Byrons Liquor - BEER QUESTIONS

F.A.Q.'S: BEER

Q: Are "Malt Liquors" Beers?

ANSWER:Yes, technically but in some jurisdictions, no. The distinction between Beer and "Malt Liquors" is somewhat semantic. In most cases "Malt Liquors" have slightly higher percentages of alcohol by volume than other Beers (although many Barley Wines make these beverages look like teetotalers by comparison.) In the United States, I have only seen "Malt Liquors" sold in 40 ounce bottles, which is uncommon for Beer.

Q: Does age effect beer?

ANSWER: This is a complicated question? In general beer begins to deteriorate from the moment it is made........but a lot depends on how and where it was stored.....also style enters the mix. Some ales, especially English and Belgian can have much longer shelf lives. Some like Thomas Hardy Ale can actually have a 25 year shelf life if stored properly.....and as with wine some of these products improve with age.

Q: Is Sake Beer?

ANSWER: Well I would say it closer to beer than Rice Wine which some people still call it. The reason is that that Sake is a brewed cereal grain beverage, where as Wine is pressed fruit beverage. However, Sake isn't "spiced" like Beer is with Hops and Sake tends to have a much higher alcohol-by-volume than Beer does. Cold, unfiltered Sake is some of the best stuff you can ever drink, in my humble opinion.

Q: What are the classifications of Beer?

ANSWER: Most experts will say that a given Beer is either Ale or a Lager. The principle difference is in the yeast used in the Beer. Ales are fermented with strains of yeast thrive best at temperature between generally between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 or fewer days. Lagers are Beers based on yeast that do their best work between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 30 days. Ales are generally the more complex tasting, heavier, caloric, alcoholic and stylistically varied of the two. Lagers are generally lighter tasting; less complex, lower in alcohol and less have fewer recognized styles.

Q: What is Beer?

ANSWER: Technically, Beer is a solution that's mostly water, dissolved grain sugars and proteins, alcohol and other complex chemical compounds held in suspension. Beer can be though of as being liquid bread, since many of the same ingredients are used on both. The big difference -- aside from the whole solid vs. liquid thing -- is that whereas bread is normally baked wheat flour proofed by yeast, Beer is normally brewed malted barley with alcohol arising from the yeast. Bread is usually not spiced, but Beer is.

Q: What is Cider?

ANSWER: Fermented Apple Juice. Produced more like Wine than Beer and more alcoholic, like Mead. Fermented Pear Juice is known as Perry.

Q: What is Mead?

ANSWER: Honey fermented in water. If you replace the Cereal grains in beer with Honey and don't bother adding hops or boiling the mixture, you basically have Mead making down. Just like Beer, there is a vast variety of Meads and things you can do with them. Mead does not seem to enjoy the popularity of Beer or Wine for reasons that I can't really figure out. It may be that it's an acquired taste and that Mead can be very potent (from 7.5% to 15%, or about 150% to 300% that of average American beers.)

Q: What is stout?

ANSWER: Stout is a dark roast brew made like ale (top fermentation) English is usually sweet.......Irish dry (not sweet).

Q: What is the difference in beer and ale?

ANSWER: Beer refers to an alcoholic beverage made of fermented grain. Beer is made with bottom fermenting yeast fermented at a low temperature. Ale refers to a beer made with top fermenting yeast usually fermented at a higher temperature. Ale typically has a higher alcohol content with a fruity accent which comes from the relatively quick warmer fermentation.

Q: What is weisse beer?

ANSWER: Weisse is German for white. In beer terms it refers to a beer made from barley and wheat. It is a fruity refreshing light beer especially good on hot summer days. It is often served with a slice of lemon.

Q: Will it hurt the flavor of this beer if I take it cold and it gets warm before I refrigerate it?

ANSWER: Changing the temperature of the beer will necessarily affect the beer. The most important point is how warm and how long it stays warm. Heat is the culprit.....not the change of temperature. The most important consideration is how long the beer has been warm and how warm.