Interesting Facts About Beer

The average American is said to drink an estimated 47 gallons of soda pop, 27 gallons of coffee and 23 gallons of beer annually. When you think of beer, Bud Light, Budweiser or Miller Lite may come to mind. These are the 3 most popular brews made in America. (In case you're curious, Beck's is the best German seller in America, particularly Beck's Dark Beer.) Although beer is our favorite alcohol of choice, Congress made bourbon whiskey the official alcohol of the United States. Read this informative article and find out some interesting facts about beer!

First Recipes for Beer
Long, long before Molson, the oldest brewery in North America was built in 1786, the ancient Babylonians had created the first recipes for beer. The "Hymn to Ninkasi" contains a recipe for Sumerian beer.

According to the beerdrinkersunion.com, the Babylonians were serious about their beer. Any commercial brewer that made an unacceptable beer was drowned in their own alcohol.

Beer in Modern Times
Today, there are said to be more than 200 styles of beer around the world. The alcohol content by volume in beer usually ranges from 2.5% to 12%. An interesting fact about beer is, Samuel Adams Triple Bock is the strongest beer with 18% alcohol by volume.

America's Favorite Beer
Beer is traditionally made from four ingredients: barley malt, hops, yeast and water. Budweiser is the top-selling beer in the United States, according to CNBC. com. It's interesting to note that Anheuser-Busch substitutes rice for a portion of the barley malt to make their brew taste lighter.

If you're a vegan, you can drink Bud Light or Budweiser beers. As a rule, Anheuser-Busch beers don't contain, and aren't processed with, animal products.

Are Beer Bellies Just a Myth?
According to a recent article at nursingtimes.net, one in four British men are concerned that drinking is going to give them a "beer belly." One in six men are worried they'll develop "man boobs" from drinking. However, a recent article at news.com should have everyone raising their beer glasses with glee. It reports that researchers tracked 20,000 beer drinkers for 8-1/2 years. The results concluded that beer drinkers "are more likely to put on weight" than non-drinkers. But, not necessarily around the abdomen. The researchers determined that genetics play more of a part in how people's weight is distributed than drinking beer does.

Beer Tips
An interesting fact about beer is, if the head on your glass is too big for your liking, stick your finger in it. The oil on your skin will dissipate the foam.

To prevent your beer glass from sticking to a napkin underneath, sprinkle some table salt on the napkin first.

Resources
http://www.beerdrinkersunion.com/main/home/?virtuemart=e1862cea70845dc13a2809dcee9d95f1
http://www.rockthelist.com/2008/09/08/8-amazing-beer-facts/
http://www.tobp.com/other/beer_facts.shtml
http://hubpages.com/hub/beertriv
http://www.beercollections.com/General/BeerFacts.htm
http://www.explorestlouis.com/visitors/beerFacts.asp
http://www.nbwa.org/
http://www.nursingtimes.net/whats-new-in-nursing/acute-care/fear-of-beer-bellies-forcing-men-to-cut-back-on-the-booze/5002799.article
http://digg.com/general_sciences/Study_finds_beer_not_linked_to_beer_belly_World_News_New