The Alternative Press

Beer has become the "new wine" of late, and it's easy to see why. The advent of  "craft brewing" at home and abroad has changed peoples' attitudes towards this venerable beverage. This, and a couple of future articles will delve into the surprisingly complex world of Beer.

It is the world's most widely consumed and probably the oldest of alcoholic beverages. Beer is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches mainly derived from cereal grains—mostly malted barley. Most beer is flavored with hops, though other flavorings such as herbs or fruits may occasionally be included. Some of humanity's earliest known writings refer to the production and distribution of beer: the Code of Hammurabi, an ancient Babylonian legal code included laws regulating the production and sale of beer and "The Hymn to Ninkasi", a prayer to the Mesopotamian goddess of beer, served as both a prayer and as a method of remembering the recipe for beer in a culture with few literate people. Today, the brewing industry is a global business, consisting of several dominant multinational companies and many thousands of smaller producers ranging from brew pubs to regional breweries. Beer is broadly classified into two categories, depending on how the beer was fermented: Ales and Lagers.

Ales have been with us the longest and include a broad range of varieties and styles. Ales are top-fermenting beers, meaning that the yeast floats on top of the “wort” or “mash” (raw beer) as it ferments.  Generally speaking, ales tend to be richer and fuller bodied than lagers, which tend to be somewhat lighter and feature sharper, crisper flavors. Though lagers have surpassed ales in popularity throughout most of the world, traditional ales are still the preferred styles of beer in Great Britain and Belgium.

Lagers have only been around since the mid-19th century. Lager yeast sinks to the bottom of the wort as it ferments, so lagers are also referred to as bottom-fermenting beers. Lager yeast only ferments at temperatures below fifty degrees. Consequently, lagers were only produced during cool-weather fall and winter months in Europe, and then they would be aged and released the following autumn. (The word “lager” means “to age” in German.) The advent of refrigeration in the early 20th century made it possible to make lagers year round. Shortly thereafter lagers eclipsed ales as the most popular beers produced throughout the world.

In the next article, we'll explore the various styles of ales and lagers being produced today. In the meantime, kickback, relax and enjoy a cold one!

Salud!