British craft Beers launched by Aldi

The German supermarket chain Aldi has invested 600,000 Pound Sterling in launching craft Beers made in Britain. Ales and Craft Beers have been the tradition in Britain, but no one has gone to these lengths to launch craft beer. When Aldi launches craft beers local to Britain beginning June 2016, it would mean bringing new tastes to people across Britain in craft beer. The revolution of promoting breweries which started in 2002 seems to have touched its high point. Thirteen breweries across Britain have already signed up to the deal with Aldi. One of the brewery’s owners said that the deal with Aldi will help them reach a much larger audience, and also help upscale their business. The uniform price of 1.25 pounds for a pint of beer is going to take the liquor market by storm. The biggest question is will the youth flock to Aldi for beer at a reduced price or still try their luck at beer bars which sell beer at escalated prices but have the entertainment to support it. Only time will tell.

Cooking with Beer: A Centuries’ Old Tradition

Cooking with beer has been around almost as long as drinking beer. In fact, using beer to cook food was thought by the ancient Egyptians to bring health to the food. Beer is meant to enhance, complement and enrich the food you are cooking, so it is important to follow the recipe. Be careful not to overdo it — too much beer, unlike at a party, can actually ruin the food. My favourite is steak and ale pie. There are regional and even global interpretations of this, but the best ever for me, was my Aunt Jackie’s. It would melt in the mouth. Unfortunately, we lost Aunt Jackie and her recipe many years ago. The nearest I have ever come to replicating it is Jamie Oliver’s Steak and Stout Pie; he uses beef skirt and suet pastry just like my aunt used to do. The choice of beer you use is also important. As a rule of thumb, never cook with a beer you would not drink – if you didn’t like the taste while drinking it, why would it be any better to cook with it? Pale ale goes well in most recipes. Like wine, use darker beer in the more robust recipes and remember the flavour develops over the cooking time, so choose carefully. Stale beer can be used (I guess you could call that recycling?) as long as it has been in the fridge. Being flat will not make a difference to the cooking process, but you certainly could not drink it! Let me know your favourite recipes for cooking with beer in the comments below.

Food For Beer

Snacks to eat whilst drinking beer

Now we all know that good pub grub compliments the beer, but what about when our mates come round and you plan on a few bevvies? You need the nibbles to keep the ladies happy and the men from getting to blasted but when you are planning a beer party you don’t really want ‘heavy’ food. So here are my suggestions for a beer party and the snacks that you can put on:-

• Dips and crisps, about three different dips or one of those 4 packs ones you can pick up in the supermarket but I will have you now I am dab hand at making my own. Yoghurt, the powder mix you buy, combine and voila perfect mix. I also have one that is quite hot. The different crisps you can get these days can add to the spiciness.
• French fries  – the frozen ones that you can do in the oven are best as you can just keep popping some in. Must have plenty of salt and ketchup on the table.
• Sausages, these are perfect because they can be eaten hot & cold. Dipped into the dips and leave a hand free to drink your beer.
• My favourites, jalapeno poppers, oh just the right amount of heat combined with the cheese.
• Nachos and salsa goes perfectly with beer, got the wife to make hers it is so good. Here is her recipe she also does a milder one with mango but I don’t eat that. Guess you have figured out I like things spicy!
• Nuts – all kinds in bowls everywhere. salted peanuts, cashews, almonds macadamia the list is endless…maybe not your pocket tho!
• Pizza, now we always get a mix and normally serve it twice in the night. normally with  the french fries.

Those are just a few things you would find at a beer party down our way, nothing too fancy although the wife often concocts extra’s, mind you the chili con carne she made last time we ha friends round served with crusty bread was enough -well except for the nuts. What would or do you serve with beer?

Health Benefits of Beer

Hundred of beverages are being sold all over Britain, but beer is one of the oldest beverage and the most popular. According to a Daily Mail article ,  “ British people drink a whopping 14,841 pints of beer and 13,923 glasses of wine every minute………”

The article also told us,

that the British drink far more beer than wine at the pubs and every minute an amazing £30,000 is spent on alcohol in British pubs. off-licences, restaurants and supermarkets. Approx £15 billion a year is spent on alcohol, drunk either at the pub on at home. Getting tipsy is big business!

But why do people love beer this much? Does it have any sentimental value? Research has proved that not only is beer a drink for fun, but it has health benefits. Modest drinking has been proved to reduce case like strokes and heart disease.

Other health benefits include:-

• It has high energy content.
• The grain used to make beer contain vitamins and its antioxidants.
• Play a role in burning body fat.
• Researchers from Holland proved that it helps prevent diabetes type 2.
• Moderate drinking lowers blood pressure.

Remember, this is only for moderate drinkers. Too much of alcohol has its own side effects, but when you enjoy your beer in moderate quantity, you get to benefit from its health values.

 

Beer and its good effects

Beer is generally  taken as a drink which is bad for health but good for the hair. It is fattening etc. is what people say. However it has its own benefits for human body. Here are a few benefits of drinking beer. I myself believe in them.

• Contains vitamins and beneficial chemicals – Beer contains many B-group vitamins and minerals like magnesium which are essential for the body. That does not mean you drink in abundance.
• Anti-oxidant – Yes folks beer retains the flavonoids found in Barley and Hops. The flavonoids are powerful anti-oxidants. So, drink beer and be young.
• Reduces Kidney stone – All drinkers know that beer induces flushing through more urinating. This helps reduce the chances of kidney stones. In case of people having stones you, drinking beer can actually work as a therapy for reducing stones in Kidney.
• Good for Heart – Drunk in moderate quantity beer can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. It helps produce Good Cholesterol which helps in building a strong heart.
• Strong Bones – Beer contains silicon which is an element that strengthens bones. recent research has suggested that drinking beer might actually help to fight Osteoporosis.
• Radiation Protection – The Japanese have recently found that beer can actually help reduce effects of damage of chromosome from radiation. So much for a drink Huh!

Beer and the Belly

Beer is my favorite drink especially when I am tired. A glass will take all the stress away from me. But how to control the calories it brings along? Beer does add fat to your belly and there are tricks to reduce this effect. The best way is to drink beer that is low on calorie. I will try to introduce you to some amazing tricks to keep the belly away and enjoy the beer too.

• Eat your breakfast always – If you eat your breakfast you will drink less beer in the day. Most of the beer belly is formed due to having beer during day time.
• Climb the stairs at office and home – You can burn the extra fat by taking the stairs instead of using the elevator in office and at home. You will be fitter and will be able to drink more of your favorite drink without worrying about beer belly.
• Walk/Run regularly – When your metabolism is high there are less chances of fate deposition. Walking/Running regularly will keep your metabolism high and keep you away from belly fat.
• Use less fat in snacks with beer – Beer tastes best with baked potatoes or popcorn. Just avoid oil based snacks to keep a check on the intake of fat. It is better to be careful is it not?
• Eat fish – Eating fish will help you get the good fat. These fats known as fatty acids also help to curb fat deposition in your body.

Just be simple and follow some of the tips and drink full every day. Stop worrying about the beer belly.

Beer Paraphernalia- The Best Gifts

If you are a beer lover,  you need to know about beer paraphernalia immediately. If you are not a beer lover, but you know someone who is, it is your moral duty, as their friend to buy them this paraphernalia. It will completely transform the way you drink beer, and make it more than just a drink. It will make it an experience you look forward to!

Beer paraphernalia can include anything from novelty mugs, to specialized beer glasses (in case you want to make sure that you drink your ales and lagers from the right kind of glass, instead of just pouring them right into whatever you find). There are bottle covers, beer labels, and a number of similar things that can be used to enhance your drinking experience. This might cost a little bit, but think of it as an investment. You will be able to start your own private bar collection- one that is both classy and quirky at the same time.

You can purchase beer paraphernalia from a number of sources online- depending on your budget. So, what are you waiting for? Go gift yourself (or your friend) the best things ever!

Beer Types

Ales and Lager the difference

 

Lager and Ale are two popular kinds of beer.There is one more type called Lambic which is only made in belgium and not so popular. Ale is more popular at ferratum UK .The temperature of fermentation and the yeast used makes lager and ale different. Ale is fermented with a yeast type which ferments best in warm temperature of 65 to 75 degree Fahrenheit while lager ferments at much lower temperature of 46 to 55 degree Fahrenheit. Lambic uses wild yeast and is much stronger.

Ales

Ales are tasty beers with fruity flavour.The colour varies from pale yellow to brown depending on the kind of grains fermented.There are many kinds of ales:

• Pale ale – These are light and made from pale malt which give the colour.They are bitter and are popular in Britain and America.
• Amber ale – This is sweet beer due to high malt content.They are dark in colour giving the beer its name.
• Barley wine – It is made from barley and is dark in colour with high alcoholic content.
• Porter – Dark in colour it is made from roasted malt and has crisp taste.

Lager

• Pale lager – This is the most popular type of lager beer. It is straw coloured and has a strong odour and taste.They are carbonated but are low on alcohol content.
• Dark lager – These lager are dark in colour made with roasted barley. The colour is mostly due to use of caramel syrup. It has many flavours.
• Bock – These are of german origin made from coarse barley.The malty flavour gives an added tinge to the taste.

There are other varieties as well like fruit beer,spicy beer but the above two are the major types. Next time watch out for what to eat with beer….

The World’s Best Dark Ales

Central London is home to some of the finest craft beer establishments- the city is becoming notorious for the number of independent cafes and beer pubs popping up in every corner. However, there are some pubs that have stood the test of time and continue to serve some of the best beer the city has to offer. Here are my top two picks:

The Queen’s Head

Located in a quaint part of King’s Cross, the Queen’s Head is a classic Victorian boozer. They have a number of craft beer options available on kegs and casks. The casks offer three traditional ales, whereas the kegs have a wide range of exotic beers from around the world. They even have an expanding collection of bottled beer for those who do not want to drink from the tap. An average beer costs about £3.60.

Euston Tap

At first sight, it seemed like Euston Tap was aiming at impressing railway commuters as their primary customer base. But over the years, the pub has become a regular haunt among London residents and visitors to the city. The beer pub has an incredibly collection of craft beer. Northern England is well represented on their menu, as is greater London. You will also be able to find obscure Belgian blends in the pub. Average beer costs £3.60.

Best Beers in the World – UK picks – Thwaites Big Ben

Alright well going over some of the picks of the most recent awards for the World best beers, I give you Thwaites Big Ben. It won the award for the World’s Best Brown Ale. At 5.80% ABV it is a stronger ale but something that you could definitely drink more than one in a session. It is described as a hop forward brown ale with floral notes so it’s probably not too sweet and probably quite drinkable and has very subtle tasting notes if you could present a certain type of character it would be inoffensive and farmhouse-esque. It won both World best gold and World’s best Europe and it is from the UK so it’s something definitely to look into for those searching for new ale’s to try out. The brewery is quite interesting as well and if you would like to try some of their other beers they make a large selection of them.

I think beyond this brown ale some of the other selections were more interesting for the awards if I do say so myself but I’m looking specifically at some of the stuff coming out of the UK. I have to be honest I didn’t see much from the UK and a lot of it came from Netherlands and some of the other European countries, and surprisingly Portugal for the English Barley Wine.

Check out the other choices and pick some up!