Lots of us drink beer every day, but there’s a ton of stuff you may not know about the frothy brew we all know and love. Some of you may know that it contains hops, or that it’s sometimes brewed using industrial burners (not unlike the ring burners on your stove or the propane burners on your gas valve grill). But there are a lot of fun, interesting facts about beer that you may not know, and here are just a few:
Beer or water? – In the middle ages, before gas burners made for easy water boiling and purification, it was actually safer to drink the beer than the water. Also, beer is made mostly of water, and water from different areas will create different tasting beers.
Bring back the beer! – When prohibition struck the U.S. by storm, it lasted 13 years, 10 months, 19 days, 17 hours, and 32.5 minutes. After it was repealed, President Roosevelt said: “What America needs now is a drink.” I’m sure it was as stressful to him as it was to everyone else.
How does beer work? – After it’s done, beer goes from the gas burners to your gastrointestinal system. Your body processes about one alcoholic beverage every hour, and when you have more than that, you can start to get drunk. The more empty your stomach is, the quicker the alcohol is absorbed into your system, so make sure you never drink without eating some type of food first.
Pull over for beer! – When the Pilgrims parked the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock, they did so because on the way to Virginia, they ran out of beer. Talk about a successful beer run.
If you want to learn how to brew your own beer, visit your local brewery and take a tour of their equipment and processes.
