Beer

Beer is the oldest and one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the world. Beer is produced by the fermentation and brewing of malted barley, wheat and rice. The bitter flavor of beer comes from the plant and flower called hops. Today the beer industry is a global business with many multinational companies and thousands of smaller breweries.

The making or producing of beer is called brewing.

The building where beer is processed is called a brewery. When beer is made on a domestic scale it is home brewing. Brewing is done to convert the starch into a liquid called wort and then to convert the wort into beer.

The basic ingredients in beer are water and, malted barley (which is starch plus corn, rice or sugar). The amount of starch used in a beer recipe is called the grain bill. Water is the key ingredient in beer. Different regions have different minerals in their water and as a result, certain regions are better suited to making particular kind of beer. For example, the waters of Burton in England have gypsum which is good for making pale ale. The hard water in Dublin Ireland is perfect for making Guinness or stout.

Today there are many varieties of beer. The brewing regions of Europe include Germany, Belgium, the UK, Ireland, Poland the Netherlands, Austria, Scanadavia and the Czech Republic. Each country has local varieties of beer. In some countries such as the United States and Canada, European styles of brewing beer have been adopted.

Beer is measured and reviewed by its strength, color and bitter taste. It is widely consumed in countries all over the world and is associated with many activities and traditions. Games such as cards and darts are often connected to beer drinking as is watching and attending sports events.