Beer

[Huey14]

Steinlager isn't bad but not many people in NZ seem to drink it. It's much like Fosters is to Aussies. Glad to hear you enjoyed it though!

[brewmonkey]

Originally Posted by LibraryLady

Another contribution by the femme side to this thread. Please excuse the inability to count correctly, but I think that’s a bit appropriate to a thread involving alcohol.

2. Special Beer – Those times I’m with friends, I generally am drinking something that has history with us and can include anything from a Silver Bullet or Coors Original Long Necks to Guinness, craft beers, homegrown and so forth.

3. Extraordinary Beer – Never met one of these animals, but then I’m a harsh critic…

1. Ordinary Beer – See Below – or some variation thereof to be procured here.

LL

Leaving a beer out in the sunlight (or any UV light including indoor lamps) in a clear glass bottle/growler like that will cause the beer to become lightstruck. It is why the majority of beers are packaged in amber(brown) bottles as the UV rays cannot affect the contents the same as green, blue or clear glass.

Lightstruck is that flavor (skunk) that you get from beers like Corona, St. Pauli Girl, Grolsch and many others. It can happen quickly too, under 5 minutes in many cases, for the beer to be ruined. If you have beer from a pub in glass other then amber(brown) it is best to keep it out of the sun or in a brown paper sack.

What happens is that the UV light reacts with the iso-alpha acids from the hops and they change their structure giving us that skunky smell/flavor. These iso-acids are also the portion of the hops that give us bitterness in beer so it is not like we would be able to figure out how to extract them from the beer/process and still have the same product.

An interesting note though is that if the brewer use pre-isomerized acids, like MGD does (it comes in a clear bottle), you will not have the lightstruck issue. The problem with that is brewers in small pubs cannot afford to use those products (very expensive) and must go the old fashioned route of actually having to boil the hops for X amount of time to achieve bitterness, flavor & aroma.

[LibraryLady]

Thanks for the info, Brewmonkey.

I don't know much about beer, except I never liked it until I was stationed in Germany and discovered the fresh stuff.

Upon requesting my celebratory end of the quarter pint (or 3) I inquired and was informed they (the brewpub I like to frequent) quit using growlers in anything but clear glass. The posted picture was taken to show off the excellent color (I do adore that red) and the background flag. Whereupon it (the growler) was whisked away to the fridge until called upon for pouring duties.

I shall endeavor to exercise more care in the handling of these fresh products. And of course, shall commence a lengthy and detailed testing of the lightstruck issue on my taste buds. If, of course I can even tell the difference...

A quick question: How does the UV interaction with the acids differ from the heat from boiling interaction? Does it have to do with the difference between the finished product and just the grain?

LL

[brewmonkey]

The heat does not act on the isomerized acids, it creates them. When the hops are added to the kettle it is so that the alpha acids contained in the hops can be isomerized (the alpha acids then become iso-alpha acids) and impart the bitterness. Once they are isomerized by the boil they can then become lightstruck by UV light.

[LibraryLady]

Originally Posted by brewmonkey

The heat does not act on the isomerized acids, it creates them. When the hops are added to the kettle it is so that the alpha acids contained in the hops can be isomerized (the alpha acids then become iso-alpha acids) and impart the bitterness. Once they are isomerized by the boil they can then become lightstruck by UV light.

Ok, I think I understood most of that. Thanks Brewmonkey!

LL

[MtnGoat]

She told me we couldn't afford beer anymore and I'd have to quit.

Then I caught her spending $65.00 on make-up, and I asked how come I had to give up stuff and she didn't.
She said she needed the make-up to look pretty for me.
I told her that was what the beer was for.
I don't think she's coming back.

[Bill Harsey]

Originally Posted by MtnGoat

She told me we couldn't afford beer anymore and I'd have to quit.

Then I caught her spending $65.00 on make-up, and I asked how come I had to give up stuff and she didn't.
She said she needed the make-up to look pretty for me.
I told her that was what the beer was for.
I don't think she's coming back.

I like the way you think.

[HOLLiS]

Originally Posted by LibraryLady

Thanks for the info, Brewmonkey.

I don't know much about beer,

From my limited experience with beer, I consider the most important aspect of beer, is opening the bottle. From there the rest is down the gullet.

[Cincinnatus]

I heard recently, IIRC on NPR, that there is an ingredient in beer that helps to prevent prostate cancer. However, to reach the effective dosage, one would have to drink seventeen beers daily.

They said that like they though it was a bad thing.

[Weazle23]

Originally Posted by Cincinnatus

I heard recently, IIRC on NPR, that there is an ingredient in beer that helps to prevent prostate cancer. However, to reach the effective dosage, one would have to drink seventeen beers daily.

They said that like they though it was a bad thing.

Sounds like a challenge!!

[brewmonkey]

Originally Posted by Cincinnatus

I heard recently, IIRC on NPR, that there is an ingredient in beer that helps to prevent prostate cancer. However, to reach the effective dosage, one would have to drink seventeen beers daily.

They said that like they though it was a bad thing.

There are also some qualities of beer (especially darker beers) that help prevent cancer, the same as red wines. Flavonoids, which are found in dark beers and red wines are anti-oxidants and have been proven beneficial in preventing cancer based on several studies that have been done.

There are also some anti-oxidants in hops, which are a required ingredient in beer in the US, which means that all beers to some extent will have anti-oxidant properties. Of course some beers have very little hops while others have more then their fair share. Beers like IPA's, Barley Wines and Imperial Stouts are very heavy on the hops to balance the large amounts of malt used. Beers like Imperial Stouts also use roasted/higher kilned malts which also lend flavonoids to the beer making them that much higher in those anti-oxidants.

Some studies show that just as a glass or two of wine each day can be beneficial, beer can also provide the same results.

[jfhiller]

Mmmmmmmmmm... Barleywine and Imperial Stouts sound so delicious right now. Beer syrup. I may have to make a run after work. Too bad they're both in such short supply in most liquor stores.

[x SF med]

Just make sure you drink your coffee too, it's supposed to limit the effects of alcohol on the liver, with a loading dose of 17 beers, you'll need the caffiene anyway. What good soldier doesn't like both beer and coffee, especially now that they're good for you!

[jfhiller]

Bah... my friends Mr. Barleywine and Mr. I. Stout would never hurt an old pal like me.

[vsvo]

Originally Posted by brewmonkey

Chimay is indeed a fine beer. Made by the Trappiist Monks at the Chimay Monestary it is one of only 6 in Belgium and 1 in The Netherlands (out of 171 Trappist Monasteries) that produce beer. Trappist beers are some of the best on the planet and are a must for anyone to try. Of course they can be cost prohibitive so one a day or so is about the limit. They will set you back about $7 for a liter or $20 for a 6-pack of 12oz bottles in most places.

We tried this last night at a restaurant. As we were waiting in the bar for our table, I noticed this on the taps and thought it rang a bell from this thread. Served ice-cold from the tap in a Chimay glass - wow, what a beer. Thanks magician and Brew.