BEER 101

I was looking through some photos and it always seems I have a beer in my hand when I'm eating. I really don't drink that much but I do enjoy a good beer! So I was thinking that I would give a short lesson in Beer.
Don't know the difference between and ale and a lager? Still wondering if a lighter color means a lighter buzz?
There are two types of beer- Ales and Lagers. Ales have top-fermenting yeast and are brewed at about 54 degrees, while lagers have bottom-fermenting yeast and are brewed at 36 degrees. So what does all this mean? Ales tend to have a softer,fuller taste and more alcohol content, while lagers are crisp and sharp and contain a little less alcoholic punch.
Porters,stouts and wheats fall under the ale category; pilsners, bocks and double bocks are lagers.
While beer connoisseurs can tell brews apart by their tastes, it's a lot tougher to decipher a a beer by its color. There are both dark and light ales and dark and light lagers the colors run the gamut. The color difference has to do with the malt, not the fermentation.
And, contrary to popular opinion, just because a beer is darker doesn't necessarily mean it has more alcohol.
Well there you have it beer in a nut shell, The Food and Wine Festival at Epcot is in full swing right now so if your in the Orlando area stop in at try all the wonderful beers we have from all over the world.
Cheers!!
allison
Allisons Kitchen