After wine and tea, beer is the most commonly drunk beverage in the world. Produced from grains, wheat and sometimes even rice or corn, beer is a beverage that appeals to many types and tastes in a wide range flavors.
Many beer drinkers take great pride in developing their own palette and choice of beers, and just like wine drinkers have their favorite regions, brands or styles. The explosion of micro-breweries in North American and the broadened availability of items such as wheat beer, stout, ale and pilsner have broadened Americans’ knowledge and appreciation for beer that is not mainstream.
The modern, educated beer drinkers will argue that beer shall be enjoyed from a beer mug and not directly from the bottle, which is often otherwise in the case in American culture. The American Beer Mug, which is a classic dating back to the Wild West, is broadly considered to bring out the beer’s qualities and taking it to its full capacity. Generally, a thick beer mug will also keep the temperature of the beer down – which is an important attribute since American beer-drinkers traditionally prefer their beers cold.
So just what does the beer mug add to the beer?
According to John Haglaund, a research scientist with the Carolina Institute of Food & Beverage, the beer flavor experience is a combination of oxidation (beer’s interaction with the environment it is in), the exposure to light (or lack thereof) and temperature.
The beer was developed to be enjoyed cold and hence a mug and material that is able to keep a temperature is the most ideal.
The beer is often poured directly from a dark bottle that protects it from destructive sun rays and light rays, or directly from the tap – as a result there is no need for a mug with colored glass, other than for fun.
The oxidation process begins immediately when a beer is poured into the beer mug which is why it is important to enjoy a beer within 30 minutes of pouring to appreciate the flavor that was intended at point of brewing and bottling.
The design of the sturdy, thick-glassed beer mug was not just accidental, but was optimized to maintain all the qualities from brewing and bottling. Elaborate tests conducted by Mr. Haglaund showed a more rapid decline of the beer’s flavor when poured into a regular glass. The test further concluded that the thick bottom allowed the carbon dioxide that causes the bubbles in the beer to prevail by up 20% longer than in a traditional glass. According to the test, a thinner, regular glass will eliminate carbon dioxide by its more rapid loss of temperature.
So when you are enjoying a beer, ale, pilsner or stout – go for a high quality Beer Mug – it will make your beer taste better and last longer
View original post here: What the Beer Mug Does to the Quality of the Beer
