Beer Guide
Beer Guide
Beer Basics
Don't know a pilsner from a lager? Here's
a primer:
Among the many choices of beer are lager
beer, pilsner or light lager beer, light
beer, premium beer,
dark lager or Munich-type beer, bock beer,
keg beer, nonalcoholic beer, and alcohol-free
beer.
Most beers produced in the United States
are lager beers.
They usually range between 3.2 and 4.0 percent
alcohol. Pilsner or light lager beers are
lighter in color than regular lager beer.
Don't confuse the term "light lager
beer" with "light beer," which
usually has about half the calories of regular
beer
(brands will vary in their alcoholic content).
Premium beer often simply refers to a particular
brewer's best beer.
Imported beers are often more bitter than
American beers.
Dark lager or Munich-type beers are heavy
and rich tasting.
They're chocolate brown in color. Bock beer
is a special brew of heavy beer, somewhat
darker and sweeter than regular beer.
It's made in the winter especially for the
six-week-long bock beer season that beer
lovers
date as the beginning of spring. The alcohol
content may be more than double that of lager
beers.
Although the term "nonalcoholic beer"
suggests that it is completely free of alcohol,
it isn't necessarily so.
By law, nonalcoholic beer must contain less
than 0.5 percent alcohol. Don't look for
the word "beer"
on the label. These types of beer are called
malt beverages, cereal beverages, or near
beer.
Only malt beverages with no alcohol whatsoever
may display the term "alcohol-free beer."
Typically made without fermentation, this
product gets its beer taste from natural
flavorings.
Additional Hints
Buying beer
You can buy both domestic and imported beers
in either cans or bottles. Some kinds of
beers also come in kegs.
Keg beer offers a fresher flavor than bottle
or can beer since the keg beer hasn't been
pasteurized to kill the yeast.
Storing beer
Storing beer properly is important because
it's perishable. Keep bottled beer in a dark,
cool place,
out of direct sunlight. Canned beer also
needs cool surroundings but is unaffected
by light.
Keg beer must be kept constantly at about
45 degrees so the yeast won't start working
again.
Serving beer
Most beers are a good companion to just about
any food except dessert; they're especially
good with spicy foods.
Dark lager beer, however, should be limited
to strong-flavored, hearty foods.
Beer is best served at about 45 degrees for
the lighter varieties and about 50 degrees
for the heavier varieties.
For quick chilling, place the beer containers
in a deep tub of ice.
Pouring beer
There's a certain technique to pouring beer.
Some people like a high foamy head; others,
however, prefer a short one.
By varying the distance between the can
or bottle and the glass as well as the angle
of the glass,
you can vary the height of the head. Pouring
too fast may cause overfoaming.
To keep the head, use a glass with a narrower
bottom than top. And use a sparkling clean
glass;
a smudge of grease on a glass will ruin even
the frothiest head.
Beer cocktails
For a change of pace from plain beer, serve
a cocktail made from beer.
Starting with a chilled tall glass of chilled
beer, add one of the following:
3 tablespoons rye whiskey, 3 tablespoons
gin or vodka, or 1 tablespoon lime juice.
Or, half-fill a chilled tall glass with chilled
beer and add one of the following:
chilled regular or hot-style tomato juice,
chilled orange juice, or chilled ginger ale.