal diseases. By reducing the need for chemical treatments in the vineyard, these varieties offer clear environmental benefits and are attracting growing interest among producers focused on sustainability.    A new generation of Slovak winemakers  Slovak winemakers are becoming increasingly confident in defining what modern Slovak wine looks like.  There is growing emphasis on producing wines that better reflect individual vineyard sites and regional character. Across the country, producers are embracing spontaneous fermentations, lower-intervention approaches and techniques designed to showcase vineyard character rather than cellar influence.  There is also renewed interest in indigenous grapes and locally developed varieties. Organic and biodynamic practices continue to expand, while producers are experimenting with alternative vessels, amphorae and co-fermentations as they continue refining new stylistic approaches.  Historically, most Slovak wine was consumed domestically, but producers are increasingly turning their attention towards international markets. Exports are growing in markets including the UK, Japan, South Korea, China, the Nordic countries, Canada and the United States.  Wine tourism is also developing rapidly, giving visitors greater opportunity to explore vineyards, meet producers and experience the country’s wine culture first-hand.  Increasingly, Slovakia’s future appears to lie with smaller producers focused on quality, sustainability and expressing a clearer sense of regional identity.    Why Slovak wine deserves attention  Despite its long winemaking history, Slovakia remains one of Europe’s lesser-known wine-producing countries, offering plenty for wine professionals and enthusiasts willing to look beyond more familiar regions. Its wine industry combines long-established Central European traditions with diverse geology, locally developed grape varieties and an increasingly modern approach to viticulture and winemaking.  As international recognition grows, Slovak producers are steadily reaching wider audiences and building greater confidence in their identity as a wine-producing nation. For those interested in exploring beyond Europe’s more established wine regions, Slovakia is increasingly becoming a country well worth watching.  https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/discovering-slovakia-through-wine https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/discovering-slovakia-through-wine Mon, 15 June 2026 15:41:18 Long before stainless steel tanks, oak barrels or modern winery technology, wine was being fermented beneath the earth in buried clay vessels. In Georgia, that ancient tradition never disappeared. In this guest article, Georgian winemaker and educator Shalva Khetsuriani explores the story of qvevri, the remarkable vessel that has remained central to Georgian winemaking for thousands of years and still influences how wine is made today.    Every ancient wine civilisation once made wine in clay. Almost all eventually abandoned it, but one never did. That civilisation is Georgia.  For more than eight millennia, wine has been woven into the country's landscape, culture and daily life. Today, more than 500 indigenous grape varieties are known in Georgia, making it one of the richest reservoirs of vine diversity anywhere in the world. Regions including Kakheti, Imereti, Kartli, Guria, Samegrelo, Racha-Lechkhumi and Atchara each preserve their own grape varieties, local traditions and distinctive wine expressions.  Yet one thing connects them all.  Hidden beneath the floors of family wine cellars are large egg-shaped clay vessels known as qvevri. Long before stainless steel tanks, concrete vats or oak barrels became symbols of modern winemaking, Georgians were fermenting, maturing and storing wine in these buried clay vessels. And they never stopped.  The qvevri survived because Georgian families continued making wine as their parents and grandparents had done before them. What is now celebrated internationally as cultural heritage remained, for many families, an ordinary part of rural life.  This continuity is central to Georgia's place in wine history.  In 2017, an international multidisciplinary team of archaeologists, archaeobotanists, chemists, geologists and other specialists published research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, presenting the earliest currently known biomolecular evidence of grape wine, dating to around 6000 BC in present-day Georgia. The study, led by Patrick McGovern, Stephen Batiuk and their colleagues, strengthened the scientific evidence supporting Georgia as one of the earliest known centres of winemaking.  Georgia's greatest achievement may not simply be that wine was first made here. It is that one of humanity's oldest winemaking traditions has remained continuously alive ever since. And at the centre of that story stands the qvevri.    What is a qvevri?  A qvevri (also commonly transliterated as kvevri) is a large egg-shaped earthenware vessel used for the fermentation, maturation and storage of wine. Handmade from carefully selected local clay, fired at high temperatures, often coated internally with beeswax and buried almost entirely underground, the qvevri remains one of the very few ancient winemaking vessels still used continuously for its original purpose.  Outside Georgia, qvevri are frequently described as "Georgian amphorae". While understandable, the comparison is technically inaccurate.  An amphora was primarily designed for transporting and storing goods and was usually equipped with handles for movement. A qvevri, by contrast, was never intended to be moved once installed. It forms a permanent part of the cellar itself. Rather than serving as a transport container, it functions as a complete winemaking system in which wine may ferment, mature and, traditionally, remain in storage.  This distinction is far more than a matter of terminology. It reflects two fundamentally different philosophies in the evolution of clay vessels.  Shuchmann Wines cellar Wine produced in qvevri may be white, amber, rosé, red or even sparkling. It is usually made with skin contact, though it can also be made without it. Likewise, qvevri wines may be conventional, organic, biodynamic or natural. The vessel itself does not determine the style of wine; rather, it provides the environment within which the winemaker's decisions unfold.     How does a qvevri work?  At first glance, a qvevri appears remarkably simple: a large clay vessel buried beneath the earth.  Its simplicity, however, is deceptive.  Every aspect of its form reflects centuries of observation, experience and practical refinement. Unlike most modern winery equipment, a qvevri performs three essential functions within a single vessel. It serves as a fermenter, a maturation vessel and, traditionally, a storage vessel. Throughout much of the wine's life, there is little need for repeated transfers between containers, reducing handling and unnecessary exposure to oxygen.  The characteristic egg-shaped form is equally purposeful. Its broad central section provides sufficient space for active fermentation. As carbon dioxide is released, grape skins naturally rise to the surface, forming a cap that can be managed by the winemaker.  Towards the bottom, the vessel gradually narrows. As fermentation slows, seeds, skins, yeast lees and other solids settle naturally into the pointed base, leaving progressively clearer wine above. In effect, the qvevri functions as its own natural clarification system with minimal mechanical intervention.  Several researchers have also suggested that the curved internal walls encourage gentle convection currents during fermentation, helping distribute heat and suspended solids more evenly throughout the fermenting must. Although this remains an active area of scientific research, Georgian winemakers refined the vessel's shape centuries before modern fluid dynamics began offering possible explanations.  The decision to bury qvevri underground was a practical one that made sense in a time before modern technology. The surrounding earth acts as a natural thermal buffer, maintaining relatively stable temperatures throughout fermentation and maturation. Long before refrigeration existed, the soil itself provided one of the most effective forms of temperature control available to the winemaker.  Burial also provides structural support. A large qvevri filled with grapes and wine may weigh several tonnes, and the surrounding earth protects the vessel from movement and mechanical stress while creating a stable environment for slow maturation.  Like oak, fired clay permits limited oxygen exchange. Unlike oak, however, it contributes virtually no wood-derived aromas or flavours. As a result, wines made in qvevri tend to express grape variety, vineyard character and vintage with remarkable clarity, their structure deriving principally from the fruit and the winemaker's choices rather than from the vessel itself.      Why did qvevri never disappear?  Every ancient wine civilisation once relied on clay.  From the Mediterranean and the Near East to the Caucasus, clay vessels were the foundation of early winemaking. Over time, however, technological progress led almost every wine culture to replace clay with wood, concrete, stainless steel or other modern materials. Today, only a handful of producers around the world continue to make wine in clay, usually as a conscious revival of an ancient practice.  Georgia followed a different path.  Here, qvevri never became an archaeological curiosity waiting to be rediscovered. It simply remained where it had always been: in everyday use.  The reason is not that Georgians resisted innovation. Throughout history they readily adopted new vineyard practices, presses, pumps, laboratory analysis, temperature control and other technologies whenever these improved wine quality. Yet the qvevri itself was rarely questioned.  For Georgian families, replacing a qvevri with another vessel was never merely a technical decision. A qvevri was often inherited together with the vineyard, the land and the knowledge required to use it. It represented continuity as much as agricultural practice: a living connection between past and future generations.  Many families still preserve qvevri made and buried by their grandparents or great-grandparents, valuing them not only as working vessels but as carriers of family memory. To abandon an ancestral qvevri would have meant more than changing winemaking equipment; it would have meant turning away from a legacy entrusted by those who came before.  This relationship is reflected even in the architecture of traditional Georgian villages. When a new family house was built, the qvevri were often installed first. Only afterwards was the building constructed around them. The underground room containing the buried vessels became the marani - the family wine cellar - while the living quarters rose above it. In this sense, the house was not merely built beside the qvevri; it was built upon it.  The survival of qvevri was also supported by the Georgian Orthodox Church. For centuries, monasteries preserved both viticulture and qvevri winemaking through periods of political instability, foreign invasions and social change. Many monasteries maintained their own marani, ensuring that practical knowledge continued to be transmitted when other cultural traditions were under threat.  Unlike many ancient technologies preserved today behind museum glass, qvevri never ceased to fulfil its original purpose.  This continuity is perhaps unique in the history of wine.  While most wine-producing civilisations preserved fragments of their ancient traditions, Georgia preserved an entire living system. Across almost every wine region of the country, and especially in Kakheti, it remains common to find buried qvevri beneath the floors of ordinary family cellars, still producing wine in essentially the same way as they did 200, 500 or even 1,000 years ago.      Qvevri across Georgia: one vessel, many traditions There is no single "qvevri method".  Although the vessel itself has remained remarkably consistent throughout Georgia for centuries, the way it is used has always reflected regional traditions, local grape varieties and generations of accumulated experience. The result is not one style of qvevri wine, but a family of closely related winemaking traditions.    Kakheti – the best-known tradition  Eastern Georgia, particularly Kakheti, is the country's largest and most influential wine region and is internationally recognised as the principal home of qvevri winemaking.  After harvest, white grapes are crushed (mostly popular whites Rkatsiteli, Kakhuri Mtsvane and really many other local varieties) - either completely or partially, depending on local practice-and transferred into the qvevri together with their juice. For white wines, fermentation traditionally takes place with the skins, seeds and, in many cases, the stems. After alcoholic fermentation is complete, the wine usually remains in contact with these solids for several additional months before being separated and transferred to another clean qvevri or another vessel for further maturation.  This prolonged skin contact extracts phenolic compounds that contribute structure, texture and tannins while producing the deep golden to amber colours for which many Georgian white wines are internationally recognised today.  Saperavi, Kakheti's most important red grape variety, can also be produced in qvevri.   Imereti – a more delicate interpretation  Travelling west across the country, the same vessel begins to tell a different story.  In Imereti, white wines are traditionally produced from the region's celebrated trio of indigenous varieties - Tsitska, Tsolikouri and Krakhuna. They are generally fermented with a much smaller proportion of skins and seeds than in Kakheti, while stems are usually omitted altogether. As a result, the wines tend to display lighter body, brighter acidity and more restrained tannins, emphasising elegance and freshness rather than structure.  Here, even the name of the vessel often changes.  Instead of qvevri, local winemakers commonly use the word churi. These vessels are frequently smaller than those found in Kakheti. While Kakhetian qvevri often range between 500 and 2,000 litres, and occasionally much larger, many churi hold only 100 to 500 litres, reflecting the scale and traditions of western Georgian family winemaking.  Rather than representing a different philosophy, the Imeretian tradition demonstrates how the same vessel can produce profoundly different wines through changes in regional practice.  While qvevri is today the internationally recognised term, different regions of Georgia have historically used their own names for similar buried earthenware vessels, including churi, qotso, lagvani, kvibari, lakhuti and others. These regional names reflect the extraordinary cultural diversity that has always characterised Georgian winemaking.    A vessel, not a style  These traditions mentioned above remind us that qvevri is a vessel capable of expressing remarkably different regional identities. The diversity of wines it produces mirrors the diversity of Georgia itself.  In 2020, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) introduced the official category "white wine with maceration". The OIV defines it as white wine derived from alcoholic fermentation of a must with prolonged contact with grape pomace, including skins, pulp, seeds and potentially stems. The resolution was adopted following Georgia's proposal and specifically acknowledges wines produced using the traditional Georgian qvevri method.  For centuries, however, Georgian growers never described these wines as amber, orange or even skin-contact wines. These are modern international terms.  For Georgian families, they were simply white wines, produced according to local tradition.  Only in recent decades has the international wine community adopted new terminology to describe a style of wine that had existed in Georgia for centuries.  Today, many educators and producers increasingly favour the term amber wine because it describes the wine's appearance without implying a particular vessel or a specific philosophy of production.  Understanding this distinction helps explain why qvevri should never be regarded as a flavour, colour or style of wine.  It’s a vessel in which many different styles of wine, including amber wines, may be produced.    A tradition recognised by the world  For centuries, qvevri remained largely unknown outside Georgia.  Its international revival began only in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, driven by a new generation of small family wineries that returned to traditional qvevri winemaking while simultaneously presenting their wines to the international market. As global interest in authenticity, heritage and low-intervention winemaking grew, so too did curiosity about Georgia's ancient buried clay vessels.  This renewed attention eventually extended far beyond the wine community.  In 2013, UNESCO inscribed the Ancient Georgian traditional Qvevri wine-making method on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The inscription recognised not simply an ancient vessel, but a living body of knowledge encompassing craftsmanship, viticulture, winemaking practices, oral traditions and community life that has been transmitted continuously from generation to generation.  Unlike many forms of cultural heritage that survive primarily through museums or historical reconstruction, qvevri remained alive because people never stopped using it.  Today, qvevri wines are served in Michelin-starred restaurants, studied by wine students around the world and produced not only in Georgia but increasingly in other wine-producing countries. Yet nowhere else does qvevri exist as part of an uninterrupted cultural tradition extending back thousands of years.    Common misconceptions about qvevri  As qvevri has become better known internationally, several misconceptions continue to appear.  Qvevri is not an amphora. Although both are earthenware vessels, they evolved for different purposes. Amphorae were primarily transport containers; qvevri developed as permanently buried winemaking vessels.   Qvevri is not a wine style. White, amber, rosé and red wines may all be produced in qvevri.   Amber wine is not defined by the vessel. It is defined by extended skin contact during fermentation.   Qvevri does not simply mean natural wine. Wines made in qvevri may be conventional, organic, biodynamic or natural, depending entirely on the producer's philosophy.  Recognising these distinctions allows qvevri to be understood for what it truly is: not a trend, not a category and not a flavour, but a remarkable winemaking technology that has endured across millennia.    More than a vessel  The story of qvevri is often presented as the story of an ancient object, but in reality it is the story of an uninterrupted civilisation of wine. Many of the world’s oldest wine cultures left behind vessels, tools and traditions that now survive largely through archaeology, museums or historical reconstruction. Georgia preserved something rarer: a technology kept alive through use.  Generation after generation, families harvested their vineyards, buried their wine beneath the earth and passed both their qvevri and their knowledge to those who came after them. They did not preserve qvevri because they wished to protect history. They preserved it because, to them, it was never history.  That is what makes qvevri remarkable: not only that it is one of the world’s oldest winemaking vessels, but that it has never stopped making wine.      About the author Shalva Khetsuriani is the founder and director of the Shalva Khetsuriani Sommelier School, Georgia's only WSET Approved Programme Provider. Shalva is a wine educator and creator of the Georgian Wine Scholar programme. He has dedicated more than two decades to advancing wine education in Georgia, developing the sommelier profession and promoting Georgian wine internationally through education, international partnerships and professional training.  https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/qvevri-the-ancient-vessel-at-the-heart-of-georgian-winemaking https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/qvevri-the-ancient-vessel-at-the-heart-of-georgian-winemaking Wed, 10 June 2026 08:15:20 What exactly is a Saison?  Ask ten brewers and you may get ten different answers. While Saison is widely recognised as one of Belgium's classic beer styles, its farmhouse origins and long history of interpretation make it surprisingly difficult to define.  In this article, award-winning beer writer Stephen Beaumont explores the origins of Saison, the role of yeast in shaping its character, and why this refreshing Belgian style remains one of the brewing world's most fascinating categories.    Of all the beer styles that are misconstrued by even many of those who brew them, Saison must surely rank among the most misunderstood. Although owing to the single style success of one particular brewery, Brasserie Dupont, it was not always thus.   In the 1980s and early ‘90s, Belgium was experiencing its transformation from a little-known beer-drinking nation to the global centre of brewing ingenuity,.  Much of that newfound attention was driven by the work of beer writer Michael Jackson, whose influential books introduced generations of drinkers to Belgium's distinctive beer culture. At the same time, one brewery in particular, Brasserie Dupont, had become synonymous with Saison.  As a result, many drinkers came to view the style through the lens of a single beer: Saison Dupont. Because few people outside of the country knew anything about Belgian beer styles, neophyte beer aficionados took the legendary Bard of Beer at his word when he wrote that Saison was a “sharply refreshing, faintly sour, top-fermenting brew, sometimes dry-hopped, often bottle-conditioned, 5.5-8% by vol.”   Or, in other words, from the pages of Michael Jackson's Pocket Beer Book, the "sharp, refreshing attack (and) long, notably hoppy, dry finish" of Dupont's flagship beer.  If only defining Saison were that straightforward.      The origins of Saison  Translated from the French, the word ‘saison’ means season, although when and why the term became associated with the style is unknown. What is documented is that back when brewing was primarily an agrarian activity, it was pursued only during the cooler months of late fall, winter and early spring, after the harvest and before the planting, and when there were far fewer potentially fermentation sullying micro-organisms in the air.  What we now know as Saison had its origins in the southern, French-speaking part of Belgium known as Wallonia, although variations on the theme were common throughout Europe’s brewing regions, from the Bière de Garde of northern France to the Märzen of southern Germany. As legend has it, farmers would brew special beers in the winter for storing and serving throughout summer, with higher than usual hopping rates and elevated alcohol to help preserve them. Such beers, the story goes, would be given to farm labourers for hydration and nutrition while in the fields.   The problem is that giving 5.5-8% alcohol beers to men working with heavy and sometimes dangerous tools might not be entirely conducive to production, and as anyone who has spent an evening drinking such beers will know, there is little hydrating about imbibing strong ale. It is more likely, then, that such ‘field beers’ were rather lower in alcohol, perhaps more along the lines of what we now know as Grissette or the more obscure, lightweight lambic style variously called Maerts or Meerts.   Thus, while the brewing world widely acknowledges a single style of Saison, defined as per Jackson and Dupont, equal claim to the title may legitimately be made by such lighter interpretations as Dupont’s 3.5% Biolégère and Belgoo’s 4.4% Saisonneke Extra. These lower strength beers are sometimes referred to as ‘Traditional Style Saisons,’ with stronger versions dubbed ‘Contemporary.’     What defines a Saison?  What remains consistent across all strengths of Saison, however, is the defining element of refreshment. Whether higher or lower in alcohol content, a Saison should at its core be a thirst quencher, with sweetness kept to a minimum and sufficient hopping to make it, to borrow Jackson’s terminology, “sharp,” but not so much as to stray into Pale Ale or IPA territory.  As a warm fermented beer style, it is to be expected that a Saison should exhibit in its aroma and flavour some degree of ester profile, or fruitiness, but such qualities should not dominate either. Rather, if one were to pick a defining characteristic of the Saison style, it would be more a yeast-derived spiciness.  So important is the role of yeast in the making of a Saison that brewers have been known to lay claim to the style for any beer fermented with a ‘Saison yeast,’ regardless of its grist or hopping rate. Typically, such yeasts will be high attenuating and so contribute to the style’s signature dryness, but of equal importance will be also prone to producing spicy aroma and flavour elements, particularly those of black pepper.  (Note here that Saisons are typically not spiced beers, although some notable examples, such as Brasserie à Vapeur’s Saison Pipaix, do employ a proprietary blend of spices.)  In addition to the controlled Saison yeast, a growing number of examples of the style are being put through some degree of mixed fermentation, often but not necessarily with Brettanomyces. To a degree, this practice would be in line with the history of the style, as exposure to wild, airborne yeasts would have been fairly commonplace in nineteenth and early twentieth century farmhouse breweries, and as recently as the 1990s, Saison Dupont and other Belgian Saisons still bore a hint of wildness, as evidenced by Jackson’s comment about the style being “faintly sour.”  Even if a clean fermentation had been achieved on the farm, the storage of the beer in wooden barrels during the summer months would have exposed it to numerous possible contaminants, including Brettanomyces.   The grain most used in modern Saison brewing is Pilsner or Pale Ale malt, with a pale gold colour being the target. In a nod to when malting techniques were not as precise as they are today, some brewers view a light amber or orangey hue as classic to the style and so add a touch of Munich or Vienna malt to their grist in an attempt to emulate that colour.  As farms would typically have grown grains other than just barley and wheat, it is thought that untraditional brewing grains might commonly have made their way into the grist. For this reason, it is not unusual to see such atypical grains as buckwheat or spelt appearing in modern Saisons like Brasserie de Silenrieux’s Joeseph and Brasserie de Blaugies’ Saison d’Epeautre.   Unsurprisingly given the style’s Belgian origins, European hops such as Kent Goldings of English and Belgian origin and Styrian Goldings are most commonly used, although even some Belgian brewers, including Blaugies and Brasserie de Jandrain-Jandrenouille, have been know to experiment with more assertive New World hops. (This practice is, for obvious reasons, more commonplace in North American breweries.) As earlier noted, a moderate hop character of 20 to 30 IBUs is the classic goal, although some contemporary examples do stray higher. Dry-hopping is optional and much more common in non-Belgian examples of the style than it is in Belgian ones.   Water profile is a contributing factor to the dryness typical of both the traditional and contemporary Saison profile, with a high mineral content (hardness) being both characteristic of the well water farmhouse brewhouses in Wallonia would have used and a significant contributor to perceived dryness and enhanced hop character.  Given that acknowledged Belgian champions of the Saison style might be low or high strength, spiced or unspiced, made from pure Pilsner malt or Pilsner combined with other grains, and be moderately or even highly hopped, tasters sampling Saisons should be prepared for and open to a wide range of aromas and flavours. The key components that bring it all together, however, are dryness, refreshment, high carbonation, spiciness and notable hop bitterness.   After that, desirability is up to the taster’s preference and the brewer’s skill and intent.        About the author:  Stephen Beaumont is a veteran beer and spirits writer and author or co-author of fifteen books, including three editions of The World Atlas of Beer (with Tim Webb) and The Beer & Food Companion.  https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/what-is-saison-beer https://www.wsetglobal.com/knowledge-centre/blog/2026/what-is-saison-beer Tue, 09 June 2026 08:12:03