At some point you may be asked to make the distinction between light and dark beer. These are beverages with a distinct pedigree. Therefore it makes sense that you will be looking for the best quality. The consumption of beer has become almost an emotional process such that seemingly trivial things are given a very high priority on the profile list. A German pub brings up specific images which are not easy to replicate in any other context.
1. The myths and facts: In Elizabethan times it was believed that beer could cure elephants of their wildness. Of course we now know that this is nonsense. Light beers came into circulation in the 1960s and early 70s. They were designed as diet substitutes for those people who did not want a beer belly. Meister Brau Lite of Chicago was fairly successful in this endeavor. Miller bought the brand and changed the title to Miller Lite. The use of enzymes helps to break down dextrins which are not fermented. It is worth noting that the unfermented sugars are the flavor for the drink and therefore taste is necessarily affected.
2. Managing the alcohol levels: The market has an option for alcohol content malt liquor. Water is used to dilute the strength and you end up with no taste at all. Microbreweries provide a unique service but sometimes their quality standards leave a lot to be desired. Imported drinks are prodigiously expensive. The connoisseurs say that dark beers are the real thing. However we also have to remember that the lighter versions are there to provide a service. There are some people who are not interested in gaining weight even if they drink a beer once in a while.
3. Health consciousness: Although alcohol is not explicitly banned like smoking, there are many people who are looking to limit its impact. Thugs are drinking cheap alcohol and causing mayhem on our streets. If you want to become a teetotaler then it is better than drinking a light beer if you are just wasting money. You may be placed in a social situation where you have no choice but to drink some form of beer. In these circumstances the lighter versions can save your graces and ensure that you do not irritate your hosts. Pregnant women should drink neither light nor dark beer unless they want to permanently damage their children. The health warnings are real and appropriate.
