Do you know what a cask ale is? You may have heard the term thrown around quite a bit over the past year as it has gained some notoriety in the US. If you are one of the few people who love to try new things and have in fact tasted these ales you must consider yourself lucky, because you have tasted beer as it was meant to be, originally (at least that’s what they tell us).

Traditionally, beers were stored in casks and were to be consumed within a stipulated time for it would turn bad. These casks were made of wood which were then replaced with stainless steel and aluminum one. The main advantage of doing this was that these casks could then be sterilized and the beer was less likely to go bad (woohoo!).

The basic difference between a cask beer and a bottled beer is that, the cask beer is a living beer. A living beer – what does that mean? It means that even after it is packed in a cask it continues fermenting. Therefore, it has to be consumed soon. Whereas a bottled beer undergoes a secondary fermentation where the living yeast is killed and filtered out. Thus, this type of beer has a longer shelf life. However, this deadened beer has to be revived by pressurizing it with carbon dioxide which is pumped in while dispensing the beer. These modifications make the pasteurized variety of beer taste far off from the original. Bottling methods of preservation add bitterness and bite making bottled beer easier to consume when served cold.

Cask ales are classic: they have tradition, culture, and history. Its rich not just in taste but in the craftsmanship required to create it. Cask beers follow the same recipe as other popular beers till the fermentation stage. When this beer is stored into casks to mature further, a great deal of care has to be taken. The brewer adds a small dose of sugar to produce a secondary fermentation. These casks need to be handled with extreme care and kept in cool temperatures.

In the 1970’s CAMRA (“the Campaign for Real Ale”) began to preserve the long tradition of making and drinking beer. CAMRA’s aim was to promote different kinds of beers and other brewed beverages like stout, cider, porter, mild and perry. To do this they organize beer festivals, awards ceremonies for best beers, campaign for tax reduction for small breweries etc.

Many microbreweries have sprung up in US producing cask beers and selling it at an adjoining pub. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California, is a slightly bigger player in the cask beer market.  The entry of Sierra Nevada into the market indicates that real ale’s day has finally come. Although the Chico craft-beer giant has made cask ale for the last three years, the brew has only been available to the company’s employees and diners at its pub, and only on Thursdays. As any kind of ale, from porter to hops-heavy pale ale, can be made without forced carbonation, each week Sierra features a different beer made in the style.

In the last five years, more and more Americans are seeking out “real” cask ales instead of the bottled counterparts. They get these opportunities at festivals held locally. Customers eagerly await these festivals and throng the pubs hosting them. This has resulted in more brewpubs hosting cask ale nights à la Sierra Nevada’s, and slowly bar owners are investing in hand pumps and buying cask ale. More than 400 bars, restaurants, and brewpubs now serve cask ale, with over 15 bars in New York City alone carrying it—a testament to the true emergence of the “cask” movement.

First time drinkers of cask beers might be put off because it is served warm and is flat compared to any bottled variety. However our preference for other lagers is mostly because of us being conditioned to their taste. Its only after a couple of sips that one realizes the richness in taste, the variety of flavors, the cacophony of aromas and before you know it you are transported to an old-English pub enjoying beer like it was meant to be and falling in love with it.

If you haven’t tried a cask brew yet, we recommend searching one out. You can tell it is cask conditioned if the bartender has to pump the handle instead of just releasing the pressure. As mentioned, make sure to give a few tries so that you can get used to the taste!

Your Choice. Your Beer. Drink Up.
- Beer Universe

DAS BOOT!!!! Okay, we got a bit excited there. But if you ever did watch the movie Beerfest, you probably know that the phrase definitely gets you fired up (even if you don’t agree with drinking in mass quantities). The premise behind drinking beer out of a boot is certainly interesting. Thankfully, the boot that you are drinking out of is glass and not made of leather (can you imagine how that would taste?). We wanted to take a few minutes to explore this tradition and the history around the creation of Das Boot.

Beer Boots are a German invention, roughly 100 years old. In Germany, the boots are called “Bierstiefel.” (Das boot actually meants “the boat,” so this term is actually more from the movie than an actual phrase in Germany) There are two stories that are commonly references as the origin of these boots. The first one refers to a Prussian general, who promised to drink beer out of his boot if the troops returned successfully. When the troops did exactly that, he ordered a glass boot be made so he could keep his promise to the troops. The second story centers around WWI—German soldiers, having nothing better to drink from, would pass around an actual leather boot before heading into battle.

Beerfest made a statement with these vessels, but they have been in play for many years. Drinking out of one isn’t too difficult, but if you are chugging from a boot, you probably need to watch out for the immense pressure that develops from the vacuum of liquid. Most boots vary in size, but the sizes you often see in bars range from holding 1-2 liters.

Here is a common drinking game that you can play with Das Boot (please drink responsibly, though):

1.)  The beer boot is passed around a group with individuals taking a sip and passing to the left (unless multiple boots are in use).

2.)  Once the boot is first picked up, it cannot touch the table or be set down until empty.

3.)  Each player must flick the beer boot prior to and after taking a sip.

4.)  If you get splashed in the face, you drink again

5.)  The beer boot's toe is to remain pointed upward and no turning of the beer boot is allowed (apparently, allowing the toe to face sideways is for amateurs only).

6.)  If you finish the beer boot, the person before you buys the next fill or is required to fill the next "Das Boot."

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up shortly (March 17^th) and we wanted to explore what the heck is Green Beer? For those who have been living under a rock, St. Patrick’s day is one of the most famous beer drinking days of the year. Officially, the day recognizes the annual feast of St. Patrick, who is commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland. While it is an official holiday in Ireland, it’s unofficial holiday status in the US creates a day filled with drinking green beer & whiskey.

Okay – but this article is not really about St. Patrick’s day – it’s about Green Beer.

Green beer was not originated in Ireland though. It was actually developed in the US (Boston, we think) during the years when the Irish immigrated in mass to the Americas (at least that’s what people say).  They would wear green clothing and drink green beer to display their Irish pride.

Does it ruin the flavor of the beer? Not at all, it’s just food dye in your beverage – nothing more. Well, why do people drink green beer today? Of course not everyone is Irish and showing off their tremendous amount of Irish pride – but given that it’s become tradition, many individuals like the uniqueness of drinking a green beer. It certainly give us an excuse to have a good time on that day!

Making green beer is actually pretty easy to do:

Ingredients

1.)  Beer (any will do – but we recommend a lighter beer so you can see the green tint)

2.)  Food dye (blue or green, we prefer blue)

Directions:

Add your food dye to the mug prior to pouring in the beer, then poor the beer into the glass slowly. For darker beers, you will notice the frothy green head atop of your beer instead of the green throughout the beer (like the picture in this article).

Many of our twitter followers and facebook fans have seen us post about Beer Wars over the past couple of weeks. However, we probably need to explain ourselves a bit better. This article is a discussion about the impending Beer Wars in the U.S. and the documentary that you can grab in iTunes, NetFlix, Blockbuster, etc. called Beer Wars, by Anat Baron (@BeerWarsMovie).

See, at Beer Universe, we have a bit of a bias – we love beer (duh!). We don’t just love the mass marketed beer industry (Budweiser, Coors, Miller, Corona, etc), we love it all. In particular, we are taking about your local microbrew pub and the growing craft breweries around the nation that are inspiring a large beer movement.

The documentary aired live on April 19, 2009 – we were part of the lucky audience that was able to view it.  In short, you can think about this documentary as cataloging the daily David vs. Goliath battle that many breweries are fighting across the nation. Goliath, in this situation, is “the big 3,” which we classify as Anheuser-Busch, Miller and Coors. During the making of this movie, Miller & Coors started a joint venture and InBev purchased Anheuser-Busch—only making these giants even larger.  David, on the other hand, characterized the small craft / micro / home brewers from around the country. In particular, the movie focused on Charlie Papazian, Stone Brewing Company, Dogfish Head Brewing Company, and New Century Brewing Company. You also get to see glimpses of Jim Koch from Sam Adams (still considered a craft brewery even with $400 million in annual revenue). 

In particular Baron highlights how the big 3 breweries have dominated the industry for decades. They take up prime real estate in grocery stores by utilizing shelf space that most consumers see first, spend more than $1 billion on marketing (in 2007), and corner lobbyists in Washington D.C., who are advocating on their behalf to keep the current distribution system in place. All of those may make sense to a new beer lover, except the distribution system.

The three-tier distribution system was put into place after Prohibition in the 1920’s. Essentially it puts a layer between breweries and the outlets that sell them. Distributors are heavily in corner of the big 3 and it is increasingly difficult to partner with them to distribute a craft breweries product around the nation. Baron’s approach in the movie was Michael Moore-esque by confronting lobbyists and trying to point out these flaws.

However, even with the big 3 stronghold on the industry, craft breweries and the general craft industry are doing momentous things. At Beer Universe, we often highlight how the overall beer industry is shrinking or growing marginally at 1% a year; however, the craft brewing market is growing 10-15% a year. Consumers are recognizing there is a choice to beer and have substituted some local brews for their mainstream counterparts. The big 3 have recognized this. For example, you may think Blue Moon is an independent label, but little did you know that it is actually a product of Molson Coors. Similar tactics have been taken by Anheuser-Busch and SAB Miller.

Beer Wars, while at times can be intense on the side of craft brewing, certainly opens up the eyes to the general public of the quiet beer war that is going on before you take a sip of your cold brew.  We definitely recommend taking a look at Baron’s work and spending 90 minutes to learn a bit more of the beer industry. If you have seen the movie already, we’d love your thoughts on our forums or as comments to this article!

In America we are all aware, at least I hope we are, that the legal limit borders around the 0.8%. A person’s blood-alcohol-content (BAC) level measures the amount of alcohol in the blood by recording the milligrams of ethanol per milliliters of blood. Most countries around the world have legal BAC limits. BAC levels are affected by how much alcohol has been drunk and the speed of drinking over a period of time. An individual’s weight, gender, health, and food intake also affect the absorption and metabolism of alcohol. However, making an estimation of how much it is safe to drink before driving is risky.  There are even tools like this BAC calculator you can use to see approximately what range of BAC you fall under but in no way is this a completely accurate representation.

There are two broad categories that determine the variation of percent alcohol content in beverages.  The type of alcoholic beverage and the brand of beverage matters when determining the alcohol content in a standard drink size (typically 0.5 oz. of alcohol).  With beer, alcohol content is tied to the color and bitterness of the beer.  The darker the beer the stronger the beer. The more bitter the beer (hoppy), the more alcohol it may contain. As a general rule of thumb:

• Lagers range from 3.8% - 5.9% ABV 
• Light lagers range from  3.8% to 4.4% ABV
• Regular lagers range from 4.1% to 4.9% ABV
• Ice lagers range from 5.0% to 5.9% ABV
• Ales range from 4.0% to 6.0% ABV
• Porters and Stouts range from 6.0% to 8.0% ABV

These ranges are just averages, while many craft breweries experiment with more potent concoctions.

Alcohol affects every person differently and there is no absolute criteria justifying how certain types or amounts of alcohol affect you or how many drinks it may take to put you over the legal limit. What you may have already ingested can certainly vary the degree of how alcohol may affect you. There are so many factors that it may be an exercise in futility in trying to pinpoint exactly which criteria may promote the content of alcohol in your body. 

As a general rule of thumb, the following may be used as a guide to understand just how much alcohol by volume in a serving size of beer (12 oz.) can affect your blood alcohol level. The only factor that really helps lower your blood alcohol content is time.  For every hour, your blood alcohol content typically decreases approximately 0.2%.

A 12 oz. beer with an ABV of 3.5% to approximately 4.0% equal 0.84 to 1.08 standard drinks.  For beer with an ABV range of 4.5% to 7.0%, one 12 oz. drink will equal approximately 1.20 to 1.68 standard drinks and ABV ranges from 7.5% to 9.0% will translate into 1.70 to 2.16 standard drinks. This standard drink formula is as simple as multiplying 12 oz of beer by the ABV and dividing that by 0.5 oz. of alcohol (the standard drink size).  If we take a beer that has an ABV of 7% the standard drink amount would translate into .07/.05 or 1.40 standard drinks. To truly know how many drinks it may take for you to surpass the legal limit in your country is a feat not yet mastered by any human.  It takes a very complex analysis of so many factors, of which include weight, gender, time, alcohol by volume, nutrition, etc. For example a rough estimate of a BAC level for a 200 lb man who has had 4 standard 12 oz. beers over 1 hour is approximately 0.652 but for a woman who is about 150 lbs it is 0.1099.  The man could legally drive a car in the United States but not in Italy or Sweden.  Below is a sample of a few countries and their legal limits:

• Zero Tolerance: Iran, Iraq, Hungary, Czech Republic, Russia
• 0.02: Norway, Poland, China, Sweden
• 0.05: Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Belgium, North Korea, Costa Rica, Egypt, France, Spain, Greece
• 0.08: United States, Bahamas, Mexico, Bermuda, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom

When you drink a beer, do you take a look at the nutrition facts on the side of the bottle? You will rarely find a craft beer lover counting the calories of his favorite beer.  However, for the majority of Americans drinking beer – calories are important.

Many of us just caught the Super Bowl last weekend and were shocked to see that Anheuser-Busch InBev has raised (lowered?) the stakes against fellow conglomerate, MillerCoors MGD 64, with Bud Select 55. True to its name, the new light beer has on 55 calories. MGD 64 has, obviously, 64 calories, so this is an improvement of 9 whole calories. Bud Select 55 was actually released in August 2009, but it really hasn’t been pushed onto shelves until recently. The wide spread release made us stop to think, what are the light beers out there and how do they compare across the board?

Here is a list of low calorie / carb mainstream beers (all information based on 12 ounces):

Beers that are under 7% ABV can say "low carbohydrate" on their labels, under federal regulations. If they do, they must list carb and calorie counts.

Beer is naturally carb laden given the grain that goes into beer is harder to convert to alcohol than the simple sugars in wine. In order to make light beers with reduced calories, brewers cut alcohol levels. To cut carbs, they have to change the input of grain mixes (adding products like corn and rice), change yeast types, mashing temperatures, and extend fermentation times to convert as many of the carbs into alcohol as possible.

A consumer who purchases 1 Bud Select would have to purchase 2 Bud Select 55 (which makes it have more calories than just 1 Bud Select), in order to get the same alcohol. Anheuser-Busch InBev is even charging a premium on this beer compared to its flagship Bud Light. Amazing – they can charge you more money and you will have to purchase more in order to get the same effect (unless you truly just like this beer for the taste, which we doubt).

To answer our question from the title of this article though: Yes. Yes, low calorie beers are really beer, when they stop being beer is when they do not meet the requirements on an ABV level. Non-alcoholic beers were originally dubbed “near beers” since they could not technically be considered beer. Often times you can purchase O’douls or Pabst in grocery stores that do not offer other “beers” given this classification.

While we label drinks like Bud Select 55 as beers, at some point in time you have to start calling them water…

 Beers range from less than 3% alcohol by volume (ABV) to over 30%. The alcohol in beer comes primarily from the break-down of sugars that are produced during fermentation. The quantity of fermentable sugars in the wort and the variety of year used are the most important factor that determine the final amount of alcohol in a beer. Most brewing yeast cannot survive at alcohol concentrations above 12%.

Wait a second. Didn’t we just say that alcohol can go well above 12%? Over the course of the last 10-15 years, brewers have pushed the gap to increase the alcohol of their beers. They have employed various tactics including using champagne yeasts and freeze distilling to achieve high ABVs. We have compiled a list of the top 10 alcoholic beers on the planet (and tried to include their prices when available for your pleasure). To give you a comparison, a standard light beer, like Bud Light has 4.2% ABV.

Please note that these beers are highly alcoholic and are meant to be consumed in small servings.

10.  The Bruery – Black Tuesday: 19.5% ($30.00)

An imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels for over a year each, this beer has flavors of rich caramel, toasted malt and vanilla. The beer is released on an annual basis and can be purchased directly from the brewer. They approximately release 1,300, 750ml bottles at $30.00 a bottle. The beer was so popular at its release in 2009, that even the 3 bottle limit per customer on opening day did not stop it from being sold out.

9. Grand Lake – Holy Grail: 20% ($25.00)

Grand Lake aged this malt concoction for a year in an oak charred barrel. The beer is left uncarbonated and is preferred at room temperature to unlock the hints of vanilla while sipping on it. The beer smells of a sweet cognac, but the alcohol is well hidden as it finishes smooth.  With a limited release and limited distribution, this is a difficult one to find.

8. Sam Adams – Millennium: 20% ($200.00)

Sam Adams first beer on the list is a one-time batch brewed in 1999, Sam Adams Millennium was one of the strongest beers at the time. This packaging of the bottle is almost as impressive as the beer inside of it, with a cobalt blue bottle with platinum lettering, finished with a natural cork and sealing wax, encased in a cherry wood box. At the time the Millennium beer came out, there were only 3,000 bottles produced and each ran ~$200.00. If you can find any full bottles today, we’re sure they are worth much much more.

7. DuClaw – Colossus: 21% ($21.99)

You have waited for 4 years while this beer was aging, but DuClaw Brewing Company released this beer in early 2010 for your enjoyment. Utilizing three strains of yeast, a variety of spices and some secret combinations, this beer is infused with hints of apple, cinnamon and honey. The price on a 22 ounce bottle is $21.99, so cheaper than some others on the list for the volume that you are going to get.  If you are in Maryland, check out a local beer store.

6. Dogfish Head – 120 Minute IPA: 21% ($12.00)

Are you a fan of IPAs? Love those Hops? You should check the release schedule at Dogfish Head Brewery. Their 120 IPA is brewed three times a year and goes fast. At ~$12 a bottle, these beers aren’t cheap, but not as expensive as some of the others on this list. Dogfish Head boils the beer for 2 hours using high-alpha American hops and then dry-hopped daily for a month in the fermenter. By the way they age it for another month on whole-leaf hops. You hopped out yet? NOTE: We’re giving credit to the beer at 21.0% ABV, but they have scaled it back to 18% for ageing recommendations and overall balance.

5. Sam Adams – Utopias: 27% ($190.00 - $600.00)

Breaking previous boundaries of the Sam Adams brewery, Utopias received the highest recommendation from Wine Enthusiast Magazine in November 2003. Not available in certain states due the 27% ABV, the swee,t malty flavor is similar to a port wine. This brew is different as it is not carbonated and it is suggested to be served at room temperature.  Original prices for this beer were ~$190 but have gone up in recent years as high as $600 a bottle.

4. Hakusekikan – Eisbock: 28%

In Japan, Hakusekikan Beer Restaurant sold an eisbock, strengthed through freeze distilling believed to be 28% in 2005. An iced version of Hakusekikan’s Super Vintage Ale, this beer is extremely difficult to find. If you find out about it, please let us know!                  

3. Hair of the Dog – Dave: 29% ($80.00)

This barley wine is one of the strongest beers brewed in the United States (Portland, OR). In 1994 the brewery brewed just 90 gallons of Dave and didn’t let any of them outside the brewery until 1998. 15 Bottles were released in 2008 and sold for $80 bucks a pop. However, what’s more impressive is that a six pack of Dave was sold for close to $3,500 earlier in 2008 at a beer auction. If you can get your paws on this beer, hold on tight!

2. BrewDog – Tactical Nuclear Penguin: 32% ($56.00)

This malty imperial stout was created using the freeze distilling method. It was initially double barrel aged for 14 months and then went through several freezing processes in order to reach this extreme ABV. Reach down into you wallet though, if you want to try this beer. At $56 for a 330ml bottle, this beer isn’t cheap.

1. Schorschbrau – Schorschbock: 40%

In December 2009, Schorschbrau set a new limit for their beer and brewed a 40% ABV beer. Want to try some? Get in line, the beer is only available from Schorschbrau directly. They had originally only created 55, 0.5 liter bottles but grew that to 250 bottles when demand started to soar. Each bottles bears the personal signature of the Brewmaster and is seals with wax.

February 17, 2010 note: A New Beer Tops the List

BrewDog – Sink the Bismark (41%) – ($63.00)

It was only a matter of time before the Scots shot down the German claim that they had the strongest beer. BrewDog has done it again, breaking another barrier with a 41% ABV beer. This beer is not to be messed around with and should not be chugged on a Saturday night to drown your sorrows. Trumping their Tactical Nuclear Penguin (from above) this beer is only available for sale through their website and will cost you about $63.00 for a bottle.

The local division of Anheuser-Busch Inbev (ABI) was planning on cutting about 300 jobs, or 10% of its workforce, before a two-week union blockade of plants in Leuven and Liege caused shortages of ABI products (such as Stella Artois and Hoegaarden) at supermarkets and bars across the country.

Union members, angered by the layoff plans (especially following a $1.5 billion return in the 3rd quarter of 2009), stacked crates, set fires, and boarded up plants to prevent both beer from coming out, and ingredients and materials going in. Workers in Liege even took managers hostage for several hours while demanding to speak to company officials, though the incident ended peacefully. Protests took a different form a few days later, as workers started handing out free beer to passersby on the street.

After two failed mediation attempts by the Belgian government, the blockade ended last week with a promise by ABI to freeze job cuts. The union wanted ABI to scrap the plan before entering into negotiations, but it looks like some form of the layoffs will still occur. ABI has stated that it could cut up to 100 jobs in Western Europe, though it will add 40 sales positions in Belgium. While union members and local members of the workforce view ABI's actions as detrimental to the Belgian beer industry, the company is trying to keep a broad scope.

After the tumultuous interactions that resulted in the creation of ABI in 2008, the company, saddled with debt, is rearranging many of its priorities. Suffering beer sales in Europe have prompted many unpopular decisions such as the one leading to the unrest in Belgium, where beer sales have dropped more than 20% in the last decade. However, Belgium still exports 50% of the beer it produces, and ABi investors worry that further union issues will affect exports of some brands. A compromise has been reached for now, though it remains to be seen what decisions ABI will take regarding their European operations.

We'll keep you posted with any further information...

In Alabama, support is growing for a resolution that would loosen restrictions on the owning and operating of breweries. The bill, known as the Brewery Modernization Act, was introduced into the Alabama House of Representatives recently, and an accompanying bill is planned for introduction in the Senate. An earlier resolution allowing for the sale of high-alcohol beers was passed only after four years of intense debate, but has already caused positive changes, like greater variety available to the consumer. Beer advocacy groups like Free The Hops were important in allowing the sale of high-alcohol beers, and will be important in rallying support for the new Brewery Modernization Act. The outlook is positive - while the earlier resolution suffered from voters fearful of increased drunk driving and conservatives who opposed the law on moral grounds, the new bill is centered on regulating business operations.

Options for breweries and brewpubs in Alabama have been extremely limited for the past few decades. With miles of red tape to go through and severe restrictions on the sale and distribution of their products, brewers are having a hard time just maintaining their businesses. The current laws hamper the industry on every level - not only is it difficult for breweries to sell and market their products, but the current version of the law makes it difficult to open a brewery. Groups like Free The Hops are working for new laws that would allow for industry growth and job creation, as well as a more efficient bureaucracy.

Pennsylvania is also making an effort to modernize its alcohol laws. Legislation has been introduced to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives that would allow beer distributors to sell 6-packs, a privilege currently enjoyed only by restaurants and convenience stores. The proposed bill changes the definition of a standard case in state law, allowing breweries and brewpubs to sell 6-packs of their creations directly to customers. Under the current system, the restrictions on distributors allow them to be undercut by the restaurants and convenience stores, which have greater freedom in how they are allowed to sell beer. While the legislation is still stuck in committee, the new bill offers positive change, in that local breweries will have a much easier time selling and marketing their products.

Here's hoping these political ventures in Alabama and Pennsylvania are successful - anything that makes it easier for American brewers to keep perfecting their craft and sharing their love of beer with the beer universe is fine by us. Drink up!

Nanobrewery facilities are professionally staffed and fully licensed like their bigger counterparts but have evolved from the craft beer revolution, the growing local food movement, and career dissatisfaction in these difficult times. With small production costs and large local markets, many are taking advantage of this larger trend within the Beer Universe - the viewing of beer as a serious beverage, with an associated skill and craft

The ability of the beer consumer to successfully operate and maintain a brewery simply comes down to a love of beer. Just ask Chris Miller and Mark Lehman, who started the Pennsylvania-based Breaker Brewing just a few years ago. They built the first iteration of their brewery using eBay-bought steel drums for brewing kettles and craft handles made from chair legs, and took care of the legal paperwork, licensing fees, and insurance red tape themselves.

Other brewers have come up with similarly innovative ways to brew beer on a small scale, some even expanding their operations into their living rooms. These nano breweries use small-scale, efficient production techniques, minimally expensive ingredients and equipment, and a lot of local flair to brew their creations, which they then sell locally (sometimes simply by driving cases of their beer to local bars).

The very small scale of these breweries results in smaller yields. Kevin McGee's Healdsburg Beer Company, based in California, has a production output of 30 barrels of beer a year. Aldergrove Brewing Company in Washington has an even smaller annual yield of 10 gallons, or just 1/3 a barrel. But the dedication of the brewers and the support of local bars, restaurants and breweries have helped spur the nanobrewery movement, as unique local craft beers become available to the public and start garnering attention. So next time you see a fresh new local creation at your favorite bar, don't forget to give it a try. Drink up!

The 30-second spot will feature the owners of Del's Barber Shop in Escondido, Calif., Tim's Baseball Card Shop in Chicago, Ill., Loretta's Authentic Pralines in New Orleans, La., Bizarre Guitar & Drum in Phoenix, Ariz. as well as Miller High Life's very own no-nonsense deliveryman.

Miller High Life scoured the country through the Internet any Chambers of Commerce to identify potential companies to be featured in the Super Bowl commercial. They wanted to give back to the community they believe props up the beers.  

"Miller High Life is all about common sense and nothing makes more sense than giving deserving small businesses the opportunity to be a part of the Big Game," said Miller High Life Brand Manager Joe Abegg. "These businesses live the High Life everyday by retaining a steadfast commitment to service and authenticity.  What better way to show our appreciation for hard-working Americans who share High Life's values than by providing a primetime stage for a few to tell their story?"

We appreciate Miller’s goals here and think it’s pretty cool of the large company to help out smaller businesses around the nation. We’re not necessarily saying we love the beer, but we love the effort. You can watch some of the teasers from the commercial shooting on Miller’s website.

The businesses highlight in the commercial are as follows:

About Del's Barber Shop, Escondido, Calif.

Del's Barber Shop was started by Del Engelbrecht in 1959 and is now run by his son, Dan.   These self-proclaimed "Flat-Top" specialists are proud to offer a free haircut to their regular military personnel before and after deployment.  Their friendly atmosphere and dedication to the community has kept loyal customers coming back generation after generation. 

About Loretta's Authentic Pralines, New Orleans, La.

Loretta Harrison began making pralines with her mother when she was only eight years old. Decades later, she still uses the same original family recipe that has been handed down through six generations. Loretta started the company in 1989 with only $700 to fund her big dream.  Over the years she has grown the business to include two locations and 15 employees.

About Bizarre Guitar & Drum, Phoenix, Ariz.

Bob Turner, owner and founder of Bizarre Guitar & Drum, is an expert when it comes to vintage guitars.  He began selling used and vintage guitars out of his Phoenix apartment before officially opening his first store in 1976 with only 16 guitars and 300 square feet.  Today, the new location boasts more than 1,500 acoustic and electric guitars, amps and drums.

About Tim's Baseball Card Shop, Chicago, Ill.

Chicago native Tim Herron opened Tim's Baseball Card Shop in 2004 in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago.  Tim buys and sells all types of sports memorabilia including baseball cards, basketball cards, football cards and autographs.  The store has prices to fit any budget and the expertise to assist both new and veteran collectors.

Dipping yourself into a tub of beer may be the beer lover’s dream, all you need to is add in your favorite super model and a briefcase stuffed with a million bucks. As tempting as it may seem to drink the bathwater while in the spas, that is not their main purpose (in fact, most serve beer on the side so you can resist the urge!).  Apparently, these beer spas are actually very good for your skin & hair. Your beer bath is a combination of beer, mineral water, hops and yeast.  Typically, the beer is a dark beer, which makes for a murky liquid.

Once you enter the tub, you can feel like warm and sticky beer surround your body. You will see some foam on the top of the tub, which comes from the bubbles in the beer. It’s as if you are in your own personal mug.  Spas claim that this treatment is good for your skin, due to the vitamins in the beer and the yeast they put in the tub. Mineral water is also supposedly good for those who have high blood pressure.

Typical treatments last approximately 20-25 minutes, and as mentioned above several pints of beer are offered to you while you sit and relax. Most spas then lead you to a room that resembles a sauna, where you can relax and are left to have a mild sweat. Afterwards, most individuals enjoy a dip in a cool swimming pool to remove the sticky feeling and any other residue from your beer bath.

Prices for treatments like this can range from 50-100 euros (or $70-$140). These spas were initially intended for men, since it was a “dream come true” for them. However, more women are participating at these spas given the potential benefit to their skin & hair. While the beer bath itself may not be  better than any spa treatment you are currently getting – it certainly sounds a lot more fun!

But why did consumer spend less cash on beer? It could have to do with the recent price increases on beer around the country. On average beer produces by Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors rose 5% last year. That was a risky move considering the lackluster economy. These price increases are creating problems for local stores around the country, who see lower sales of mass-marketed beers and higher sales for less known craft alternatives.

Are prices going down this year then? No, in fact, mass-marketed beer prices are supposed to increase by 2-3% this year. Analysts insist that large retailers will try to push back and spur demand by offering more promotions on these beers.  Imports have learnt this as well, while Corno continues to keep price increases they felt a 2.8% decrease in December, while Modelo Especial’s volumes increased by 12%. What was different about Modelo? They dropped prices by 3%...

Now for the good news, in December craft brewers were the only ones to show a growth in volumes. According to analysts, micro/craft volumes grew ~10%, including a 4% increase by Sam Adams, and double digit gains for Sierra Nevada, New Belgium and Yuengling, effectively taking away market share from imports.

In general over the past 5 years, the US beer market has only grown ~1%, while craft brewers are enjoying 10-15% growth on a yearly basis. We may be looking for some major mega mergers to happen this year in the beer market (Heineken / Femsa, for example). However, if you are a lover of craft breweries and like to try new and different beers, you are in luck. It looks like these companies are here to stay for a while…

Your Choice. Your Beer. Drink Up.
- Beer Universe

While wine enthusiasts will be well-versed in the concept of vintage and its effect on the quality of a wine, it is not so prevalent an idea in the beer universe. Most beers aren't meant for aging, especially the ubiquitous light american lager (Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite, etc). Beer generally spoils after a year or so - readers will remember our previous mentions of "skunked" beer, a phenomenon that occurs when age, heat, or exposure to light causes chemicals in hops to break down through oxidation, literally producing skunk juice. We would avoid confusing which beers are good for aging…

There are certain types of beer that can be aged, so if you're looking to start on this adventurous project, there are a number of factors to consider:

1. The beer must have a high alcohol content (8% or higher is best). The high concentration of alcohol acts as a chemical buffer against decomposition.
2. The less hops, the better. The perfect beers to age are malty, dark, and sweet.
3. The beer must be unpasteurized! Pasteurization, while sterilizing the beer, completely stops the aging process. Some unpasteurized beers are referred to as bottle-conditioned or "living" beers. These beers are excellent for aging due to the extra yeast added just prior to bottling, which inhibits destructive oxidation and continues to ferment in the bottle.

Aging is a very delicate process, and every beer will undergo it differently. After an appropriate beer has been selected (and buy several, for testing!) drink one immediately, to judge the flavor. It is best to age beers in a cellar with a constant temperature and low exposure to light. 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit is best, though those with a lot of experience will often fine-tune temperature based on alcohol content. There is a delicate balance to maintain - too low and the beer can become cloudy due to "chill haze," too high and the lifespan of the beer is shortened.

Open another after about a year, to see if any change has occurred. If it hasn't spoiled, keep going! The trick is resisting the temperature to drink your creation. Some beers reach their peak after three years, and some can continue to get better over ten, even twenty years! If you're willing to devote the time and the care, you can create a unique vintage for yourself.

That's right - the concept of the beer can didn't even exist until the 1920s, when brewers first started thinking about using metal cans for the packaging of beer. The concept took a backseat due to Prohibition, but when the restrictions were lifted in 1931, researchers got to work on finding an alternative to the traditional glass bottle.

There were a few problems that needed to be overcome. Minor assembly and manufacturing problems aside, the can needed to be strong enough to withstand the pasteurization process, which requires pressures of up to 90 psi (more than 6 times as much as atmospheric pressure). Also, the can needed an inner lining that would protect the beer inside from harmful chemical reactions. The first few attempts to find such a lining involved flour, gum, and somewhat unexpectedly - asphalt. The Gottfried Krueger Brewing Co. were the first to use the new plastic-lined beer can, in January 1934. When sales increased dramatically in just a few short months, Pabst and Anheuser-Busch followed suit, and the beer can revolution was born.

The can has evolved from its humble beginnings - modern-day beer cans are aluminum with water-based inner liners, usually with efficient pull-off tabs designed for safety and ease. They are easier to manufacture, easier to package, and are more efficient in terms of displaying company logos and advertising than their predecessor, the glass bottle. However, plastic bottles, being light, rugged, and cheap, are the future of beer packaging - so enjoy the beer can while it lasts, and be sure to drink up to celebrate this wonderful innovation that has served beer drinkers well for 75 years.

The international beer conglomerate SABMiller has recently agreed to buy large amounts of locally grown cassava in Angola, for use in brewing beer. Cassava, a potato-like root vegetable, is dried, grated, and added to barley malt as a starch supplement. Cassava beer tastes almost the same as regularly brewed beer and is much cheaper to produce, as the need for importing often-expensive ingredients is reduced. To support this venture, SAB has just completed construction on a $125 million state-of-the-art brewery a few miles from Luanda, Angola's capital.

SAB is hoping that the introduction of the new cassava beer, which will be up to 20% less expensive than regular beer, will stimulate sales to low-income groups. Africans drink almost 6 times less beer than Americans or Europeans, largely because of prohibitively high costs of production and distribution. Many of Africa's ports are disorganized and notoriously difficult to navigate, and poor internal infrastructure makes conventional distribution almost impossible. SAB is looking to use local ingredients and labor in its new Angola facility, based on the success of similar ventures in countries like Sudan, Mozambique, and Tanzania, into which SAB has poured almost $250 million. (SAB's Eagle beer, introduced in 2002, is made from sorghum, a local grain, and accounts for 50% of SAB sales in Uganda.)

Angola may be just the place to expand this model. Promising recovery after years of civil war, flourishing oil sales to China, and strong financial relations with Brazil, Portugal, and South Africa are all increasing the purchasing power and quality of life of Angola's urban poor, which is driving up beer sales. There is huge market potential here - an estimated 4 billion liters of beer (about $3 billion worth in sales) are drunk in Africa each year, but the process is informal and unregulated. SAB is working with local farmers to create cooperatives that buoy the local economies, and is using its new facility to create jobs and train workers in new skills. This will also help in eliminating the need to import workers from China. 12700 African farmers currently provide barley to SAB, and this figure is estimated to rise to 45000 by 2012. While the continent is several years away from the levels of production and consumption the West currently enjoys, look for African beer to become a booming industry in the coming decade.

Light Beer - the phrase means different things to different people - some laugh at the mere mention of it, while others swear by the taste. Say what you will about light beer, but it currently dominates the American domestic beer market, so we thought we'd devote some time to explaining this controversial yet important phenomenon.

Light beer is a relatively new addition to the Beer Universe - while beer has been around since the 6th century BC, the first commercially available "light" beer was created in 1967, known back then as Gablinger's Diet Beer. The primary goal was to reduce the alcohol content, so that one could drink more. However, it didn't sell very well, and the recipe made its way over to Meister Brau, later acquired by Miller.

Miller reinvented the concept of light beer - instead of marketing a lower-alcohol product, "Lite Beer from Miller" was billed as having lower calories while retaining a refreshing taste. Based on Miller's heavy use of pro-sports figures and male idols of the day in their advertising campaigns, light beer sales took off - 24 million barrels of Miller Lite were produced in 1977, propelling Miller to the top of the American brewing scene. Other companies quickly caught on, spurring the creation of many other "light" versions of popular beers. Anheuser-Busch's Bud Light overtook its Miller analogue in 1994, and by the turn of the century, Americans were drinking more light beer than anything else.

So what exactly is light beer? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to that question. Most of them are standard pale lagers, usually brewed in the Pilsner style, but when it comes to actually making the beer "light," there are many different methods brewers use. To lower the alcohol content, brewers will sometimes adjust the fermentation process, either changing the techniques used to process barley mash, or by adjusting the fermentation temperatures. Reducing the carb content and overall calorie total is a little harder - brewers typically add special enzymes to process unfermentable sugars called dextrins, although these are what give beer much of its body and feel, and contribute to some of the higher aspects of taste.

These methods generally don't do much to reduce the calories in beer, which mostly come from alcohol anyway. As a last-ditch effort, some brewers will either add rice or corn (Bud Light is said to have a high percentage of rice), or simply water down the finished product.

So is "light beer" worth it? Some people prefer the taste over that of regular beers, and this shows in the range of light beer products available today. Whether you prefer this subtler alternative or are a hard-headed beer purist, some light beers manage a great compromise between taste and nutrition.

Here are a few that most people have given a try:

• Bud Light (95 calories)
• Miller Lite (110 calories)
• Coors Light (102 calories)
• Michelob Ultra (96 calories)
• MGD 64 (64 calories, duh)
• Heineken Light (100 calories)
• Corona Light (105 calories)
• Sam Adams Light (119 calories)
• Beck's Premier Light (64 calories)

Can't we just all get along?

Your Choice. Your Beer. Drink Up.
- Beer Universe

To be safe, follow some of the following points for storing bottled beers:

• Like all food and beverage, especially the freshest and most delicious, it is always best to buy fresh stock. Beer is best when it is still young from the brewery.  Be sure to check any dates the brewer may provide to indicate when it is “best by”. Give yourself a nice cushion to be able to enjoy it fresh.  Not everyone consumes every last drop until it’s gone, or do they…? So buy fresh.

• Light is the root of skunked beer (we have an article on this). The light, even artificial light, causes riboflavin to react with and break down isohumulones, a molecule that contributes to the bitterness of the beer and is derived from the hops (often called “lightstruck”). Bottles with dark brown glass give some protection to the beer, but green and colorless glass offer virtually no protection at all. Some brewers bring in chemically-modified hop extracts in place of normal hops to allow them to use clear glass.  So choose brown bottles.

• Always make sure to keep your beer stored in cool places. Warm storage shouldn’t exceed 70° F, because high temperature can cause the flavor of beer to depreciate rapidly, but avoid cold storage below 30° F. So check the temperature advice from the brewer.

• Any beer that contains sediments, keep upright when storing them. For filtered beers or beers designed to pour cloudy, this is not an issue.  Beers with corked bottles need to be stored horizontally to keep the cork moist and tight, but returned to upright position before serving.

• Make sure to store all of your beer in a clean and dust-free environment. If stored in a dirty environment, cases may absorb odors that drinkers may detect when drinking directly from the bottle.  This usually affects canned beer more than bottle beer due to the wider surface area. So store in a clean environment.

• In addition to storing in a clean environment, store your beer in a dry area as well. Dampness in storage areas can breed mold or mildew.  Make sure to store cases stacked on pallets or racks to avoid damp floors.  In addition to mold, damp storage areas may cause labels to soften or deteriorate. So store in a dry area.

The event, sponsored by BPONG LLC, is rapidly making itself known in a big way – it is currently the largest and longest-running beer pong tournament in the world. Over 450 teams filled Las Vegas' Flamingo Hotel and Casino for five days of intense beer pong play. Players can buy in to the tournament, or qualify at a number of satellite tournaments across the nation.

As a brief refresher on the game: beer pong (also known as Beirut) is normally played by two teams of two people each, positioned on opposite sides of a table, usually around 8-10 feet in length. In front of each team is a set of cups, known as a rack, and teams take turns trying to throw ping pong balls into the opposing team’s cups. Once a ball lands in a cup, the contents are drunk, and the cup set aside. The objective is to remove all of the other team’s cups. Standard WSOBP rules call for an 8’ x 2’ table, and a standard triangular rack of 10 cups, which can be adjusted as the number of cups dwindles.

However there are endless variations of the standard game, manipulating rules to reward clever shots (bounced off the table, for example) or showmanship (in one variation, hitting three cups in a row lets a player shoot until they miss). The setup can also vary – while a standard rack is a 10-cup triangle, other arrangements can add excitement and challenge. Re-racking rules also vary greatly, though the WSOBP calls for re-racking at 6, 3, and 1 cup(s).

A useful difference from the way college students are used to playing the game - water can be substituted for beer, which means teams have to rely solely on their skill and coordination. (While steadily increasing inebriation makes for a more exciting and less predictable game, it may not be conducive to organized tournament play.)

For BPONG LLC, run by Carnegie Mellon alumni Billy Gaines, Duncan Carroll, and Ben Solnik, the tournament is a great way to share their passion for beer pong, and to promote related events and merchandise. Check out bpong.com for anything and everything related to the game, and if you think your skills measure up, start practicing for WSOBP VI in 2011!