BEER

Beer is sold in every type of bar in one form or another and although you may think of many different brands of beer, there are thousands to date. We will be going over the many different types of beer and how to serve a perfect glass of beer. Beer is a generic term for all fermented beverages made from malted grain and flavored with hops.

These various malt beverages are classified into two groups, lager beers and ales. The two types use different strains of yeast and somewhat different methods of fermentation. Lager beer is fermented by yeast at the bottom of the cold tank (bottom fermentation). Ales are fermented by yeast that gathers at the top of a somewhat warmer liquid (top fermentation). Lager beer is stored for weeks and months, where ale for only days. Lager beer tends to have a lower percentage of alcohol than ale, although some lagers have more than some ales. These usually are 5% and 3.2% beer but there are beers with higher alcohol content.

LAGER BEERS

Pilsner is a term used to describe the kind of beer we call beer in the United States. Served cold, this tasty, thirst quenching, mild drink is seen in almost every commercial on TV and is far the biggest selling beer in the U.S. They include Budweiser, Miller High Life, Coors, Michelob and Strohs. Light beers are like the pilsner beer only it may have less carbohydrates or less alcohol or even both. These beers have grown in popularity in the recent years. Bock Beers are heavy, rich, dark lagers. These also have a higher alcohol content than a pilsner. Steam Beer is an American invention. Its method of production combines bottom fermentation of lager beer with the higher fermenting temperatures of ale.

ALES

 Porter is a dark, bittersweet top fermented beer that was brought from England. It is a specialty of a few old time saloons and can only be found where it is brewed. Stout is fuller flavored, darker beer with more alcohol than porter. It ranges from 3 to 7.5% alcohol content and sweet to bitter. Today bars and restaurants serve imported beers more and more. Such are Heineken, Dos Equies, St. Pauli Girl, and many Canadian beers as well: Molson, Bradors, Labatts Blue, Extra Stock.

HOW BEER IS MADE

You may know of many types of beer and many different brands, but the process of making is basically the same as we will discuss. First, there are four main ingredients in beer and they are water, hops, yeast and malt.

Water will make it drinkable and smooth for it is nine-tenths of the beers contents. It can also add a distinct flavor to the beer. Hops give it a common or bitter flavor that needs and also has a cleansing effect during brewing.

Yeast is an agent that acts on the sugars to break down into alcohol and C02. This also can affect the taste of the beer.

Last, but not least, malt provides the sugars to be fermented. This is what gives beer its genuine flavor and carbohydrates. (Some beers call for a fifth ingredient called a malt adjacent or grain adjunct.)