Beverages Articles

Article / Updated 10-24-2023

The following list has been compiled by the Beer Judge Certification Program and is used by the American Homebrewers Association for competitive purposes. This hierarchical list presents an overview of all the world's beer styles (along with Cider and Mead). All beers are categorized as Ale, Lager or Mixed Style; under each of these headings are listed all of the major beer styles (in capital letters) and their sub-styles. ALE ENGLISH PALE ALE Standard Ordinary Bitter Special / Best Bitter Extra Special / Strong Bitter SCOTTISH AND IRISH ALE Scottish Light 60 Scottish Heavy 70 Scottish Export 80 Irish Red Ale Scotch Strong Ale AMERICAN ALE American Pale Ale American Amber Ale American Brown Ale ENGLISH BROWN ALE Mild Southern English Brown Ale Northern English Brown Ale PORTER Brown Porter English Porter Baltic Porter STOUT Dry Stout Sweet Stout Oatmeal Stout Foreign Extra Stout American Stout Russian Imperial Stout INDIA PALE ALE English IPA American IPA Imperial IPA BELGIAN AND FRENCH ALE Witbier Belgian Pale Ale Saison Biere de Garde SOUR ALE Berliner Weisse Flanders Red Ale Straight (unblended) Lambic Gueuze Fruit Lambic BELGIAN STRONG ALE Belgian Blonde Ale Belgian Dubbel Belgian Tripel Belgian Golden Strong Ale Belgian Dark Strong Ale STRONG ALE Old Ale English Barley Wine American Barley Wine LAGER LIGHT LAGER Lite American Lager Standard American Lager Premium American Lager Munich Helles Dortmunder Export PILSENER German Pilsener (Pils) Bohemian Pilsener Classic American Pilsener EUROPEAN AMBER LAGER Vienna Lager Oktoberfest / Märzen DARK LAGER Dark American Lager Munich Dunkel Schwarzbier (black beer) BOCK Maibock / Helles Bock Traditional Bock Doppelbock Eisbock MIXED STYLE LIGHT HYBRID BEER Cream Ale Blonde Ale Kölsch American Wheat or Rye AMBER HYBRID BEER Northern German Altbier California Common Beer Dusseldorf Altbier GERMAN WHEAT AND RYE BEER Weizen / Weiss bier Dunkelweizen Weizenbock Roggenbier (Rye beer) FRUIT BEER SPICE / HERB / SPECIALTY BEER Spice / Herb / Vegetable beer Christmas / Winter / Specialty Spiced Beer SMOKE FLAVORED and WOOD AGED BEER Classic Rauchbier Other Smoked Beer Wood Aged Beer SPECIALTY BEER MEAD AND CIDER TRADITIONAL MEAD Dry Mead Semi-sweet Mead Sweet Mead MELOMEL (FRUIT MEAD) Cyser (apple Melomel) Pyment (grape Melomel) Other Fruit Melomel OTHER MEAD Metheglin (spiced Mead) Braggot (barley Mead) Open Category Mead STANDARD CIDER and PERRY Common Cider English Cider French Cider Common Perry Traditional Perry SPECIALTY CIDER and PERRY New England Cider Fruit Cider Apple Wine Other Specialty Cider and Perry

Article / Updated 10-23-2023

Of the four main ingredients used in homebrewing beer (barley, hops, yeast, and water), barley makes the biggest contribution. Barley gives beer its color, underlying flavor, sweetness, body, head of foam, and mouthfeel. Barley also contributes the natural sugars that feed the yeast, which in turn converts the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide during fermentation. Malting barley Before you can brew with barley, it must undergo a process known as malting. The malting process simulates the grain's natural germination cycle. Under closely monitored conditions, malting companies wet the barley kernels and allow them to sprout. As the seedlings begin sprouting, the starchy insides of the kernels (or endosperm) begin to change. This modification causes the hard, starchy endosperm to begin to break down into natural malt sugars (maltose) that brewers later liquefy, during the mashing process. One of the important features of this process is the production of the enzymes brewers later use in the mashing process. And the maltose sugars, along with proteins and dextrins, contribute the color, flavor, sweetness, body, mouthfeel, and foam in the beer. (Mouthfeel can be defined as the textural qualities of beer on your palate and in your throat — viscosity, or thickness; carbonation; alcohol warmth; and so on.) Only after the barley has undergone the malting process does it become malt, or barleymalt. Malted barley is an incredibly complete and convenient package, seemingly designed exclusively for brewing beer. Each grain kernel contains carbohydrates (which eventually convert to sugar), enzymes (which do the actual converting), proteins (which provide yeast nutrition, mouthfeel, and head stability), and a husk (which, when multiplied by thousands, acts as the perfect natural filter bed through which you can drain the unfermented beer). Very few commercial brewers — usually only the huge beer factories — do their own malting. Professional malting companies (also called maltsters) malt most of the grain for the brewing industry (including smaller commercial brewers and homebrew supply shops). Mashing malted grain In order to make beer from the malted grain, the starch within the kernels of malt must be made soluble. This liquefying process takes place during the mashing procedures in a vessel called a mash tun. The mashing process is where the natural enzymes found in grain break down the grain's starches; hot water then dissolves the starches so they leach out of the cracked grain. After you've rinsed all the malt sugars from the grain, you transfer the syrupy-sweet malt tea, called wort, over to the brew kettle, where you boil it. Wort (rhymes with dirt) is the German word for unfermented beer. Some brewers also call wort green beer (and not just on St. Patrick's Day). Homebrewers who make their beer with malt extract can avoid the mashing process altogether.

Article / Updated 10-23-2023

The first beer brewed by American colonists was at Sir Walter Raleigh’s Roanoke colony in 1587. The beer must not have been very good, though, because Colonists continued to request shipments of beer from England. (Unfortunately, most of the ships’ consignments of beer were drunk on the transatlantic crossing by thirsty sailors.) And in 1609, colonists placed America’s first help-wanted ad in a London paper, asking for brewers to come to America. Rather than continue on to their destination in Virginia, the pilgrims on the Mayflower made their landing at Plymouth Rock for lack of beer. A December 19, 1620, entry in the diary of a Mayflower passenger tells the story: “We could not now take time for further search or consideration, our victuals being much spent, especially our beere.” Beer was far more healthful than the impure water sources available to American colonists. Dr. Benjamin Rush, a noted physician and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, wrote, “Beer is a wholesome liquor compared with spirits. It abounds with nourishment. . . . While I wish to see a law imposing the heaviest taxes on whiskey distilleries, I should be glad to see breweries wholly exempt from taxation.” (Amen!) Breweries in the New World were among the first businesses established. American breweries preexisted American government; some of the breweries’ staunchest supporters were also the leaders of the new nation. In colonial America, the alehouse was second only to the church in importance. Aside from being where the brewer plied his trade, the tavern also served as the unofficial town hall and the social and political focal point of every town. It was here that the townsfolk gathered to deliberate and debate, to socialize and share news and information with the community. To the colonists, the alehouses were cradles of liberty; while to the British, the alehouses were hotbeds of sedition. As early as 1768, the Sons of Liberty were holding meetings at the Liberty Tree Tavern in Providence; the Green Dragon Inn in Boston was called the headquarters for the revolution. George Washington made his headquarters at Fraunces Tavern in New York, where it still stands and serves beer, now in the heart of the financial district. Most of the early breweries were small, house-based operations. Traditional ingredients, hard to come by in the New World, were often replaced with maize, molasses, bran, persimmons, potatoes, spruce twigs, birch bark, ginger, and allspice. The first real brewery in the New World was founded in New Amsterdam (New York) in 1633. Boston’s first brewery debuted in 1637 and was a favorite among colonial leaders, who believed that beer was a moderate alternative to distilled spirits. The city of Philadelphia got its first brewery in 1685 (but made up for lost time, as Philadelphia has had more breweries in its history than any other U.S. city). This date is confirmed by an entry in the diary of William Penn, who was a brewer himself. Historians have studied Penn’s ledgers and concluded that he ran malt and brewhouses at his Pennsbury mansion in Pennsylvania’s Bucks County. As the United States became an instant magnet for people looking to start a new life, breweries opened as quickly as each ethnic enclave settled. Throughout the 1800s, most of the arrivals came from the beer belt countries of northern Europe (Ireland, Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands — the majority of brewers were of Irish and German origin), and with them came the knowledge of brewing and an appreciation for the craft. In 1840, about 140 breweries were operating in the United States, at least 1 in each of the 13 original colonies. Annual output totaled about 200,000 barrels. The American brewing industry boasted as many as 1,400 breweries by 1914 and employed more than 75,000 people.

Article / Updated 10-23-2023

Fermentation problems occur frequently to homebrewers, and a common one is that the would-be beer just never started fermenting. Before you pour your homebrew down the sink, make sure the process actually hasn't started — judging fermentation by the bubbles (or lack thereof) coming out of the airlock can sometimes be deceiving. Check for signs of fermentation: Look at the beer (if it's in a glass fermenter) or peek through the airlock hole in the lid (if it's in a plastic fermenter). Do you see any foam or a ring of brownish scum around the fermenter? If so, the beer is fermenting or has fermented. Use your hydrometer to check the gravity. The beer is typically done fermenting if the final gravity is 1/3 to 1/4 of the original gravity. For example: A 1.045 beer ferments down to 1.015 to 1.012 or below. If after 24 to 48 hours fermentation has truly not begun — or you're just not sure — try adding more yeast. (Situations like this one give you good reason to keep a packet of dry yeast in the fridge for emergencies.) If fermentation still hasn't begun after you add more yeast, you may have made one of the following mistakes: You didn't rinse the sanitizer from the fermenter. Sanitizer residue can kill yeast, too. Be mindful of sanitary practices — how or when the beer ferments doesn't mean a thing if you contaminate the whole batch in the process. You put the fermenter in a place that's too cold. Leave it at 64 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit for Ales. You used old or dead yeast. The yeast contained in ingredient kits is often so old that it's useless — always buy fresh yeast that has been kept refrigerated. You rehydrated the yeast improperly by using water that was too hot (more than 110 degrees Fahrenheit).Also, don't leave the yeast in the rehydration water too long; 30 minutes is plenty. You used good yeast but shocked it with sudden changes in temperature or by adding it to wort that was too cold (under 70 degrees Fahrenheit) or too hot (over 110 degrees Fahrenheit). (Wort is unfermented beer; rhymes with dirt.) You didn't use enough yeast. Pitch 10 to 15 grams of dry yeast, or use 1 package of ready-to-pitch liquid yeast per 5 gallons of beer. Slow-starting or stuck fermentations usually mean under-pitching of yeast, underaerated wort, or both. To correct these problems in the future, pitch a larger volume of yeast and make sure you properly aerate the wort before pitching. High-gravity worts (those with a specific gravity of 1.056 or higher) need even more yeast and aeration for proper fermentation.

Article / Updated 10-23-2023

In case you need the metric equivalents of basic measurements, keep this simple conversions guide close by when you’re brewing your own beer at home: Liquid Conversions Mass Conversions 1 teaspoon (tsp.) = 5 milliliters 1 ounce (oz.) = 28 grams 1 tablespoon (Tbsp.) = 15 milliliters 1 pound (lb.) = 0.45 kilogram 1 ounce (oz.) = 29.6 milliliters 1 cup (c.) = 237 milliliters

Article / Updated 10-06-2023

Enjoy one of your favorite holiday treats, cocktail-style, without the effort and stress of slaving away over an oven all afternoon! It's sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next holiday party. 1-1/2 oz. Irish cream liqueur 1-1/2 oz. coffee liqueur 1-1/2 oz. peppermint schnapps Pour Irish cream liqueur, coffee liqueur, and peppermint schnapps into a cocktail shaker with a generous handful of ice. Shake well, and pour into a martini glass. For extra festive flair, garnish the edge of your martini glass with sprinkles or red and green sugar crystals.

Article / Updated 10-06-2023

The Grinch may be a mean one, but these shots aren't! Whether you shoot or sip to enjoy, these are sure to amuse at any holiday party. 1 oz. melon liqueur 1/2 oz. citrus vodka Combine melon liqueur and citrus vodka in a shot glass. Garnish with a toothpick and a maraschino cherry for extra Christmas flair. Enjoy!

Article / Updated 10-06-2023

A quick and easy drink to make for your next holiday party, this refreshing shot tastes much better than it sounds! Just remember to stay away from the yellow snow outside! 1 oz. citrus vodka 1 oz. pineapple juice Combine citrus vodka and pineapple juice in a shot glass. Sip or shoot to enjoy.

Article / Updated 10-06-2023

Bartenders should definitely know about Scotch whisky. Scotch whisky (spelled without the e in whiskey) has a distinctive smoky flavor that's the result of both the choice of ingredients and the method of distillation. Scotch whisky must be distilled and matured for at least three years in Scotland — but not necessarily bottled in Scotland. Some Scotch whiskies are distilled and aged in Scotland but bottled in another country. Types of Scotch whisky Two kinds of Scotch whisky are distilled: malt whisky (from barley) and grain whisky (from cereals). Malt whiskies are divided into four groups according to the geographical location of the distillery in which they're made: Lowland malt whiskies: Made south of an imaginary line drawn from Dundee in the east to Greenock in the west. Highland malt whiskies: Made north of the aforementioned line. Speyside malt whiskies: Made in the valley of the River Spey. Although these whiskies come from within the area of the Highland malt whiskies, the concentration of distilleries and the specific climatic conditions in Speyside produce whiskies of an identifiable character, which is why they're classified separately. Islay malt whiskies: Made on the island of Islay. Each group has its own clearly defined characteristics, ranging from the gentle, lighter-flavored Lowland whiskies to those distilled on Islay, which are generally regarded as the heaviest malt whiskies. Grain distilleries are mostly found in the central belt of Scotland, near the cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Single-grain whiskies display individual characteristics in the same way as malts, although the geographical influence isn't the same. Married together, malt whiskies and grain whiskies create blended Scotch whisky, which accounts for 95 percent of world sales. A blended whisky can have many (up to 50) different types of malt whiskies blended with grain whisky (from cereals). As you may expect from the name, a single-malt Scotch whisky is made from one type of malt, and it's not blended with other malts or grain whiskies. How Scotch is made Making Scotch whisky from malts dates back to 1494 to Friar John Cor and his fellow friars. Until the mid-1800s, nearly all Scotches were single-malt. Then Andrew Usher came up with the idea of mixing malt whisky and grain whisky to create blended Scotch whisky. Here's how the process works: The barley is malted, or soaked and dried for germination. During this period, the starch in the barley converts to fermentable sugar. To stop the germination, the malted barley is smoked, usually over peat fires in open malt kilns, giving Scotch whisky its smoky taste. The barley is mixed with water and yeast. Fermentation takes place, and alcohol is the result. This liquid is then usually pumped into stills and double-distilled until the correct proof is attained. After distillation, the whisky is typically placed in used American oak wine or bourbon barrels (some distillers use sherry casks or wood from other countries); these are then aged by law for a minimum of three years. Most Scotch whiskies age from five to ten years, sometimes much longer. It's said that the longer a whisky ages in the barrel, the smoother it becomes. After the whisky finishes aging in the barrel, each distiller then completes its own blending, filtering, and bottling. Scotland has more than 100 distilleries that produce more than 2,000 different Scotch whiskies. Storing and serving suggestions Scotch can be served over ice, straight up, with water or club soda, or in a variety of mixed drinks. Single malts and aged Scotch whisky (over 12 years) can be served straight up or on the rocks with a splash of water. After opening, store a bottle of Scotch whisky in a cool, dry place out of direct light. It should have a shelf life of approximately two years. Whisky doesn't improve with age after it's bottled.

Article / Updated 10-06-2023

All bartenders should be familiar with beer. The beer-brewing process begins with pure water, corn grits, and malted barley. Malted barley is the basic ingredient and is often referred to as the “soul of beer.” It contributes to the color and characteristic flavor of beer. Malted simply means that the barley has been steeped or soaked in water and allowed to germinate, or grow. Brewing beer is a step-by-step process: The corn grits and malt are cooked and blended to create mash. A sugary liquid, called wort, is extracted from the mash. The remaining solid portion of the mash, the brewer's grain, is sold as feed. The wort is transferred to the brew kettles, where it's boiled and hops are added. Hops are responsible for the rich aroma and the delicate bitterness in beer. The wort then moves to the wort cooler. Sterile air is added next, along with yeast, which converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The wort moves to fermentation tanks for a carefully controlled time period. Brewers can use two different categories of yeast: bottom and top. Bottom yeast settles to the bottom of the tank after converting all the sugar, and the resulting beer is a lager. Top yeast rises to the top of the tank when it's done with the sugar, and the beer it produces is an ale.