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What is Beer?

Beer is an alcoholic beverage made from malted grains, hops, yeast, and water. The grain is usually barley or wheat, but sometimes corn and rice are used as well. Fruit, herbs, and spices may also be used for special styles. In the distant past, the terms "beer" and "ale" meant different things. "Ale" was originally made without using hops, while "beer" did use hops. Since virtually all commercial products now use hops, the term "beer" now encompasses two broad categories: ales and lagers.

Which is more complex to make: Beer or Wine?

Beer making dates back to 5,000 BC when yeast was discovered fermenting in a sugar-water mixture. The yeast consumes the sugar for its own energy and growth, and the primary byproducts are ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. Wine is made when yeast consumes the natural sugars in fruit such as grapes, and beer is made when yeast consumes the sugar derived from grain. The naturally occurring starch found in grain must be converted into sugar before yeast can consume it. Thus, beer making is a more complex than wine making.

How is Beer made?

Beer is made from four basic ingredients: Barley, water, hops and yeast. The brewing process starts with grains, usually barley (although sometimes wheat, rye or other such things.) The grain is harvested and processed. This is done by heating, drying out and cracking the grain. The main goal of malting the grains to isolate the enzymes wanted by brewers so that it’s ready for mashing. The grains then go through a process know as mashing, in which they are steeped in hot, but not boiling, water for about an hour, sort of like you were making tea. This activates enzymes in the grains which causes it to begin to break down and release the sugar inside of it. Once this is accomplished you drain the hot water from the mash that’s full of the sugar from the grains. You’ve now got a hot, sticky sweet liquid called wort which is basically unmade beer, sort of like dough is unmade bread.

The wort is boiled for about an hour during which time hops are added at various points. Once the hour long boil is up the wort is cooled, strained and filtered. It’s then put in a sealed container and yeast is added to it. The brewing is now complete and fermentation begins. The beer is then stored for a couple of weeks at room temperature (in the case of ales) or many many weeks at cold temperatures (in the case of lagers) while the yeast works its fermentation magic. Basically the yeast eats up all that sugar from the grains that’s in the wort and spits out CO2 and alcohol. You’ve now got alcoholic beer, however it is still flat and uncarbonated. The flat beer is bottled, at which time it is either artificially carbonated like a soda, or if it’s going to be ‘bottle conditioned’ it’s allowed to naturally carbonate via the CO2 the yeast produces. After allowing it to age for anywhere from a few weeks to a few months you drink the beer, and it’s delicious!

What are Hops?

Hops are the small, green cone-like fruit of a vine plant. They provide bitterness to balance out all the sugar in the wort and provide flavor. They also act as a natural preservative, which is what they were first used for.

Does Beer have health benefits (like Wine)?

The health benefits of beer (when consumed in moderation, of course) are almost in-numerable. A beer can help with everything from settling an upset stomach to improving heart health to increasing blood iron levels. It can strengthen bones, improve skin, and defend against memory loss. And as for those beer bellies, it doesn’t cause them. What beer does do, as more and more evidence is suggesting, is just about everything that red wine does – maybe more!

The specific benefits of beer come from the alcohol, B-Vitamins, and Hops. A drink a day can help increase blood flow, which is both relaxing and good for the heart, reducing the likelihood of stroke or heart attack. A lesser known benefit to drinking is its ability to fight osteoporosis. Because alcohol helps the body absorb calcium more efficiently it can help maintain healthy, strong bones. Those who drink a little live longer (and healthier) than those who drink too much or not at all. And a standard 12oz bottle of beer (typically) has the same amount of alcohol that a standard 5oz pour of red wine would have.

The grains and yeasts used to make beer are rich in powerful B-vitamins, which help the body maintain healthy metabolism, immune function, and red blood cell counts. And like alcohol, they’ve also been linked to improved blood pressure and healthy heart function. Most notably, the concentrations of B6, B12, and folic acid found in beer help prevent the build-up of homocysteine, an amino acid linked to both cardiovascular problems and bone-deficiency, making beer valuable to heart, bone and skin health.

Before hops were used in beer, they were used to treat everything from indigestion to leprosy. Today hops (when not in beer) are most frequently used as an herbal supplement to treat insomnia and mild anxiety. These anti-oxidant-rich plants contain a powerful compound called xanthohumol, a prenylflavonoid which may fight conditions like cancer and Alzheimer’s. While most beers only contain trace amounts of this compound (the hoppy-er varieties will obviously have more), hops have many other health benefits: they can reduce blood triglyceride levels; they can help sooth upset stomachs and aid in digestion; and they can help reduce the calcium build-up that leads to kidney stones. In addition, hops are a powerful phytoestrogen, potentially aiding in the fight against heart disease, certain cancers, and osteoporosis.

The next time someone tells you to put down the pint glass and pick up a wine glass, don’t be afraid to proudly defend your drink of choice!

What is the difference between an Ale and a Lager?

In the most basic classification scheme, there are two main types of beer: Ales and Lagers. Ales, the oldest beers in the world, have been around thousands of years longer than lagers. However, the lager is also the most popular style of beer in the world, with some stating that it accounts for 90% of all beers consumed.

Ale vs. Lager – At A Glance

What do you mean by Beer "Style" or "Type"?

We use the term “Style” to describe a general classification of beer that helps to define a beer by ingredients, color, aroma, yeast type, brewing methods, bitterness, originating region, and overall flavor. In order for a beer to be considered within that style, it must fit, at least loosely, into set general parameters. The descriptions are not considered comprehensive or definitive; they are simply a description of what is considered to be the “classic” version of each individual style.

Always keep in mind that the beer you are tasting may or may not compare exactly to the descriptions. Each brewery and brewmaster has quite of bit of leeway within each of the styles – in the end there are no rules or laws governing how brewmasters are supposed to interpret and design their beers. This ensures that each brand or brewery can create their own individual interpretation of each style. In essence, beer is like a snowflake, with an almost limitless number of variations within each type. Therefore it is our job as beer enthusiasts to sample and enjoy each and every one (tough job, but someone has to do it!).

An appreciation of the main beer styles will greatly increase your enjoyment of good beer. However, the most important question you should be asking is, "Do I like this beer?" If a discussion of a beer’s style adds to your enjoyment of the brew, so much the better, but always remember that beer has been brewed since the beginning of civilization to be enjoyed, so relax and enjoy it.

What are Seasonal Beers? Why can't I get them year round?

There are certain styles of beer that are traditionally brewed at particular times of the year. Each seasonal beer matches the flavors and mood of each time of year. Light and crisp beers like Samuel Adams Noble Pils and Summer Ale work perfectly for warmer temperatures while richer flavorful beers like Octoberfest and Winter Lager are perfect complements to cooler weather.

Why Is Beer Fizzy?

All beer leaves the brewer carbonated. This is accomplished in one of two ways - natural and forced carbonation. In both cases beer and carbon dioxide are sealed in a container under pressure. The beer absorbs the CO2 giving the beer its fizz.

Natural carbonation results from the fermentation process. Fermentation produces alcohol and carbon dioxide as yeast digests the sugar in the wort. Although most of the carbon dioxide is allowed to escape during fermentation the brewer will seal the beer in a container when it is almost complete. This is how natural carbonation is used to carbonate beer in holding vessels at the brewery and in casks.

Anther way to use natural carbonation is in the bottle. In this case the beer is allowed to ferment completely. It is left unfiltered which leaves active yeast suspended in it. Then a small amount of sugar is added at bottling time. Once the bottles are sealed and the yeast begins to act on the sugar, CO2 is released and absorbed by the beer.

When beer is force carbonated it is allowed to fully ferment. Then CO2 to pumped into a sealed container with the beer and absorbed into the liquid.

What is "draught" (draft) beer?

The origin of the term “draft beer” comes from the Old English term “dragen,” which meant "to carry." This was the source of a number of different terms used in the pouring and serving of beer including “draw,” “drag,” and “draught,” which is still used in the United Kingdom. The term draught, or draft, came to be used not only for the process of serving the beer, but for the type of beer itself, drawn from a keg or cask and served to the customers.

Draft beer is, generally, a term used to refer to any beer that is served from large casks or kegs, though the precise meaning of the term varies depending on geography and the intentions of the user. While this has made a single, universal definition of draft beer all but impossible to establish, there are certain typically agreed upon concepts intended or implied when serving or ordering the beer. In the United States and much of the Western world, draft beer has become fairly synonymous with keg beer and is typically served in bars or restaurants from a keg.

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