question: is light beer just watered down beer???
Savagewood
does it contain less alcohol? if you know please e-mail me.
David Howse
On 10 Jul 1996 22:08:58 -0400, savag...@aol.com (Savagewood) said:
>does it contain less alcohol? if you know please e-mail me.
Isn't that the definition of light beer? It sure is in Australia!
Standard domestic beers contain around 4.5 - 5% alcohol. Light beers
are normally around 2.5 - 3.5%
David
Relief Nursery
>David
**Although some of them *taste* like they just watered regular beer, it's
actually more complicated than that.
In the US what defines "light beer" is the number of calories per serving.
Some "light beers" have as much alcohol (or more) than other "non-light"
beers. Calorie reduction is schieved by using less unfermentable
carbohydrates in the mash.
David Howse
>>David
OK! That difference in terminology explains a lot! Like why all
these 'bas-ass' college boys brag about drinking light (or is that
Lite?) beer...
They've released a few of those 'less-filling' beers here... I'm not
that keen on them, they seem to lack mouth feel. But some of the
light (=low alcohol) beers are quite drinkable.
David
N Harden
In article <4s1nnq$9...@newsbf02.news.aol.com> savag...@aol.com (Savagewood) writes:
>From: savag...@aol.com (Savagewood)
>Subject: question: is light beer just watered down beer???
>Date: 10 Jul 1996 22:08:58 -0400
>does it contain less alcohol? if you know please e-mail me.
A light beer typically has between 70 and 100 calories in a bottle, while a
regular beer has 150 or more. To do this, less malt is used and the sugars
are allowed to ferment more completely. The resulting beer is low on malt on
hop flavour (notice the Canadian spelling?), which is why it tastes watered
down. Commonly, less sugar is used, which results in lower alcohol content.
Light beers in Canada typically have 4 % alcohol by volume, while regular
lagers have 5 % or more.
Lewis Bryson
mah...@escape.ca (N Harden) wrote:
>In article <4s1nnq$9...@newsbf02.news.aol.com> savag...@aol.com
<SNIP>
>>does it contain less alcohol? if you know please e-mail me.
>A light beer typically has between 70 and 100 calories in a bottle,
while a
>regular beer has 150 or more. To do this, less malt is used and the
sugars
>are allowed to ferment more completely. The resulting beer is low on
malt on
>hop flavour (notice the Canadian spelling?), which is why it tastes
watered
>down. Commonly, less sugar is used, which results in lower alcohol
content.
>Light beers in Canada typically have 4 % alcohol by volume, while
regular
>lagers have 5 % or more.
The largest selling lights in the US (Miller, Bud, Coors, and Natural
Light) have 96, 114, 107, and 114 calories per 12 oz. serving
respectively. Most lites run between 95 and 115 here. Alcohol percentages
run right around 4.15% ABV
As to being watered down: ALL mainstream American beers are. They are all
brewed on the 'high-gravity' system: brew strong beer, water it down.
Saves enegy costs like crazy. Can make for rank beer, though...
Lew Bryson
SMS...@prodigy.com
"Do the best thing you can for your beer -- drink it."
Robert The Doctor Coleman
> In article <4s1nnq$9...@newsbf02.news.aol.com> savag...@aol.com
(Savagewood) writes:
> >From: savag...@aol.com (Savagewood)
> >Subject: question: is light beer just watered down beer???
> >Date: 10 Jul 1996 22:08:58 -0400
>
> >does it contain less alcohol? if you know please e-mail me.
> A light beer typically has between 70 and 100 calories in a bottle, while a
> regular beer has 150 or more. To do this, less malt is used and the sugars
> are allowed to ferment more completely. The resulting beer is low on malt on
> hop flavour (notice the Canadian spelling?), which is why it tastes watered
> down. Commonly, less sugar is used, which results in lower alcohol
content.
> Light beers in Canada typically have 4 % alcohol by volume, while regular
> lagers have 5 % or more.
Actually, in America, most breweries trying to make a "lite" beer will
brew an extra heavy beer, using MORE malt; ferment it; then add water
until the alcohol level is comparable to their regular beer. This way,
the "lite" version has the same amount of alcohol, but has fewer
unfermented sugars per volume. The alcohol calories are the same, but the
calories from sugars are reduced.
A beer made with less malt, having a lower percentage of alcohol would
more correctly be considered a mild.
Doc
--
Just a guy with his own opinions.
Cleo Childers
Another method of "lightening" a beer is to use adjuncts, such as rice,
for brewing.