Know your beer: it's not just Beast

So maybe you've decided that beer is disgusting now that you've experienced the watery concoctions served at fraternity parties. Or perhaps, you've discovered the miraculous benefits of those cheap drinks once you've downed a large number of the cans. Either way, many of us have come to think of beer synonymously with that cheap, bitter, watery drink served in dirty basements.

If you relate to this, guess what? You're missing out on a lot! One of the most ancient edible human concoctions, beer has a rich history which has contributed to its many forms today. There are indeed numerous kinds of beer with different flavors to suit any discriminating taste.

The Fosters Beer Web page (http://www.fosters.com.au) is a helpful resource in learning about beer, containing useful information on beer types. It explains that all beer can be divided into two groups: lagers and ales. Ales are brewed at higher temperatures for shorter periods with top-fermenting yeasts. This kind of beer, which includes varieties such as porters, pale ales and stouts, tends to contain a higher alcohol content. They also tend to be more flavorful.

The Fosters' Web site explains that lagers, on the other hand, are fermented for longer periods at cooler temperatures, which lets the malt and hops add more flavor to the brew. These require a bottom-fermenting yeast.

"Lager tends to be paler, drier, and less alcoholic than ales," explains the Foster's brewery.

American beers tend to be pilsners, which are a kind of lager. It is often said that American beers, for the most part, tend to be weaker versions of their European counterparts.

Lagers and ales are the two technical terms for beer; however, we constantly are confronted with a plethora of beer terms in advertisements that argue to make a better beer. What do all these mean? Well, some of the terms actually do differentiate different kinds of beer, while others are simply empty terms to sell beer.

First, what's the difference between a light beer and a regular beer? Both are probably pilsners. However, the light beer has fewer calories, and probably slightly less alcoholic content as well. In his book From Beer to Eternity, Will Anderson states that an ounce of light beer has eight calories, while the same amount of regular beer has 13 (as cited by http://www.taproom.com). The taste is arguably different as well.

Also what's the story behind malt liquors? The Web site Taproom.com explains that drinks containing over a certain alcohol content are given this label. However, the specified content varies by state. So in actuality, some drinks are given this label by producers even though they might not be malt liquor.

Taproom.com also explains the meaning of ice beer. Technically, ice beer is that which is frozen after fermentation and later strained of water content which has frozen into ice crystals. This leaves the beer with a much higher alcohol content. However, the Web site points out that ice beer is more of an advertising shtick than anything else.

"This is another ploy by mega-breweries to convince people that their beer is something different or better than everyone else's. Ice beers are basically another style of light American lagers," says the site.

So there's a basic rundown of the different kinds of beer. None are necessarily better than the others -- they're all very different though, and some will suit certain tastes better than others. So you might want to give them all a fair try before saying next time that all beer is disgusting. If you still feel that way, you can always move on to liquor.