<div>Benjamin Franklin famously said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”<br /><br />Today, beer is the third most-consumed beverage after water and tea, and with 1.93 billion hectolitres brewed every year, we are well on our way to becoming a happier planet.<br /><br />The story of beer is inseparable from the history of the world.<br /><br />Brewing records go back 6,000 years, giving the Sumerians credit for the first pint. It was the Egyptians, however, who brought scale to beer, brewing a ration for the Pharaoh’s armies.<br /> <br />By the 5th century AD, beer brewing traveled to Europe where it was nurtured into an art form by monks. Monastic settlements commonly ran breweries to care for thirsty travellers and pilgrims. The word ‘beer’ has its roots in the Latin verb, ‘Bibere’, which means to drink. <br /><br />The 19th century saw the hearty brew change dramatically. A brewer named Josef Groll, mashed a batch of beer on Oct 5, 1842 in Plzen, now in the Czech Republic, creating the world’s first lager. Bohemia was also famous for glass-making and the combination of beer and glassware helped the golden lager gain popularity. This is now the most widely used brewing style in the world.<br /><br />Today, almost every country has its own brewing tradition, linked closely to the history of its people. Let’s raise a toast to this diversity as we take a look at what goes into making beer.<br /><br />To put it simply, beer is a fermented brew of water, malted grain, hops and yeast.<br /><strong><br />Water</strong><br />Some say beer is ‘water with feelings.’ Brewers around Burton-on-Trent in England would agree. The quality of their water made them the brewing capital of England and the home of classic bitter ales like Marston’s Pedigree. Today, technology makes it possible to replicate mineral content for a consistent brew in most parts of the world. <br /><strong><br />Grain </strong><br />Brewing begins with malted grain. The grain is soaked and allowed to germinate to turn it into fermentable starch. It is then dried and roasted. Variations in roasting makes for beers of different colours and differences in flavour.<br />Barley is the most commonly-used grain for malting. However, a few other grains may also find their way into your glass. Wheat imparts a quenching fruitiness and a foamy head. Malted or rolled oatmeal gives stout its silky smoothness. Rye makes a beer spicy, while rice and maize can lighten it.<br /><br /><strong>Hops </strong><br />These are the seasoning and spice in the barley meal! The resiny cones of this climbing plant act as preservative and flavouring agent. A master brewer chooses hops carefully to balance the sweetness of malt, lend aroma or make a brew more floral, citrusy or herbal.The most famous variety is the Bohemian Saaz.<br /><strong><br />Yeast </strong><br />It is the catalyst that turns grain and water into beer. It ferments starch sugars to produce alcohol and carbon-dioxide. Lo and behold, it’s beer! Strains of yeast in famous beers are closely-guarded secrets.<br /><strong><br />Other ingredients </strong><br />In addition to water, malt, hops and yeast, some brewers add surprises to their recipes for flavour and aroma. These can include honey, spices, herbs or fruit. <br /><br />Mostly beers fall into two categories — ale and lager. Lagers are usually recognizable by taste. Most are reasonably close to the original Pilsner with subtle differences. Try Warsteiner to taste a classic German Pilsner.<br /><br />Germany, with its long brewing history and its 500-year old Beer Purity Law, also offers you doppelbocks and eisenbocks, which are lager by the book but far from it on the palette. Paulaner Salvator, with its toffee-malt flavours, is one such example.<br /> <br />In contrast, oriental beers like Tsingtao use rice as an adjunct, making for a crisp, grainy brew. Ale dates back further than lager and was probably the first kind of beer to be brewed. Over time, different regions developed their own traditions that went beyond brewing to glassware, serving styles and so on.</div><table width="600" cellspacing="6" cellpadding="6" border="2"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Types Of Beer</strong></td></tr><tr><td><strong><img width="200" height="200" align="right" src="/image/image_gallery?uuid=d710b3b8-2a6f-4a63-90d6-16b5b8d503ef&groupId=222861&t=1401109618783" alt="" />Ale</strong><br /><br /><strong>Abbey Beers</strong><br />These fruity, full-bodied ales, like Leffe or Kappitel, are largely brewed in Belgium<br /><br /><strong>Bitter Ale</strong><br />Well-hopped pale ale, mostly from England. Best Bitter or Premium Bitter refers to a stronger brew<br /><br /><strong>India Pale Ale</strong><br />Refers to ales that were strongly-hopped to withstand long sea voyages to distant parts of the British Empire<br /><br /><strong>Old Ale</strong><br />Refers to dark, malty English ale, considered ‘winter warmers’. Eg: Robinson’s Old Tom<br /><strong><br />Porter</strong><br />The working man's drink in 18th century London. Notably darker than other ales, it was a precursor to Stout<br /><br /><strong>Stout</strong><br />Think Irish. A dark, creamy style of ale, it’s flavour can range from milky to plummy to deep mocha<br /><br /><strong>Weisse</strong><br />These pale-white, often cloudy, beers are as thirst-quenching as lager, but with all the flavour of ale. Eg: Erdinger<br /><br /><strong>Trappist</strong><br />Refers only to beers from the six Trappist monasteries of Belgium and one in the Netherlands. Eg: Orval<br /><br /><strong>Lager</strong><br /><br /><strong>Pilsener</strong><br />The original lager. Pale malts used in the brewing process give it a pale to golden yellow colour. Eg: Warsteiner<br /><br /><strong>European Lager</strong><br />These are classic lagers. Nicely hopped, they use barley malt. Eg: Heineken, Carlsberg<br /><br /><strong>German Lager</strong><br />There are different styles such as Bock which are stronger and more bitter and Helles which have a sweet malty taste<br /><br /><strong>American Lager</strong><br />Modestly hopped compared to German lagers. Sometimes use rice or maize in addition to barley malt. Eg: Budweiser</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br />Explore these vastly varied styles, using all your senses.<br /><br /><strong>See</strong><br />Hold the beer to light. Is it a clear gold? Does it resemble a smokey jewel? Or is it black as night?<br /><strong><br />Swirl</strong><br />Swirl your beer gently in the glass to release aroma and nuance. Do you see bubbles rising slowly? Is the head high and cottony or like a veil of lace? <br /><strong><br />Smell</strong><br />Breathe in through your nose and mouth. What do you smell? Warm bread? Clove? Fresh grass? Coffee? <br /><strong><br />Sip</strong><br />What does the taste remind you of? Honey? Chocolate? Lemonade? Spice? Does the beer feel silky or fizzy? Thick or thin? Light or rich?<br /><br />Every beer has a story — not just about aroma and flavour, but about time and events that shaped cultures. <br /><br />It is not possible for anyone to know everything there is to know about beer. But for the intrepid traveller, this world has many rich and rewarding journeys to offer. Cheers. <br /><br />(This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 16-06-2014)</div>