Beer is a low-alcohol drink with a long history, besides, it is the most popular in the world. There are many varieties of alcohol, they all differ in production technique, as well as in strength, that is, the percentage of ethyl alcohol.
This is a foamy drink that is made on the basis of malt wort (from barley), with the help of brewer's yeast and hops. The average alcohol content in beer is 3-5.5%. The creation of foam is a complex technological process, which includes the manufacture of beer wort - malt is brewed with hops for several hours, yeast is added, and it ripens. The duration of ripening depends on the brand, and can be from several days to several months. Next, the foam is filtered, preservatives are added, and it can already be consumed. In the finished foam are formed: alcohol, phytoestrogens, carbon dioxide, fusel oils.
The best and highest quality is traditional foam, which contains nothing but: barley, hops, yeast and water. In some varieties, barley is partially or completely replaced by wheat, rice, corn and rye grains.
Bottom-fermented foam is the most popular and main product on the market, accounting for 90% of the total sales turnover. It is customary to call it a lager, and the production has the same name - camp. Bottom fermentation occurs due to special yeast, and for a long time due to low temperature of 5-10 °C. The taste becomes very intense.
The duration of top fermentation is much shorter. Occurs at a temperature of 15-20 ° C due to top-fermenting yeast, and takes little time. Varieties of this method are referred to as ale and porter.
The indicator on the hop label indicates the lower limit of the ethanol content in it. The manufacturer does not have the right to indicate the number of % or revolutions lower than it actually is. Therefore, the real figure is often higher.
In Russia and Europe, alcohol is measured in volume percentages (% vol.). Therefore, if we say that beer is 5%, it means that in 100 liters of beer there are 5 liters of pure alcohol. In America, it is customary to calculate ethanol in weight fractions (% wt.). Knowing that the specific gravity of alcohol is 0.78, you can calculate how much pure ethanol is in beer. To do this, you need to divide the specified percentage by 0.78.
For example, if the fortress is 3.5%, then in volume percent it will be 3.5: 0.78 = 4.5%. If, for example, the figure 6% (in weight fractions) is indicated, again this figure must be divided by 0.78, and we get 7.7%.
If it is important for the buyer to know how much alcohol is in the drink, you need to look at the country of origin on the label. If it is America, then pure ethanol will be higher than stated on the label, due to units of measure. And don't forget that in most cases the % is always slightly higher.
Types of beer by strength
The percentage of ethanol depends on the technological production. Main types:
- Non-alcoholic. Contains 0.5-0.7% alcohol.
- Light - up to 2% ethanol.
- Classic. 3.5 - 7%.
- Strong 8-14%.
- Very strong - from 14%.
During the manufacturing process, after fermentation, classic beer usually contains 3.5 - 4.5% ethanol. After filtering, the percentage decreases. This process is needed to remove the remaining yeast. Some filtration methods destroy the microflora of beer, thereby extending its shelf life. Exposure to high temperatures can also reduce the number of revolutions. Alcohol is heated to a certain temperature, as a result of which part of the alcohol evaporates.
To increase the percentage of alcohol in the drink, sugar is added and frozen. Usually a high percentage of hops is directly related to the calories it contains. Strong beer drinkers, obese, type 2 diabetics, and weight watchers need to consider this fact.
Excess weight is affected not only by calorie content, but also by the phytoestrogens contained in the intoxicating - these are substances similar to sex hormones. They affect the weight and appearance of a person. In men who abuse foam, the figure begins to change according to the female type - there is an increase in the mammary glands and hips, as well as the abdomen. In women, excessive vegetation appears on the body and the voice coarsens.
Nonalcoholic beer
A soft drink still has a small amount of turnover, this figure ranges from 0.15 to 0.7%. To preserve the usual taste and aroma, manufacturers use standard ingredients, but stop the process before full fermentation, and the filtration in this production is special to filter out ethyl alcohol. But it’s impossible to filter it 100%, so “non-alcoholic” intoxicating has momentum.
Particular attention should be paid to people who are struggling with alcohol addiction, including those who are coded. Even such a low percentage of ethanol can provoke cravings for alcohol. In addition, all other components are contained in the drink in standard quantities, especially phytoestrogens. As with the use of a seemingly harmless drink, the load on the liver, kidneys and cardiovascular system is high.
Strong intoxicating
For the preparation of strong foam, special yeast is used, since in standard production the fortress does not exceed 5%. The technology is also different - alcohol is repeatedly frozen to reduce the liquid, as a result of which the degree rises.
What percentage of alcohol in beer is the most popular strong:
- Hakusekikan Brewery - "Hurricane", 15%. Produces Japan. Feature - aging on barley wine.
- Bruery - "Chocolate Rain", 19.5%. Belgium. A high percentage is achieved through fermentation in a whiskey tub.
- De Struise Brouwers - "Five Squared", 25%. Scotland.
- Schorschbräu - "Schorschbock" 43% and "Schorschbock Finis Coronat Opus" 57%. Germany. It is made with multiple freezing.
- Brew Dog - "End Of History", 55%, Scotland.
- T'koelschip - "Start The Future", 60%. Netherlands.
- Brewmeister - "Armageddon", 65%. Scotland.
- In 2013, the strongest beer in the world was released by the Scottish company Brewmeister, called "Snake Venom" and its strength reaches 67.5%.
When it comes to very strong beer, of course, the classic taste is out of the question. Manufacturers have to sacrifice taste for high numbers.
Beer has about 1000 different varieties around the world, all of which differ in taste, color, density and strength. On the modern market, you can find intoxicating drinks for every taste, from non-alcoholic to those whose degree exceeds strong alcohol. It is beer that remains the most popular drink in the world (after water and tea). However, it should be used with caution and in moderation. Because, like any other alcohol, it is addictive.
It can be very different. Manufacturers offer many variations of this alcohol.
The main characteristics that should guide the selection are strength and density drink.
Why? The fact is that both of these criteria are decisive when questions arise about the saturation of taste and the amount of ethyl alcohol.
Is there any relationship between these indicators? For example, should strong beer be heavy, or vice versa? And how many degrees is beer really?
All "beginners" lovers, as well as those who are going to start mastering brewing, are probably wondering what is "beer strength"?
The concept of "fortress" gives an idea of how much ethyl alcohol is in the drink. The fortress can vary from 3 to 8%. The “gold standard” is considered to be 4-4.5%. Non-alcoholic beer also has its strength, but the alcohol content in it is so low that it is comparable to the content of this component in kefir and kvass.
What determines the percentage of alcohol?
The main factor that determines the strength of the future drink is percentage of sugar, which is contained in the initial wort.
The more sugar in the wort, the stronger the end product will be after fermentation is complete.
However, sugar is not the only factor. It is necessary to take into account:
- quantity and quality of yeast;
- the temperature at which fermentation takes place;
- accuracy of compliance with all the nuances of the technological process.
Any violation of the standard of preparation leads to the fact that the drink will turn out to be more or less strong than planned.
The strongest beer in the world
Once the brewers of Scotland decided to set a world record. They brewed a foamy drink, the equal of which in terms of strength does not yet exist (that is, equal to all types of beer - of course, or may well surpass the value achieved by the Scots).
So, the manufacturers set a world record: beer "Snake venom" has a strength of 67.5%! Of course, in terms of taste, the product does not even remotely resemble beer, but the champions did not pursue this.
The main thing is that they completely retained the technology and ingredients, without adding anything superfluous to their super-strong beer. Only malt, water, yeast, hops - nothing else!
What is density?
The second important indicator for foam is density. The density will depend on how concentrated was the wort taken for fermentation, that is, how much dry matter it contained. There are concepts of "initial" and "final" density.
The initial is measured before fermentation. It should be from 5% (for non-alcoholic products) to 20% (for dark saturated varieties). In this case, a device called " hydrometer by immersing it in the wort.
When we buy a product of industrial production, we need to find the inscription on the label: "The initial density of beer." She will give information about what was the concentration of the wort.
Is there a relationship between density and strength
Both indicators are closely related. The higher the density, the more alcohol will be in the purchased drink.
Since the density, in turn, depends on the volume of sugar-containing substances, it turns out that the beer will be stronger, the more sugar was initially in the raw material.
Sugar is converted into alcohol during fermentation. Consequently, a lot of sugar - a high degree of the final product.
Determine the amount of alcohol in beer
When we buy a drink in a store, there is no difficulty in knowing how many degrees are in beer. Just look at the label: manufacturers are required to indicate this information. It should only be remembered about the features of the packaging of Russian and European manufacturers.
In our country, according to the law, it is impossible to prescribe a lower degree than the drink actually contains. That is why brewers play it safe and sometimes write a figure that is slightly less than the actual alcohol content. As a result, you can buy beer weaker than you would like.
"They" - everything is exactly the opposite. In Europe, it is forbidden to indicate a higher degree. Therefore, sometimes the purchased beer will be stronger than you wanted.
If you are making foam at home, you can judge the final strength based on the density of the drink.
To do this, measure with a hydrometer. The higher the initial density, the better. Weak wort does not make good beer. The initial density should be in the range of 5-18%.
If you follow the technology, carrying out fermentation, then as a result you will get beer with a strength of 4 or 4.5%. After the end of fermentation, the final density is measured. She must be less than 2.5%.
If we multiply the density index by a factor of 2.5, then we get the strength of the finished beer. Example: the final gravity turned out to be 2. Multiply by 2.5 - as a result we get 5. This will be our beer. The calculation is not 100% accurate, but it will show an approximate strength.
The final measurement should be carried out several times. If the figure remains at 2.5 and there is no downward trend, and the fermentation process is completed, then some additional actions will be required from you.
The beer is poured into containers and carbonized, that is, we add substances that ensure the continuation of fermentation. What can serve as such a catalyst? Any sugar-containing products:
- malt extract;
- sugar.
You will have to show a little more patience: the drink should ferment a little more. Then we measure the density again. Less than 2.5? Everything, all sugar was transformed into alcohol. The beer is ready.
Gravity and ABV are two metrics that sometimes cause a lot of questions because beginner brewers can confuse the two. We hope you now have a basic understanding of these main characteristics of foam.
Perhaps you have invented your own way to determine the strength of the final drink? Or do you know how to bring the strength indicator back to normal without adding sugar? Write to us - we will gladly tell all our readers about it!
Can you become an alcoholic if you drink beer every day? Beer has less turnover than vodka, but addiction sets in even faster. How much beer can you drink without becoming addicted? Everyone has their own measure. A strong, healthy man can drink a liter a day and not get drunk. A fragile girl and one glass a day will be enough. Degrees are not always the main thing. It all depends on the complexion, health, snacks and even mood. The percentage of alcohol in beer is less than in vodka, but abuse is even more dangerous. You can quickly get used to beer, and not understand it. Young people often suffer from beer alcoholism, and this is not only a problem for the person himself and his relatives, but also for society, a threat to the health of the nation.
What determines the strength of the drink
The number of degrees directly depends on the technology of its manufacture. For example, as the producers of the American beer "Bad" claim in advertising, the technology for its production includes 240 operations. The traditional strength of beer is 3.5-4.7%. There are technological methods that allow you to increase the number of revolutions in it, as well as lower it.
- To make this drink, barley is taken and boiled.
- The resulting sweetish mass is flavored for taste with a decoction of hops, which gives it bitterness, left for fermentation, and then distilled.
- This produces a drink containing a certain percentage of alcohol, fusel oils, carbon dioxide (foam).
- Often, special components are added to give a special taste (for example, in the process of obtaining “Bad”, beech chips are added to neutralize bitterness).
- To reduce the percentage of alcohol, the beer is carefully filtered. Another technique to reduce speed is to heat the composition and quickly evaporate volatile substances (alcohol and side components).
- In order to increase the number of revolutions, sugar is added during manufacture. That is why it is proportional to its strength.
What harm does drinking beer do to the body?
What is the unhealthy effect of beer and how much should you drink a day, a week, so that it does not bring harm? When answering this question, it is necessary to take into account factors such as its strength and calorie content.
- The strength of beer refers to the content of pure ethyl alcohol in it. Ethanol is toxic. It is able to dissolve adipose tissue, violating the integrity of cells, including brain, liver, and blood vessels. There are changes in the composition of the blood. There is a risk of blood clots, as well as dangerous vasodilation. A person has problems with the work of the heart, neuropsychic abnormalities appear, the immune system weakens. A symptom of systematic alcohol poisoning is a severe hangover. A healthy person is able to drink a certain dose of alcohol per day, after which the gag reflex is triggered (the body protects itself from the action of toxins). In an alcoholic, all reflexes are impaired. His body is no longer able to regulate the content of toxic substances in the blood. Destroyed liver cells do not have time to ferment ethyl alcohol and other toxic substances that enter the body when drinking beer, vodka or other alcohol-containing drink. There is another harmful factor. Hops contain phytoestrogens, substances similar to the female sex hormone estrogen. The systematic use of beer leads to a violation of the hormonal composition. This affects the appearance of men: a large belly appears, the mammary glands and the volume of the hips increase. Women, on the contrary, become masculine: the voice becomes rougher, hair appears on the face and body, movements become angular. Hormonal changes reduce sexual activity, are undeniable harm to the health of both men and women.
Addiction can be acquired by drinking 1 glass of vodka or 2 liters of beer daily.
- The calorie content of foods reflects the amount of energy they can provide to the body after being broken down in the body. The calorie content of beer, vodka or other alcoholic beverages depends on both turnover and sugar content. Stronger beer with a high sugar content is a high-calorie product. There are as many calories in 1 bottle of beer as in a large sausage sandwich. If we also take into account the calories contained in his usual snack (chips, nuts, smoked fish), it becomes obvious that drinking beer, it is impossible to lose weight, even if there is nothing else to eat. For example, the calorie content of beer "Baltic (strong)" is 60 kcal / 100 grams, "Zhigulevskoe" - 42 kcal / 100 grams, "Hunting (dark)" - 67 kcal / 100 grams, "Baltic (non-alcoholic)" - 35 kcal / 100 grams, "Bad" (American beer) - 42 kcal / 100 grams. In order to use up the calories contained in 1 bottle of beer, you need to take a 2-hour walk on foot or ride a bike for 40 minutes. Of course, it is not recommended to do this while intoxicated, at least 3 hours must pass after drinking. It turns out a vicious circle - in order not to get drunk, you need to eat more, and in order not to get better, you need to eat less. The harm from drinking beer, as well as other alcohol-containing drinks (whiskey, vodka, wine), is greater if you use them often (every day) and immoderately.
How many degrees in different types of beer
Does it matter which beer to drink so that addiction does not arise? In order to know how much beer you can drink per day or week, you need to have an idea of how many degrees in its various varieties. Degrees, like calories, are indicated on the label.
| Type of beer | Fortress (gr.alcohol / 100 grams of product),% | ||
| Baltika 9 Strong | 8 | ||
| Zhigulevskoe | 4 | ||
| Baltika 0 Non-alcoholic | 0.5 | ||
| Large mug (Amber) | 4 | ||
| Merchant (Classic) | 4.5 | ||
| Moresberry (Blackcurrant) | 7 | ||
| Nevskoe (Original) | 5.7 | ||
| Old Melnik (Strong) | 7.2 | ||
| Siberian Crown (Original) | 4.7 | ||
| Chernihiv (Maximum) | 9.8 | ||
| Reedhook (Belgian) | 10.2 | ||
| X-Beer33 (Czech) | 14 | ||
| Samiklaus (Austrian) | 14 | ||
| Bad (American) | 4.8 | ||
Considering that vodka has a strength of 40 degrees, it is clear that 1 liter of weak beer contains as much pure alcohol as a glass of vodka with a capacity of 100 grams.
That is, you can become addicted to alcohol if you drink daily 1 glass of vodka or 2 liters of beer with an alcohol content of no more than 4 percent (about 20-24 liters per week). Moreover, for some, a third of this volume will often be enough, since the speed of intoxication and the duration of a hangover are individual for everyone, depending on the state of health and complexion.
Beer (ale) contains, although a weak degree, but it is equated with alcoholic beverages. You can get drunk from abuse, and in the morning experience unpleasant, which is the first symptom. An alcoholic drink is obtained by fermenting hops, malt wort and brewer's yeast.
What determines the strength of the drink
The most common raw material for the preparation of wort is barley. But beer can also be rye (wheat), rice, corn, and also not quite traditional composition (potato, banana, cherry, etc.). The most popular varieties have a 3-6 ° strength, which means the percentage of content in it.
Traditional (craft) production technology:
- boiled barley;
- the resulting mass is diluted with a decoction of hops (for taste, for bitterness);
- yeast is added;
- everything is left to ferment;
- after that it is distilled and filtered.
During fermentation, the drink must go through several phases that increase the degree (turns):
- lower phase - the mixture ferments at a temperature of + 4 ° C to + 9 ° C, giving out 4-5% as a result;
- top fermentation phase - at a temperature of + 25 °, with an increase in the number of revolutions.
The resulting drink contains:
- alcohol;
- fusel oils;
- carbon dioxide (in the form of foam).
Ordinary brewer's yeast during fermentation bring the prepared composition to 5.5 revolutions (maximum value). If necessary, you can reduce the percentage of ethanol by subjecting the beer to a thorough filtration. Another way to slow down is to heat the drink to evaporate the alcohol.
After reaching the classic 5.5%, the yeast stops working (to make a further increase in the degree). To increase the degree, sugar is added during manufacture. Therefore, its calorie content is a dependence of the fortress (the higher the degree, the greater the calorie content).
How many degrees in different varieties
Beer is divided into different types and varieties according to color, taste and strength (optimal alcohol content). Drink happens:
- draft or bottled;
- filtered and ;
- velvet, dark, light;
- home or industrial preparation.
But most of all, consumers are interested in the strength of the ale. The most popular varieties contain 3-5°. Light drinks include marks with 1-2 turns, and strong drinks - 8.5-15 °. A separate variety is isolated (up to 0.5%).
Strong
Strong beers brewed using the traditional fermentation method and containing three main ingredients (brewer's yeast, hops and malt):
- Vetter (Germany) - 10.5%;
- Samihlaus (Austria) - 11.8-14%;
- Eisbock (Germany) - 12%;
- X-Beer 33 (Czech Republic) - 14%.
In order to raise the percentage of ethanol even higher, you do not need to add pure alcohol to the composition (as many believe). Large manufacturers are deviating from the traditional method of preparation and using special yeast, as well as applying new methods:
- Brewers have in their arsenal special "champagne yeast" capable of raising the turnover to 27 and 29° (beer brands Samuel Adams Utopias, Dave).
- Separating water from ethanol by freezing, placing it in whiskey barrels (for 1.5 years), Scottish producers achieved an ale strength of 32% (Tactical Nuclear Penguin beer).
- Up to 43%, you can increase the turnover if the classic beer is repeatedly frozen (15 times), and then the ice is filtered. Which was done by German brewers, who isolated 35 liters of strong beer from 350 liters of traditional beer.
For 2017, Brewmeister, which created the 67.5-rpm Snake Venom brand (priced at $80), is considered the highest-profile beer.
Medium
More popular degrees in beer are the classic 3-8%. Here are some of their brands, both domestic and foreign breweries:
- Zhigulevskoe - 4-5%;
- Baltika No. 1 (light) - 4.45;
- Special Baltika No. 2 (light) - 4.7%;
- Baltka No. 3 (the most popular) - 4.8%;
- Original Baltika No. 4 (dark) - 4.5%;
- Golden Baltika No. 5 - 5.3%;
- Baltika Porter No. 6 (dark) - 7%;
- Bud Light (Germany) - 3.6%;
- Stella Artois (Belgium) - 4.8%;
- Vollbier (Germany) - 4.5%;
- Dortmunder (Germany) - 5.3-5.5%;
- Munchner Dunkel (Germany) - 5%;
- Saison (Belgium) - from 5 to 8%, etc.
Low alcohol
Low-alcohol beer can be obtained by lowering the degree even in the process of its preparation. Samples of weak beer include the following brands:
- Victory Art Brew (Russia) — 1.5%;
- Dünnbier (Germany) - 2%;
- Light Bier (Germany) - from 2% to 3.2%.
Sample weak beer - Dünnbier (Germany) - 2%.
non-alcoholic
Non-alcoholic beer tastes similar to alcoholic beer and includes a very low alcohol content (up to 0.5%). It is obtained by suppressing fermentation or volatilization of alcohol from the finished product. This type of drink is being prepared for people who do not take strong alcohol for health reasons. Due to the use of additional technology, this beer is more expensive. In the domestic market you can find the following brands:
- Weihenstephaner (Germany) - 0.1%
- Schneider Weisse (Germany) - 0.1%;
- Stella Artois (Belgium) - 0.1%;
- Bud (America) - 0.5%;
- Clausthaler (Germany) - 0.5%;
- BrewDog (Scotland) - 0.5%;
- HopHead (Russia) - 0.3%.
How to find out the amount of alcohol in beer
The strength of a drink of industrial production is always indicated by the manufacturer on the label.
You can determine the ethanol content in homemade beer even during the preparation of the drink by measuring the density of the mixture before and after fermentation (using a hydrometer).
Process sequence.
The label of any beer can tell a lot about the contents of the bottle. First of all, I advise you to look at the density and strength of the beer, since these are the most important characteristics of the drink. We will understand what these indicators mean and how to interpret them correctly.
beer density is the concentration of solids in the initial wort. Density is measured before the start of fermentation (fermentation), it is indicated in percent or Balling degrees (weight of extract in 100 grams of solution). The denser the beer, the richer its flavor.
To find out the gravity of the beer, you should look for the inscription “initial wort extract” or “initial wort gravity” on the label. For non-alcoholic beer, this figure is no more than 5%, for light light beer - 11-13%, dark varieties have a density of 12-20%.
Another important indicator is beer strength- this is the alcohol content in the finished drink, expressed as a percentage or volume fraction of alcohol (vol.). According to Russian standards, the alcohol content should not be lower than stated on the label. As a result, the strength of our beer is slightly higher than indicated. So manufacturers insure themselves. In turn, European standards require brewers not to exceed the volume fraction of alcohol indicated on the label, so the percentage of alcohol in their beer is slightly lower than the declared one.
The strength of the beer depends on the amount of sugar in the wort. In most cases, the denser the beer, the stronger it is. But you need to make adjustments for the quality of brewer's yeast, fermentation conditions and compliance with production technology, so there is no strict relationship between the density and strength of beer.
Most types of beer contain 3-5.5% alcohol. When the concentration reaches 12%, the brewer's yeast stops developing and dies, so it is impossible to brew a stronger beer through fermentation.
To make beer stronger, brewers use various tricks: they add champagne yeast (an unconventional method) or freeze the beer in order to separate water from alcohol (the crystallization temperature of liquids is different) and thus increase the strength of the drink (traditional method).
The world's strongest beer "Snake Venom" was brewed by Scottish brewers, its strength is 67.5%, the price is 81 US dollars per bottle. To get such a high alcohol content, the master had to freeze and thaw it 15 times. Out of 350 liters of traditional beer, only 35 liters of strong beer came out.
Snake venom is the strongest beer in the world
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