History of Beer, What Makes a Beer?, Beer In The
Unfortunately for those who might bemoan the current government’s alcohol taxation policy, we have had an alcohol tax since 1690, when Britain’s principle drink was Ale. Back then the law was introduced to fund wars and the Bank of England actually only ever guaranteed funding to the British government on …
Made of barley, fermented yeast and water and various other ingredients (depending upon the recipe and region), beer is known to have been made by the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians, and is likely to have been in production throughout the world since the 5th millennium B.C. Due to its relatively …
Although beer comes in a wide variety of styles, each with their own individual flavours, strengths and textures, beer itself is something very specific. In order for an alcoholic beverage to qualify as a beer it must contain malted barley, yeast and water. Traditionally ‘ale’ contained no hops, and strictly …
A recently published report into the beer industry conducted by Venn Research Incorporated estimated the U.K. beer market generated was worth £52.2 billion at the point of sale in 2005. Beer, despite falling in overall consumption in the year previous to this study (partly due to its high taxation) is …
Beer has been a staple product of the British diet and social scene for well over one thousand years (the precise beginnings of beer in Britain are hard to trace). Over this time the beer production has followed the same trajectory as production in general. From its simple beginnings as …
A national drink that has long been derided and forsaken in favour of gassy, bland mass-produced lager is being embraced once again. Are we witnessing the rebirth of real ale in the UK? The Death of the Real Ale Stereotype The stereotype of the ale drinker as a middle-aged man …
Cask-conditioned beer is the choice of the drinker who likes their beer ‘real’, but what is it exactly and how does it differ from conventionally conditioned beer. The New Beer Standard Whereas for centuries cask-conditioned beer was the norm, it is now a speciality type. This traditional method of keeping …
Certain beers use their non pasteurised status as a selling point, but how does non pasteurised beer differ and why is it more appealing to the beer connoisseur? Louis Pasteur’s Legacy The triumphant endeavours of French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur in demonstrating that micro-organisms were responsible for souring wine …
Some scoff that it’s fashionable eco-badge distinguishing respectable people from Stella-sluggers, but as the fastest growing category of the specialist drinks market, organic beer is more than just a lifestyle choice. Why Drink Organic Beer? The present obsession with all things organic can get a little wearing. What isn’t organic …
With no legislation demanding a list of ingredients for alcoholic beverages, many UK beer drinkers are concerned about what strange substances might be floating in their pint. No List of Ingredients As we are more conscious about our health than ever, we naturally we want to know exactly what we …