The easiest and probably cheapest alcoholic beverage to get a hold of would have to be beer, hands down. It’s probably also one of the most widely misunderstood. So what’s true and what’s now when it comes down to the average brew?
If you make a habit of leaving six-packs in your wake, you’re sure to pile on the pounds, but you wont necessarily wind up with a beer belly. According to a German study of nearly 20,000 drinkers, the rounded beer bulge owes its appearance to genetics more than drinking ale. Go ahead and drink what you want, just don’t over do it or you’ll find out sooner rather than later which way your genetics lean.
We’ve all heard that the grass is greener on the other side, and it’s no different when it comes to imported beer. If you take the top domestic beers from any two countries and exchange them, each will value the import more highly. This could have originated in the 19th century when export beers were brewed stronger to help them survive the long journeys. After Prohibition, domestic brews were also considered to taste thin compared to traditionally brewed European beers, but now-a-days you’d be lucky to find an expert arguing that Corona is superior to the IPA from your local microbrewery.
Beer is more approachable than wine or spirits. For most of it’s history, everyone drank it striking the myth that beer is the drink of the working class. Many country houses had their own breweries and George Washington was a big fan of porter. For several centuries, boiled, sterilized beer was a safe alternative to drinking water. However despite research showing the opposite, many tend to think that beer is a low class drink and get uncomfortable with the idea of beer accompanying fine dining. This is straight snobbery. Beer can be as structured and elegant as a wine and is just as worthy to be matched with your meal. It can easily be paired and bring out the flavors of your favorite foods.
The ideal temperature for serving ale is 11-13*c. This allows the complex flavors to fully develop. The myth about serving beer warm and ice cold are essentially twins. Ice cold temperatures mask the flavor of the beer. The idea that beer should be served room temperature dates back to when rooms didn’t have central heating. According to craft brewers recommend serving the brew in this temperature range so that the balance of flavor and refreshment is perfect.
Despite promotional gimmicks fresh is not best, a perfect lager should mature at least six weeks before it’s bottled at low temperatures. There are some British ales which are not at their best until they’re at least three months old. There are many beer styles that don’t reach their full flavor potential until they’ve had a chance to mature and develop. One big trend is to age ales in whiskey or rum casks where the woods and the spirits infuse with the beer.
Check out the Full Article for other myths and facts such as dark beer is stronger and higher in calories, women don’t like to drink beer, beer from a bottle tastes better than beer from the tap, beer is bad for your health and beer advertisements encourage under age drinking.
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