Remember beer?

Remember beer? Of course you do. Remember drinking beer peacefully in the bar? A distant memory (Perhaps).

In celebration of the season to be jolly, we want to give you a short refresher on the distinction between the beers you order. If this is not a refresher but a whole new class, don’t worry, it ends well: you CAN drink beer and you will be able to order it with a lot more confidence.

Robert Nsibirwa the Club Pilsener brand manager, who knows quite a lot about beer, filled in a few gaps. The first thing he says is that the difference in beers mainly comes down to the fermentation process. “It is largely determined by the yeasts that go into the process.”

WHAT IS A LAGER?

This is arguably the best known type of beer the Ugandan market. The light colour is the first characteristic. But what makes a lager distinctly a lager?

Lagers make use of bottom fermenting yeasts. They end up producing the lighter looking beers, with a more neutral taste. This taste allows the manifestation of other flavors that can be brought on by addition of hops or grain used in the fermentation process.

WHAT ABOUT A PILSNER?

Have you been ordering lagers and pilsners like they are the same thing? On sight pilsners might be paler in colour than a lager.

A pilsner is a type of lager. Pilsners have a hopier flavor which gives them that distinct flavor. A good example is Club pilsener lager-what we add to it for that hopier taste is Saaz aromatic hops.

 WHAT’S UP WITH A STOUT?

I know a stout because of its thick texture and dark colour. The bitter taste is not synonymous with all stouts. You have probably noticed people mixing their stout with a cola drink to both ‘dilute’ it and mute that taste. Those people will be glad to know that not all Stouts are made bitter, some are sweet.

Stouts are due to use of top fermenting yeasts at warmer temperatures. They have characteristic flavours from the fermentation process. The dark colour and that bitter taste are as a result of roasting the grain.

DO WE HAVE ALES IN UGANDA?

Ales also make use of top fermenting yeast at warmer temperatures. They can be more flavorful and some contain hints of fruit. Their production is faster because they are normally not aged for more than a few weeks.

Banange brewing has some.

Quick safe drinking tips as you enter the holiday drinking season

• Check the ABV-That’s the little percentage somewhere on the bottle. It will indicate how much alcohol is in your drink. For some reason, people feel that they higher the percentage, the ‘stronger’ they are. A higher percentage doesn’t mean a better beer either. Drink what you can handle or switch to a drink with a lower ABV.
• Alternate an alcoholic drink with a water-Alcohol leads to dehydration. Those frequent visits to the loo should be an indicator. This is one of the reasons you feel weak and have that headache the next day.
• Pace-It’s not a race, is it? The beer is yours, drink slowly and you are likely to prevent yourself from going way past the point of enjoyment.

Photos by https://unsplash.com/@radovan_be, Banangebrewing.com, https://unsplash.com/@laurachouette