The world of beer is quite vast. Historians have found that the first mention of beer was written in Mesopotamia about 3,900 years ago. In our time, worldwide, there are thought to be 10,000 breweries; 86% of those are in the US and Europe. There are lots of different styles, and I hope to cover many in this blog.

Beer can be classified under two umbrellas, lager or ale. There are a few others that incorporate brewing techniques from both classifications but I won't get into that here. Lager uses a bottom-fermenting yeast and is brewed at a much cooler temperature resulting in a lighter, crisper beer. Styles in this category include Pilsners, Vienna lagers, Schwarzbier (black lager) and Oktoberfest (Marzen). Lagers were born in Bavaria, Germany in the early 19^th century, and that’s why most of the lager classification features German names. Conversely, ale uses a top-fermenting yeast and is brewed at warmer temperatures. These usually have a much more complex flavor profile. Styles under this category include stouts, porters, India pale ales, Belgian ales, and wheat ales. This is the oldest style of beer. 

This is an age-old question! Here are the facts. Cans preserve the taste much better. Bottles allow in light, which can give the beer a "skunky" flavor. Cans are also easier to store and they are easier to recycle. Cans also keep beer fresher, longer. Bottles are good for cellaring (aging) beer. Bottles also preserve esters, which are fruit-like flavors common in Hefeweizens and Belgian ales. Most breweries are switching exclusively to cans outside of a few special releases. It boils down to personal preference, but cans are superior to bottles.

Just as (some) beer is better cold, beer is better out of a glass! Drinking beer from a glass helps accentuate the aroma of the beer. It opens the beer up and allows you to appreciate the beer's bouquet. The beer style usually defines the glassware you use. The shape of the glass will help showcase and highlight the flavor of the beer. Also, a glass will help you get a good look at the beer and its color and head retention. A glass affects the way the beer feels in your mouth, depending on the size and shape of the glass.

This is a question we get all the time. The truth is the beer we have received from our wholesalers has gone from cold to hot many times. The main thing to know is that excessive heat can ruin beer. It’s a bad idea to store beer anywhere that isn’t climate controlled—especially in the heat of the summer. If you’re buying beer that isn't going into the fridge immediately, keep it room temperature. If you want it to taste as the brewery intended, don’t store your beer in your garage or the trunk of your car!

Hopefully this answered some questions. This doesn't cover nearly half of what there is to know and learn about the world of beer. If you’re interested in learning more, I suggest Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher. It has a ton of great information in it. All in all, like any beverage, drink beer you like the way you like to drink it!