2% beer....

No, it's not an idea for diluting beer, but it's worth noting that I've heard of at least 1 beer and 1 cider manufacturer that have released product with an alcohol content of 2% ish. Whilst you might have gathered that I like lots of different beer, and not necessarily the hugely commercial stuff, I have to welcome this development.

Low alcohol beer and cider is a good thing, isn't it? It might focus people's attention onto taste, rather than kick, i.e. drinking to enjoy the drink rather than to get the twirlybeds effect.

I do wonder, however, how it happens. Beer has an alcohol content because the sugar ferments when the beer is being made - I can see maybe 2 or 3 ways that the typical content is reduced.

1. Less sugar is used to feed the yeast - this would probably alter the taste, would it?
2. Less time is allowed for the yeast to ferment the sugars into alcohol....this would probably alter the taste too, I'd imagine....
3. There's A Chemical that can somehow reduce the alcohol content....
4. Dilute With Water?

Hmm. This is a puzzler. Answers on a comment please, or I'll have to find out for myself.

A nice Carlsberg.....

They've (recently?) started to brew some "craft brews" based on older recipes, much like Guinness' Brewhouse series of a couple of years ago. As the clouds scud across the sky and the rain occasionally drenches the deck this evening, I'm enjoying a bottle of Jacobsen Dark Lager. It's a big bottle - 750ml (that's a wine bottle!!!) and it's 5.8% ABV - this is one to spread over a night for sure.....!

It's very tasty. From the fridge it's nice, but as it warms up it improves, though I'd say if it got "warm" it mightn't be nice generally. Heavier than lager in taste, but not ale-ish (I'm an expert, listen to me...!) I would recommend it, though I'd say it's going to be hard to find.

Kilkenny's "The Wine Centre" is where I got it. Can't remember a price, but its good value whatever it is, for a bottle this size of stuff this drinkable.