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beer

All about beer and beer making.

Synonyms
lager
ale
stout

Yeast for beer

Yeasts are living organisms, a uni-cellular fungus, and have a rare ability: to live with or without oxygen. In the presence of air, they multiply. In the absence of oxygen, they ferment sugars into alcohol. That's what makes beer brewing possible.

Wheat beer is weizenbier

Wheat beer recipes are as old as Babylon, where wheat grain was often used to make a heady brew. The Middle Ages saw many new forms arise, where it was considered the brew of the nobility. Most beers of the period were dark and consuming this Weissbier -white beer- was therefore a mark of distinction.

Water for beer

Water might be the most varied chemical compound on the planet. Plain old H2O is the same anywhere, of course. But brewing with pure water is not only expensive, but leads to poor beer - flat, stale and downright incorrect.

Beer in Belgium

Though wine is drunk at meal times, beer is often the best accompaniment for a Belgium meal, especially charbonnades and other beer based recipes, and, of course, the ubiquitous steak and frites.

Beer Glassware

Look again to that jar where that beer was poured. How and where you serve beer is important the right glassware will enhance a great brew and the wrong one may spoil the experience.

Beer Buying Guide

So much beer, so little time. One would wish to try them all.

The phrase is a common complaint among beer aficionados, and for good reason. Today the variety available at restaurants, pubs, specialty stores and online is staggering. Even the most dedicated beer drinker could sample only a small fraction of the total. So, here's a small fraction of the total, for your consideration...

Brews around the world

Popular for centuries, thanks to their unique British craftsmanship, British ales continue to offer some of the finest brews anywhere.