AnitaBeer

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Brewed on every continent around the world and enjoyed in every nation, beer can quench every type
of thirst and go down as easily as spring water to thick, heady concoctions that resemble that of
the thickest oatmeal.

Just as the gourmet blends have conquered a large portion of the coffee business, handcrafted brews
continue to keep a firm hold on the most serious of beer drinkers.  There are hundreds of thousands
of brews out there, which are sure to please everyone.

When it comes to the gourmet types of microbrews, there are some things to keep in mind.  If you
are new to microbrews and gourmet types, you’ll find the tips below to be very beneficial.

Start light
When you go to a pub or just out to drink, you should start off light with a basic lager, pilsner,
or wheat beer.  After that, you can work your way towards the full flavored beers, such as porters
and Oktoberfest beers.  These can be very potent, especially for those who don’t really drink that
much.

Starting light is also good for your overall tolerance, as drinking light will prepare you for
the more potent drinks.  This way, you can enjoy plenty of microbrews without having to worry
about stopping too early.

Brewpubs
The ideal way to try new types of beer is to pay a visit to a local brewpub.  Many of these small
brewery/restaurants will offer samplers, which feature small glasses with four to five of their
most popular beers.

This way, you can experience a variety of beer tastes without having to spend a lot of money.
Once you have tried a couple of the beers, you’ll know what to order.

Dark beers
If you are a casual beer drinker or can handle your alcohol tolerance, you shouldn’t be afraid in the
least to try dark beers.  The dark color doesn’t mean that the beer is heavier or contains more
calories, it simply means that the malt in the beer is roasted longer or roasted to a  darker
color than others.

Small business
Small businesses and small businessmen are yet another reason to get into microbrewed beer other
than the taste.  Local microbrew producers brew their beers in small batches, so you’ll be helping
to keep the business afloat, rather than supporting the large giants of the industry.

When you know that your money is going to help the little people, you’ll normally find the brew to go
down much smoother.  Small microbreweries need all the help they can get to continue brewing,
which is reason enough to support them.  You’ll get a great beer for your money – and you’ll be
supporting those that actually need your help.

Related articles

• Anchor Brewery: Start of the U.S. microbrew resurgence (photos) (news.cnet.com)
• Wisconsin legislature wants to restrict craft brewers (oregonlive.com)

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The Alaskan Brewing Company is the oldest operatingbrewery in Alaska, with their amber beer being their most popular brand.  They produce two other brands as well, pale ale and Alaskan Frontier Amber.  If you enjoy fresh amber beer,  Alaskan brewing is what you want.

As you may already know, brewing beer in Alaska is very hard to do.  The coastal community of Juneau doesn’t have road connections to the lower 48 states, so everything arrives and leaves by water or air,with weather always having the final say.

In 1986, the Alaskan brewing company became the 67th brewery to operate in the United States and the only one to operate in Alaska.  Since that time, the brewery has received more than 30 major medals and awards, including the best beer in the nation award during the 1988 Great American Beer Festival.

The popularity of their beers has led to a great deal of effort to keep up with the demand from consumers.  They also hold the unofficial record for the production on a 10 barrel brewing system, which produces an amazing 42 batches a week.
The Alaskan Brewery offers several different stylesof brew as well, which are listed below:

1.  Amber – This is the company’s flagship  beer, based on a turn of the century recipe that was used to quench the thirst of the miners during the Gold Rush era.  It provides a smooth, malty, rich taste that goes well with meals – or friends.

2.  Pale – Pale is fresh, crisp, and inviting.  Alaskan Pale is great with crab, pawns, and salads.  The floral aroma of the hops is derived from dry hopping the tanks during the entire fermentation process.

3.  Stout – The oatmeal style beer of stout doesn’t have the harshness of other stouts.  Great with chocolate and hearty meals,  stout is also ideal to enjoy while walking in the snow.

4.  ESB – If you like hops, the infusion of hops in this  will amaze your nose while the refreshing cascade will provide a wonderful crispness to both the flavor and the finish.  This beer is great with spicy food, wild game, and other wintery food.

5.  Smoked porter – Very exclusive, Alaskan smoked porter has a world class reputation for its excellence.  Brewed in the fall, this beer is ideal for storing in the cellar for later enjoyment.

6.  Winter ale – This tender brew of spruce trees has been used for brewing in Alaska since the late 1700s.

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The main ingredients found in beer are water, malted barley, hops, and yeast.  There are other ingredients such as flavoring, sugar, and other ingredients that are commonly used.  Starches are used as well, as they convert in the mashing process to easily fermentable sugars that will help to increase the alcohol content of beer while adding body and flavor.

Water
Seeing as how beer is mainly composed of water, the source of water and its characteristics have a very important effect on the character of the beer.  A lot of beer styles were influenced by the characteristics of water in the region.  Although the effect of minerals in brewing water is complex, hard water is more suited to dark styles, while  soft water is more suited to light styles.

Malt
Among malts, barley is the most widely used due to its high amylase content, and a digestive enzyme that facilitates the breakdown of starch into  sugars.  Depending on what can be cultivated locally, other malts and unmalted grains can be used, such as wheat, rice, oats, and rye.

Malt is obtained by soaking grain in water, allowing it to germinate, then drying the germinated grain in a kiln.  By malting the grain, enzymes will eventually convert the starches in the grain into fermentable sugars.

Hops
Since the seventeenth century, hops have been commonly used as a bittering agent in beer.  Hops help to contribute a bitterness that will balance the sweetness of the malts.  They also contribute aromas which range from citrus to herbal.

Hops also provide an antibiotic effect that favors the activity of brewer’s yeast over the less desirable microorganisms.  The bitterness in beer is normally measured on the International Bitterness Units scale.

Yeast
Yeast is a microorganism that’s responsible for fermentation.  Specific strains of yeast are chosen depending on the type of beer produced, as the two main strains are ale yeast and lager yeast, with other variations available as well.

Yeast helps to metabolise the sugars that are extracted from the grains, and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide as a result.  Before the functions of yeast were understood, all fermentations were done using wild or airborne yeasts.

Clarifying agent
A lot of brewers prefer to add one or more clarifying agents to beer that aren’t required to be published as ingredients.  Examples include Isinglas finings, which are obtained from swim bladders of fish and Irish moss, which is a type of red alga.

Since these ingredients can be obtained from animals,  those who are concerned with either the use or consumption of animal products should obtain detailed information from the brewer.

Infographics are all the rage on the Web these days. You know, those charts that show ideas and statistics in pictures? We found this one today that not only tells you what the strongest beers are, but also the ingredients of the strangest ones. Who puts bananas in beer? Some of the ingredients might make you sick.

Via: Term Life Insurance

TapHunter lets you search for your favorite craft beer on tap in San Diego, Philadelphia, Seattle, Vancouver, and the Denver/Boulder area.  The listings cover breweries, brew pubs, and bars, and they are continuously updating these lists. If you are searching for your favorite craft beer, I highly recommend this site.

Search for Craft Beers on Tap – San Diego – Tap Hunter.

The Lost Abbey is a brewery in San Marcos, California, and has one of the most interesting websites that I’ve seen in a long time. Their tagline is:  Inspired Beers for Saints and Sinners alike. The beers are modeled after the Trappist and Monastic beers, and include Lost and Found Abbey Ale, Devotion, and Judgment Day.  In addition, they have a line of seasonal beers and non–denominational ales. Click on the link, “Our Crusade” to find out more about the brewers themselves.

The Beer Festivals website is one of the best and most up-to-date calendars of  worldwide beer celebrations. From the UK to Japan to the US, all the links in the calendar are click-enabled. Here is the June 2010 event listing.

I knew about the Chosen People, but a Chosen Beer? Schmaltz Brewing Company (yes, that is their real name) has an entire line of  He’Brew Chosen Beers.  The beers have great names: Jewbelation – Bar Mitzvah; R.I.P.A. on Rye; Genesis Ale; and Messiah Bold.  There is a an online store where you can buy  shirts and other swag, and a list of where you can buy the beer. L’Chaim!

Only in America! Beer Tap TV has a number of shows devoted exclusively to beer, all on streaming video. They have guides, forums, and a blog as well.  There is a calendar of upcoming events as well.

I am re-launching my beer blog and re-dedicating it to  being just about beer! There are plenty of other blogs about wine and mixed drinks, so let’s raise a glass to one of the oldest drinks in the world!

I will be discussing not only the finer aspects of beer, but will be posting about the various beer websites, museums (are there any?), breweries, micro brews and craft beers, beer Tweets, definitions (WTH is IPA exactly?), books, guides, and anything else centering around beer.

Did you know that beer dates back to the Neolithic? I’ll drink to that!