History of Beer

Beer judging and other links are at the bottom of this page.

Why would the history of beer be covered on a website dealing with golf?

Well if you haven't noticed, this isn't any normal golf themed website. This is Golf My Way and in my world of golf, beer is part of it.

I'm not talking about the generic watered down lagers. While those beers can be refreshing on a hot day, we will primarily focus on beers (both lagers and ales) that are full of flavor, and a little bit off the beaten path in some cases.

The links to our beer reviews (which you can participate in) are at the bottom of this page, as are other links to great beer websites, including how to judge beer!

And now for the disclaimers. If you are not 21 years old, please leave this portion of Golf My Way. Only drink in moderation and DO NOT drink and drive, EVER!

A Brief History of Beer

Beer is considered to be the world's oldest alcoholic beverage, as well as its most popular alcoholic beverage. Writings about beer date back to ancient Egypt 3,000 to 4,000 years prior to the birth of Christ.

Each culture had its own method and ingredients for brewing beer. The common denominator is the steeping of starches in water, the addition of flavorings and then the addition of yeast to consume the sugary starches which in return create a "waste product" which we know as alcohol.

The starchy commodities used include barley, wheat, rice, corn and potato. The flavorings can include hops, fruits and herbs.

Beers in America

The history of beer in the United States is interesting to say the least, and can be traced back to our European ancestry as the brought their old world brewing techniques to North America.

In general terms, beers can be broken down into two categories, which are lager and ale.

Lagers are brewed using "bottom fermenting yeasts," and are stored in cool environments where the fermentation continues. The word "lager" is derived from the German word "Lagem," which means "to store." Lagers are the most frequently consumed beers in the world. Common lagers would be mass-produced beers such as Budweiser and Miller, or more hearty lagers such as Heineken.

Ales are brewed with "top fermenting yeasts," and are brewed in much warmer environments than lagers, usually around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The warmer temperature results in additional flavors and colors, creating a beer that tends to be sweeter and richer than Lagers. Famous ales would be Bass and Guinness.

Judging Beers

I recently watched The Bucket List, and I have decided one of the things I would like to do before I "kick the bucket" is become an official beer judge. I am already a Kansas City Barbecue Society judge, but the beer judging is a much more involved process to learn and be tested for.

This link will take you to the site that shows you how involved it is to become a beer judge.

These next two links give you a general overview on how to judge beers in a general way, and then how to judge beers in a more detailed way.
We will judge one beer each week, and will discuss the reviews on our radio show, Golf My Way on 790 AM WKRD, Louisville. If you cant pick up the show on the radio, refer to the Pod Cast tab where our shows will be posted.

Enough already. Let's start reviewing beers!

Newcastle Brown Ale Taste Testing
Bass Ale Taste Testing