Beer. What man doesn’t like to see, touch, smell, taste, or write about beer.
I personally feel it is what this country is based on(pilgrims came here to escape
beer persecution but, that is a whole other topic of discussion.) There are so many
different flavors and brands of beer on the market. Nonetheless, it was not hard for
me to choose a couple for this present debate: what do individuals value in a beer?
The two I have chosen just happen to be my favorites: Bass and Guiness.
Personally, in a beer, I look for a couple of things. First, of course, is taste.
This may sound self-defeating to some that have not acquired the taste for beer but,
take it from a bartender, beer sells because people like the way it taste! What it
all comes down to is what flavor or brand you are accustomed to. Although, I do see
many people that stick to one particular brand, and are too reluctant to try something new.
The second property I look for in a beer is build. Many beers on the market, I feel, are
too flat. Especially light beers. They often seem watered down. A beer needs to have a
little build. That is you need to feel it going down. I call it beer personality.
When one thinks of a typical beer, most likely a picture of Bass would be the end result.
A beer with a nice flavor and build, amber colored, that is very smooth going down.
I have yet to sell a coustomer a glass of Bass that did not like it. It forms a nice rich
head (bartender talk for the foam on top), and compliments any meal. Best of all it taste
Guiness, on the other hand, would be just the opposite of what most people expect in
a beer. It resembles thick coffee more than it would beer. Although, it is one of the
most flavorsome beer on the market. One special feature of Guiness is its build.
It is very thick. It is so thick that after it is poured, one can actually see it
“fall into itself.” As it sits it falls in layers, starting at the bottom, until it
completely settles leaving a black glass of beer. It is more of a creamy beer, leaving
a nice creamy white head on top of the pitch black glass of satisfaction.
The down side to most people is the same reason that I prefer it: its build.
Some think that it is to thick and stout. Also it has a very bitter taste.
Alot of my guest just can not handle it.
The solution is the best beer in the world: a Black and Tan. It is made just
how it sounds. Not very many people think of combining two beers into one glass but,
in this case it is the ultimate in taste. It accompanies Bass’s much smoother taste
and a little on the lighter side build with Guiness’ fuller body and bitter more flavorfull
taste. But, don’t get me wrond you don’t mix the two and actually stir them up in the glass.
Instead you float the Guiness, which is heavier, on top of the Bass. Some guest just drink
them for the pure fact that they are so beautiful. I just caught myself discussing a beer
as if it were a person. This is how much I love Black and Tans.
The way this is possible is another wide spectrum difference in these to fine beers.
Bass is poured with carbon dioxide, and the Guiness is poured with nitrogen oxide.
Nitrogen, being the lighter of the two, allows the Guiness, even though it is heavier,
to actually float on top of the Bass. this trick is actually the sole reason I became
I would like to see more people that drink beer for its flavor, rather than just
because it is a cheap buzz. If anyone feels like they haven’t tried enough of the wide
array of beers to choose from, I highly recommend one of these two, or both at the same
time if you like. Not only will they satisfy you in flavor, but in a nice build also.
