Beer Q's: Part II

The authors of the Good Beer Book recently offered us a list of questions they are frequently asked, as well as the answers they give. They also invited All About Beer Online readers to submit questions. Here some of those questions, with answers from authors Garrett Oliver, the Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster, and Tim Harper, the journalist who served as Garrettâs co-author.

If you have a question of your own you can still write them at:

goodbeer@allaboutbeer.com

We'll publish your questions and their answers in the near future.

How long can you expect to keep homebrew before it goes bad -- or does it go bad? Mike Caruthers, Stafford, VA.

Mike,
It depends on the style of beer, how it's been made and, most importantly, how it's been handled. Even a well-made beer exposed to light or heat or air, or any combination of the above, can go bad within hours. Homebrew that is kept cool, in the dark and away from air exposure can last weeks, and longer if it has high levels of alcohol and hops, both of which can be preservatives.

 

Why is it that when I visit your page, I can actually smell Beer? Angela Dempsey.

Angela,
That's just wishful smelling, we're afraid. Our Websmell software won't be available for some time yet.

 

I am in the process of writing a my fourth screen play for a Seattle based film company, and have set the film in a local pub. At the beginning of Act 2, the characters gather for a playful lecture on the different types of beer. Ah, there be the rub ... I know much too little about beer, and beyond that, what makes beer ... well, beer. Are there any solid references you can point me to that actually defines the differences? Nathan.

Nathan,
Run, do not walk, to the nearest book store and buy or order a copy of The Good Beer Book, by Timothy Harper and Garrett Oliver, published by Berkley. It won't make you an instant expert, but it will get you up to speed fast, starting with the very basics.

 

I need to know, for a health project, what in beer makes it alcoholic?

Uh, the alcohol.

 

I've been asked to help set up a beer competition at our locol fair. How many catagorys should I have? What should they be? Greg Smith.

Greg,
Depends what kind of competition. If it's throwing beer, you kind of have to break it down into cans, bottles, quarts, ponies, half-barrels, etc. If it's tasting beer, you might want to go with some basic styles: pilsner, amber lager, wheat, brown, stout, pale ale, for example.

 

Can you tell me why 5 liter cans can't hold the freshness of beer for more than two days? It seems to me that you have to drink it all at once, without enjoying it slowly (for days, perhaps). I wanted to say that there are no bubbles after a while and beer becomes FUJKILI-MUJKILI. I'm 20 years old and I really enjoy beer, expecially from those cans, so why can't anyone improve the product, or the pump attachment?

Those cheap picnic pump systems allow too much exposure to the air, which kills beer. Your most economical solution is to either drink it all up faster, or else buy in smaller quantities. Gettting a good deal on fresh beer in quantity doesn't make much sense if a certain amount of the beer is going to go bad.

 

I'm a personal trainer and i am really into fitness.I`m also really into Guinnes,so i was wondering what the nutritional info was on Guinness Stout? The protein content? Carbs? Caloric? sodium? fat? sugar? Maybe you can help me? Anthony.

Anthony,
We don't know the specifics of Guinness -- it is rumored to be an Irish national secret akin to our own recipe for atomic bombs -- but it has been known for centuries that "Guinness is good for you." In fact, for many decades it was the company's official motto. Indeed, until only a few years ago, Guinness was routinely served to nursing mothers in the maternity wards of British and Irish hospitals. Doctors would even prescribe it sometimes as an general tonic, and because it would help nursing mothers produce more milk. Burp.

 

Could you tell me the alcohol content of light beer per can or bottle? Let's talk about Miller Light. How is it different than regular beer? Linda.

Linda,
Most light beers have about one-third fewer calories, and about one-third less alcohol content.

 

Do you think people under 21 should be allowed to drink and not miss out on the fun? Jane Cowden

Jane,
We think people under 21 should be allowed to drink with their parents.

More from the Good Beer Book authors.
Send your questions to goodbeer@allaboutbeer.com