How do you say that?

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

Inevitably a friend or family member will be over for dinner or to watch a game and they'll browse my bar area and beer cellar at some point. The one question I get, almost without fail, from those who are interested enough to linger more than a brief moment in the "man cave" and actually look at the beer bottles with any scrutiny is, "how do you pronounce that?" as they pick up a bottle of something crafty and typically imported from the shelf.

This, and the fact that I saw a similar thread on a homebrewing forum somewhere recently, got me to thinking about obscure beer and brewing-related names and terms. If you're anything like me - and I don't wish it on anyone - I tend to be a tad obsessive and ... how shall we say ... detail oriented. My wife has another name for it ... something with initials ... anyway, I like to know how things are pronounced correctly and when I don't, I seek out the answers until I do. But that's just me.

In beer brewing, there are all sorts of linguistic hurdles - I mean how are you supposed to know that the term 'wort' isn't pronouned so much like the little fungi as it is ... well ... 'wert.' Then there are all those hop varieties! Willamette ... Saaz ...

Tricky stuff, this.

How 'bout all those Belgian beer terms ... gueuze!

Excuse me.

Anyhow, my point ... share your life knowledge! Have you been mispronouncing a beer-related word or phrase? How would you know it if you were? Have you been corrected for your violation? Do you care?

If you've even wondered how something is supposed to be pronounced, ask it here! No ridicule, I promise! Just mad Aleuminati knowledge droppin' daily!

... I still have a hard time with Saaz ...

[Rob DeNunzio]

All I can say is, if y'all want to keep mispronouncing kölsch, feel free to stop using the umlaut and we'll call it a day. M'kay?

[Ray Grace]

How do you all pronounce duvel?

[Rob DeNunzio]

Doo-vul. Accent on the Doo. I'm trying to think of something that it rhymes with, but not having much luck...

If anyone needs quick schooling on pronouncing beer names, just start ordering obscurities at Toronado. If you get it right, you'll know. If you goof, they'll happily point it out (to the whole bar, occasionally).


Ray Grace said:

How do you all pronounce duvel?

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

hahaha ... I don't know about any "umlaut" but I never bother with those two little dots above the 'o'! ;) That's one I pronounced incorrectly for a long while ... with the long 'o' sound.

Rob DeNunzio said:

All I can say is, if y'all want to keep mispronouncing kölsch, feel free to stop using the umlaut and we'll call it a day. M'kay?

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

Like 'Devil', not like Robert Duvall. Or a '64 Chevelle.

Ray Grace said:

How do you all pronounce duvel?

[Rob DeNunzio]

Like if you cross a loafer with a trowel? A shoe-vel?

The Beer Philosopher said:

Like 'Devil', not like Robert Duvall. Or a '64 Chevelle.

Ray Grace said:

How do you all pronounce duvel?

[Beerbuddha]

I found this website awhile back. Love it!

http://belgianstyle.com/mmguide/pronounce/speak.html

[John LeMasney]

Best discussion ever. I have some experience with this as a technologist. You haven't lived until you've been in a Gif vs. Jif argument. What I want to know is where does the emphasis fall on Mikkeller?

[John LeMasney]

HA!

Rob DeNunzio said:

All I can say is, if y'all want to keep mispronouncing kölsch, feel free to stop using the umlaut and we'll call it a day. M'kay?

[Virgil G]

mikkel's name is

mee-kel.

so

mee-keller

it's almost 2 syllables. keller is really fast.

dr. erikschon can say it right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qem0iqkkT-4

i always have trouble with chimay.

Shi-may
chi-may (like cherry)
ki-may



John LeMasney said:

Best discussion ever. I have some experience with this as a technologist. You haven't lived until you've been in a Gif vs. Jif argument. What I want to know is where does the emphasis fall on Mikkeller?

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

I've always heard Chimay pronounced like She-may ... emphasis on the first syllable.

Virgil G said:

mikkel's name is

mee-kel.

so

mee-keller

it's almost 2 syllables. keller is really fast.

dr. erikschon can say it right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qem0iqkkT-4

i always have trouble with chimay.

Shi-may
chi-may (like cherry)
ki-may



John LeMasney said:

Best discussion ever. I have some experience with this as a technologist. You haven't lived until you've been in a Gif vs. Jif argument. What I want to know is where does the emphasis fall on Mikkeller?

[Shawn, the Beer Philosopher]

Ohhh ... how about Saison ... heard every variation on this one.

Say-zon

See-zon

Sigh-zon

;)