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The Beer Portal

Introduction

P:Beer

Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic drinks in the world, the most widely consumed, and the third most popular drink after water and tea. Beer is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grains—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The fermentation of the starch sugars in the wort produces ethanol and carbonation in the beer. Most modern beer is brewed with hops, which add bitterness and other flavours and act as a natural preservative and stabilising agent. Other flavouring agents, such as gruit, herbs, or fruits, may be included or used instead of hops. In commercial brewing, natural carbonation is often replaced with forced carbonation.

Some of the earliest writings refer to the production and distribution of beer: the Code of Hammurabi included laws regulating it, and "The Hymn to Ninkasi", a prayer to the Mesopotamian goddess of beer, a recipe for it.

Beer is distributed in bottles and cans and is also commonly available on draught, particularly in pubs and bars. The brewing industry is a global business, consisting of several dominant multinational companies and many thousands of smaller producers ranging from brewpubs to regional breweries. The strength of modern beer is usually around 4% to 6% alcohol by volume (ABV).

Beer forms part of the culture of many nations and is associated with social traditions such as beer festivals, as well as activities like pub crawling, pub quizzes, and pub games. (Full article...)

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Image 1

Bottle of Bitburger Winterbock

Bock (German: [bɔk] ) is a strong German beer, usually a dark lager. (Full article...)
Image 2
A filtered lager beer

Filtered beer refers to any ale, lager, or fermented malt beverage in which the sediment left over from the brewing process has been removed. Ancient techniques included the use of straw mats, cloth, or straws, and frequently left some sediment in the drink. Modern filtration, introduced at the end of the 19th century, uses a mechanical process that can remove all sediment, including yeast, from the beer. Such beer is known as bright beer and requires force carbonation before bottling or serving from a keg. In the United Kingdom, a beer which has been filtered in the brewery is known as "brewery-conditioned", as opposed to unfiltered cask ales. (Full article...)
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Light beer from Poland

Light beer is a beer, usually a pale lager, that is reduced in alcohol content or in calories compared to regular beers. Light beers may be chosen by beer drinkers who wish to manage their alcohol consumption or their calorie intake; however, they are sometimes criticised for being less flavourful than full-strength beers, or for tasting or actually being watered down.
After some scattered fits and starts, light beer began to be mass marketed and accepted by American consumers in the early to mid-1970s, following two years of test marketing and promotion. This was followed by a nationwide rollout of Miller Lite in 1975 (then known merely as "Lite Beer from Miller"). (Full article...)
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The Beer Party (German: die Bierpartei, BIER) is an Austrian satirical political party. Founded in 2014, it was originally known as the Beer Party of Austria (Bierpartei Österreich) and used the corresponding abbreviation BPÖ until its renaming in 2020. The party's activity is confined to Vienna, where BIER first appeared on ballots in the 2019 Austrian legislative election and appeared again in the 2020 Viennese state election. As of 2020, it has been unable to amass the votes required for representation in the National Council, Federal Council, or the Landtage, claiming 0.6% of Viennese votes in 2019 and 1.8% in 2020. However, the party was able to win mandates in 11 of Vienna's districts. The party is organized purely at the federal level without state parties. (Full article...)
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South Korean beer on display for sale in July 2008

Beer, called maekju (Korean: 맥주; Hanja: 麥酒) in Korean, was first introduced to Korea in the early 20th century. Seoul's first brewery opened in 1908. Two current major breweries date back to the 1930s. The third brewery established in Korea, Jinro Coors Brewery, was founded in the 1990s. It was later acquired by Oriental Breweries (OB). Hite Breweries's former name was Chosun Breweries, which was established in 1933. The company changed its name to Hite Breweries in 1998. OB Breweries established as Showa Kirin Breweries in 1933. The company changed its name to OB Breweries in 1995.

The South Korean beer market is currently dominated by two major manufacturers, Hite-Jinro and OB, with several brands being sold in the local market. Most restaurants and bars in Korea only have one of these beer brands on tap (Hite or OB's Cass), as they are largely regarded to be similar in taste and price (they are mostly brewed from rice). Imported beers are widely available in Korea, but are generally expensive - usually costing at least ₩8,000 and as much as ₩15,000 for a pint of Guinness in bars in downtown Seoul, versus approximately ₩3,000 for local brands. Recently, microbreweries have sprouted up throughout the country, showing increasing signs of sophistication. Out of South Korea's mass-produced beers, only two are brewed from 100% barley malt: Max (Hite) and OB Golden Lager. (Full article...)
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Blow my skull is an alcoholic punch drink that originated in mid-19th century Australia. As listed in The English and Australian Cookery Book by Edward Abbott, it calls for two pints of boiling water, sugar loaf, lime or lemon juice, one pint of ale or porter, one pint rum, and a half a pint of brandy. It has been described as a "notoriously potent alcoholic concoction".

Some alternatively call the drink blow my skull off, which may also refer to a historical version made instead by the mixing of rum, Cocculus indicus, "spirits of wine", cayenne pepper, Turkish opium and water. (Full article...)
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Tour of Lonerider Brewing, Raleigh, North Carolina

Craft beer tourism refers to tourism where the primary motivation of travel is to visit a brewery, beer festival, beer related activity or other event that allows attendees to experience all aspects of the craft beer-making, consuming and purchasing process. Travel and tourism constitute one of the largest industries in the world, with Americans spending a total of $1.1 trillion in domestic and international travel in 2018. The beer tourism industry has evolved from the larger culinary and beverage tourism category in which people began planning travels based around experiencing food and drink of different geographies. Informally, vacations centric to the theme of enjoying beer have been dubbed "beercations". (Full article...)
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A 16th-century brewery

Brewing is the production of beer by steeping a starch source (commonly cereal grains, the most popular of which is barley) in water and fermenting the resulting sweet liquid with yeast. It may be done in a brewery by a commercial brewer, at home by a homebrewer, or communally. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BC, and archaeological evidence suggests that emerging civilizations, including ancient Egypt, China, and Mesopotamia, brewed beer. Since the nineteenth century the brewing industry has been part of most western economies.

The basic ingredients of beer are water and a fermentable starch source such as malted barley. Most beer is fermented with a brewer's yeast and flavoured with hops. Less widely used starch sources include millet, sorghum and cassava. Secondary sources (adjuncts), such as maize (corn), rice, or sugar, may also be used, sometimes to reduce cost, or to add a feature, such as adding wheat to aid in retaining the foamy head of the beer. The most common starch source is ground cereal or "grist" - the proportion of the starch or cereal ingredients in a beer recipe may be called grist, grain bill, or simply mash ingredients. (Full article...)
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Beer (known as bia in Swahili) and alcohol is an integral part of Tanzanian society and local brands hold a strong sense of national pride among the Tanzanian population. There is a considerable amount of brewing and drinking done in the country. Tanzania ranks 6th in Africa for beer consumption and contributes to over 3% of the African consumption. However, over 90% of the national consumption is either homemade or from the informal sector. Bottled beer is expensive for the majority of the population and is almost 6 times more expensive than the maize beers. Nonetheless, beer sales and taxes are a vital part of the Tanzanian economy.

Beer is largely dominated by Tanzania Breweries Limited and East African Breweries Limited under the local company Serengeti Breweries Limited. Both companies have some of the largest revenues in the country and are listed on the stock exchange. Tanzania Breweries Limited is the largest taxpayer in the country and made over 3 trillion Tanzanian shillings in revenue in 2022. (Full article...)
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Beer in India has been prepared from rice or millet for thousands of years. In the 18th century, the British introduced European beer to India. Beer is not as popular as stronger alcoholic beverages like desi daru and Indian-made foreign liquor, such as Indian whiskey. The most popular beers in India are strong beers.

Beer-like sura has been produced in India since the Vedic era (c. 1500–1200 BCE, Rig Veda), rice beer has been produced by the native tribes since ancient times, European beer imports to India from England started in 1716, introduced by the British raj. Lion beer, produced continuously since the 1820s, is Asia's first beer brand, and the first Indian brewed European style beer. (Full article...)
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Beer glassware (from left to right): Pilstulpe, tasting glass, snifter, Willibecher

Beer glassware comprise vessels made of glass, designed or commonly used for serving and drinking beer. Styles of glassware vary in accord with national or regional traditions; legal or customary requirements regarding serving measures and fill lines; such practicalities as breakage avoidance in washing, stacking or storage; commercial promotion by breweries; artistic or cultural expression in folk art or as novelty items or usage in drinking games; or to complement, to enhance, or to otherwise affect a particular type of beer's temperature, appearance and aroma, as in the case of its head.
Drinking vessels intended for beer are made from a variety of materials other than glass, including pottery, pewter, and wood. (Full article...)
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Cream ale is a style of American beer which is light in color and well attenuated, meaning drier. First crafted in the mid-1800s at various breweries in the United States, cream ale remained a very localized form with different styles until the early 20th century. During Prohibition in the United States, a great number of Canadian brewers took up brewing cream ale, refining it to some degree. Following the end of Prohibition, cream ale from Canada became popular in the United States and the style was produced anew in both nations. (Full article...)
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Barley wines range in colour from translucent deep amber, to cloudy mahogany (left), to near opaque black (right).

Barley wine (often stylised barleywine) is a strong ale from 6–12% alcohol by volume. (Full article...)
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Hop flower in a hop yard in the Hallertau, Germany

Hops are the flowers (also called seed cones or strobiles) of the hop plant Humulus lupulus, a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to which, in addition to bitterness, they impart floral, fruity, or citrus flavours and aromas. Hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine. The hops plants have separate female and male plants, and only female plants are used for commercial production. The hop plant is a vigorous, climbing, herbaceous perennial, usually trained to grow up strings in a field called a hopfield, hop garden (in the South of England), or hop yard (in the West Country and United States) when grown commercially. Many different varieties of hops are grown by farmers around the world, with different types used for particular styles of beer.

The first documented use of hops in beer is from the 9th century, though Hildegard of Bingen, 300 years later, is often cited as the earliest documented source. Before this period, brewers used a "gruit", composed of a wide variety of bitter herbs and flowers, including dandelion, burdock root, marigold, horehound (the old German name for horehound, Berghopfen, means "mountain hops"), ground ivy, and heather. Early documents include mention of a hop garden in the will of Charlemagne's father, Pepin the Short. (Full article...)
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Beer mile competitors at the starting line

A beer mile is a 1-mile (1.6 km) drinking race combining running and speed drinking. Typically, the race takes place on a standard 400-metre or 1/4-mile running track. The race begins at the 1-mile starting line with the consumption of a 12-US-fluid-ounce (355 ml) beer, followed by a full lap around the track. The next three laps continue in a similar manner: another 12-ounce beer is consumed before commencing the running of each lap. Following the completion of the fourth running lap (and four beers), a competitor has finished the race.

In North America, 12 US ounces of beer are consumed from a can or bottle before every lap. A set of rules has been defined and published by BeerMile.com. (Full article...)

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Stones Bitter is a beer manufactured and distributed in the United Kingdom by the North American brewer Molson Coors. It is a bitter with a straw-golden hue. Stones Bitter was first brewed in 1948 by William Stones Ltd at the Cannon Brewery in Sheffield. It was designed for the local steelworkers and became successful in its local area, becoming one of Sheffield's best known products.

The brewing giant Bass Charrington acquired William Stones in 1968, and began to heavily promote the keg variant of Stones Bitter, which eventually became the highest selling bitter in the country. However the keg version was promoted at the expense of the traditional unpasteurised and unfiltered cask conditioned version. In the 1990s, the ABV of Stones was gradually reduced, and, as ale sales declined, Stones reverted from a national into a regional brand. Following the closure of the Cannon Brewery, Stones has been brewed at a number of different breweries. When Bass exited its brewing business, Stones became a Coors brand (later Molson Coors). (Full article...)

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William Henry Clark (c.1815–1870) was an early settler and brewer in Adelaide, in the Colony of South Australia. He was the founder of the Halifax Street Brewery around 1844 (sold in 1856), and in 1859 was responsible for the building of a brewery at the western end of Hindley Street. However he fell into insolvency, leaving the state in 1860 to avoid his debtors, and the Hindley Street brewery taken over by William Knox Simms, later becoming the West End Brewery. (Full article...)

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Did you know (auto-generated) - load more entries

... that Pope Pius IX gave the monks of Saint Vincent Archabbey permission to brew Saint Vincent Beer?
... that the debate in "Game On" invokes the beer question?
... that the country song "Beer Beer, Truck Truck" was based on a viral TikTok video by Erynn Chambers intended to satirize country music?
... that the patu clubs on the New Zealand threepence were compared to bottles of ginger beer?
... that late arrivals at American colonial-era inns might find that the only drink on offer was Whistle Belly Vengeance, a mixture of sour beer, molasses and bread crusts?
... that some online social and "Barstool conservatives" spent their Christmas holidays arguing about whether a beer promotional calendar was "demonic"?

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General images

The following are images from various beer- and brewing-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Steamworks Brewing, Vancouver (from Craft beer)
Image 2Põhjala Brewery, Estonia (from Craft beer)
Image 3A 16th-century brewery (from Brewing)
Image 4Brew kettles at Brasserie La Choulette in France (from Brewing)
Image 5Casks of real ale from British microbreweries at a beer festival (from Craft beer)
Image 6Bergenhus microbrewery, Bergen, Norway (from Craft beer)
Image 7Pasteur Street Brewing, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (from Craft beer)
Image 8Conditioning tanks at Anchor Brewing Company (from Brewing)
Image 9Dogo Beer from Minakuchi-shuzō microbrewery in Matsuyama, Japan (from Craft beer)
Image 10Spent grain, a brewing by-product (from Brewing)
Image 11Microbreweries, regional breweries, and brew pubs per capita (from Craft beer)
Image 12Spontaneous fermentation at Timmermans in Belgium (from Brewing)
Image 13A funerary model of a bakery and brewery, from the Eleventh dynasty of Egypt, c. 2009–1998 BCE (from History of beer)
Image 14A hydrometer measures beer's specific gravity (from History of beer)
Image 15Hop cone grown in a hop field, Hallertau, Germany (from Brewing)
Image 16Bill Urquhart at Litchborough Brewery (from Craft beer)
Image 17The Alulu beer receipt records a purchase of "best" beer from a brewer, c. 2050 BC from the Sumerian city of Umma in Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq). (from Brewing)
Image 18Diatomaceous earth, used to create a filtration bed (from Brewing)
Image 19Zoigl beers from the communal brewhouses of Oberpfalz in Germany (from Craft beer)
Image 20A yard of ale at Jolly Brewery, Taiwan (from Craft beer)
Image 21Malted barley before kilning or roasting (from Brewing)
Image 22Open vessels showing fermentation taking place (from Brewing)
Image 23World beer consumption per capita (from History of beer)
Image 24Gambrinus – king of beer (from History of beer)
Image 25A selection of French craft beers (from Craft beer)
Image 26A can of Juicy Ass IPA from Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery in Barrie, Ontario, Canada (from Craft beer)
Image 27Philistine pottery beer jug (from History of beer)
Image 28A mash tun at the Bass Museum in Burton-upon-Trent (from Brewing)
Image 29A beer sommelier tapping a barrel for a taste at Nebraska Brewing Company (from Craft beer)
Image 30Bottling beer in a modern facility, 1945, Australia (from History of beer)
Image 31Yeast ring used by Swedish homebrewers in the 19th century to preserve the yeast between brewing sessions. (from History of beer)
Image 32Robohop, a session IPA from Cervisiam in Oslo, Norway (from Craft beer)
Image 33Modern closed fermentation vessels (from Brewing)
Image 34A replica of ancient Egyptian beer, brewed from emmer wheat by the Courage brewery in 1996 (from History of beer)
Image 35Mexican craft beer from Tequixquiac in Zumpango Region (from Craft beer)
Image 36D. G. Yuengling & Son is the oldest operating brewing company in the US, established in 1829. It is also the largest craft brewer, and the 6th largest brewing company overall. (from Craft beer)
Image 37Craft brewing at Allagash in Portland, Maine (from Craft beer)
Image 38The Caledonian Brewery, founded in 1869, Edinburgh, Scotland (from History of beer)
Image 39A 16th-century brewery (from History of beer)
Image 40Traditional fermenting building (center) and modern fermenting building (left) in Pilsner Urquell Brewery (Czech Republic) (from History of beer)
Image 41Cask ales with gravity dispense at a beer festival (from Brewing)
Image 42Rock mortars in Raqefet Cave, used to make beer during the Stone Age. (from History of beer)
Image 43Great Leap Brewing operates a chain of brewpubs in China (from Craft beer)
Image 44Smoked beer from the Schlenkerla brewpub in Bamberg, Germany (from Craft beer)
Image 45Irish Craft Beer Festival, 2015 (from Craft beer)
Image 46Lauter tun (from Brewing)
Image 47Alulu beer receipt recording a purchase of "best" beer from a brewer, c. 2050 BCE, from the Sumerian city of Umma in ancient Iraq. (from History of beer)
Image 48Castaña, a smoked beer with chestnuts from Cerex in Extremadura, Spain (from Craft beer)
Image 49A growler of beer from Flounder Brewing, a nanobrewery in New Jersey, US (from Craft beer)