Beer Basics

Here's some interesting stuff I've learned so far in Beer for Dummies:

-Most beers can be divided into 2 categories: Ales & Lagers.
-Lagers (around since the 1850s) are cold fermented, aged longer, lighter, mellow, more carbonated, and tend to appeal to a wider audience.
-Ales (the traditional beers) are warm fermented, darker, less carbonated, and robust. They are generally served at slightly higher temperatures than lagers.

-Moderate drinking may lower the risk of heart attacks.
-Beer is actually nutricious. It has no fat or cholesterol. Usually the darker the beer, the less calories it has. A bottle of Budweiser contains 143 calories, while a bottle of Guinness contains 125.
-Craft beers ("gourmet" beer such as Sam Adams) usually contain half the carbs and preservatives than megabrewed beers.
-Because barley (1 of the 4 main ingredients) can be expensive, big beer factories (Coors, Miller, Budweiser...) often use adjuncts such as corn or rice in their beers to cut costs. They also use lots of additives and preservatives. Shame on them.
-Beware of "stealth micros." Many of the big beer factories are disguising some of their beers to look like craftbeers. (Killians Irish Red is from Coors. Michelob Amber Bock is from Anheuser-Busch)

-Never drink beer straight out of the bottle! Pour it into a glass always. Without pouring, the gas is trapped in the bottle and goes straight into your belly, thus giving the beer an unappealing, gassy bite.
-Frosted Mugs are bad. They just water the beer down.
-In the US, most beers are served much too cold for serious appreciation. Lagers should be served between 42-48 degrees; Ales between 44-52 degrees.
-3 months is the average window of freshness (shelf life) for bottled/canned beer.