Beer History

Did you know that beer is one of world’s oldest known beverages? No one knows exactly how far back the brewing of beer goes, but we do know that because of chemical test of ancient pottery that beer dates back about 7,000 years ago to what is Iran today. There is also evidence that in ancient China the people were brewing a beer type beverage as far back as 7,000 BC!

Even though beer was brewed during the Roman Empire, wine was the choice amongst the Romans. Beer consumption was viewed as a drink that was only fit for Barbarians. Notably the Germanic people of Europe were very fond of beer during this period of time.

During the middle ages beer consumption was the preferred drink of northern and eastern Europe of all social classes. Beer was normally drank at every meal and the average per capita consumption was estimated at over 275 liters per year in this part of Europe. Even though there were earlier accounts of the use of hops in the brewing process, the use of hops was not perfected until the 13th century by the Germans. Until this time most beer was brewed at home. With the perfection of hops, the Germans were able to export this better tasting and longer lasting brew to other areas of Europe.

In 1516 William IV, the Duke of Bavaria instituted the purity law, known as Reinheitsgebot. The Reinheitsgebot stated that the only ingredients in beer are water, barley, and hops. Yeast was added to the law in 1857. The law expired in 1987, but many beer connoisseurs still believe that the purist of beers abide by the German purity law.

In the good old USA prohibition disseminated  the brewing industry. Prior to prohibition there were thousands of breweries in the US. After prohibition there were only a handful of breweries, which remained that way for quite sometime. In the mid 70’s I took a tour of Olympia Brewery were our tour guide stated by the year 2000 we expect there to be only about 3 breweries in the United States. How wrong he was!

Today there are thousands of breweries in the US. Believe it or not the number of breweries in the US actually outnumbers the total breweries in Germany. It seems that I have my hands full reviewing all of those microbrews, and as they say the rest is history.

Beer and Microbrews.com
American Craft Beer Types

Pale Ales

Pale Ales are typically bitter with a hoppy aroma. Ale means that it is fermented using top-fermenting yeast as opposed to Lagers, which are bottom fermented. Pale Ale is an American term for Ales; other countries use different names for Ales. For example England calls them Bitters, Germany Altbier and so on. Although Pale Ales are generally medium bodied with a golden to light copper color, India Pale Ale, Amber Ale, and Red Ale fall into the Pale Ale category.

India Pale Ales

India Pale Ales (IPA) even though IPA is a type of pale ale they generally have a hoppier flavor then the standard pale ale.  India Pale Ale got its name for beer that was shipped to British troops on duty in India. The British developed IPA because in India it was difficult to keep beer at a cool temperature and they need a beer that would taste good without refrigeration. IPAs are generally medium to full bodied with a golden to copper color. They are generally higher in alcohol content than pale ales.

Lagers

Lagers mainly differ from ales because lagers are bottom fermented. Lagers differ widely in character than ales and can be low in alcohol content or very high in alcohol content. The vast majority of beers massed produced in the U.S. are Lager style beers.Largers coloring can also differ widely from light golden to a darker almost black coloring.

Stouts and Porters

Stouts and Porters are generally very malty because they are made using roasted malts and barley. There are also other ingredients that are used like oatmeal, coffee, chocolate and milk. Stouts and Porters usually have a much heavier and thicker body than other types of beers. Stouts and Porters are usally much darker in color than other types of beers.

Hefeweizen

Hefeweizen or wheat beer is brewed with a significant amount of wheat and is usually top fermented. Hefeweizen is generally dark golden in color. Flavor can very widely. Hefeweizen is often enjoyed with a slice of orange in the U.S.

Draft Beer Basics

What’s better than draft beer or a great bottle of microbrew? Naturally it’s a great microbrew on draft. Read more....
Home Brewing

Did you ever ponder the idea of brewing you own beer at home? Click here to get more information. Home Brewing kits starting as low as $39.95