Beer is the world's oldest^[1] and most popular^[2][3] alcoholic beverage. This article is about Leffe the beer brand For the Italian commune see Leffe (BG. It is claimed that Belgian beer comprises the most diverse national collection of quality beer in the world and varies from the popular Pale lager to Lambic Schlenkerla is a historical Brewpub in Bamberg, Bavaria, Germany. Smoked beer ( German: Rauchbier) is a type of Beer with a distinctive smoke Flavor, which can be imparted either by using Malted A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container traditionally made of Wood Staves and bound with Iron Hoops The Kriek is a style of Belgian Beer fermented with sour (also called Morello cherries. Some of the earliest known writings refer to the production and distribution of beer. ^[4] It is produced by the fermentation of sugars derived from starch-based material—the most common being malted barley; however, wheat, corn, and rice are also widely used, usually in conjunction with barley. Fermentation in Food processing typically refers to the conversion of Sugar to Alcohol using Yeast under Anaerobic conditions Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Starch, CAS # 9005-25-8 Chemical formula (C6H10O5n is a Polysaccharide Malting is a process applied to Cereal grains in which the grains are made to Germinate by soaking in water and are then quickly halted from germinating further Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many

The starch source is steeped in water. Steeping or weltering may mean Soaking in Liquid until saturated with a Soluble ingredient as in for example the steeping of Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Enzymes in the malt break down the starch molecules, producing a sugary liquid known as wort, which is then flavoured with hops, which acts as a natural preservative. Hops are the female Flower cones of the hop plant ( Humulus lupulus) A preservative is a natural or synthetic chemical that is added to products such as foods pharmaceuticals paints biological samples wood etc Other ingredients such as herbs or fruit may be added. A(n herb (ˈhɝb or /ˈɝb/ see pronunciation differences) is a plant that is valued for qualities such as medicinal properties flavor scent or the like The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. Yeast is then used to cause fermentation, which produces alcohol and other waste products from anaerobic respiration of the yeast as it consumes the sugars. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a Species of Budding Yeast. It is perhaps the most useful Yeast owing to its use since ancient times Fermentation in Food processing typically refers to the conversion of Sugar to Alcohol using Yeast under Anaerobic conditions See also Fermentation (biochemistry Anaerobic respiration (anaerobiosis refers to the Oxidation of molecules in the absence of Oxygen to produce The process of beer production is a branch of zymurgy called brewing. Zymurgy or zymology is the study of fermentation. The word was originally used to describe the science involved in these processes but it has since become more broadly Brewing is the production of Alcoholic beverage and Alcohol fuel through fermentation.

Beer uses many varying ingredients, production methods and traditions. Different types of yeast and production methods may be used to classify beer as ale, lager or spontaneously fermented beer. Ale is a type of Beer brewed from Malted Barley using a top-fermenting Brewers' yeast. Lager (storage camp bearing etc is the more popular of two main types of Beer; the other being Ale. Lambic is a very distinctive type of Beer brewed only in the Pajottenland region of Belgium (southwest of Brussels) Some beer writers and organisations differentiate and categorise beers by various factors into beer styles. Beer style is a term used to differentiate and categorize Beers by various factors such as colour flavour strength ingredients production method recipe history or origin Alcoholic beverages fermented from non-starch sources such as grape juice (wine) or honey (mead), as well as distilled beverages, are not classified as beer. Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice Mead (ˈmiːd is a fermented Alcoholic beverage made of Honey, Water, and Yeast. Distillation is a method of separating Mixtures based on differences in their volatilities in a boiling liquid mixture

Contents 1 History 2 Brewing industry 3 Brewing 4 Ingredients 4.1 Water 4.2 Starch source 4.3 Hops 4.4 Yeast 4.5 Clarifying agent 5 Types and styles of beer 5.1 Categorising by yeast 5.1.1 Ale 5.1.2 Lager 5.1.3 Lambic beers: spontaneous fermentation 5.2 Pale and dark beer 6 Serving 6.1 Draught and keg 6.2 Cask-conditioned ales 6.3 Bottles 6.4 Cans 6.5 Serving temperature 6.6 Vessels 7 Beer and society 7.1 Social context 7.2 International consumption 7.3 Health effects 8 Alcoholic strength 8.1 Exceptionally strong beers 9 Related beverages 10 See also 11 References 11.1 Bibliography

History

Main article: History of beer

Beer is one of the world's oldest beverages, possibly dating back to the 6th millennium BC, and is recorded in the written history of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding ^[5] The earliest Sumerian writings contain references to beer. A prayer to the goddess Ninkasi known as "The Hymn to Ninkasi" serves as both a prayer as well as a method of remembering the recipe for beer in a culture with few literate people. Ninkasi is the ancient Sumerian matron goddess of Beer. Her father was Enki, the lord Nudimmud, and her mother was Ninti

The earliest known chemical evidence of beer dates to circa 3500–3100 BC from the site of Godin Tepe in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran. The Zagros Mountains (جبال زاجروس (رشته كوههاى زاگرس ( Sorani Kurdish: Zagros - زاگرۆس make up Iran 's and Iraq 's For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. ^[6] As almost any substance containing carbohydrates, namely sugar or starch, can naturally undergo fermentation, it is likely that beer-like beverages were independently invented among various cultures throughout the world. Carbohydrates (from ' Hydrates of Carbon ' or saccharides ( Greek σάκχαρον meaning " Sugar " are the most Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Starch, CAS # 9005-25-8 Chemical formula (C6H10O5n is a Polysaccharide The invention of bread and beer has been argued to be responsible for humanity's ability to develop technology and build civilization. ^[7][8][9]

As for the close link between bread- and beer-making, women produced most beer prior to the introduction of hops in the thirteenth century, selling the beverage from their homes as a means of supplementing the family income. Hops are the female Flower cones of the hop plant ( Humulus lupulus) Family income is generally considered a primary measure of a nation's financial prosperity However, by the 7th century AD beer was also being produced and sold by European monasteries. This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. During the Industrial Revolution, the production of beer moved from artisanal manufacture to industrial manufacture, and domestic manufacture ceased to be significant by the end of the 19th century. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the An artisan, also called a Craftsman, is a skilled manual worker who crafts items that may be functional or strictly decorative including furniture clothing Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, "making by hand" is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale ^[10] The development of hydrometers and thermometers changed brewing by allowing the brewer more control of the process, and greater knowledge of the results. A hydrometer is an instrument used to measure the Specific gravity (or Relative density) of Liquids that is the ratio The thermometer is a device that measures Temperature or Temperature gradient using a variety of different principles it comes from the Greek roots

Beer was also known by Slavic tribes in early 5th century.

Brewing industry

Today, the brewing industry is a huge global business, consisting of several dominant multinational companies and many thousands of smaller producers ranging from brewpubs to regional breweries. Multinational corporation ( MNC) or transnational corporation ( TNC) is a Corporation or enterprise that manages Production or delivers A microbrewery, or craft brewery, is a modern Brewery which produces a limited amount of beer usually with an orientation toward distinctive and flavorful products Regional brewery is a term used in the United Kingdom to describe a long-established brewery that supplied beer to tied pubs in a fixed geographical location ^[11] More than 133 billion liters (35 billion gallons) are sold per year—producing total global revenues of $294. 5 billion (£147. 7 billion) in 2006. ^[12]

InBev is the largest beer-producing company in the world,^[13] followed by SABMiller, which became the second-largest brewing company when South African Breweries acquired Miller Brewing in 2002. For the proposed merged company see Proposed merger of Anheuser-Busch and InBev. SABMiller, an abbreviated form of SABMiller plc, ( is one of the world's largest brewers South African Breweries was founded in 1895 by Jacob Letterstedt specifically to serve a new market of miners and prospectors in and around Johannesburg. Miller Brewing Company is the second largest American style Beermaker and is based in Milwaukee Wisconsin, United States. ^[14] Anheuser-Busch holds the third spot. Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc ( (ˈænhаɪzər bʊʃ is the largest Brewing company in the United States with a 48

Brewing

Main article: Brewing

Beer is made by brewing. Brewing is the production of Alcoholic beverage and Alcohol fuel through fermentation. Brewing is the production of Alcoholic beverage and Alcohol fuel through fermentation. The essential stages of brewing are mashing, sparging, boiling, fermentation, and packaging. In Brewing and Distilling, mashing is the process of combining a mix of milled Grain (typically Malted Barley with supplementary Most of these stages can be accomplished in several different ways, but the purpose of each stage is the same regardless of the method used to achieve it.

Mashing manipulates the temperature of a mixture of water and a starch source (known as mash) in order to convert starches to fermentable sugars. The mash goes through one or more stages of being raised to a desired temperature and left at the temperature for a period of time. During each of these stages, enzymes (alpha and beta amylase primarily) break down the long dextrins that are present in the mash into simpler fermentable sugars, such as glucose. Enzymes are Biomolecules that catalyze ( ie increase the rates of Chemical reactions Almost all enzymes are Proteins The number of stages required in mashing depends on the starch source used to produce the beer. Most malted barley used today requires only a single stage.

Sparging (a. k. a. lautering) extracts the fermentable liquid, known as wort, from the mash. Lautering is a process in Brewing Beer in which the mash is separated into the clear liquid Wort and the residual grain WORT (899 FM is a listener-sponsored community radio station broadcasting from 118 S During sparging the mash is contained in a lauter-tun, which has a porous barrier through which wort but not grain can pass. A Lauter tun is the traditional vessel used for separation of the extracted wort The brewer allows the wort to flow past the porous barrier and collects the wort. The brewer also adds water to the lauter-tun and lets it flow through the mash and collects it as well. This rinses fermentable liquid from the grain in the mash and allows the brewer to gather as much of the fermentable liquid from the mash as possible. The leftover grain is not usually further used in making the beer. However, in some places second or even third mashes would be performed with the not quite spent grains. Each run would produce a weaker wort and thus a weaker beer.

Boiling sterilises the wort and increases the concentration of sugar in the wort. Sterilization (or sterilisation, see spelling differences) refers to any process that effectively kills or eliminates transmissible agents (such as Fungi The wort collected from sparging is put in a kettle and boiled, usually for about one hour. During boiling, water in the wort evaporates, but the sugars and other components of the wort remain; this allows more efficient use of the starch sources in the beer. Boiling also destroys any remaining enzymes left over from the mashing stage as well as coagulating proteins passing into the wort, especially from malted barley, which could otherwise cause protein 'hazes' in the finished beer. Hops are added during boiling in order to extract bitterness, flavour and aroma from them. Hops are the female Flower cones of the hop plant ( Humulus lupulus) Hops may be added at more than one point during the boil. As hops are boiled longer, they contribute more bitterness but less hop flavour and aroma to the beer.

Fermentation uses yeast to turn the sugars in wort to alcohol and carbon dioxide. Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic Microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1500 Species currently described Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single During fermentation, the wort becomes beer. Once the boiled wort is cooled and in a fermenter, yeast is propagated in the wort and it is left to ferment, which requires a week to months depending on the type of yeast and strength of the beer. In addition to producing alcohol, fine particulate matter suspended in the wort settles during fermentation. Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas Once fermentation is complete, the yeast also settles, leaving the beer clear. Fermentation is sometimes carried out in two stages, primary and secondary. Once most of the alcohol has been produced during primary fermentation, the beer is transferred to a new vessel and allowed a period of secondary fermentation. Secondary fermentation is a process commonly associated with Winemaking, which entails a second period of fermentation in a different vessel than what was used Secondary fermentation is used when the beer requires long storage before packaging or greater clarity.

Pasteurisation is an optional stage of the beer process in which the beer is slowly heated and cooled to kill off any existing bacteria in order to maintain longer shelf life. This is generally a stage not included in higher end beers, but is quite common in mass-produced beers such as American-Style lite beers, and other mass-produced lagers. It is less common in ales as pasteurization can change the many flavours.

Packaging, the fifth and final stage of the brewing process, prepares the beer for distribution and consumption. During packaging, beer is put into the vessel from which it will be served: a keg, cask, can or bottle. Beer is carbonated in its package, either by forcing carbon dioxide into the beer or by "natural carbonation". Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single Naturally carbonated beers may have a small amount of fresh wort/sugar and/or yeast added to them during packaging. This causes a short period of fermentation which produces carbon dioxide.

Ingredients

Main articles: Malt and Barley

The basic ingredients of beer are water; a fermentable starch source, such as malted barley; and yeast. Malting is a process applied to Cereal grains in which the grains are made to Germinate by soaking in water and are then quickly halted from germinating further Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Malting is a process applied to Cereal grains in which the grains are made to Germinate by soaking in water and are then quickly halted from germinating further Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic Microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1500 Species currently described It is common for a flavouring to be added, the most popular being hops. Hops are the female Flower cones of the hop plant ( Humulus lupulus) A mixture of starch sources may be used, with the secondary starch source, such as corn, rice and sugar, often being termed an adjunct, especially when used as a lower cost substitute for malted barley. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica The following is about the brewing term adjunct is also a term used in linguistics. Less widely used starch sources include millet, sorghum and cassava root in Africa, potato in Brazil, and agave in Mexico, among others. The millets are a group of small- Seeded Species of Cereal crops or grains widely grown around the world for Food and Fodder Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are used as Fodder plants either cultivated or as part The cassava, yuca, manioc, or mandioca ( Manihot esculenta) is a woody Shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family native The potato is a Starchy Tuberous crop Vegetable from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae Agave is a succulent Plant of a large Botanical Genus of the same name belonging to the family Agavaceae.

Water

Beer is composed mostly of water, and the water used to make beer nearly always comes from a local source. The mineral components of water are important to beer because minerals in the water influence the character of beer made from it. Different regions have water with different mineral components. As a result, different regions are better suited to making certain types of beer. For example, Dublin has hard water well-suited to making stout, such as Guinness, and Pilzen has soft water well-suited to making pale lager, such as Pilsner Urquell. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Hard water is the type of Water that has high Mineral content (in contrast with Soft water) Stout and porter are dark Beers made using roasted Malts or roast Barley. Guinness (ˈɡɪnɪs is a popular Dry stout that originated in Arthur Guinness ' brewery at St Pale lager is a very pale to golden -coloured Beer with a well attenuated body and noble hop bitterness This article is for the beer for the brewery that produces it see Plzeňský Prazdroj Pilsner Urquell (international title in German ^[15] As a result, it is argued that the mineral components of water have an influence on the character of regional beers. ^[15]

Starch source

The starch source in a beer provides the fermentable material in a beer and is a key determinant of the character of the beer. The most common starch source used in beer is malted grain. Grain is malted by soaking it in water, allowing it to begin germination, and then drying the partially germinated grain in a kiln. Germination is the process whereby growth emerges from a period of dormancy Malting grain produces enzymes that convert starches in the grain into fermentable sugars. Different roasting times and temperatures are used to produce different colours of malt from the same grain. Darker malts will produce darker beers.

Nearly all beer includes barley malt as the majority of the starch. This is because of its fibrous husk, which is not only important in the sparging stage of brewing, but also a rich source of amylase, a digestive enzyme which facilitates conversion of starch into sugars. Amylase is an Enzyme that breaks Starch down into Sugar. Amylase is present in human Saliva, where it begins the chemical process Digestion is the breaking down of chemicals in the body into a form that can be absorbed Enzymes are Biomolecules that catalyze ( ie increase the rates of Chemical reactions Almost all enzymes are Proteins Other malted and unmalted grains (including wheat, rice, oats, and rye, and less frequently, corn and sorghum) may be used. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many Oats redirects here It may mean either the common cereal oat discussed here or any cultivated or wild species of the Genus Avena. Rye ( Secale cereale) is a grass grown extensively as a grain and forage crop Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are used as Fodder plants either cultivated or as part In recent years several American manufacturers have produced gluten-free beer made with sorghum with no barley malt for those who cannot consume gluten-containing grains like wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten-free beer is Beer made from ingredients without Glycoproteins ( Gluten) that for people with a variety of medical conditions cause an Gluten is a composite of the proteins Gliadin and Glutenin. These exist conjoined with Starch, in the Endosperms of some

Hops

Main article: Hops

The flower of the hop vine is used as a flavouring and preservative agent in nearly all beer made today. Hops are the female Flower cones of the hop plant ( Humulus lupulus) The hop ( Humulus) is a small genus of Flowering plants native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The flowers themselves are often called "hops". The use of hops in beer was recorded by captive Jews in Babylon^[16] around 400 BC. Hops were used by monastery breweries, such as Corvey in Westphalia, Germany, from 822 AD,^[10][17] though the date normally given for widespread cultivation of hops for use in beer is the thirteenth century. ^[10][17]

Hops contain several characteristics that brewers desire in beer: hops contribute a bitterness that balances the sweetness of the malt; hops also contribute floral, citrus, and herbal aromas and flavours to beer; hops have an antibiotic effect that favours the activity of brewer's yeast over less desirable microorganisms; and the use of hops aids in "head retention",^[18][19] the length of time that a foamy head created by carbonation will last. Hops are the female Flower cones of the hop plant ( Humulus lupulus) Taste (or more formally gustation) is a form of direct Chemoreception and is one of the traditional five Senses In modern usage an antibiotic is a Chemotherapeutic agent with activity against Microorganisms such as Bacteria, fungi or Protozoa The Foam on top of Beer is called a head. It is caused by bubbles of Carbon dioxide rising to the surface The acidity of hops acts as a preservative that—after its introduction—gave brewers the ability to transport their product over longer distances, thereby allowing for the rise to commercial breweries.

The bitterness of beers is measured on the International Bitterness Units scale. The International Bitterness Units scale, or simply IBU scale, provides a measure of the bitterness of Beer, which is provided by the hops used Beer is the sole major commercial use of hops.

In the past, other plants have been used for similar purposes; for instance, Glechoma hederacea. Glechoma hederacea ( Ground-ivy; syn Nepeta glechoma Benth, Nepeta hederacea ( L Combinations of various aromatic herbs, berries, and even ingredients like wormwood would be combined into a mixture known as gruit and used as hops are now used. Artemisia absinthium ( absinthium, absinthe wormwood, wormwood or grand wormwood) is a species of wormwood, native Gruit (sometimes grut) is an old-fashioned Herb mixture used for bittering and flavoring Beer, popular before the extensive use of hops.

Yeast

Main articles: Brewer's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Saccharomyces uvarum

Yeast is the microorganism that is responsible for fermentation in beer. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a Species of Budding Yeast. It is perhaps the most useful Yeast owing to its use since ancient times Saccharomyces pastorianus is a Yeast, used industrially for the production of Lager beer A microorganism (also spelled micro organism or micro-organism and also called a microbe) is an Organism that is Microscopic (usually Yeast metabolizes the sugars extracted from grains, which produces alcohol and carbon dioxide, and thereby turns wort into beer. Metabolism is the set of Chemical reactions that occur in living Organisms in order to maintain Life. Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single In addition to fermenting the beer, yeast influences the character and flavour. The dominant types of yeast used to make beer are ale yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and lager yeast (Saccharomyces uvarum); their use distinguishes ale and lager. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a Species of Budding Yeast. It is perhaps the most useful Yeast owing to its use since ancient times Saccharomyces pastorianus is a Yeast, used industrially for the production of Lager beer Ale is a type of Beer brewed from Malted Barley using a top-fermenting Brewers' yeast. Pale lager is a very pale to golden -coloured Beer with a well attenuated body and noble hop bitterness Brettanomyces ferments lambics, and Torulaspora delbrueckii ferments Bavarian weissbier. Brettanomyces is a non-spore forming genus of Yeast in the family Saccharomycetaceae, and is often colloquially referred to as " Lambic is a very distinctive type of Beer brewed only in the Pajottenland region of Belgium (southwest of Brussels) Torulaspora delbrueckii is a yeast species which is also known as Saccharomyces delbrueckii or Saccharomyces rosei ( Anamorph For information on wheat beers in general see Wheat beer. Weissbier, or Weißbier in Germany (see ß) literally translated as "White Before the role of yeast in fermentation was understood, fermentation involved wild or airborne yeasts. A few styles such as lambics rely on this method today, but most modern fermentation adds pure yeast cultures directly to wort. Lambic is a very distinctive type of Beer brewed only in the Pajottenland region of Belgium (southwest of Brussels) A microbiological culture, AKA microbial culture, is a method of multiplying microbial organisms by letting them reproduce in predetermined culture media under controlled laboratory

Clarifying agent

Some brewers add one or more clarifying agents to beer. Common examples of these include isinglass finings, obtained from swimbladders of fish; Irish moss, a seaweed; kappa carrageenan, from the seaweed Kappaphycus cottonii; Polyclar (artificial); and gelatin. Isinglass is a substance obtained from the Swimbladders of Fish (especially Beluga sturgeon) used mainly for the clarification of Wine and Finings are substances that are usually added at or near the completion of the processing of Wine, Beer and various nonalcoholic juice beverages gas bladder (also fish maw, less accurately swim bladder or air bladder) is an internal organ that contributes to the ability of a Fish Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two Chondrus crispus, known under the common name Irish moss, or carrageen moss ( Irish carraigín, "little rock" is a species Carrageenans or carrageenins (ˌkærəˈgiːnənz are a family of linear sulphated Polysaccharides extracted from red Seaweeds The name is derived from Kappaphycus cottonii is a Red alga. It is farmed as a source of Carageenan. Gelatin (also gelatine, from French gélatine) is a translucent colourless brittle nearly tasteless solid substance, extracted from the Clarifying agents typically precipitate out of the beer along with protein solids, and are found only in trace amounts in the finished product. If a beer is marked 'suitable for Vegans' then it has either been clarified with seaweed or with artificial agents.

Types and styles of beer

Main article: Beer style

A great many beers are brewed across the globe. Beer style is a term used to differentiate and categorize Beers by various factors such as colour flavour strength ingredients production method recipe history or origin Local traditions will give beers different names, giving the impression of a multitude of different styles. However, the basics of brewing beer are shared across national and cultural boundaries.

The late British beer writer Michael Jackson wrote about beers from around the world in his 1977 book The World Guide To Beer and organised them into local style groups based on local information. Michael Jackson ( 27 March 1942 – 30 August 2007) was an English writer and journalist This book had an influence on homebrewers in United States who developed an intricate system of categorising beers which is exemplified by the Beer Judge Certification Program. Homebrewing typically refers to the Brewing of Beer and similar Alcoholic beverages (and sometimes soft drinks on a very small scale as a Hobby The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Beer Judge Certification Program or BJCP is a Non-profit organization formed in 1985 "to promote beer literacy and the appreciation of real beer

The traditional European brewing regions—Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Denmark, The Netherlands and Austria—have local varieties of beer. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. It is claimed that Belgian beer comprises the most diverse national collection of quality beer in the world and varies from the popular Pale lager to Lambic The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich In some countries, notably the USA, Canada and Australia, brewers have adapted European styles to such an extent that they have effectively created their own indigenous types.

Categorising by yeast

Main article: Brewer's yeast

The most common method of categorising beer is by the behaviour of the yeast used in the fermentation process. In this method of categorising, those beers which use a fast-acting yeast, which leaves behind residual sugars, are termed ales, while those beers which use a slower and longer acting yeast, which removes most of the sugars, leaving a clean and dry beer, are termed lagers.

Differences between some ales and lagers can be difficult to categorise. Steam beer, Kölsch, Alt, and some modern British Golden Summer Beers use elements of both lager and ale production. Steam beer may be defined as a highly effervescent beer made by brewing lager yeasts at ale fermentation temperatures Kölsch is a local Beer speciality brewed in Cologne, Germany. Altbier (often abbreviated to Alt) is the name given to a form of German top-fermenting beer that originated in Westphalia and spread to parts of the Rhineland Baltic Porter and Bière de Garde may be produced by either lager or ale methods or a combination of both. Stout and porter are dark Beers made using roasted Malts or roast Barley. Bière de Garde, or "keeping beer" is a style of Ale traditionally brewed in the Pas-de-Calais region of France. However, lager production results in a cleaner tasting, drier and lighter beer than ale.

Ale

Main article: Ale

A modern ale is commonly defined by the strain of yeast used and the fermenting temperature. Ale is a type of Beer brewed from Malted Barley using a top-fermenting Brewers' yeast. Ale is a type of Beer brewed from Malted Barley using a top-fermenting Brewers' yeast.

Ales are normally brewed with top-fermenting yeasts (most commonly Saccharomyces cerevisiae), though a number of British brewers, including Fullers and Weltons, use ale yeast strains that have less pronounced top-fermentation characteristics. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a Species of Budding Yeast. It is perhaps the most useful Yeast owing to its use since ancient times Weltons Brewery is an independent brewery founded by Ray Welton in 1995 in Dorking, England. The important distinction for ales is that they are fermented at higher temperatures and thus ferment more quickly than lagers.

Ale is typically fermented at temperatures between 15 and 24 °C (60 and 75 °F). The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 At these temperatures, yeast produces significant amounts of esters and other secondary flavour and aroma products, and the result is often a beer with slightly "fruity" compounds resembling apple, pear, pineapple, banana, plum, or prune, among others. Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. A pear is a pomaceous Fruit produced by a tree of Genus Pyrus. Pineapple ( Ananas comosus) is the common name for an edible Tropical Plant and also its Fruit It is native to the southern part of Brazil For the fruit see Banana. For other meanings see Banana (disambiguation. A plum or gage is a stone fruit Tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. A prune is any of various of various Plum species mostly Prunus domesticus or European Plum (commonly referred to as a Sugar Plum Typical ales have a sweeter, fuller body than lagers. Mouthfeel is a product’s physical and Chemical interaction in the mouth

A particularly well-known ale type is India Pale Ale (or "IPA"), developed by British brewers in the 19th century. India Pale Ale, abbreviated IPA, is an ale that is light amber to copper in color medium to medium-high Alcohol by volume, with hoppy, bitter and sometimes The ale was light, and suited to a hot climate, but with a moderately high alcohol strength and strong hop content, intended to preserve it over a long ocean voyage. Some mass-produced beers (e. Mass production (also called flow production, repetitive flow production, series production, or serial production) is the production of g. Alexander Keith's, brewed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) use the term "India Pale Ale", but are not in any way true IPAs.

Real ale is a natural product brewed using traditional ingredients and left to mature in the cask (container) from which it is served through a process called secondary fermentation where the beer slowly ferments in its cask producing its own natural CO2. This causes a build up of pressure in the cask which literally forces it out of the barrel when it is being poured.

Lager

Main article: Lager

Lager is the English name for bottom-fermenting beers of Central European origin. Lager (storage camp bearing etc is the more popular of two main types of Beer; the other being Ale. Beer stein is the English term for a Steinkrug, a traditionally German Beer drinking Mug similar to a Tankard. Lager (storage camp bearing etc is the more popular of two main types of Beer; the other being Ale. Lager (storage camp bearing etc is the more popular of two main types of Beer; the other being Ale. Central Europe is the Region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and They are the most commonly consumed beers in the world. The name comes from the German lagern ("to store"). The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Lagers originated from European brewers storing beer in cool cellars and caves and noticing that the beers continued to ferment, and also to clear of sediment. Lager yeast is a bottom-fermenting yeast (e. Saccharomyces pastorianus is a Yeast, used industrially for the production of Lager beer g. , Saccharomyces pastorianus), and typically undergoes primary fermentation at 7–12 °C (45–55 °F) (the "fermentation phase"), and then is given a long secondary fermentation at 0–4 °C (32–40 °F) (the "lagering phase"). During the secondary stage, the lager clears and mellows. The cooler conditions also inhibit the natural production of esters and other byproducts, resulting in a "cleaner" tasting beer. Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least

Modern methods of producing lager were pioneered by Gabriel Sedlmayr the Younger, who perfected dark brown lagers at the Spaten Brewery in Bavaria, and Anton Dreher, who began brewing a lager, probably of amber-red colour, in Vienna in 1840–1841. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12 Anton Dreher, the older born in Schwechat near Vienna ( Austria) 7 June 1810 was an Austrian brewer who invented modern Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. With improved modern yeast strains, most lager breweries use only short periods of cold storage, typically 1–3 weeks.

Lambic beers: spontaneous fermentation

Main article: Lambic

Lambic beers, a speciality of Belgian beers, use wild yeasts, rather than cultivated ones. Lambic is a very distinctive type of Beer brewed only in the Pajottenland region of Belgium (southwest of Brussels) It is claimed that Belgian beer comprises the most diverse national collection of quality beer in the world and varies from the popular Pale lager to Lambic Many of these are not strains of brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and may have significant differences in aroma and sourness. Yeast varieties such as Brettanomyces bruxellensis and Brettanomyces lambicus are quite common in lambics. Brettanomyces bruxellensis (the Anamorph of Dekkera bruxellensis) is a Yeast native to the Senne valley near Brussels, In addition, other organisms such as Lactobacillus bacteria produce acids which contribute to the sourness. Lactobacillus is a Genus of Gram-positive Facultative anaerobic or Microaerophilic Bacteria.

Pale and dark beer

The most common colour is a pale amber produced from using pale malts. Pale lager is a term used for beers made from malt dried with coke. Malting is a process applied to Cereal grains in which the grains are made to Germinate by soaking in water and are then quickly halted from germinating further Coke is a solid Carbonaceous material derived from Destructive distillation of low-ash low-sulfur Bituminous coal. Coke had been first used for roasting malt in 1642, but it wasn't until around 1703 that the term pale ale was first used.

In terms of sales volume, most of today's beer is based on the pale lager brewed in 1842 in the town of Pilsen, in the Czech Republic. Pale lager is a very pale to golden -coloured Beer with a well attenuated body and noble hop bitterness Czech beer, Beer brewed in the Czech Republic, has a long and important history The modern pale lager is light in colour with a noticeable carbonation, and a typical alcohol by volume content of around 5%. Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as abv or ABV) is a standard measure of how much alcohol ( Ethanol) is contained in an Alcoholic beverage The Pilsner Urquell, Bitburger, and Heineken brands of beer are typical examples of pale lager, as are the American brands Budweiser, Coors, and Miller. This article is for the beer for the brewery that produces it see Plzeňský Prazdroj Pilsner Urquell (international title in German Bitburger brewery (Bitburger Brauerei Th Simon GmbH is a large German Brewery founded in 1817 by Johann Wallenborn Heineken is a Dutch 5% abv Pale lager, made by Heineken International since 1873 Budweiser is an American-style lager and is one of the most popular beers in the United States. The Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Molson Coors Brewing Company. Miller Brewing Company is the second largest American style Beermaker and is based in Milwaukee Wisconsin, United States.

Dark beers are usually brewed from a pale malt or lager malt base with a small proportion of darker malt added to achieve the desired shade. Other colourants—such as caramel—are also widely used to darken beers. Very dark beers, such as stout use dark or patent malts that have been roasted longer. Stout and porter are dark Beers made using roasted Malts or roast Barley. Guinness and similar beers include roasted unmalted barley. Guinness (ˈɡɪnɪs is a popular Dry stout that originated in Arthur Guinness ' brewery at St Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for

Serving

Draught and keg

Main articles: Draught beer and Keg beer

Draught beer from a pressurised keg is the most common method of dispensing in bars around the world. Draught beer (also known as draft beer or tap beer) has several related though slightly different understandings Draught beer (also known as draft beer or tap beer) has several related though slightly different understandings A keg is a cylindrical container usually constructed of aluminum steel or wood A metal keg is pressurised with carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas which drives the beer to the dispensing tap or faucet. Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single A beer tap is a Valve, specifically a tap, for controlling the release of Beer. Some beers, notably stouts, such as Guinness and "smooth" bitters, such as Boddingtons, may be served with a nitrogen/carbon dioxide mixture. Stout and porter are dark Beers made using roasted Malts or roast Barley. Guinness (ˈɡɪnɪs is a popular Dry stout that originated in Arthur Guinness ' brewery at St Boddingtons is an English Beer, originally from Manchester, United Kingdom that has been brewed for more than 200 years Nitrogen produces fine bubbles, resulting in a dense head and a creamy mouthfeel. Nitrogen (ˈnaɪtɹəʤɪn is a Chemical element that has the symbol N and Atomic number 7 and Atomic weight 14 Froth is Foam consisting of bubbles in a Liquid. One common form of froth is Milk froth deliberately created as part of a drink Mouthfeel is a product’s physical and Chemical interaction in the mouth Some types of beer can also be found in smaller, disposable kegs called beer balls. A keg is a cylindrical container usually constructed of aluminum steel or wood

In the 1980s, Guinness introduced the beer widget, a nitrogen pressurised ball inside a can which creates a foamy head. A widget is a device placed in a container of beer to manage the characteristics of the beer's head. ^[20] The words "draft" and "draught" can be used as marketing terms to describe canned or bottled beers containing a beer widget, or which are cold filtered rather than pasteurised. A beverage can (or drinks can) is most often an Aluminum Can manufactured to hold a single serving of a Beverage. A beer bottle is a glass (or less commonly plastic container filled with Beer.

Cask-conditioned ales

Main article: Cask ale

Cask-conditioned ales (or "cask ales") are unfiltered and unpasteurised beers. Cask ale or cask-conditioned beer is the term for unfiltered and unpasteurised Beer which is conditioned (including Secondary fermentation These beers are termed "real ale" by the Camra organisation. Cask ale or cask-conditioned beer is the term for unfiltered and unpasteurised Beer which is conditioned (including Secondary fermentation The Campaign for Real Ale ( CAMRA) is an independent voluntary, Consumer organisation based in St Albans, England, whose main aim Typically, when a cask arrives in a pub, it is placed horizontally on a stillage and allowed to cool to cellar temperature (typically around 13 °C/55 °F), before being tapped and vented—a tap is driven through a (usually rubber) bung at the bottom of one end, and a hard spile or other implement is used to open a hole in the side of the cask, which is now uppermost. A stillage is like a Pallet or skid but with a cage or sides or some form of support typically tailored to the material it is intended to carry A spile is a small Wooden peg used to control the flow of Carbon dioxide out of a Cask of Ale. The act of stillaging and then venting a beer in this manner typically disturbs all the sediment, so it must be left for a suitable period to "drop" (clear) again, as well as to fully condition—this period can take anywhere from several hours to several days. At this point the beer is ready to sell, either being pulled through a beer line with a hand pump, or simply being "gravity-fed" directly into the glass.

Bottles

Main article: Beer bottle

Most beers are cleared of yeast by filtering when bottled. A beer bottle is a glass (or less commonly plastic container filled with Beer. Filtered or bright beer is Beer in which yeast is no longer in suspension. However, bottle conditioned beers retain some yeast—either by being unfiltered, or by being filtered and then reseeded with fresh yeast. Bottle conditioned beers are either unfiltered so the final conditioning of the beer takes place in the bottle or filtered and then reseeded with yeast so that an additional It is usually recommended that the beer be poured slowly, leaving any yeast sediment at the bottom of the bottle. However, some drinkers prefer to pour in the yeast; this practice is, in fact, customary with wheat beers. Wheat beer is a Beer that is brewed with a significant proportion of Wheat. Typically, when serving a hefeweizen, 90% of the contents are poured, and the remainder is swirled to suspend the sediment before pouring it into the glass. Wheat beer is a Beer that is brewed with a significant proportion of Wheat. Alternatively, the bottle may be inverted prior to opening.

Cans

Main article: Beverage can

Many beers are sold in beverage cans, though there is considerable variation in the proportion between different countries. A beverage can (or drinks can) is most often an Aluminum Can manufactured to hold a single serving of a Beverage. A beverage can (or drinks can) is most often an Aluminum Can manufactured to hold a single serving of a Beverage. In 2001, in Sweden 63. 9% of beer was sold in cans. ^[21] People either drink from the can or pour the beer into a glass. Cans protect the beer from light and have a seal less prone to leaking over time than bottles. Cans were initially viewed as a technological breakthrough for maintaining the quality of a beer, then became commonly associated with less-expensive, mass-produced beers, even though the quality of storage in cans is much like bottles. ^[22] Glass bottles are always used for bottle conditioned beers, so are associated with higher-regarded beers. A beer bottle is a glass (or less commonly plastic container filled with Beer. Bottle conditioned beers are either unfiltered so the final conditioning of the beer takes place in the bottle or filtered and then reseeded with yeast so that an additional Plastic (PET) bottles are used by some breweries. Uses PET can be semi-rigid to rigid depending on its thickness and is very lightweight ^[23]

Serving temperature

The temperature of a beer has an influence on a drinker's experience. Temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold something that is hotter generally has the greater temperature Colder temperatures allow fully attenuated beers such as pale lagers to be enjoyed for their crispness; while warmer temperatures allow the more rounded flavours of an ale or a stout to be perceived. Pale lager is a very pale to golden -coloured Beer with a well attenuated body and noble hop bitterness Stout and porter are dark Beers made using roasted Malts or roast Barley. Beer writer Michael Jackson proposed a five-level scale for serving temperatures: well chilled (7 °C/45 °F) for "light" beers (pale lagers), chilled (8 °C/47 °F) for Berliner Weisse and other wheat beers, lightly chilled (9 °C/48 °F) for all dark lagers, altbier and German wheat beers, cellar temperature (13 °C/55 °F) for regular British ale, stout and most Belgian specialities and room temperature (15. Michael Jackson ( 27 March 1942 – 30 August 2007) was an English writer and journalist Berliner Weiße is a type of Wheat beer brewed exclusively in the area of Berlin, Germany. Altbier (often abbreviated to Alt) is the name given to a form of German top-fermenting beer that originated in Westphalia and spread to parts of the Rhineland Ale is a type of Beer brewed from Malted Barley using a top-fermenting Brewers' yeast. Stout and porter are dark Beers made using roasted Malts or roast Barley. It is claimed that Belgian beer comprises the most diverse national collection of quality beer in the world and varies from the popular Pale lager to Lambic 5 °C/60 °F) for strong dark ales (especially trappist beer) and barley wine. A Trappist beer is a Beer brewed by or under control of Trappist monks Barley wine or Barleywine is a style of strong Ale originating in England in the nineteenth century (derived from the March or October beers

Vessels

Main article: Beer glassware

Beer is consumed out of a variety of vessels, such as a glass, a beer stein, a mug, a pewter tankard, a beer bottle or a can. Beer glassware comprises the drinking vessels made of Glass designed or commonly used for drinking Beer. Beer stein is the English term for a Steinkrug, a traditionally German Beer drinking Mug similar to a Tankard. Pewter is a Metal Alloy, traditionally between 85 and 99 percent Tin, with the remainder consisting of Copper and Antimony, acting A tankard is a form of Drinkware consisting of a large roughly cylindrical, drinking cup with a single handle A beer bottle is a glass (or less commonly plastic container filled with Beer. A beverage can (or drinks can) is most often an Aluminum Can manufactured to hold a single serving of a Beverage. Some drinkers consider that the type of vessel influences their enjoyment of the beer. In Europe, particularly Belgium, breweries offer branded glassware intended only for their own beers. It is claimed that Belgian beer comprises the most diverse national collection of quality beer in the world and varies from the popular Pale lager to Lambic Branded is a Western series which aired on NBC from 1965 through 1966 and starred Chuck Connors as Jason McCord

The pouring process has an influence on a beer's presentation. The rate of flow from the tap or other serving vessel, tilt of the glass, and position of the pour (in the centre or down the side) into the glass all influence the end result, such as the size and longevity of the head, lacing (the pattern left by the head as it moves down the glass as the beer is drunk), and turbulence of the beer and its release of carbonation. A beer tap is a Valve, specifically a tap, for controlling the release of Beer. In Fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is a fluid regime characterized by chaotic Stochastic property changes

Beer and society

Social context

See also: Category:Beer culture

Various social traditions and activities are associated with beer drinking, such as bowling, softball, or other sports; cards, darts, bags, or other pub games; attending beer festivals, or visiting a series of different pubs in one evening; joining an organisation such as CAMRA; or rating beer. Bowling is a Game / Sport in which players attempt to score points by rolling a Bowling ball along a flat surface either into objects called pins Softball is a team Sport popular especially in the United States. A playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper thin card or thin plastic figured with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing Card games Darts refers to a variety of related games in which darts are thrown at a circular target (dartboard hung on a wall Cornhole', also called Corn Toss, is a Game in which players take turns pitching Cornhole bags mdashsmall bags filled with corn Pub games are games which are or were played in Pubs, Bars, Inns and Taverns particularly traditional games played in English pubs A Beer Festival is an organised event during which a variety of Beers (and often other alcoholic drinks are available for tasting and purchase A pub crawl (sometimes called a bar tour, bar crawl or bar-hopping) is the act of one or more people drinking in multiple The Campaign for Real Ale ( CAMRA) is an independent voluntary, Consumer organisation based in St Albans, England, whose main aim Rating beer is assessing and evaluating beer using a point system. Various drinking games, such as beer pong, flippy cup and quarters are also very popular. Drinking games are Games which involve the drinking of Beer or other Alcoholic beverages These games commonly take place at house parties public bars or Beer pong (also called beirut, lob pong, etc is a Drinking game in which players throw a Table tennis ball across a table with the intent Flip cup (also known as Cups) is a Team -based Drinking game. Quarters is a popular Drinking game which involves players bouncing a quarter off of a table in an attempt to have the quarter land usually into a Shotglass

International consumption

See also: Beers of the world and Beer consumption by country

Beer is considered to be a social lubricant in many societies. What follows is a list of Beers of the world by the country within which they originate and the beer drinking and Brewing practices within those countries This is a list of countries ordered by annual Per capita consumption of Beer. ^[24] Beer is consumed in countries all over the world. There are breweries in Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq and Syria as well as African countries (see African beer) and remote countries such as Mongolia. Sales of beer are four times that of wine, the second most popular alcoholic beverage. ^[25][26]

Health effects

Main article: Alcohol consumption and health

The moderate consumption of alcohol, including beer, is associated with a decreased risk of cardiac disease, stroke and cognitive decline. Regularly having more than two drinks a day increases the risk of developing Alcoholism, Alcoholic liver disease, and some forms of Cancer. ^{[27][28][29][30]}

Brewer's yeast is known to be a rich source of nutrients; therefore, as expected, beer can contain significant amounts of nutrients, including magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, biotin, and B vitamins. Magnesium (mægˈniːziəm is a Chemical element with the symbol Mg, Atomic number 12 Atomic weight 24 Selenium (səˈliniəm is a Chemical element with the Atomic number 34 represented by the chemical symbol Se, an atomic mass of 78 Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 Phosphorus, (ˈfɒsfərəs is the Chemical element that has the symbol P and Atomic number 15 Vitamin H redirects here In medical slang "vitamin H" may also refer to Haloperidol. The B vitamins are eight water-soluble Vitamins that play important roles in cell Metabolism. In fact, beer is sometimes referred to as "liquid bread". ^[31] Some sources maintain that filtered beer loses much of its nutrition. ^[32][33]

A 2005 Japanese study found that low alcohol beer may possess strong anti-cancer properties. Low-alcohol beer (also non-alcoholic or NA beer, small beer, or small ale or near-beer) is Beer with very ^[34] Another study found nonalcoholic beer to mirror the cardiovascular benefits associated with moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages. ^[35] However, much research suggests that the primary health benefit from alcoholic beverages comes from the alcohol they contain. ^[36]

It is considered that overeating and lack of muscle tone is the main cause of a beer belly, rather than beer consumption. Central obesity, the "apple-shaped" Obesity commonly referred to as belly fat, is the accumulation of Visceral fat ( fat deposited A recent study, however, found a link between binge drinking and a beer belly. Binge drinking is drinking certain beverages with the intention of becoming intoxicated But with most overconsumption it is more a problem of improper exercise and overconsumption of carbohydrates than the product itself. ^[37]

There is conclusive evidence that heavy and prolonged consumption of alcohol leads to liver disease including cirrhosis and malignancy. Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic Liver Disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrous Scar tissue as well as regenerative Heavy alcohol consumption has also been linked to pancreatitis and gout. Pancreatitis is the Inflammation of the Pancreas. See also Acute pancreatitis and Chronic pancreatitis for more details Gout (also called metabolic arthritis) is a disease created by a buildup of Uric acid. ^[38]

Several diet books quote beer as having the same glycemic index as maltose, a very high (and therefore undesirable) 110. The Glycemic index (also glycaemic index) or GI is a measure of the effects of Carbohydrates on Blood glucose levels Maltose, or malt sugar is a Disaccharide formed from two units of Glucose joined with an α(1→4 linkage Critics rejoin that beer consists mostly of water, hop oils and only trace amounts of sugars, including maltose. ^[39]

Alcoholic strength

Beer ranges from less than 3% alcohol by volume (abv) to almost 30% abv. Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as abv or ABV) is a standard measure of how much alcohol ( Ethanol) is contained in an Alcoholic beverage The alcohol content of beer varies by local practice^[40] or beer style. The pale lagers that most consumers are familiar with fall in the range of 4–6%, with a typical abv of 5%. Pale lager is a very pale to golden -coloured Beer with a well attenuated body and noble hop bitterness ^[41] The customary strength of British ales is quite low, with many session beers being around 4% abv. Drinking culture is the notable customs shared by groups of people around the world involved in drinking Alcoholic beverages Although the type of alcohol social ^[42] Some beers, such as table beer are of such low alcohol content (1%~4%) that they are served instead of soft drinks in some schools. It is claimed that Belgian beer comprises the most diverse national collection of quality beer in the world and varies from the popular Pale lager to Lambic Soft drink is a beverage that does not contain Alcohol. Carbonated soft drinks are commonly known as soda soda pop pop, or ^[43]

The alcohol in beer comes primarily from the metabolism of sugars that are produced during fermentation. The quantity of fermentable sugars in the wort and the variety of yeast used to ferment the wort are the primary factors that determine the amount of alcohol in the final beer. Additional fermentable sugars are sometimes added to increase alcohol content, and enzymes are often added to the wort for certain styles of beer (primarily "light" beers) to convert more complex carbohydrates (starches) to fermentable sugars. Alcohol is a byproduct of yeast metabolism and is toxic to the yeast; typical brewing yeast cannot survive at alcohol concentrations above 12% by volume. Low temperatures and too little fermentation time decreases the effectiveness of yeasts, and consequently decreases the alcohol content.

Exceptionally strong beers

The strength of beers has climbed during the later years of the 20th century. Vetter 33 a 10. 5% abv (33 degrees Plato, hence Vetter "33") doppelbock was listed in the 1994 Guinness Book of World Records as the strongest beer at that time,^[44][45] though Samichlaus, by the Swiss brewer Hürlimann, had also been listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the strongest at 14% abv. The Plato scale is an empirically derived Hydrometer scale to measure Density of Beer Wort in terms of percentage of extract by weight Bock is a strong Lager which has origins in the Hanseatic town Einbeck, Germany. Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records (and in previous U Schloss Eggenberg is an Austrian Brewery located in Vorchdorf, Upper Austria. ^[46][47][48]

Since then some brewers have used champagne yeasts to increase the alcohol content of their beers. Champagne is a Sparkling wine produced by inducing the in-bottle Secondary fermentation of Wine to effect Carbonation. Samuel Adams reached 20% abv with Millennium^[49] and then surpassed that amount to 25. The Boston Beer Company ( is an American Brewing company founded in 1985 by Jim Koch in Boston Massachusetts, USA. 6% abv with Utopias. The Boston Beer Company ( is an American Brewing company founded in 1985 by Jim Koch in Boston Massachusetts, USA. The strongest beer sold in Britain was Delaware's Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout, a 21% abv stout which was available from UK Safeways in 2003. Dogfish Head Brewery is a Beer manufacturer based in Milton, Delaware. Stout and porter are dark Beers made using roasted Malts or roast Barley. Safeway was a chain of Supermarkets and Convenience stores in the United Kingdom. ^[50] In Japan in 2005, the Hakusekikan Beer Restaurant sold an eisbock, strengthened through freeze distillation, believed to be 28% abv. Bock is a strong Lager which has origins in the Hanseatic town Einbeck, Germany. Fractional freezing is a process used in Process engineering and Chemistry to separate two liquids with different melting points ^[51] The beer that is considered to be the strongest yet made is Hair of the Dog's Dave—a 29% abv barley wine made in 1994. Hair of the Dog Brewing Company is an American Microbrewery based in Portland Oregon. Barley wine or Barleywine is a style of strong Ale originating in England in the nineteenth century (derived from the March or October beers The strength was achieved by freeze distilling a 10% ale twice. ^[52][53]

Related beverages

See also: Category:Types of beer

There are a number of related beverages such as kvass, sahti and chicha. Kvass or kvas (literally "leaven" borrowed in the 16th century from Russian квас ( kvas) sometimes translated into English Sahti is a traditional Beer from Finland made from a variety of grains Malted and unmalted including Barley, Chicha is a term used in some regions of Latin America for several varieties of fermented beverages, particularly those derived from Maize, but which also

• Africa: Hundreds of local drinks, such as millet beer, made from millet, sorghum, and other available starch crops. Millet beer, also known as Bantu beer, kaffir beer, or opaque beer, is an Alcoholic beverage made from malted Millet. The millets are a group of small- Seeded Species of Cereal crops or grains widely grown around the world for Food and Fodder Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain and many of which are used as Fodder plants either cultivated or as part
• Andes, South America: Chicha, an Andean beverage made from germinated corn. The Andes form the world's longest exposed Mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a Chicha is a term used in some regions of Latin America for several varieties of fermented beverages, particularly those derived from Maize, but which also Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica
• Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet and Sikkim: Chhaang, a popular semi-fermented rice/millet drink in the eastern Himalaya. The Kingdom of Bhutan (buːˈtɑːn is a Landlocked nation in South Asia. Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia. Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European Sikkim ( Nepali:, also Sikhim) is a Landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayas It is the least populous state in India Chhaang or chang ( (Nectar of Gods is a popular Alcoholic beverage in the eastern Himalayas Geographical prevalence It is consumed by
• China: Huangjiu, Choujiu. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Huangjiu (literally "yellow wine" or "yellow liquor" is a type of Chinese alcoholic beverage brewed directly from grains such as Rice, Millet Choujiu is a type of Chinese fermented Alcoholic beverage brewed from Glutinous rice. Jiǔ refers to all alcoholic drinks, most of which are distilled liquors (báijiǔ), but there are traditional grain-based relatives of beer such as sulima, made by the Mosuo people, and lijiang yinjiu, made by the Nakhi people, both in the Lijiang region of Yunnan. See also Wine in China Jiu ( is the Chinese word that refers to all Alcoholic beverages This word has often been mistranslated into The Mosuo ( also spelled Moso or Musuo) are a small Ethnic group living in Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces in China, close The Nakhi ( endonym ¹na²khi) are an ethnic group inhabiting the foothills of the Himalayas in the northwestern part of Yunnan Province Lijiang may refer to Lijiang City, prefecture-level city in Yunnan Province China
• Finland: Sahti, a traditional Finnish beer. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Sahti is a traditional Beer from Finland made from a variety of grains Malted and unmalted including Barley,
• Indonesia: Brem, a Balinese fermented rice wine. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Brem is the traditional Rice wine from the island of Bali. It is consumed and holds important use in temple ceremonies Rice wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from Rice. Unlike Wine, which is made by fermentation of naturally sweet Grapes and other
• Japan: Sake, a rice-based drink fermented with aspergillus fungus that is inoculated into the rice, then called Kyojin. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Rice is a Cereal foodstuff which forms an important part of the diet of many people worldwide and as such it is a staple food for many
• Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia: Kumis (in Kyrgyz called kymyz), is the fermented mare's milk drink popular in many parts of Central Asia and Mongolia. Kyrgyzstan (ˈkɻ̩gɪztɑn (AmE or /'kɝgəztan/ (BrE Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан; Russian: Киргизия or Киргизстан or Кыргызстан Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the Mongolia (mɒŋˈɡoʊliə, literally Mongol country/nation,) is a Landlocked Country in East Kumis ( Turkish:kımız Mongolian:airag is a fermented dairy product traditionally made from mare's milk It is very easy to obtain as it is sold in any market and at small stands on the side of the highway in rural areas as a source of income for the local nomads.
• Kyrgyzstan: Bozo is a low alcohol, somewhat porridgey drink made from millet. Kyrgyzstan (ˈkɻ̩gɪztɑn (AmE or /'kɝgəztan/ (BrE Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан; Russian: Киргизия or Киргизстан or Кыргызстан The Kyrgyz are also fans of kymyz (see kumis). Kumis ( Turkish:kımız Mongolian:airag is a fermented dairy product traditionally made from mare's milk
• Mexico: Pulque, an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the agave plant. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Pulque, or octli, is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of the Maguey, and is a traditional native beverage Agave is a succulent Plant of a large Botanical Genus of the same name belonging to the family Agavaceae. Though commonly believed to be a beer, the main carbohydrate is a complex form of fructose rather than starch.
• Russia/Ukraine: Kvass, a fermented nonalcoholic or mildly alcoholic beverage. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Kvass or kvas (literally "leaven" borrowed in the 16th century from Russian квас ( kvas) sometimes translated into English
• Bouza: An ancient Egyptian beer made from bread which is still made in Sudan. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa.

See also

• Brewery
• Brewing
• History of beer
• Homebrewing
• Beer style
• List of countries by beer consumption per capita
• Belgian Beer Board

References

Bibliography

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