An Easy Guide to Beer: Styles, Terms, History

Next round, know what you are ordering.



Beer: Nectar of the gods. Guys are united in their lust for this and maintain it proudly as an icon of maleness. The discovery of beer was, without a doubt, pure revelry and possibly as significant to man's growth as the discovery of fire. Pour some history and brewing jargon into your next pint for an understanding far beyond simply knowing what kind of beer you prefer and think differently about the next bottle.



Most historical reports describe the discovery of beer as an accident, 6 to 8 thousand years ago, by the Sumerians. Although, it is thought that during this age similar discoveries were made, alone, through the whole world. It was, since then, a celestial revelation and no doubt the art continues to be classy, refined and went through the ages like the Olympic torch. Evidence suggests that beer was born from bread. Moist grains experienced spontaneous fermentation, blended with wild yeasts and fermented. An "inebriating pulp" resulted and altered the course of history.



Barley is when malted, is the source of beer and, a fermentable carbohydrate. Barley is not defensive as a base for bread, but perfect for beer. Demand for barley (more than other grains) spread rapidly, generation rose and one innovation after another led man through the first major era of "culture": The Agricultural Revolution. Hunter-gatherers started settling. You could argue that beer was partly responsible for the domestication of man - a satire that is hilarious.



The Babylonians, who passed it on to the Egyptians, when the English learned and who taught the Greeks, then the Romans were taught by the Sumerians, the beer of then began looking more like the beer of now.



Ingredients



By appreciating what it really is, and just how it's made, our primal craving for beer can grow into affection. The definition of beer goes something similar to this: an alcoholic beverage, brewed by slow fermentation, flavored with hops, and made from malted cereal grain. The English word "beer" comes from the Latin "bibere" meaning, "to drink". Mostly, beer is produced from malted barley, hops, yeast and water.



Barley is a grain, high in starch. Starch converts throughout the mashing process. To malt, barley is soaked in water then germinated, yielding modified malt. It's dried and cured, or "kilned". Mashed and brewing starts after kilning it's milled.



An ingredient introduced throughout the middle ages, hops, add scent and flavor that balance the sugar of malt with bitterness. They function as a preservative plus a spice and therefore are typically added during the brewing process.



If "dry jumped," hops are added after fermentation to replenish oils lost during brewing.



Yeast is a fungus that creates alcohol and carbonation as it consumes sugar - the process of fermentation. In the 19th century Louis Pasteur explained how yeast works and this led directly to new forms, ushering in the next generation of beer-making. He invented pasteurization to kill yeast, but brewers saw other yeasty possibilities. Yeast controls the final part of the brewing process and determines much of the flavor.



The caliber and mineral content can't be taken for granted, since beer is approximately 90% water.



Styles



There are over 100 varieties of beer, and also glassware created for particular fashions to enhance objective characteristics, like scent. America is home to more styles and brands than just about any other marketplace on the planet, really the land of the free. Every single one of them falls within 1 of 2 camps (which don't describe colour, strength or flavor), discovered by the type of yeast: Ales and Lagers.



The styles are a condensed list,- the most typical and familiar. The Beer Advocate has an all-inclusive design list with descriptions if you're thirsty for more: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/style.



Check this out: a Beer tour of San Diego.





Ale



Ale yeast gathers and ferments at the top (therefore, "top fermented") of the boat, at a high temperature so the yeast acts promptly. Some complete fermenting in less than 2 weeks. Ales are loaded and complicated, with more yeast-derived flavors.



Whether American or English, the "pale" was clipped on long ago to differentiate it in the dark shade of Porters. English and American styles differ, but generally they can be copper colored and dry with crisp hop flavor or gold.



India Pale Ale (IPA) - Pale ale with aroma and intense hop flavor and slightly higher alcohol content.



Brown Ale - These northern English style ales possess a strong, malty facility and might be sweet, nutty and very lightly hopped. They may be medium bodied and the name matches the shade of the ale.



Stout (Guinness and Murphy's are dry Irish stouts) - Black loaded and opaque, thick. Stouts draw on their flavor and color from roasted barley. They often taste of caramel and malt , with little to no hop aroma or flavor.



Porter - Very similar to stout but made from, or largely from, unroasted barley. Dark and sweet brown in color with touches of chocolate as well as a -sharp bitterness.



Wheat Beer - Germans take their beer very seriously, so much it is expected legally to use top-fermenting yeast in wheat beer. Wheat proteins leaving yeast sediment in the bottle and are generally unfiltered, contribute to a hazy, or nebulous appearance. They're light colored, full flavored and also the unique yeast strains create flavors like vanilla, clove and banana.



Hefeweizen - The most commercially successful kind of wheat beer. In the US they're regularly served with a lemon wedge to cut against the yeast flavor that was intense.





Lager



Lager yeast sinks to the base of the vessel and ferments at a colder temperature than ale yeast, slowing the process down. At a colder temperature, bottom-fermenting yeast creates fewer "esters" (flavor compounds, essentially). This creates a light, crisp and clean tasting beer. Lagering dampens flavors and feel.



American Lagers - this may be a sore subject for beer enthusiasts in the house of the brave. In the world of brewed libations the US was respected before prohibition. Little breweries were extinct by the end of prohibition by selling cereal malts, and also the big ones kept their heads above water. The 21st amendment repealed the 18th but brewers were slow to pick up production. World War II dealt another heavy blow to the sector - food deficits resulted in the increased use of adjuncts for malt.



Adjuncts are fermentable stuff used to create lighter beer, for more economical, in replacement of grains. The 3 biggest brewing businesses (still largest today) took control of the nation's reputation for beer, in addition to the vast majority of national marketing and creation. Budweiser, Coors, Miller, Michelob, Pabst as well as the remainder are popular since they're affordable, light, refreshing and considered "smooth". Every style has its very own appeal and audience although the elitists in beerdom are quick to blow off these. A lot of the criticism sprouts from corporate doubt and dearth of variation between the largest brands. Some other Pale Lagers, similar to American Lagers are Heineken, Foster's and Corona. The flavor profiles of other identifiable, chiefly German derived, lager types are somewhat more defined:



Amber/Red Lager (Yuengling, Killian's, Brooklyn Lager) - Darker than their lighter lager relatives and more malt, typically amber to copper. Flavor profiles change drastically between breweries.