How to Choose a Microbrew

After the demise of the leisure suit, the best thing to happen to American culture is the rise of the microbrewery. Fans can now find handcrafted beer in every supermarket, a unique brewery in every city. Before you hoist that next pint, research the many varieties out there. Sure, it's a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Ask the bartender to describe the brewery's offerings. From lightest to darkest, look for pilsner, lager, ale, porter and stout. Most major American beers are pilsners.

2. Start out with a lager or ale if you're new to microbrews. Then move on to experience the wide variety of flavors that are available. Heavily hopped beers tend to be slightly bitter. Seasonal special brews (such as Christmas ale) often have a higher percentage of alcohol.

3. Slog through the naming variations. A pale ale may not be all that pale, for example. Some English beers are designated as bitter (roughly equivalent to an ale) but may not be bitter at all.

4. Keep in mind that most microbrews contain slightly more alcohol than major American beer brands. Some very heavy brews contain much more.

Tips & Warnings

• Join a beer-of-the-month club (such as beermonthclub. com). You'll sample from 6 to 24 beers each month. Prices range from $60 for three months to $300 for the entire year.
• Many microbreweries produce exotic flavors, such as raspberry, apricot or peach ales.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.

[dasbootjoe]

on 11/13/2008 I love microbrews! Thanks for the tips...