Beer Culture

Social context
Many social traditions and activities are very
associated with drinking beer, such as playing cards,
darts, or other games.  The consumption of beer in
isolation and excess may be associated with people
drinking away their troubles, while drinking in 
excess with company may be associated with binge
drinking.

Around the world
All over the world, beer is consumed.  There are
several breweries in the Middle East countries as
well, such as Iraq and Syria.  There is also 
breweries in African countries and other remote
countries such as Mongolia as well.

Glassware serving
Getting an appropriate beer glass is considered
desirable by some drinkers.  There are some drinkers
of beer that may sometimes drink out of the bottle
or can, while others may choose to pour their 
beer into a glass.  Drinking from a bottle picks 
up aromas by the nose, so if a drinker wishes to
appreciate the aroma of a beer, the beer is first
poured into a mug, glass, or stein.

Similar to  wine, there is specialized styles of 
glasses for some types of beer, with some breweries
producing glassware intended for their own styles
of beer.  

Temperature
The conditions for serving beer have a big influence
on a drinker's experiences.  An important factor
when drinking is the temperature - as colder 
temperatures will start to inhibit the chemical 
senses of the tongue and throat, which will narrow
down the flavor profile of beer, allow certain 
lagers to release their crispness.

Pouring
The process of pouring will have an influence on
the presentation of beer.  The flow rate from the
tap, titling of the glass, and position of the 
pour into the glass will all affect the outcome,
such as the size and longevity of the head and the
turbulence of the bar as it begins to release the
carbonation.

The more heavily carbonated beers such as German
pilseners will need settling time before they are
served, although many of them are served with the
addition of the remaining yeast at the bottom to
add extra color and flavor.

Beer rating
The rating of beer is a craze that combines the
enjoyment of drinking beer with the hobby of 
collecting it.  Those that drink beer sometimes 
tend to record their scores and comments on various
internet websites.  

This is a worldwide activity, as people in the 
United States will swap bottles of beer with those
living in New Zealand and Russia.  The scores may
then be tallied together to create lists of the
most popular beers in each country as well as 
those throughout the world.

(word count 430)

PPPPP