| So what do the pharaohs of ancient Egypt and | | | | brown to black in color. It was originally created in |
| modern-day fanatical football fans have in common? | | | | the 1700's in Britain. A combination of three different |
| Why, they all love to drink beer of course! | | | | kinds of ale, it was very popular among the porters |
| Beer is the oldest recorded alcoholic beverage in | | | | of old London, hence the name. It was made from |
| history, with origins dating back to ancient times, | | | | roasted malt barley giving it a rich aroma and full |
| even as far back as ancient Egypt. Beer has been | | | | body. |
| the drink of choice of many people, for a very long | | | | Stout- Stout is a dark ale derived from porter. Like a |
| time. | | | | porter it has a very dark coloring. This results from |
| So what exactly is beer and how is it made? Beer is | | | | roasting the malted barley, used for brewing, until |
| basically an alcoholic beverage made from fermented | | | | black. Irish dry stout like Guinness or Murphy's are |
| starches. It main ingredients consist of water, malted | | | | known for their bitter, roasted taste. The ale's black |
| barley (or other starch sources like wheat, cassava, | | | | color topped with distinctive creamy head gives it it's |
| etc.), hops, and yeast. They are then fermented | | | | nickname the "priest's collar" and goes well with |
| through a process called brewing. After brewing the | | | | oysters. |
| beer is ready to be consumed, though further | | | | The other type of beer are lagers. The word lager is |
| processes like aging and carbonation can be practiced | | | | derived from a German word "lagern". "Lagern" |
| to improve the taste and quality. | | | | translated means "to store" and alludes to a time |
| Throughout the years, many different types of beer | | | | when brewers used to store beer in caves to |
| have been created around the world. These types of | | | | ferment in cooler temperature. |
| beers can vary in things like flavor, color and aroma. | | | | Lagers are made with bottom-fermenting yeast at |
| Various different cultures have invented their own | | | | temperatures ranging from 8 to15 degrees C or 46 |
| distinct take on this famous beverage. | | | | to 59 degrees F. At these cooler temperatures, the |
| Beer is generally classified into two types or styles | | | | beer will generally take a longer time to ferment. |
| based on the yeast used for fermentation. These | | | | Lagers are known generally be lighter in color than |
| two types are ales, which uses top-fermenting yeast, | | | | ales. They also have a distinctively clean and crisp |
| and lagers which are brewed with bottom-fermenting | | | | taste that makes them very popular to the masses. |
| yeast. These yeast give the beer their own unique | | | | They also tend to have a lower alcohol content than |
| characteristics, which can affect how the beer looks | | | | ales and are best served cold. |
| and tastes. | | | | Some beers categorized as lagers are: |
| Ales along with using top-fermenting yeast, are | | | | Pilsner- Considered the most popular type of beer in |
| fermented at a warmer temperature than lagers. | | | | the world. Pilsners are generally light yellow to golden |
| They're fermented at about 15 to 23°C, 60 to | | | | in color and usually well balanced in flavor, with a |
| 75°F and usually take a shorter amount of time | | | | clean, crisp taste. |
| to ferment. Ales tend to have a stronger more | | | | American style lagers- The common, mass produced |
| pronounced taste as well as a fuller body. Ales can | | | | type of beer in America is a type of pilsen. Light in |
| also have a somewhat nutty or fruity taste that are | | | | color and flavor, it is also high in carbonation. |
| the result of the warmer fermentation temperatures. | | | | Bock- Bock is a dark lager originating from Germany. |
| Some common varieties of ales include: | | | | It's high in alcohol and malt making it a strong, |
| Pale ale - Pales ales are ales that use pale malts, | | | | full-bodied beer. |
| usually barley. They all tend to have similar | | | | There are many more kinds of beers, each with their |
| characteristics, such as a strong hop taste and low to | | | | own distinct style and taste. There are enough |
| medium malt levels, though many countries have their | | | | choices to satisfy just about anyone's taste. |
| own versions of pale ale like the English Bitter, Saison, | | | | Beer has been around since even before people could |
| and India Pale Ale each with their own slight | | | | write! With so many kinds of beer to choice from, |
| variations. | | | | and even more being invented all the time, there is |
| Porter- A porter is a dark ale ranging from dark | | | | no doubt that beer will be here to stay. |
