For most people, “beer” means only one thing: a straw-colored, highly carbonated, mildly flavored drink—the sort of beverage that is served in response to the request “Just give me a beer.” But more and more beer drinkers realize that there are many styles of beer, each with its own characteristics, occasions and story to tell. Beer has become the most common of beverages the world over. It’s the preferred drink over matches, informal dinners with friends and in some cases part of the daily rations for laborers in some parts of the world. Given the growth of beer selections on the shelves, an understanding of beer styles can be the secret to finding the beers that you’ll enjoy most.
Beer has a long and interesting history just like wine, and just like wine-making beer-making is also a remarkable mix of art and science. It is one of the oldest beverages that humans have produced. The main constituent in beer; as grapes are to wine, barley is to beer. Key to the beer making process is malting grain, lautering, boiling, fermenting, conditioning, filtering and packaging. These processes when used in varying temperatures and time combinations result in four common beer varietals: the lagers, the ales, the droughts and stouts. They also impact the color of the beverage; some beers are cloudy, while others are clear. There are other beers whose colors vary from pale gold to dark amber and some dark as sin.
Just as the making of beer is an art, drinking beer is also an art. Many of us think that guzzling down the beer in one go is cool or trendy but that is not the real way to enjoy it. Just like all other good beverages, the best way to do justice to the drink, is by sipping it and savoring each sip. Ideally, pour beer in the cool edge of magnificent beer glass from a height of 2 to3 centimeters & wait till the foam settles, then top off the glass to 3/4 of its height. But, it should be a steady stream with minimal gurgling inside the bottle. Sniff. Good beer is aromatic. As you drink, breathe in through your nose to smell the aroma of the beer. Beer shouldn’t only taste good, it should also smell good. Lastly, Drink and Enjoy.
So next time you go out drinking, drink beer more than just a beverage. After all, it is known to be one of the best inventions of mankind.
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