Global Beer Trends: Indigenous beer/Artesian beer

Posted by Garrett Oliver

Do you love sipping from a mug filled with beer and the foam coming out of it? Who doesn’t like to? After all it is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed popular beverage all across the globe. When socializing with family members or friends, most men take pleasure in drinking but a majority of them prefer to enjoy sipping on a chilled glass of beer. This does not implicate that they have some issues with wine or whiskey; the only thing is they simply adore this light, easy to drink beverage. Another reason could be, they can drink this not-so-sweet and relatively nutritious beverage in large quantities. In a number of surveys and studies, it has been established that beer and wine are both just as good for the cardiac health, still the former triumphs overwhelmingly over the latter in popularity. In many Western cultures, beer is the drink of choice, becoming the most macho drink for men.

Apprehending the tremendous surge in popularity of beer consumption, production of this beverage has increased substantially, with numerous indigenous and Artesian beer styles and tastes are being experimented and developed. Beer is being brewed throughout the world and the worldwide brewing industry has seen incredible growth in recent decades. And this is due to the fact that most men and women’s preference has greatly turned toward beer over liquor and wine. Some of the major beer manufacturing countries that have dramatically enriched and enlivened the brewing trade are America, South Africa, Spain, China, Poland, Germany, Russia, to name a few. The beer makers in these countries have represented literally all of the conventional beer in new styles, gave a unique twist to some of the traditional ones and even crafted a few styles/flavors of their own. Read further this article to know about the craft-brewing revolution, types, styles and beer ingredients mostly used in the making of different beers.

Many varieties of beer exist in the world of which two major are Cask ale and Keg beer. Also known as real beer and cask-conditioned beer, cask is a fresh, unpasteurised form of beer made from 4 ingredients: water, malted barley, hops and yeast. This beer is fermented twice, and it doesn’t have much fizz because contains no added gas. Cask ale needs conditioning when delivered into the cellar of the pub which takes up to 3 days to completely condition. Keg beer, on the other hand, is a filtered and/or pasteurised form of beer. It undergoes the same primary fermentation process as the real ale though. Also known as ‘brewery-conditioned' beer, Keg ales lack any natural carbonation and so carbon dioxide has to be added artificially, which makes it more ‘gassy’ than Cask ones.

These days, some keg beers have a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide which gives the drink a creamy head. Most popularly sold keg beers are brewery conditioned: they are cold fermented with a yeast strain, cold stabilised in the brewery and are then sterile filtered and pasteurised. They contain no live yeast and are served under gas pressure which gives them more ‘fizz.’ Some keg beers are referred to as ‘craft’ beers, containing more premium ingredients and having more intense flavour. Innovation in brewing and dispense has increasingly led beers makers to create interesting flavours and styles which have been embraced by both adult beer drinkers and a new generation of beer drinkers. It might be difficult for an average beer drinker to notify the differences between various styles and types but a keen beer consumer can easily distinguish them apart.

There have been a number of different trends that have come into prevalence over the last two decades, and perhaps one of the oldest and most significant of them all has been the craft beer brewing. Based on some unknown facts, craft beer brewing is considered to be the second oldest profession after prostitution. In recent years, a tremendous growth in the number of craft beer lovers has been witnessed. Many of the best beers in the world today are being brewed in the U.S.. offering 150 plus beer styles and 20,000 plus brands to choose from. As of early 2018, more than 6,000 breweries are producing thousands of beer brands. The brewing of traditional beer is widely practiced by rural tribes in Africa.

Depending on varied local customs and resources, a variety of craft beers are produced in African rural regions. Ginger beers and honey beers are two of the beers mainly brewed locally in Africa. Chibuku beer, also known as 'The Beer of Africa' is popular throughout Southern African countries. The most important thing to learn about the craft beers is that they are manufactured using quality ingredients, and created in in relatively small batches that favors great aroma and flavor over mass production. In some regions, sorghum malt is used as an important ingredient while in others maize is the primary ingredient.

Change is the law of nature, and like many other trades, wine and beer industries also respond to change. Thanks to the craft beer revolution, there are well over hundred styles of beers available these days, some new and some rejuvenated. This means, beer lovers have a lot to explore in brewing market. There is a beer style for everyone. Even if you think you don't like beer, we bet you will love to taste one from a variety of quality beers with their distinct taste. The popular types of beers are:

• Ales - This kind of beers are brewed with top fermenting yeast at cellar temperature. Ales come in many varieties having a variety of fruit and malt aromas and a pleasantly hoppy finish.
• Lagers - Stored for several months in near-freezing temperatures, lagers are crisp and refreshing drinks. A smooth finish from longer aging makes lager the world's most popular beer.
• Porter - It is a top fermenting style of beer which is dark, almost black, in color. This ale beer is brewed with a blend of roasted malt to give it its flavor, color and aroma.
• Stout - Like Porter, Stout is also a black, fruity-dry brew made by top fermentation. Not so sweet to taste, stout features a rich, creamy head and is brewed with barley to impart it flavor and color
• Malt - This type of beer is sweeter in taste as malts contain hints of caramel, toffee, and nuts. These are available in light to full bodied ranges.

If we talk about the styles of beers, there is an endless line of them. Some popular styles we are mentioning here are: Amber, Blonde, Brown ale, Cream ale, Dark ale, Fruit beers, Golden ales, Full-bodied Honey beer, India Pale Ale, Light beer, Lime, Pale ale, Pilsner lager, Red ales, Strong beers, and Wheat beer. Those who didn’t know it already, beer is the third most popular beverage in the world, after water and tea. But among the alcoholic beverages, beer is the most consumed drink around the world.