7 Myths Ever Beer Lover Should Know

7 Myths Ever Beer Lover Should Know

 

Edmonton International BeerFest

Edmonton International BeerFest

If you are a beer lover, chances are you have heard stories about your favorite beverage. What you may not know is that some of the stories that you have been hearing are falsehoods, not facts. The next time you reach into your refrigerator to grab a brewski, there you should be able to tell the difference between the facts and fiction.

1. Temperature Can Skunk the Beer

Many brewski drinkers believe that if the temperature of the liquid fluctuates, it will have a negative effect on the taste. This is not true. When the beverage is brewed, the breweries fill the bottles and cans with a cold ale. It usually stays cold when it is delivered to the store. There are many stores who will put the product on the store floor until it is purchased. Finally, when you get your drinks home, you put it in the refrigerator. Through all of these temperature changes, the beverage won’t lose its taste. One thing that will skunk the brewski is sunlight. This is why many breweries use brown bottles. Clear bottles and green bottles allow the contents to be exposed to light and making them taste like skunk. This is why many breweries don’t use these color bottles.

2. Bottles Are Better Than Cans

There are many people who think that bottled brewskies are better than cans. Part of the reason for this myth is that most craft beers are usually in a bottle. What you may not know is that craft beers brewers are using cans more often. Some people say that canned brewskis have a metallic taste. While this was true years ago, breweries now use a chemical liner in the can. This will prevent the contents from tasting like metal. The truth is that cans are better. They are lighter which saves on shipping costs which is why cans are cheaper than bottles. Cans are also more recyclable. In addition, cans are often sold at sporting events and establishments where glass bottles are not allowed. Finally, cans are not transparent, therefore, the contents cannot be exposed to the sunlight which can have a negative effect on the taste.

3. Dark Beers Are Stronger and More Bitter

All dark brewskis are not stronger and more bitter than light ones. While some dark beers are, there are some dark beers that are just dark in color as a result of the malt that is used and it won’t affect the taste. When it comes to the strength of your favorite brand, color has nothing to do with it. Stronger beers will have more sugar in the initial wort. This can occur in both dark and light beers and it all depends on how it is fermented.

4. Beer Needs To Be Served Ice Cold

There are many people who won’t drink a brewski unless it is ice cold because they believe that it should be. The truth is that this beverage can be cold, but if it is too cold, it can mask the flavor. There is a certain formula that you should follow based on the type that you are drinking.

  • American Larger: Serving temperature- 34 degrees
  • Stout: Serving temperature- 55 degrees also known a cellar temperature
  • Craft Beers: Serving temperature 40 to 55 degrees

5. A Beer’s Foam Is Your Enemy

Most people believe that a perfectly poured brewski won’t have any foam at the top. These people hate the thought of sifting through the foam to get to the actual drink. This is actually a myth. A good glass of suds will have a finger and a half of head on the top. This foam will actually trap the flavor and the aroma of the beverage in the glass. While some head is good, too much is bad. If you have too much head in your glass, it will release too much carbonation, resulting in a flat drink. The foam in a brewski is just 25 percent beer. If your glass is half foam, you won’t be getting as much brewski as you are paying for.

6. Wine Is More Complex Than Most Beers

Most brewski drinkers have at least one friend who says they won’t drink a few beers because it is too simple. This is not true. Brewskis has over 700 different flavor profiles while wine has only half that amount. Therefore, a brewski is more complex than wine.

7. ”Beers Before Liquor, Never Been Sicker”

There is a drinking saying that many people abide by. It says, “Beers before liquor, never been sicker. Liquor before beers, in the clear.” This saying is right and it is wrong. There are no components in liquor and a few beers that make it better to drink one first. However, if you are at home sipping on a few beers, you will get a small buzz. When you get to the bar and you start drinking shots, you get drunk after the fact. If you are at home drinking shots, you will be drunk when you get to the bar and you are more likely to sip your brewski.

If you love to have a few cold beers on a night out, you should know the facts and the fiction regarding your favorite alcoholic beverage.

Our annual BeerFest in Edmonton offers some of the best selections from the micro brewing community. Tickets for the 2018 International Beerfest are on sale now! Buy tickets today before the event sells out!

Top 5 Drinking Games

Top 5 Drinking Games

It is BEERFEST TIME, so in celebration I thought we should have a list of drinking games. These will provide you with hours of fun and a MASSIVE headache. Enjoy!

beerpongBeer Pong

This is a classic game that can be played at the bar. The only materials needed are Plastic drinking cups and a Ping-Pong ball. The object of the game is to arrange the cups in the form of a pyramid so the tip is facing your opponent. Each team will arrange their cups to face the other team. . Once this has been done and each team is on the opposite end of the table, players will take turns tossing a Ping-Pong ball towards a cup on the other end of the table. The shot must be a direct one and the ball may not take a bounce. If the player succeeds in throwing the ball in the cup the other player must drink and empty that cup of its contents. The team or player that makes the other drink all of their cups first will win.

 

flipsipstripFlip, Sip, Strip

This is an easy game that can be played creating a fun environment. All players will need is a drink in their hands and one quarter or coin. The object of the game is to toss the coin into the air and while it is still in the air the player must call it. If the player guesses correctly he passes the coin on to his right. However if the player guesses incorrectly he must choose whether to drink a shot or strip an article of clothing. The game gets tricky because a player cannot pick the same thing twice in a row.

 

Drinking-Games-BoxingBoxing

This is a simple fast paced game that will end when one player pukes or quits. The game has two main players and 1 or two players in each corner to help their boxer out. Players will have a shot in front of them that will be their penalty if they get “hit”. Both players roll a die and the one that rolls the higher value “hits” their opponent. The player that has been “hit” will proceed to drink his shot and his team will rapidly refill the shot glass and they roll again. The game can be played in 30-second rounds and the object of the game is to move quickly and have multiple hits per round. The match is over when a player pukes or quits the game.

 

quartersQuarters

The origin of this game is unknown; however the fun it can inspire is far from a myth. This game is best played with 3 or more players. The object of this game is to sit around a table with a glass in the center. Each player will take a turn to bounce the quarter on its side and try to get it to land inside the empty glass in the center. If a player manages to get the coin in the glass he will pick another player to drink. The amount will vary according to the rules and wagers set by each group. Making higher wagers and increasing the distance from where the bounce must occur can alter the game while making it more challenging.

 

flipcupFlip-Cup

The object of the game is to split into two teams, each with 3 to 4 people in them. Players will have a plastic cup that can have either beer or a shot in them; this will depend on each player. The object of the game is that players must begin in order and drink the content of their cup; they will then place the cup on the edge of the table and flip it. They must make the cup land upside-down, once this is done the next player may drink and flip their own cup. This game is played as a relay race; the first team to finish wins. The losing team can have additional drinks as penalties.

 

Images via http://www.drinkinggamezone.com/

How to throw a Beer-tastic Party!

How to throw a Beer-tastic Party!

There are many different ways to host an amazing beer party, but there are a few things that you should always keep in mind while planning one. There will be two key ingredients to every party these are: the beer and the people. You will want to take your time with the first one.

There are literally thousands and thousands of different beer brands, and hundreds of varieties as well. A true beer lover will always have their preferred style and brand. However this is not a party for one, so the first rule when selecting the beer for a party is now your audience. You will want to have varieties that your guests enjoy or that you think they will enjoy when they try them.

While it is true that some people can just guzzle down any type of beer you want to keep an open mind while planning your party. You will want to select a variety of beers that will give people the opportunity to test and experiment with their palate. They will enjoy this new experience and probably thank you for it as well. It is important not to feel bad if you make a selection that someone does not enjoy as much because all of our tastes are different. If this happens just pass them a different one.

The second key factor to an awesome time is the people. When planning this type of party you will want to invite those over who you know will enjoy beer tasting. This will give them an opportunity to expand their horizons and try new things. In the end you can invite who ever you want as long as they are coming in with an open mind and anxious to have fun. Remember to have a fridge, mini fridge or cooler available to place your beers in. it is very important to keep the beers cold!

There is nothing like a nice cold beer and good company. So relax and open your first beer because you are about to have a great time!

Top 5 Most Expensive Beers

Top 5 Most Expensive Beers

While most people will only spend a few dollars to enjoy their favorite beer, they would be surprised when told that some beer lovers spend more than $400 dollars on a single bottle of beer. These high end beers are not for the average drinker and most are produced in a limited number. Some of the top 5 most expensive beers are:-

5. Samuel Adams’ Utopias

utopiasABV 27%

Cost $150 per bottle

Volume-700ml

Samuel Adams’ Utopias is the only American brewed beer that makes it to the top five most expensive beers. Named in honor of the American revolutionary hero, Samuel Adams’ Utopias was first produced in 2002 with an ABV of 24% which was eventually increased to 27%.

Every year, a limited number of bottles are released. The beer is packed in ceramic bottles that resemble cooper finished brewing kettles. Samuel Adams’ Utopias is banned in 13 states due to legal restrictions.

4. Schorschbräu Schorschbock 57

scABV 57.5%

Cost $275 per bottle

Volume-330ml

The Schorschbräu Schorschbock 57 beat the BrewDogs End of History to become the strongest beer in the world in 2011. Though the German brewer wanted a higher ABV, these was not feasible as it would have violated the 500 year Germanic beer purity law. Only 36 bottles of the Schorschbräu Schorschbock 57 were ever made

 

3. Carlsberg Jacobsen Vintage No. 1

Vintage_0002ABV 10.5%

Cost $400 per bottle

Volume-375ml

The Carlsberg Jacobsen Vintage No. 1 is brewed by Jacobsen Brew house and only available in Denmark. This 2008 vintage is a brown colored beer that is made from the finest caramel and hops. It is then aged in French and Swedish oak barrels for six months in old wine cellars. With 600 bottles from the first vintage, this beer is found in the finest restaurants across Copenhagen.

 

2.BrewDogs End of History

brewdog_taxidermy211_534ABV 55%

Cost $765 per bottle

Volume-330ml

This controversial Scottish beer is also one of the most expensive you can have. Formerly the world’s strongest beer until the Schorschbock came along, BrewDogs End of History is made by mixing juniper berries and nettles from the Scottish highlands.

It’s insane alcohol levels are achieve by freezing and distilling it multiple times. This Scottish beer has the distinction of being packaged in carcasses of taxidermied hares, squirrels or weasel. Only 12 bottles were ever produced.

 

1. Antarctic Nail Ale

Antarctic_beer_bottleABV 10%

Cost $800 – 1800 per bottle

Volume-500ml

This is so far the most expensive beer to date. It is brewed by the Perth based, Nail brewing. First brewed in late 2010, this beer’s price tag is up the sky because the water that is used to brew it comes from the Antarctic.

Sea shepherd’s scientists flew to the Antarctic where they dug up ice which was melted for the brew process. Only 30 bottles of this beer were ever made with its first bottle being sold for $800 in September 2011