Busting beer myths, one bottle at a time.
There is nothing more infuriating for a craft beer lover than hearing persistent, incorrect beer stereotypes. And we’re not talking those miniscule, inside baseball stereotypes that you have to sport a beard to understand.
No, these are some humongous misconceptions that when observed in real time, sound like Freddy Krueger going to town on a chalkboard.
Now I’m not saying that I haven’t been guilty of promoting these preconceptions in the past. Just like anything in life, proper practice produces perfection. So here are a few of the most common misconceptions about beer that I have heard over the years. Some will be obvious to beer enthusiasts. Some may be educational. And if you know of some others, please let us know. Afterall, learning about beer produces the best homework ever!
1. All Mexican beer is served with a lime.
First and foremost, I don’t know why any beer is served with a lime. Sure, there are some fruit-to-beer pairings that when used properly, enhance the beer’s flavor or cuts down some of it’s more unwanted properties.
But the lime thing? This just grinds my gears.
There are many theories as to why this trend started, but to date, no brewery has taken credit for starting the movement. And what’s really strange, beer drinkers in Mexico don’t put limes in their beers. Of course, if you’re a gringo, bartenders in Mexico usually assume you want one. This is our version of racial profiling in the bar industry.
More than likely, it was a clever marketing gimmick by a brewery — let’s go with Corona — looking to break in big with U.S. drinkers. Since most of the Mexican beers distributed in the U.S. are rather ubiquitous, usually pale lagers in clear or green bottles, limes became synonymous with all Mexican beer — even those that are not actually Mexican in origin.
Take Dos Equis Ambar (no, that’s how it’s spelled) or Negra Modelo. Both are beers brewed in Mexico. Both are usually served with limes in most bars I’ve frequented.
And both are German beers. Yep, the style of both of these beers harken back to Germany and are considered “Vienna Lagers.” Another popular Vienna Lager is Sam Adams Boston Lager.
When’s the last time you’ve popped a lime in your Sam Adams?
Now I’m not saying that adding a lime to a dark, malty, full-bodied beer will not taste good. I am, however, saying that the most interesting man in the world be a lot less interesting if he was caught doing the same.
2. Women don’t like beer.
This misconception becomes more antiquated by the day. Since I started working in the craft beer industry more than five years ago, I have seen a dramatic increase in female patrons looking to expand their knowledge about and appreciation for beer. You can also see it in the marketing of beer. Television commercials are more inclusive of men and women interests and tastes.
And no, Spuds MacKenzie does not count in this conversation.
I’ve been a craft beer drinker for about 10 years. I’ve been a woman for zero years. So I really don’t have a lot of insight into the reason for this stereotype.
So I reached out to a couple knowledgeable women in the beer industry to get their take. While they are on opposite sides of the beer industry spectrum, they both had similar takes on why there is a marked rise of female beer drinkers.
“Women currently make up approximately 35 percent of craft beer consumers nationally and that number is growing. With the rise of the foodie, an emphasis on taste and quality, and an increasing number of female craft brewers — or “brewsters” — more women are enjoying the wonders of craft beer,” said Sarah Ritchie, a.k.a. Craft Beer Betty and craft sales representative for Golden Eagle Distributing.
Ritchie, founding board member of Craft Tucson, co-founded Tucson Girls Pint Out with fellow beer lover Victoria Parridgen two years ago. Since then, the group has grown dramatically and has led to four collaboration brews with local breweries. And it’s not just about the beer. A recent club fundraiser netted nearly $4,000 for a local women’s non-profit organization.
But the rise in female beer drinkers has not just been witnessed in the craft beer market. The MillerCoors Brewing Co. held a national conference last week addressing “Women in Beer.” Tucson MillerCoors Sales Representative Jill Whoberry said the erosion of this stereotype was one of the main discussion points.
“One specific issue is that women do not enjoy the taste of beer. No surprise, studies show this isn’t the case for most women,” she said. “In fact, while people seem to assume that females are preferential to wine, this is not accurate. Women are exploring the field of beer as consumers, saleswomen, and brewers.”
So obviously, gender stereotypes and beer no longer mix. This has been apparent for years now and is quickly being accepted nationwide. And nothing beats listening to a guy and a girl on a date — and listening to the girl just school him on beer!
3. Bottled beer is better than canned beer.
Okay, if you feel this way, prepare to feel very disappointed. The canned-beer revolution has already started and there’s nothing you can do about it. The fact is that canned beer does not taste like aluminum. Nope. it doesn’t. In fact, it may taste better than bottled beer.
Here’s the deal. All cans are lined with a polymer that does not allow the beer to touch the aluminum. Remember those Keystone commercials touting their special can lining? Yeah, nice try. All cans were — and still are — lined with the same water-based substance.
Beer cans also prevent light penetration, which is one of the reasons beers turn “skunky,” leaving you with bitter-beer face (still one of my favorite commercials). From a financial perspective, there are fewer instances of breakage when transporting pallets of beer. And, given the strength and shape of the cans, breweries can stack more beer on top of itself, thus reducing transportation costs. Pretty simple.
Still not buying it? Fair enough. Try it at home. Go out, grab a six pack of Four Peaks Kiltlifter bottles and another in cans. While blindfolded or in another room, have somebody pour the contents of one can into a glass and the contents of a bottle into another. Now it’s your turn. Try the beer and try to decide which is which.
Sure, your odds of guessing the correct beers are 50 percent. Even with my English degree, I know that doesn’t seem very scientific. But keep in mind, you still have nearly a half-case of beer in your refrigerator. Try some different permutations. Take notes.
Either way, your beer is not going to taste like aluminum.
4. Guinness Draught is a thick, heavy beer.
This is another stereotype that lends itself to novice beer drinkers, one that may infect future beer decisions. And it would be a shame for somebody to not appreciate the true binding force of a nice pint of Guinness Draught.
Let’s first take a stab at the body of a Guinness Draught. At first glance, the mesmerizing, cascading, nitrogenated bubbles look like a lava lamp and a door right back into the 1970s. From the first pour, it seems this is one thick, dense beer. But take a decent swig and let it sit on your palate for a second or two before swallowing. Sure it has a creamy mouthfeel, but then all of a sudden, where did it go? A heavy beer will last on your palate for nearly a minute after swallowing.
I’ve had some guests tell me that Guinness Draught is like drinking oatmeal. First, I highly doubt anybody has drank oatmeal, but secondly, as we have just displayed, it’s not a thick beer. But it’s certainly not a carbohydrate-rich, calorie monster like many people think.
Stand up a Guinness Draught to a Bud Light, both at 12-ounces. Guinness has 125 calories, Bud Light has 110. Carb-conscious? Guinness Draught comes in at 9.9 grams while Bud Light is just three grams less. Oddly, Bud Light has nearly a gram of protein, while Guinness Draught contains a third of that.
And when it comes to possibly the most important part — alcohol by volume — Guinness Draught is 5 percent while Bud Light is 4.2 percent.
You do the math, since, well, I’m not good at it. But from my perspective, Guinness Draught is nearly comparable to a pale lager ending with “light.” Regarding taste, however, is up to you.
Oh, and here’s a fun fact. Guinness Draught is neither black nor brown. It’s a deep, dark, red. Yeah, weird, huh?
I could go on about various beer misconceptions and incorrect stereotypes for days, but by now we’re both tired and probably ready for a pint or two. But if you run into some other misnomers and misconceptions, please send them our way! We’re changing the world one beer at a time.
