In the world of craft beer, most articles focus on the nuances of individual varieties and types. But what about beginners? Where do you start if your knowledge is close to zero, and the sheer number of varieties makes your head spin and your eyes glaze over?
First, it is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of “beer” and “beer culture.” Craft beer is a specific product, an alcoholic beverage. It can have a wide variety of characteristics, from strength to carbon dioxide content. Beer culture is a set of rituals, traditions, and values surrounding a particular style or type of beer.
Let’s dispel a few basic myths:
Myth № 1 Live beer is better than dead beer
If you haven’t heard, beer is divided into live beer and dead beer. Live beer refers to a beverage that has just been brewed. Dead beer refers to bottled varieties that must be aged in barrels for a long time. There is a belief that live beer is always tastier and healthier than dead beer. This is not entirely true. Of course, a freshly brewed drink has a rich taste and aroma, but there are many excellent examples of dead beer that surpass freshly brewed beer in some respects.
Myth № 2 Beer consists of only 4 ingredients
Many people think that beer consists only of grains, water, yeast, and hops. In fact, this is not the case. Along with the main ingredients, thousands of different ingredients are added to give it new flavor properties.
Myth № 3 Factories produce powdered beer
There is no such thing as powdered beer. Yes, there is an extract that is added at breweries, but this is only part of the technological process. And brewing beer is much cheaper than mixing alcohol with powder.
Myth № 4 Alcohol is added to beer for strength
Beer can be strong without adding alcohol. Usually, strength is achieved through fermentation, removal of excess moisture, and other technological processes. No one adds medical alcohol to a barrel of finished product.
Myth № 5 Beer is divided into dark and light
There is no such thing as dark and light beer. There is ale, which is top-fermented beer, and lager, which is bottom-fermented beer. There is also hybrid beer, which is obtained by mixing ale and lager, and wild fermentation beer, where wild yeast is involved in the fermentation process. This drink is called lambic.
In a rapidly changing world, it is difficult to define the criteria for the perfect beer, but one thing is clear: good beer must be balanced.
