Can You Spot the The Difference Between Ale and Beer

OF BERE.

“Bere is made of malte, of hoppes, and water; it is the naturall drynke for a Dutche man, and nowe of late dayes it is moche vsed in Englande to the detryment of many Englysshe people; specyally it kylleth them the which be troubled with the colycke, and the stone, and the strangulion; for the drynke is a colde drynke; yet it doth make a man fat, and doth inflate the bely, as it doth appere by the Dutche men’s faces and belyes. If the bere be well serued, and be fyned, and not new, it doth qualyfy heat of the liquer.”

The distinction between ale and beer as described by Boorde lasted for a hundred years or more. As hops came into general use, though malt liquors generally were now beer, the word ale was still retained, and was used whether the liquor it was intended to designate was {7}hopped or not. At the present day beer is the generic word, which includes all malt liquors; while the word ale includes all but the black or brown beers—porter and stout. The meanings of the words are, however, subject to local variations. This subject is further treated of in Chapter VII.

The union of hops and malt is amusingly described in one of the Brasenose College alepoems:―

A Grand Cross of “Malta,” one night at a ball,Fell in love with and married “Hoppetta the Tall.”Hoppetta, the bitterest, best of her sex,By whom he had issue—the first, “Double X.”

Three others were born by this marriage—“a girl,”Transparent as Amber and precious as Pearl.Then a son, twice as strong as a Porter or Scout,And another as “Spruce” as his brother was “Stout.”

Double X, like his Sister, is brilliant and clear,Like his Mother, tho’ bitter, by no means severe:Like his Father, not small, and resembling each brother,Joins the spirit of one to the strength of the other.

In John Taylor’s time there seems to have existed among ale drinkers a wholesome prejudice against wine in general, and more especially sack. The water poet writes very bitterly on the subject:―

Thus Bacchus is ador’d and deified,And we Hispanialized and Frenchifide;Whilst Noble Native Ale and Beere’s hard fateAre like old Almanacks, quite out of date.

Thus men consume their credits and their wealths,And swallow Sicknesses in drinking healths,Untill the Fury of the spritefull GrapeMountes to the braine, and makes a man an Ape.

Another poet wrote in much the same strain:―

Thy wanton grapes we do detest:Here’s richer juice from Barley press’d.Oh let them come and taste this beerAnd water henceforth they’ll forswear.

Our ancestors seem, indeed, almost to have revered good malt liquor. Richard Atkinson gave the following excellent advice to Leonard Lord Dacre in the year 1570: “See that ye keep a noble house for beef and beer, that thereof may be praise given to God and to your honour.”

The same subject—comparison of sack with ale to the disadvantage of the former—is still better treated in an old ale song by Beaumont; it is such a good one of its kind that we give it in full:―

ANSWER OF ALE TO THE CHALLENGE OF SACK.

Come all you brave wights,That are dubbed ale-knights,Now set out yourselves in sight;And let them that crackIn the presence of SackKnow Malt is of mickle might.

Though Sack they defineIs holy divine,Yet it is but naturall liquor,Ale hath for its partAn addition of artTo make it drinke thinner or thicker.

Sack; fiery fume,Doth waste and consumeMen’s humidum radicale;It scaldeth their livers,It breeds burning feavers,Proves vinum venenum reale.

But history gathers,From aged forefathers,That Ale’s the true liquor of life,Men lived long in health,And preserved their wealth,Whilst Barley broth only was rife.{9}

Sack, quickly ascends,And suddenly ends,What company came for at first,And that which yet worse is,It empties men’s pursesBefore it half quenches their thirst.

Ale, is not so costlyAlthough that the most lyeToo long by the oyle of Barley;Yet may they part late,At a reasonable rate,Though they came in the morning early.

Sack, makes men from wordsFall to drawing of swords,And quarrelling endeth their quaffing;Whilst dagger ale BarrelsBeare off many quarrelsAnd often turn chiding to laughing.

Sack’s drink for our masters,All may be Ale-tasters,Good things the more common the better,Sack’s but single broth,Ale’s meat, drinke, and cloathe,Say they that know never a letter.

But not to entangleOld friends till they wrangleAnd quarrell for other men’s pleasure;Let Ale keep his place,And let Sack have his grace,So that neither exceed the due measure.

“Wine is but single broth, ale is meat, drink and cloth,” was a proverbial saying in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and occurs in many writings, both prose and poetical. John Taylor, for instance, writes that ale is the “warmest lining of a naked man’s coat.” “Barley broth” and “oyle of barley” were very common expressions for ale. “Dagger ale” was very strong malt liquor. The word “ale-tasters” will be fully explained later on.{10}

The nearest approach in modern times to a denunciation of wine by an ale-favouring poet occurs in a few lines—by whom written we know not—cleverly satirising the introduction of cheap French wines into this country. Cheap clarets command, thanks to an eminent statesman, a considerable share of popular favour. If unadulterated, they are no doubt wholesome enough, and suitable for some specially constituted persons. Let those who like them drink them, by all means.

Home Brewing Kits – Great Holiday Gifts!

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Are you always searching for a special gift for that person who seems to have everything? I would bet that they don’t have a home brewing system of their own! If you can give the gift of creating something to someone, a home brewing kit is going to be something that will be laughed about and used for weeks and months to come. Your friend might even stumble upon a fantastic method for make beer that all of you love.

Holidays, birthdays and special occasions are all a great time to give the gift of a home brewing system to make beer. Most every one just loves to have a great time, enjoy a beer, and sit back and relax. The hobby beer maker is one who can make the beer dark, heavy, light, sweet or sour. The gift you are giving to a person, with the gift of a home brewing system is one that will create a new hobby for that person. Hobbies are how we pass the time in life, and enjoy our time. Giving someone this new hobby is not only going to give them a hobby, but something new in life to talk about with others at the same time!

For the holidays (or for those birthdays, special occasions and even retirement parties), you most likely know someone who has everything they need or want. Yet, you still need to find that perfect gift that is going to be personal and useful at the same time. A home brewing kit is going to be the answer. It is going to show that you know that person likes beer (or wine as there are wine making kits too!) and you are giving the person something they can share with others who visit their home.

What types of special equipment are needed for home brewing?

No special equipment is needed. The home brewing kit is going to give you all the information, and ingredients you need to get started on making a batch of beer. The home brewing kit is even going to give you information about how to make larger batches, and what types of household things you can use to do this. You will find that if you are purchasing a gift of a home brewing kit for someone, you might even want to purchase one for yourself and get in on all the fun that is to be had. You can make brews at home; share with your family and friends, and all while enjoying your time by the fireplace in the summer or in the winter!

Making your own beer is easy. There are no hard to find ingredients, and you don’t have to wait long for the final product either. The beer you make is fun, easy and good tasting all at the same time! As you enjoy making beer, and find that special flavor you want to re create all the time, you could even bottle and give others your own beer as a gift when you head to their home for a party or get together.

Beer-Natural Treatment for Menopause

Whilst it may seem far fetched to think of beer as a natural menopause treatment, there is actually credible scientific research to support it. The key feature of beer in relation to menopause is the presence of phytoestrogens.

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Phytoestrogens are estrogen-like plant compounds that are also in alternative menopause treatments like soy. They work by binding to estrogen receptors, and so provide a mild estrogenic effect on the body. Phytoestrogens are not as strong as regular estrogen, but as estrogen levels decline in menopausal women, this boost of estrogen has a balancing effect on the body. Supplementing with phytoestrogens in soy and hops (which is made into beer, but can be purchased as a supplement), can alleviate hot flushes and improve the general quality of life for women during menopause.

Hops has more typically been used by herbalists for its mild sedative effect. It’s great for sleeping problems, and also for nervous gastrointestinal and stomach problems. It is stimulating to the stomach, and has been used for anorexia, irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, dysmenorrhea and amenorrhea.

Hops has long been suspected of having an effect on the hormonal system. Before the advent of machine pickers, women and girls picked the plants at harvest, and would often spend 3 weeks doing so. It was observed amongst the young girls picking hops that their menstrual periods would come on early. But it wasn’t until hops was studied scientifically that this result was explained and validated. It turns out that hops contains very high levels of phytoestrogens – between 30,000 IU to 300,000 IU per 100 grams. The levels of phytoestrogens are highest when the plant is fresh.

The phytoestrogen in hops is called 8-prenylnaringenin (8PN), and is stronger than other estrogens studied so far. It is present in beer, but levels are low compared to levels in plant extracts.

8-prenylnaringenin (8PN) is a flavone. It has been found in the animal model to have milder but similar effects to estradiol. The hops flavone also had a stimulating effect on the uterus in this study (on animals). It has not been established if this effect is also present in women taking hops. If so, progestins, or natural progesterone, would need to be taken at the same time to prevent overstimulation of the endometrial tissue.

Czech scientists have developed this research by using a new technology to create a non-alcoholic beer that contains the same amounts of hops and malt as regular beer. No mention was made at this stage as to whether the menopause beer would have higher levels of phytoestrogens. The idea came about because the Czech Republic is a strong beer drinking nation, and menopausal women there had low levels of estrogen in their diet. The menopause beer is aimed at relieving the symptoms of menopause and improving bone density.

Scientists have also found hops to have an anti-inflammatory effect. Compounds in hops have an effect similar to regular pain killers like ibuprofen, but with less of a disturbing impact on the gastrointestinal system. These active constituents of hops work in the same way as the arthritis drugs vioxx and celebrex, in that they are COX-2 inhibitors.

Hops is also an antioxidant, it may reduce insulin resistance, and is being investigated for its potential anti tumor properties. Hops was found to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells ‘in vitro’, or in the lab, paving the way for further studies to be done. Hops should not be taken by people with depression however, according to traditional herbalists.
The statements in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA and should not be construed as medical advice.  If you have a medical condition, you should consult with a licenced physician.

History of the Beer Glass

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It is well known that beer has been with mankind for a long time. As beer itself changed, expanded, and improved, so did the way in which we actually got the beer to our mouths. The earlier vessels man used for drinking included earthenware, pottery, carved out wood, and even sewn-together pieces of leather. As time went on, man saw small improvements in the quality of their beer glasses. Early Europeans living during the time of the Bubonic plague saw the creation of beer steins, which had an enclosed top on the steins to keep flies from landing in the brew and getting the person sick.

The development of glass may have been the most important aspect of the way beer glasses are made today. As beer glasses became more and more popular, consumers could actually see what they were drinking and demanded a lighter and more appealing look as well as taste. This led to the filtration of beers; people no longer wanted the coarse chunks that were often found in the earlier beers of the breweries. With this new, more aesthetically pleasing wave of beer glasses, it seemed like beer steins were on the way out.

The development of glassware continued and produced a variety of beer glasses for all kinds of different beers. The most popular in the United States is the 16-ounce pint glass. It was originally used to fit the top of a Martini shaker, but bartenders soon found that as the brew flowed out of the beer taps the pint glass was the perfect vessel because it allowed for some of the carbonation to be released and allowed the aroma of the beer to be more pronounced. It is also favored for its storage capabilities; pint glasses can be stacked on top of each other and stored easily upright on shelves, quickly making them a favorite with the bartenders who ended up having to wash out each glass.

A drive to get people to buy their brand of beer by earlier breweries led to some unique and groundbreaking moves on the marketing and promotional front. Early breweries were often prohibited to give away beer or other rewards to their customers, but found that giving away beer glasses was a great way to reward customers and also to advertise for themselves. This led to the breweries producing beer glasses that were works of art unto themselves. The first were ornate and expensive; they would often have gold or silver embossed on the sides. Eventually, artists for the breweries began doing detailed etchings on the sides of the glasses or steins and even developed a method of firing enamel paint onto the beer glasses. These enameled glasses remain some of the most rare beer collectibles, even though they were made more recently than the others. Today, some of the beer collectables and signs are worth thousands of dollars and sought out worldwide by eager collectors. Have you looked up in the top of Grandpas old drawer lately?

Tips and Tricks for Brewing Beer at Home

If you are one of the many people out there who are a tried and true beer lover, then you are definitely going to want to know how to make beer at home. It is actually not that difficult of a process, and as well it is not expensive either.

Learn How to Brew Your Own Great-Tasting Beer at Home

If you are interested in learning how to make beer at home, then you are definitely going to want to read on so that you can learn about the basic process that is involved to make beer at home.

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How To Make Beer At Home

There are only really several steps that are involved if you want to make beer at home. The first is to get yourself a beer kit, which is a kit that is going to include all of the different tools and materials that you are going to need to make the beer.

Then you need the four main ingredients, which are: water, malt, hops, and yeast. Water is the most abundant ingredient in any style of beer, malted barley is barley grain that has carefully been soaked in water until it sprouts and is then dried and used to make beer, hops balance out the sweetness by adding a degree of bitterness and also add a distinctive aroma to the finished brew, and finally, yeast is the catalyst which makes it all happen.

The next thing that you need to do is add all of the ingredients together using the beer kit, and there are usually instructions that come with each different beer kit because each kit usually has some different aspects to it.

You can even add your own decided flavors to the beer if you like, however you just want to make sure beforehand that you know what you are doing so that you do not use too much or too little and end up ruining the beer.

However even if you do make a mistake, you can just throw that batch out and make a new one, as practice is going to be the only way that you will be able to learn. After a few batches, you are going to be quite good at making your own beer, and you will be surprised at the freshness and tastiness of it, especially compared to the beer that you are used to drinking.

Just make sure that you are responsible and that you are not careless with a process such as this and overdo it.

Belgium and Beer: A Heavenly Match

In addition to some wonderful history, the country of Belgium is “The Beer country”. Bordering France, Luxembourg, Germany and The Netherlands, Belgium is in the heart of Europe. This technologically advanced member of NATO and the EU is truly a beer-lovers haven.

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So much so, in fact, that the Belgian Brewer’s Guild boasts that a beer lover could easily enjoy a different beer every day and not have to duplicate his selection for over a year. How’s that for choices, beer lovers?

In a practice that dates back a long time, some of Belgium’s more famous breweries are actually former monasteries. These are called trappiste breweries and are brewed by members of the monastic order. There are five well known trappiste breweries: Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, and Westveltren.

They all produce multiple types of beers with the exception of Orval. They believe that producing a single beer allows them to concentrate on one product and not lose focus by concentrating on multiple beers.

Most breweries produce a “dubble” or “tripple” variety, referring to the strength of the beer which is the result of the fermentation activity. The trappiste beers are bottle conditioned and are often stored in cellars where they can evolve into some wonderful beers with age.

More widely available are the “biere d’abbaye” or “abby beers” that are no longer brewed at the abbeys but have been contracted out to local brewers. The original formula is used by the brewer, but the beers are more plentiful to more modern brewing capabilities.

Recently, Belgian beers and ales have greatly influenced the brewing in America. A few examples of this are typified by Celis Brewery in Austin, Tx., New Belgium of Ft. Collins, Co., North Coast Brewing in Ft. Bragg, Ca., and Unibroue in Quebec.

If you haven’t already tried beers from Belgium, you’re in for a rare treat. After all, it’s not “The Beer Country” for nothing.

Learn How to Brew Your Own Beer

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(Click HERE to learn how to Brew your own beer) Beer drinkers see a pint of beer as a magical golden brew. Many have said that it’s surely the Nectar of the Gods. In reality, most beers are based on a basic four-ingredient recipe, and undergo a simple brewing process before bringing joy to the parched bar patrons of the world.

Beer is created using a basic mixture of water, hops, malted barley and yeast. Depending on the type of beer being brewed, taste enhancements such as flavourings and sugar will be added. Starches are also incorporated into the beer so that sugars will easily ferment during the brewing process. The fermented sugars add body and flavour, while increasing the alcohol content.

Brew Your Own Beer at Home

Water
Beer is mainly composed of water, so the source of the water and its characteristics has an important effect on the character of the beer. Many beer styles were influenced by the characteristics of water in the region. Some beer makers claim that spring water or mountain water create their unique flavour and body. Understanding the effects of water minerals can be complex, but basically soft water is suited to light brews, where hard water is more suitable for dark beers.

Hops
Since the seventeenth century, hops have been used as a popular bittering agent in beer. Adding hops is important, as the bitterness helps to counteract the sweetness of the malts. Hops also contribute a variety of aromas ranging from herbal to citrus. The bitterness in beer is generally measured using the International Bitterness Units scale. Hops also provide an antibiotic effect that favors the activity of brewer’s yeast over less desirable microorganisms.

Malt
Every beer requires malt in its basic recipe. Brew masters can choose to use malted oats, rye, wheat or rice, but malted barley is most commonly used. Malted barley has high amylase content, and a digestive enzyme that helps break the starches down into sugars. The choice of malts depends heavily on what grains are cultivated locally. To create malt the grains are soaked in water, allowed to germinate, then dried in a kiln. As grain is malted, naturally occurring enzymes work to gradually convert starches into fermentable sugars.

Yeast
Yeast is a living microorganism that creates fermentation. The brew master will choose from different strains of yeast, depending on the type of beer produced. Yeast helps metabolize sugars extracted from the grains, and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide as a result. Before the functions of yeast were fully understood, beers were fermented using wild or airborne yeasts. Today there is a variety of yeasts available, with ale yeast and lager yeast being most commonly used.

Clarifying agent
Many brewers prefer to add one or more clarifying agents to beer, but are not required to publish these agents as “ingredients”. Isinglas, bentonite, gelatin finings and Irish moss powder are all commonly used as clarification agents. Isinglas is a gelatinous substance obtained from the swim bladders of fish, so if you’re concerned about consuming animal products, be sure to ask of detailed content information from the brewer of your preferred beer.

If you are someone that wants to try and make his or her own beer at home, now you can. It is not as hard as some people make it sound. It is actually a lot of fun to create and make great tasting beer that you can drink and be proud of. Many different brewing kits that you can buy from the store that will help you with the process every step of the way.

When you are going to brew your own beer at home, you are going to need the following. You will have to have a malt extract, water, and brewers yeast. The malt extracts can be liquid and they are usually in the form of syrup. Dry extracts can be stored longer than the liquid form. You can find that there are many different extracts to choose from. You may find that it is easier to order these things online so that you can get your brewing started faster.

One thing that people do not know is that making beer is using almost all water. It is best to use spring water even though some people get good results with tap water as well. Yeast is another big part of making beer. Yeast is what ferments the malts and the sugars into the alcohol. This is what will release the carbon dioxide.

You will see that there are many different ways to make beer. The only way to do it is to find the recipe that you like best. You will see that there are certain ones that take longer than others and ones that will take no time at all. Figure out which one sounds better to you and then you will have a better idea of the entire process of making great beer.

It is important to be careful and sanitary. You need to make sure that all the equipment that you use is sterile. This is very important because you do not want to take any chances on the beer becoming tainted and someone getting sick from your invention.

Making your own beer is a great way to explore the creativity that you can do. It is something that you will only get better at over time and all of your pals and buddies will enjoy the fact that you can make them good tasting beer. That is something that you can be proud of.

Next time you pour yourself a cold pint, stop to consider the careful choice of ingredients and the lengthy brewing process that were involved in creating your little glass of heaven. Raise a toast to your brew master, and leave your car keys at home.