Five Things You Should Know About Beer

Beer connoisseurs and authors Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune, aka The Beer Chicks, offer up five things you should know about beer. Read up and imbibe with a little more knowledge.

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©Kevin Graves, All Rights Reserved.

©Kevin Graves, All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Alice Gao ©2014, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Photo By: Kathryn Cooper

©Kevin Graves, All Rights Reserved.

1. Beer is made from four main ingredients

They are: malt (typically barley), hops, yeast and water. Now you know more about beer than the average person on the street.

2. Beer becomes bubbly and alcoholic during fermentation

During the fermentation process, yeast eats the sugar in the malt, and the natural byproduct is CO2 and alcohol. Thank you, Mother Nature.

3. You can't judge a beer by its color

Dark-colored beers are not always strong, heavy or bitter. And lighter-colored beers are not always light in alcohol or on the palate. The color comes from the roast level of the malt used in the recipe. Some dark beers, like schwarzbiers, are very low in alcohol and bitterness, while some lighter-colored beers, like IPAs, are strong and bitter.

4. Beer loves food

Beer is not just the thing you swig to "wash down" your food. Lemon, pepper, chocolate, smoke, biscuit, cherry, grapefruit — these are just a few of the flavors in different styles of beer. These fantastic flavors lend themselves perfectly to pairing and for using in recipes.

Bonus: Tips for Pairing Beer

When pairing beer with food, think about the flavors in the dish, or even the ingredients, and then consider beer as a part of the dish. If you are sauteing scallops in butter and garlic with a touch of lemon and pepper, pair the dish with a Saison, a Belgian beer with those flavor notes. If you are having cheesecake for dessert, add a cherry sauce flavor by serving with a sour cherry Lambic beer. The possibilities are endless!

5. Beer is good for you

OK, it's not exactly like drinking carrot juice. But beer gets a bad rap when it actually contains some great health benefits. Beer contains fiber, vitamin B, antioxidants and polyphenols. Beer is also fat free and cholesterol free. So don't blame the beer — blame the cupcakes.