Beer has been around forever. There are pieces of evidence that beer was brewed as far back as 10000 BC during the Mesopotamian era. However, the fact that people have been drinking beer for thousands of years does not stop some people from spreading myths about this excellent beverage.
Although these people mean well, most of what they are saying about beer are pure myths that can easily be busted. Here are some of the standard beer myths that we can bust right now:
The Darker the Beer, the Stronger It Is
This misconception is about the strength of a beer. The strength of a beer refers to its alcohol content by volume or ABV. The commonly mass-produced beer that is regularly served at bars and restaurants have an ABV range from 2.5 % to 5 % ABV. Light beers are not classified according to their calorie content but by their ABV of having only 2.5%. Mid-strength beer in Australia has an ABV content of around 3.5 %, while the strong beer ranges from 4.5 % to 5% ABV.
However, there are extreme beers that can reach as high as 67.5 % ABV. One such beer is aptly named Snake Venom. Going back to the myth, it is not true that darker beers have higher ABV content. Guinness Draught, which many consider one of the darkest beers in the world, has only 4.2 % ABV, which is lower than the ABV of lighter coloured Budweiser. So, ranking the strength of beers based on colour is not right. The dark colour of a beer is dependent on the number of ingredients such as molasses that make them appear darker.
Beer Should Always be Served Ice Cold
The idea that beers should always be served ice cold is not true. When you serve beer ice cold, the temperature will numb your taste buds, and you will not be able to taste the real flavour of the beer. Likewise, some beers need to be served warmer or colder than others. Here are general rules in serving beer temperatures:
- All beers should be served at temperatures ranging from 3 degrees to 12 degrees celsius.
- Lager-type beers should be served colder than ales.
- Mid-strength beer in Australia should be served colder than beers with high ABV.
- Dark-coloured beers should be served warmer than light ones.
- Serve the beers a few degrees colder than the target temperature to give a buffer for the warming of the bottle or glass due to the heat transference from the drinker’s hands.
However, the final word regarding beer-serving temperature would be the customer. If a customer wants his beer ice-cold, then it means that he prefers it that way.
Beer is Bad for Your Health
‘Beer is bad for your health’ is always a mantra against people drinking beer. While this applies when you drink beer excessively, drinking beer in moderation will benefit your health. The health benefits you get by drinking beer in moderation include reduced chances of getting cardiovascular diseases, increase in vitamin B6 intake, and the prevention of kidney stones. Studies have also shown that drinking mid-strength beer in Australia leads to reduce resistance to insulin and improvement in blood sugar control.
There are still many more misconceptions about beer that need to be cleared up. However, having busted the above myths is enough, for now, to continue drinking beer peacefully.
