by Nicole Tufts

Created on: June 22, 2008   Last Updated: November 30, 2011

Does it really matter if your beer is American brewed? I asked one person this question and his answer was, "Yes, the more American Beer you buy is better because the money goes back into the economy."

On the other hand I asked someone else the same question and she said, "I am Canadian/American. I am a citizen of both countries, I am qualified to judge. Canadian beer is way better. Why? There is higher alcohol content than American beer. Budweiser, in Canada, has way more percent of alcohol by volume than its American counterpart. The labels are the same, the bottles are the same. The only way you'd know is to look at the alcohol content. Also Canadians have better choices of international beers in most places than you can find in the US."

I decided to do a little research, because I am not a beer drinker. I honestly could tell you anything about American Beer. I don't know what the difference is, so I went on the computer and started doing my research on beer.

Until the middle of the 19th century, ales dominated American brewing. There is a variety of ales, such as; Pale ale, Brown ale, Dark ale, Light ale, Irish red ale, Belgian ales, German ales, Scotch ales, Old ales and Cream ales.

I guess the answer to the question, is yes I think it does matter if your beer is American brewed.

The big difference between American brewing and European brewing is the usage of rice and maize. All of the major brewers in the USA use one or the other to cut down the body of the beer so that they can use cheap barley.
European brewers use low protein, and higher costing barley. The types of hops used in the continental lagers and American light lagers are usually the same varieties.

The Great American Beer Festival is the biggest event in the American beer year. And Denver is undoubtedly, America's beer capital. Denver is home to Coors, the largest single brewery in the world, home to ground-breaking brewpubs like the Wynkoop, and it brews more beer than any other city, with over 80 different brews being made here. Colorado also brews more beer than any other state in the nation. It's the logical home for the Great American Beer Festival.

Over 40,000 people gather for three days devoted to good beer. Though even the most devoted beer drinker may have doubts about drinking beer made from pineapple, watermelon, and a few other odd choices. It's mostly about finding the best beers in America, which naturally involves drinking as many of them as possible.

Although taste is very subjective, there are ways to compose your thoughts and remain as objective as possible.

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