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Beer
This page is dedicated to the education of beer – the globes most consumed alcoholic beverage!
A Brief History:
Beer is ancient, some 11,000+ years old. No wonder it is the most popular alcoholic drink. It has had time to be tested and perfected.
Some historians have theorized that humankind's fondness for beer and other alcoholic beverages was a factor in our evolution. That is saying something! Societies of nomadic hunters and gathers formed into an agrarian society that would settle down to grow crops (and apparently drink). So the beginnings of the first kegger likely developed here! Beer seems to have been a cause for people to come together and enjoy company thousands of years ago, which holds true to present day. The first product made from grain & water before learning to make bread was beer.
It can be said that because of these settled pockets of cultures, they were catalysts for producing the different types/styles of beers we see today. Africans used millet, maize and cassava. The Chinese used wheat. The Japanese used rice. The Egyptians used barley.
Hops were not seen until about 1000A.D. and the modern era of brewing really took off with the invention of refrigeration, bottling and pasteurizing.
Ingredients:
There are 4 main ingredients found in beer; water, a starch source such as barley, hops and yeast. These help give the beer the flavor and color.
Typical Styles of Beer:
Lager: Found to be crisp and refreshing and a smooth finish due to longer aging. Food such as grilled chicken and mild seafood bring the flavors out the best in Lagers.
Ales: Typically more on the robust and complex side with a variety of fruit undertones with malt aromas. You will find these in many different variations, Bitters, Milds, Pale Ale, Nut Brown, etc: This beer is for your full bodied meals, steak, pork and stews work the best.
Wheat Beer: On the lighter side and easy to drink with little aftertaste. The wheat provides a softening trait with causes a haze or cloudy appearance and a touch a spice may be found. This beer works well with salmon and spicier meals.
Amber: A versatile beer that can be seen as an Ale or Lager. Full bodied with malt aromas and hints of caramel. Perfect for feasts of burgers, chicken and most cheeses.
Stout: Lush, deep and dark, flavorful intense beer with malt and caramel – covers a range of sweet to dry and distinct in bitterness. Drink with shellfish, wild game and hearty stews.
Specialty Beer: A very wide range of beers can fit here, from strong, fruit and honey to pepper and lime. They tend to be on the higher side of alcohol content 5%-9%. You can try honey beers with ham or chicken, fruit beer with dessert and AS dessert after a meal, etc:
