Beer Drinking

Beer Glasses For the Serious Drinker

Great beer glasses are usually available at homebrew supply stores, through beer magazines, or in bottle shops. They cost a few bucks extra, but with proper care, can last for years. It is definitely a worth it investment for all beer lovers out there. What can be a better form of reward as compared to a glass of beer after a hard day at work? Here are some tips on the caring and feeding of your beer glasses.

Beer glasses must be clean. This means free of greasy fingerprints, lipstick, and old crusty beer residue. Soap film and dust are also culprits that can ruin your beer glasses. Fats in soap and body oils can cause beer to go flat quickly. How would you know if your beer glasses are clean? Head straight to the sink to throw away your glass of beer when you see the head of your beer breaks up into large, ugly bubbles.

To keep your beer glasses extremely clean, rinse your beer glasses with hot water minus the soap immediately after drinking and remember to shake out any excess water. The exterior of the beer glasses can be washed with a lightly soaped sponge. This method will help to remove any fingerprints.

If you are very concern about the cleanliness of your beer glasses, you can clean it with the use of some baking soda. Fill the sink with hot water and a few teaspoon of baking soda. The beer glasses can be scrubbed in the hot water sink with a brush. Air dry the beer glasses before you keep them away. It is also important to remember that clean beer glasses should be store away from steam, dust, food, and smoke. The most idea place to keep clean beer glasses would be a sealed cabinet.

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Author: Sky Joe
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Drink Local Products

Have we ever been more informed about our surroundings and about the impact that we have on our local environment. Here in the UK, it seems that the advantages of local produce are often over-looked.

On a recent trip to Italy I was astounded by the quality of the food and drink that I was served. Enjoying meals in small establishments, I was presented with food and drinks that seemed to be of a much higher standard than those that I was used to experiencing at home.

Taking a look at the ingredients that were being used, I realised that the Italians rely on cooking simple meals but on making them well. They don’t need to make things complicated – the ingredients are so simple that they work for themselves.

It’s the same with their beers and wines. We’re used to being served mediocre Pinot Grigios in pubs and restaurants all over the UK, but the standard of wine being produced in Italy is clearly pretty high. You suspect that they are keeping the best drinks back for themselves.

Finding non-Italian wines on a wine list is almost impossible and it’s easy to see why. When the local produce is so good, why would they want to consider drinking wines made elsewhere?

It’s the same with the beers. Sure, you can go into the odd themed pub and see imported beers on draught, but the Italians generally stick to their own brews.

Why don’t we have the same attitude in the UK. Why is it that we fail to see that the best food and drink is likely to be produced locally, often on a smaller scale and using relatively simple production methods.

The next time that you walk into a British pub, maybe you should consider forgetting about buying an imported drink. Opt for a beer from a local brewery instead – you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the quality of drinks on offer.

Not only will you be enjoying a great drink, you’ll also be supporting a local business.

Author: Keith Barrett
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Beer – History’s Oldest Drink

Beer is the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage, and was one of the first drinks ever produced by human beings. It is estimated that it may date back to as early as 6000 BC, and it is mentioned in the recorded history of the most ancient human civilizations, including that of Sumeria, Mesopotamia, and ancient Egypt.

Since beer can occur naturally, through the fermentation of any substance containing carbohydrates, the beverage was probably discovered before it was invented. This also means that the secret of producing it was probably learned in many different locations, independent of one another. The earliest archaeological evidence for the consumption of beer that we have is from chemical remains dating back to about 3500 BC.

Some archaeologists have theorized that civilization was developed, to give people the tools necessary to produce beer on a large scale, for entire populations.

We know that the production and consumption of beer in Europe dates back as far as 3000 BC, carried by Germanic and Celtic Tribes.

Early forms of beer would not be recognizable by today’s standards because they did not contain hops, and were often made from a variety of fruits, honeys, and various plants and spices. Many beers were also made using various hallucinogenic and narcotic substances found growing in local areas.

The first mention of the use of hops comes from a Carolingian Abbot in the year 822 AD, although it certainly could have been in use before that time. The use of hops in beer production was also mentioned later by writings of the Abbess Hildegard of Bingen.

Most pre industrial beer was produced on a domestic scale, town by town, or household by household. However in Europe during the Middle Ages monasteries did start to produce the beverage on a larger scale.

The industrial revolution changed the way that beer was made, turning it into a large scale business. This would eventually put an end to most significant domestic and small scale production, in favor of mass produced corporate beverages manufactured in factories and exported worldwide.

Today beer is produced in countries around the world. While there are several larger companies that dominate the market, there are also a wide variety of smaller niche brewing businesses that range the gamut in size and product. There are also a wealth of small individual pub breweries and cottage industry manufacturers.

Author: Joey Pebble
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Crazy Beer and Drinking Laws

Legislators go to work every day and just to have something to do, they create more and more laws. There are so many laws on the books, it is literally impossible for us to know them all. And I would be willing to bet that just about all of us have broken a law a time or two.

It wouldn’t be because we’re all criminals. It’s because there are laws that we have no idea are even there. The best laws are the ones that come from some weird activation or an era we no longer understand.

In Indiana, liquor stores are not allowed to sell milk. I’m not sure why when White Russians are a great drink that is made with milk. But, they might have outlawed milk to keep all the infants from hanging around.

In Ohio, it’s illegal to get a fish drunk. Now, that has to be one of those laws that was made because of one idiot who thought it would be cool to get a fish drunk. I mean, I can’t imagine it becoming such an epidemic that everyone was doing it and the fish were developing major family issues.

In Pennsylvania, beer can’t be sold in quantities less than a case. Good news for the liquor stores. That’s bad news for anyone who just wants a six pack. In other words, it’s illegal to be a lightweight.

In Maryland, the western counties prohibit the sale of beer on Sundays. If you want to drink a few beers while watching football, you have to stock up the night before. Of course, you can always drive across the state line into West Virginia to buy some beer if you drink your stock. There are even signs welcoming all Marylanders and thanking the governor of Maryland for helping the economy in West Virginia on Sunday when half of Maryland drives over there.

In Florida, men may not be seen in public in a strapless gown. I included this law because I’m thinking the lawmakers were drinking the day they made it. But, it begs the question. What was happening in Florida that was so important that the lawmakers left the issue wide open for men to be seen in public in regular gowns?

Sometimes you hear about a law and you wonder what happened to bring that law into existence. I mean, did a fish swim across the lane and kill an entire family? Did it develop psoriasis of the liver and sue a beer maker for not displaying a warning on the side of the bottle? The one thing for sure is that at least one person did feed alcohol to a fish and that guy had way too much time on his hands.

Author: Stan Schubridge
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Beer Party Craft Necklace from Drinking Straws

A Beer party theme can be added to just about any kind of party event, from Mardi Gras, to Luau, to Oktoberfest. Why not liven up your Beer party event with a craft item that adds a little color to the party.

Beer Party Drinking Straw Lei

Thick paper, like cardstock or thick construction paper, Drinking straws (two straws for each lei), Yarn (about 2 feet of yarn for each lei), Scissors, Paint, Markers, glitter and glue.

This craft is so easy that even the slightly intoxicated can enjoy making their own Straw Lei. You’ll start by, drawing and cutting out many flowers from thick construction paper. Create your own fancy or simple flower shapes. From here you’ll apply a thin layer of glue to your lei flowers and sprinkle with glitter. Shake off the excess and let dry. You can also apply paint and use the markers to outline your flowers.

From here, your beer necklaces need to be made by cutting a drinking straw into 1 inch long segments. You’ll need to place a segment of straw between each flower on the necklace.

Next, cut a piece of yarn about 2 feet long. Tie a thick knot at one end of the yarn. Thread the smallest flower through the other end of the yarn — push it down to the knot. Then, thread a segment of drinking straw; push it down to the small flower. Continue threading flowers and straw segments onto your beer necklace. When the last flower has been threaded onto the yarn, tie the ends of the yarn together. Voila! You’ve completed a Drinking Straw Lei for your Beer party.

Try out different variations on this party craft and you might be able to come up with a reusable drinking straw Lei for that Beer party event.

Author: Gail Leino
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Favourite Types of Beer

Beer is believed to be the oldest alcoholic beverage on the planet, with a history dating back thousands of years. Today, it remains the most popular alcoholic drink, coming in many different varieties.

More modern brewing history tends to have been dominated by European monasteries, where beer was often made to help quench the thirst of pilgrims from far and wide.

Some of the finest European beers can trace their histories back to the monks, notably drinks produced in Belgium, France and Germany.

Northern and Central Europe are seen by many as being the real heartland of the brewing industry. From the famous lagers of Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic to the traditional ales of Britain and Guinness, that famous stout from Ireland.

Each country, or region, has its own brewing traditions. Variations in those traditions and local tastes have led to the wide variety of beer production that we see in evidence now.

Of course it’s no longer the case that the most famous beers are always to be found in production in Europe. There are now strong rivals from Asia, Australia and North America.

When it comes to talking about my own favourites, I tend to appreciate local brews that have a unique taste to them. It always confuses me why people would, for example, choose to drink a popular North American lager when in a British pub.

As a rule, I would look to drink ales when in England, just as I’d opt for Guinness when in Ireland. Many beers don’t travel well and will actually taste better when close to their source anyway.

So how about you? Do you have a favourite beer? Maybe you’ve never tasted much of a variety because you stick to what you know. If so, you’re missing out.

There are thousands of beers in this world, many of them varying considerably in taste and appearance. Be adventurous and make the most of them.

You never know – you may discover a new favourite. If you really get a taste for beers then you might even consider making your own.

That’s a new adventure altogether!

Author: Keith Barrett
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Bottling, Storing, and Drinking Your Homebrew

Bottling the Beer

Bottling is not a hard part of the home brew process, but is important that you take your time and not contaminate the beer or the bottles during the procedure.

Things to consider when choosing beer bottles:

1. Made of glass
2. Colored glass (brown and green) is favored over clear bottles. Light damages beer and the colored glass helps in protecting your brew.
3. Do not use twist off bottles. The caps will not seal along the threads.
Bottles can be bought at a local beer-brewing retailer, or to save money you can reuse bottles that you have consumed in the past. I prefer to reuse bottles because it saves money and either way, you will still have to sanitize the bottles.

Equipment Needed:
Bottles
Caps
Siphon
Tubing (usually part of siphon)
Bucket

You may notice that your beer (before bottling) is still flat. It will remain flat if you do not add supplementary sugar to the beer right before bottling. Although your beer seems to be inactive, there is still a little amount of yeast left in the brew. Adding sugar gives the yeast something to consume and create the CO2 needed for carbonation. Like many stages in the brewing process, it is important that you get the proportions correct.

Storing the Beer

Sunlight and florescent light will cause beer to become skunky, so when storing your beer, try to minimize exposure to any light. Bottling your beer in brown bottles helps minimize this effect too.

Your beer should sit for at least a week before you drink it. During this first week, you should try not to move your bottles too much because there will still be some reactions taking place. It is also important to store your beer at a temperature that will let your yeast continue to react. If you are using yeast for an ale beer, store your bottles at room temperature (65-75 degrees.) If you store them in the fridge, the cold temperature will prevent the yeast from creating CO2 and your beer will remain flat.

Don’t store your beer for too long. The longer your bottles sit, the greater chance your beer will become oxidized. It is my recommendation that you drink your beer within a year of when you brew it. Beyond this point and there is a good chance that your seal has leaked and effected the taste of your beer. However, don’t rush. A year is a long time.

Drinking the Beer

You may notice that there is a thin yeast layer at the bottom of your homebrew. This has to do with the final yeast reactions that take place after your beer is bottled. When drinking from the bottle, the extra yeast will not bother you until then end of the bottle when it is stirred up. There is no way to avoid this layer, so I recommend pouring all your homebrews into a glass before you consume them. If done slowly, the yeast layer will not be transferred to the glass or mug and you will have a perfect brew to enjoy.

Author: Pat McLoughlin
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Beer Glasses

I’m not talking about beer goggles – those invisible glasses you’re suddenly sporting after a night of drinking that make the man with the missing teeth and awful comb-over suddenly the most attractive man you’ve ever seen. I’m talking beer glasses – the kind that can make your beer drinking an even more enjoyable experience (and far more enjoyable than a night with Mr. Bad Comb-over ever could be).

Below is a list of the essential glasses any good beer geek is going to want to own.

Pint glass – You’ve had a beer on draft at a bar, right? Chances are it was served in a pint glass. These are pretty basic glasses and are popular in bars because they’re quite durable. The British-style pint glass, which is bulged near the top, is good for pale ales, bitters, and stouts.

Pilsner glass – The pilsner glass is tall, slender and cylindrical. These glasses are meant to help focus the hop aroma of the beer, while keeping the head intact. It should come as no surprise that this a great glass for lagers, including pilsners (obviously, given the name), maibocks, and dopplebocks.

Weizen glass – Love wheat beers? You’ll want a weizen glass. The attributes of this glass – tall, slightly bowed-out shape, narrower top – help concentrate the aromas of the beer, while allowing enough room to accommodate the big heads that often accompany them.

Goblets (or Chalice) – Goblets and chalices are in the same family of glass, although there is a technical difference between the two: a goblet is thinner and long-stemmed, while a chalice is heavier and thick-walled. Both, however, are great for heavier, malty beers (dubbel, tripel, quadrupel, Belgian IPAs). That’s because the hop aroma doesn’t need to be concentrated in order to really enjoy the taste of the beer; rather, the bowls on these glasses are designed to be big enough to hold the entire beer.

Tulips – Unsurprisingly, the design of this glass is tulip-shaped, meaning that the top of the glass pushes out to form a “lip” and a bulbous body. This shape is perfect for strong ales, imperial IPAs, and imperial stouts because they tend to be more aromatic.

Mugs – Mugs are sturdy, heavy, and come with a handle. They typically hold a lot of beer – and are featured in a lot of German beer drinking commercials. Mugs were made to be clinked! They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Their large, open mouth allows the herbal bouquet of the beer to be released, while maximizing the malty aroma.

Author: Helene Roper
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Enjoy a Beer With Dinner

The story of drinking habits in Britain over the last twenty years has been all about the rise in the popularity of wine. Can brewers tempt people to enjoy a glass of beer with their dinner, rather than wine?

When you think about alcohol consumption in the UK you may well tend to concentrate on the idea of drinking a nice pint of beer in a traditional British pub. Pubs are a fundamental part of the landscape of the country and they’re always closely associated with beer drinking.

This traditional scene has changed considerably in the past couple of decades. Brewers of real ales have faced increasing competition from wine and lagers. Now, some are concerned about the possible impact of the smoking ban too.

How are breweries going to hit back? Efforts from organisations such as the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) have centred on emphasising how great it is to drink traditional British ales. They would question why anyone would want to opt for a tasteless imported lager when there are so many better options available.

The the number of British vineyards being relatively small, wine drunk in this country is largely imported.

If you at what is being drunk in pubs and homes up and down the country then you’re likely to notice a large amount of wine that’s been imported from the likes of Italy, France and the New World producers, including Australia, South Africa and Chile.

Wine seems to appeal to women in particular. It’s a drink that can be enjoyed with a meal, or which can be refreshing on a summer evening. In this context, how can the breweries hope to compete?

The answer must lie in the number of beers that are currently to be found on the market. With so many varieties, offering so many different taste experiences, there are beers to suit all occasions.

Just like wines, some beers are perfectly suited to accompanying red meat dishes. Others go better with poultry and fish.

Experiment with the various beers on the market – you’re likely to be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

Next time you fancy a drink with your dinner, why not opt for beer rather than wine?

Author: Keith Barrett
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Who Drinks the Most Beer?

Some countries of the world are renowned for their abilities to produce fine wines, while others are better known for their capabilities at brewing beer. Which countries consume the most beer though?

Living in the UK, I often feel rather fortunate that we have such a good supply of varied beers available to us. No other country is probably as well known for its pub culture.

The tradition of brewing also goes back many years here, as it does in much of Europe. In years gone by, most large scale brewing in what is now Great Britain would have been carried out in this country’s monasteries and abbeys.

In more recent times, the influx of continental lagers has changed the drinking habits of many people here. As the UK market has been swamped by popular overseas brands, such as Stella Artois, Heineken and Fosters, there has been a lot of consolidation within the brewery industry.

Fortunately, the resurgence in sales of real ales that we’ve seen in the past ten years has also seen a lot of new breweries appearing on the scene. Many of us are now able to benefit from the presence of a relatively local brewery.

So has this helped Britain to top the charts in terms of beer drinking? If we look at the average number of litres of beer consumed by someone in this country within a year then we find that the figure stands at a hefty 95.6 litres. That’s the equivalent of 168 pints per year.

That may seem like a large amount but according to the latest figures, which examine the year 2005, the UK ranks only 5th in the list of the biggest beer consumers.

So which four countries are the real heavyweights when it comes to drinking beer?

In fourth place is our near neighbour, the Republic of Ireland. With 106 litres per person, it seems that the Irish penchance for Guinness is still strong.

The third largest consumers of beer are Austria (108.9 litres). That may come as a surprise to many, with neighbouring Germany being better known as beer fans.

Indeed, it’s German drinkers who come in second with an average of 115.2 litres per person. With their strong brewing and drinking tradition, this might come as little surprise.

But if Germany is in second place then who is top? The answer is the country that is the home of Budvar, Pilsner Urquell and Staropramen.

We are, of course, talking about the Czech Republic. Average consumption stands at 164.1 litres. That’s the equivalent of a massive 288 pints per person.

When it comes to drinking beer, it seems that nobody can compare with the Czechs!

Author: Keith Barrett
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