| Is your beer illegal? Alabama and West Virginia have passed laws increasing the legal alcohol-by-volume cap for beer from 6% to as high as 13.9% this year. Now, similar efforts are underway in Iowa and Mississippi, two states with very restrictive limits on the sale of high-alcohol beer. The average alcohol content in beer sold in the USA is 4.65%, according to a 2008 study by the Alcohol Research Group in Emeryville, Calif. Twenty states still place some kind of limit on the amount of alcohol in beer. David Rosenbloom, president of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse is leading a move to stop any changes in these states that would allow more alcohol. He claims that "there's no evidence that people will drink less, or fewer beers if they have more alcohol; they'll just get more drunk and at a faster rate.." Chuck Hurley, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said, "Our chief concern is that (higher-alcohol brews) be properly labeled so people understand it takes fewer beers to become intoxicated." Those supporting the increase argue that consumers of craft beers, don't drink to get drunk, they drink to appreciate the flavors. Craft beers, typically stronger, tend to be more expensive. An average case of Budweiser costs $17.76. Midrange higher-alcohol beers cost between $24-$40 per case, |
| Tips on Serving Beer There are a number of ways to serve beer, and each will affect the drinker's enjoyment of their drink. The temperature, type and shape of container will all effect how a beer tastes. So, the first piece of advice: transfer the beer from its can into an appropriate beer glass! The overriding factor in enjoying a beer is the temperature at which it is served. While many people enjoy a cold beer, "cellar" temperature is most conducive to the enjoyment of ale's which have a wide variety of aromas and after tastes which travel better in warmer air (hotter particles travel quicker and therefore smell - which is actually an essential component of taste - translates better at higher temperatures). Try these guidelines: Barley Wines and other very strong beers are best served at 10-13° C; Bitters are best served at 10-12° C; Lambic, or Lambic style Fruit beers and Wheat beers are best served at 5-10° C; Lagers - at 8-10° C; Stouts and other dark ales - at 12-15° C. When drinking a variety of beers over an evening start with lighter beers first and enjoy your beer in sets according to types. For example, start with lighter bitters or lagers, and progress to something stronger, such as wheat beers or stouts. If you avoid mixing different varieties on top of each other you will get a better taste for what you are drinking. As with wine, be careful not to fill your glass right to the top - this way the aromas of your beer will travel better. Swirl your beer a little before tasting, in order to activate the movement of molecules and bring out the aromas at their fullest, tilt your glass and hold it to the light to discern colour, give it a whiff, and taste it, letting slowly roll over your palate. While it is important to maximise you enjoyment of beer as far as possible, remember that real enjoyment is a matter of personal preference! Cheers. |
Feature News from beernexus.com
| A six pack is good for you! Drinking half a dozen beers cuts the risk of heart disease by more than half in men according to The Independent Medical Research Council's latest report. In one of the largest studies of the link between alcohol and heart disease, researchers have found that the protective effects of a daily tipple are not limited to those who drink moderately but also extend to those who consume at what are conventionally considered to be dangerously high levels. The researchers, are from the public health department of the Basque government in San Sebastian, a region with one of the highest drinking rates in Europe, The research was conducted among 15,000 men and 26,000 women aged from 29 to 69 who were followed for 10 years. The results showed that those who drank a little – a glass of wine or a bottle of beer every other day – had a 35 per cent lower risk of a heart attack than those who never drank. Moderate drinkers, consuming up to a couple of glasses of wine a day or a couple of pints of ordinary bitter, had a 54 per cent lower risk. The surprise was that heavy drinkers consuming up to a bottle of wine or six pints of ordinary bitter had a similar 50 per cent reduction in risk of a heart attack to moderate drinkers. Those drinking at even higher levels were still half as likely to suffer a heart attack as the teetotallers. Beer reveals your personality (?) The beer you drink says a lot about you according to Mindset Media, a market researcher specializing in psychographics. They claim that if you prefer craft beers, you are more likely to spend time thinking about beer rather than work. You also are more open-minded than most people, seek out interesting and varied experiences and are intellectually curious. Craft-beer drinkers also have a lower sense of responsibility - they don't stress about missed deadlines and tend to be happy-go-lucky about life. The report also states that people who drink a broad portfolio of beers are different than one-brand drinkers. Those "indifferent" beer drinkers are more open-minded and emotional people who enjoy a variety of life experiences. |
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edited by Jim Attacap