Beer is a window into local culture, says David Cohen, CEO of Dancing Camel Brewery, Tel Aviv, Israel. “Innovation means to brew Israeli beer that highlights and spotlights Israeli fruits, herbs, spices.”
Cohen moved to Israel from the US to found Dancing Camel, which began operating in 2005. It’s Israel’s oldest craft brewery, he says. Now, he estimates the number of fellow craft brewers to be about 20-25, with some additional gypsy brewers.
Cohen started homebrewing 30 years ago in New York, where he “discovered was how complex beer really is and how much each beer reflects the unique cultures, climates and tastes of different civilizations”, he writes on the brewery’s website.
Cohen brought to the Leuven Innovation Beer Festival:
- Olde Papa, Strong Ale brewed with date honey, 7,5% is named after theTalmudic sage Rav Papa (c. 300-375 AD), founder of the Taludic Academy of Neresh and brewer of “Sudni”, a beer brewed with date honey. The Talmudic discussions of his beers also include one of the oldest known references to brewing with hops.
- Gordon Beach Blond, Blond Ale brewed with nana and rosemary, 4.9%. a blond brewed with local mint and rosemary.
- Doc’s Green Leaf Party, American-style IPA, 6.8%. A classic American-style IPA, brewed with West Coast and Australian hops, and a touch of Israeli date honey.
- Leche del Diablo, Chili Pepper Belgian-style Wit, 5% . Brewed with unmalted Israeli wheat and shatta – an Israeli chili pepper.
- My Funny Levantine, Stout brewed with Aniseed, 5% alc.vol. The aniseed melds with coffee, dark chocolate and licorice flavours.
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See the other fantastic Beer Idiots interviews at Leuven Innovation Beer Festival 2019
- André Janssens of Brouwerij Hof ten Dormaal, Belgium
- Pekka Kääriäinen of Bryggeri Helsinki and Lammin Saht, Finland
- Philippe Minne of Brasserie Minne, Belgium.
- Patrik Hellström of Bryggverket brewery, Sweden.
- Casper Vorting and Gitte Holmboe own Bøgedal Brew in Vejle, Denmark.
- Julien Bretheau of À Tue-Tête, Switzerland.
- Iacopo Lenci, brewmaster and owner of Birrificio Brùton, Italy
- Pim Zomerdijk of Brouwerij De Moersleutel, the Netherlands.
- Paul Herbert of UK-based Kent Brewery.
- David Cohen of Dancing Camel Brewery, Israel.
- Robin Barden of Edge Brewing, Barcelona, Spain.
- Breandán Kearney of Siphon Brewing, Damme, Belgium.
- Stephen McGirr of Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, North Carolina, USA.
- Vasyl Mikulin of Varvar Brew, Kyiv, Ukraine has been mixing his experimental beers.
- Botond Prischetzky, brand manager at Monyo Brewing, Budapest, Hungary
- Pia Morgenroth, founder of G’Bräu, Berlin, Germany.
