"American Beer" news and stories

Happy American Beer Week!

It's a pretty universal fact: Americans love their beer. (Even Heineken acknowledged -- or, more accurately, poked fun at -- the American male's penchant for the quaff in a 2008 "Walk in Fridge" commercial.) Another general given is the colder the state, the higher the beer consumption, which, in a 2009 survey conducted by the Beer Institute, was dominated by Montana, with a whopping 43.7 gallons consumed annually by legal drinkers -- which works out to about 2 cups daily.

In the midst of the prolonged recession, American beer consumption has also been impacted: The 2009 beer market sales may have declined 2.2 percent, but at-home brewing is on the rise, growing 12 percent in volume in the first half of 2010 alone, according to the Brewers Association. For all the info you need on starting your own home brewing venture, refer to homebrewing.org -- or, if more interested in consuming the drink then creating it, just pop open a cold one from your fridge.

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Happy National Lager Day!

According to an old Czech proverb, "A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure." And if one thing is certain, Americans love their lager -- of the alcohol consumed in the U.S., beer accounts for a whopping 85% of it. And the bubbly, golden brew known as lager ranks as America's favorite.

Lager was initially stored and aged for one to three months in a vat or cask until clear and sediment-free, at which point carbonation is introduced, though modern production has curtailed the aging process dramatically. Annually, the U.S. produces approximately 200 million barrels of beer, which averages to roughly 20 gallons a person, or, further divided, almost a pint every two days.

What's your favorite lager? Raise your pint -- and share your favorites in the comments.

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I used to be one of those guys that didn't drink domestic beers. Well, in my teen years I drank pretty much whatever they were serving at the party (disclaimer: don't drink - and stay in school!), but in my 20s I tried to drink nothing but Red Stripe, Corona, maybe a Heineken here and there. But then something happened and I started drinking American beers more and more. Maybe it was because I tried a few beyond Bud and liked them or maybe they actually got better in the 90s, but now I drink Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada a lot, and some blonde ales. When I drink beer, that is, which isn't often (I'm more of a wine and cocktail guy now).

Today is American Beer Day, and how convenient that it falls on a Saturday! Raise a glass of domestic tonight, and make sure you don't drink and drive.

As many Slashfood readers must know by now, I truly love a good beer. I also enjoy good films, which is probably while I'll be skipping Beerfest.

In honor of that film, which seems to be in the same traditionof such classics as American Pie, The Miami Poetry Review, just posted a list of the "10 Greatest Beer Movies Of All Time." Without further ado:

1. The Fatal Glass of Beer (1933)
2. Three Little Beers (1935)
3. The Lost Weekend (1945)
4. Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
5. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
6. Blue Velvet (1986)
7. Smokey And The Bandit (1977)
8. Beer (1985)
9. American Beer (2004)
10. Sideways (2004)

Source

Budweiser is official beer of World Cup, the most internationally watched sporting event in the world. They bought the rights for the 2002 and 2006 games for about $80 million in 1998 - before they knew where those games were to be hosted. The problem is that this year's World Cup is hosted by Germany and Germans don't like Budweiser.

For Germans, beer and football (soccer, for the Americans) go hand in hand and Germans are some of the biggest beer drinkers in the world - with many outstanding brews coming from their own country. The prospect of having to drink only Budweiser at the games was something of a slap in the face to German brewers. One fan, cited the Wall Street Journal, even said "This is just the worst beer you could imagine." Bad publicity poured from fans and the press. And to make matters worse, the beer had to be sold as "Anheuser Busch Bud" because of a legal battle over the Budweiser name rights with a Czech brewer that makes "Budweis" beer.

With the prospect of millions of potential beer drinkers, both in stadiums and at home, Budweiser knew they had to do something. Fast.