Funny things you've overheard about beer

[Zepth]

I have been in the restaurant biz for 16 years. It is perhaps the only industry in the U.S. where someone with no experience, no college degree, a police record, being an "aspiring" musician, is a gang member, has an open drug/alcohol habit, and the list goes on can gain employment.

I'm not too certain of US hiring guidelines vs those in the great white north, but let's give my resume a shot.

-Stagehand (local Roadie, doesn't travel)
-Warehouse employee
-Lumber yard forklift operator
-Moving company

Perhaps I should aspire to greater things in life.

 

[ericbw]

While I do agree that it's funny, at one point in my beer life I preferred Bud Light over Coors Light because "it has so much more flavor". We have to start somewhere, and craft brews arent pushed to the masses, especially in Utah i'd imagine (not a poke, but a serious statement based on what i've heard about the alcohol laws there - plus, you just said tapless tap room ).

I think it's funny to assume that there *wouldn't* be a difference between Bud Light and Coors Light. Bud Light IS better than Coors Light, and Miller Light is better than both of them. They have more flavor than Coors Light, which is watery.

 

[ericbw]

I recently had a new chef start in our kitchen. Of course some good ice breaker talk is talking about beer. I asked him about a few breweries they had in st. Louis and he knew nothing about their beer. Then he said something like .. o wild blue??.I love that one.

Me- oh the really sweet blueberry shizz?
Him-yup. Its so good.
Me- I bet you love Smirnoff too. That's not beer to me
Him- I bet you love that Smirnoff shiz
Me. --uh nope

At this point he had gained all the attention of my co chefs .
Co workers- he's a home brewer!!!
Me-don't talk to me about beer
Him-i really don't drink beer.I'm more of a liquor drinker.

It took all I had to keep from giving him a like slap in the face.
Its funny to me how people in the culinary world still have no taste. You would think they would be actually interested in the finer things in life

Yes, because if someone doesn't like what you like, they clearly have no taste. He SHOULD have been slapped in the face.

 

[ericbw]

For those of us who cut our teeth on "domestics" one could definitely tell the difference amongst the various American lagers, light or otherwise.

I once read a thread on another "home-brew" forum where the OP asked which was better in terms of cheap beer when funds were tight: Pabst or Shlitz. As I read through the thread all I could think of was Wow! Craft beer has been around long enough so that there is an entire new era of American beer drinkers who never tasted "the other stuff". Or so they claimed. I thought hipsters preferred PBR?

"Hipsters" aside, there is a difference in beers. It's not like there is a factory that pumps out gallons of the same stuff and then labels it Bud or PBR. They are actually different beers.

I remember Schlitz having a sharper, almost tangy taste. PBR is sweet and smooth. And I am not a "hipster." It's just that PBR tastes like beer.

 

[uatuba]

"Hipsters" aside, there is a difference in beers. It's not like there is a factory that pumps out gallons of the same stuff and then labels it Bud or PBR. They are actually different beers.



I remember Schlitz having a sharper, almost tangy taste. PBR is sweet and smooth. And I am not a "hipster." It's just that PBR tastes like beer.

There may not be such a factory, but there HAS to be a factory pumping out "headache inducing additive" that
all of the BMC breweries use. I can't drink even one without getting a headache.


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[ericbw]

There may not be such a factory, but there HAS to be a factory pumping out "headache inducing additive" that
all of the BMC breweries use. I can't drink even one without getting a headache.


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You get it from all of the "BMC" beers? From all commercial beers? Probably a sensitivity to something.

 

[Kirkwooder]

I think the funniest thing that I have ever heard about beer, is all the home brewers that claim they can make a way better beer than any BMC.

Just try making 3 batches of the same beer on 3 consecutive days, then do a taste test. Now, try brewing one in St Louis, one in Fairfield, and one in Jacksonville..... Still think your "all that"?

It's time to give credit where credit is due! Even if BMC isn't your thing, you have to admit they do an amazing thing!

I'm not a fan of stouts, but I don't go around ripping on award winning stout brewers, saying they suck, just because I don't care for the style they brew.

The truth is that the vast majority of people would pick a BMC beer over 99% of all home brewers best efforts.

I make some really good beers, (and ciders, and meads, for that matter) but I will never brew a beer that will draw the mass appeal that Coors Lite does. If you really can brew that good and consistent a brew, WHY are you not a brew master some where other than your garage?

:beard::beard::beard: I'm just saying...

 

[finsfan]

There may not be such a factory, but there HAS to be a factory pumping out "headache inducing additive" that
all of the BMC breweries use. I can't drink even one without getting a headache.


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Most BMC beers contain formaldehyde to preserve it, but this can also cause headaches. And before anyone blows up on me, look it up!

 

[uatuba]

You get it from all of the "BMC" beers? From all commercial beers? Probably a sensitivity to something.

Every. Single. One. I'm talking about the actual BMC beers (light, heavy, ice, with "lime") and not the craft style beers that they've bought out...and I'm not the only person that has this problem. Now I will fully admit that I haven't tried all of them, so there may be one out there that doesn't have this mystery chemical (maybe it is formaldehyde). I'm pretty sure it's some sort of preservative at high levels, because I do have a sensitivity to them (and can't eat most Chinese food as a result, due to the massive amount of MSG). That's definitely funny in a "funny business" sort of way.

For me, a lot of wheat beers do this as well, whether micro or home brewed. I guess it's a good thing I don't like BMC or wheat beers.


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[flars]

Every. Single. One. I'm talking about the actual BMC beers (light, heavy, ice, with "lime") and not the craft style beers that they've bought out...and I'm not the only person that has this problem. Now I will fully admit that I haven't tried all of them, so there may be one out there that doesn't have this mystery chemical (maybe it is formaldehyde). I'm pretty sure it's some sort of preservative at high levels, because I do have a sensitivity to them (and can't eat most Chinese food as a result, due to the massive amount of MSG). That's definitely funny in a "funny business" sort of way.

For me, a lot of wheat beers do this as well, whether micro or home brewed. I guess it's a good thing I don't like BMC or wheat beers.


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If you are sensitive to MSG then you may be sensitive to some yeasts including champagne yeasts, sulphites, autolysed yeast, and hydrolysed vegetable proteins. More and more Chinese restaurants are advertising "NO MSG".
I suffered cluster headaches for 28 years.

 

[WesleyS]

I think the funniest thing that I have ever heard about beer, is all the home brewers that claim they can make a way better beer than any BMC.



Just try making 3 batches of the same beer on 3 consecutive days, then do a taste test. Now, try brewing one in St Louis, one in Fairfield, and one in Jacksonville..... Still think your "all that"?



It's time to give credit where credit is due! Even if BMC isn't your thing, you have to admit they do an amazing thing!



I'm not a fan of stouts, but I don't go around ripping on award winning stout brewers, saying they suck, just because I don't care for the style they brew.



The truth is that the vast majority of people would pick a BMC beer over 99% of all home brewers best efforts.



I make some really good beers, (and ciders, and meads, for that matter) but I will never brew a beer that will draw the mass appeal that Coors Lite does. If you really can brew that good and consistent a brew, WHY are you not a brew master some where other than your garage?



:beard::beard::beard: I'm just saying...

I'm glad I haven't seen this exact argument come up a million times. It might start getting old...


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[wobrien]

I'm glad I haven't seen this exact argument come up a million times. It might start getting old...


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You're much more patient than I...

Edit: winky face to let you know that I know sarcasm when I hear it. Smiley face.

 

[DrunkleJon]

You're much more patient than I...

Edit: winky face to let you know that I know sarcasm when I hear it. Smiley face.

Grimace face

 

[ericbw]

Most BMC beers contain formaldehyde to preserve it, but this can also cause headaches. And before anyone blows up on me, look it up!

Why don't you just give a citation before everyone blows up?

 

[Trippel-A]

I think it's funny to assume that there *wouldn't* be a difference between Bud Light and Coors Light. Bud Light IS better than Coors Light, and Miller Light is better than both of them. They have more flavor than Coors Light, which is watery.

Agreed. I also think Coors Light gives me a sore throat. It's probably all in my head.

 

[mattd2]

Most BMC beers contain formaldehyde to preserve it, but this can also cause headaches. And before anyone blows up on me, look it up!

If you are sensitive to MSG then you may be sensitive to some yeasts including champagne yeasts, sulphites, autolysed yeast, and hydrolysed vegetable proteins. More and more Chinese restaurants are advertising "NO MSG".
I suffered cluster headaches for 28 years.

Why don't you just give a citation before everyone blows up?

Exactly - I did look it up and most (if not all) of the websites I found basically ridiculed the notion and blamed it on ignorance.
I would guess sulphites would be the more common preservative that cause headaches - that is just from anecdotal evidence and my memories of things I may or may not have read

 

[kombat]

Exactly - I did look it up and most (if not all) of the websites I found basically ridiculed the notion and blamed it on ignorance.

"Websites," pffft! There's your problem. Websites say all sorts of nonsense. The real question is, "what does your gut tell you?" In the words of the great Stephen Colbert:

"That's where the truth lies, right down here in the gut. Do you know you have more nerve endings in your gut than you have in your head? You can look it up. Now, I know some of you are going to say, "I did look it up, and that's not true." That's 'cause you looked it up in a book. Next time, look it up in your gut. I did. My gut tells me that's how our nervous system works."

 

[ericbw]

Exactly - I did look it up and most (if not all) of the websites I found basically ridiculed the notion and blamed it on ignorance.
I would guess sulphites would be the more common preservative that cause headaches - that is just from anecdotal evidence and my memories of things I may or may not have read

I know, but I'm saying just give some links so that no one will say, "Where'd you hear THAT???" They can just read the links and leave the rest of us alone

 

[NickTheGreat]

Forty percent of all statistics are made up on the spot

 

[Chadwick]

I did my own research about the use of formaldehyde in BMC beer and what I discovered was shocking and revealing.

Formaldehyde use to be used in an emulsion mixture with water to act as a lubricant in the making of the cans which would eventually contain beer. This was a common practice way back when beer cans were made of steel.

Today formaldehyde is no longer used in the USA or any country for this purpose with the exception of China who still uses formaldehyde occasionally for this purpose.

The most interesting thing about the formaldehyde use is that although it was rinsed out to a point where it was supposedly not harmful, it is a pungent chemical and it would leave a noticeable taste in the product. Today the BMC breweries add an additive in their beers to simulate the taste of formaldehyde. They started doing this after they were no longer allowed to use formaldehyde in the processing of the cans because they didn't want the public to notice a difference in the taste.

The real question now is what are they using to simulate the taste of formaldehyde? I don't know. However, I'm sure food flavor specialists have it covered and have had it covered for a long time.

 

[hunter_le five]

Sources people.... SOURCES.

 

[ericbw]

I think it's funny that we've heard that formaldehyde is used as a preservative AND we've heard that it used to be used as a lubricant when making steel cans. BUt we don't know if either of those are true.

I heard they got the formaldehyde as leftovers from funeral homes. (I made that up.)

 

[Chadwick]

I suppose I need to clarify. The formaldehyde wasn't part of the lubricant formula, water and oil was. The formaldehyde was an additive to the solution to prevent bacterial blooms in the emulsion.

I have to leave for some errands right now. When I get back I'll try to find the sources for my information and post them.

Edit: -if someone else doesn't beat me too it

 

[W0GWT]

I heard they got the formaldehyde as leftovers from funeral homes. (I made that up.)

Only Miller does that.
How do you think they get that "great pilsner taste"?

 

[millhouse9]

I was in Bend, OR a couple weeks ago checking out the local breweries. We went to Worthy Brewing, and I asked our waiter about the SMASH beer that they had on the beer list. He said, "it's a great beer, they use Maris Otter hops with it." I was with a friend who is also a homebrewer and we both just gave each other funny looks and decided not to ask the server for any more advice on beer selection.

 

[UWDawg13]

I was in Bend, OR a couple weeks ago checking out the local breweries. We went to Worthy Brewing, and I asked our waiter about the SMASH beer that they had on the beer list. He said, "it's a great beer, they use Maris Otter hops with it." I was with a friend who is also a homebrewer and we both just gave each other funny looks and decided not to ask the server for any more advice on beer selection.

I was there over Memorial Day, and Worthy was probably my least favorite brewery we went to, and we hit up all 14 on the ale trail.

 

[GrogNerd]

well I heard they got the formaldehyde by putting puppies into food processors

 

[Crucial-BBQ]

I'm not too certain of US hiring guidelines vs those in the great white north, but let's give my resume a shot.

-Stagehand (local Roadie, doesn't travel)
-Warehouse employee
-Lumber yard forklift operator
-Moving company

Perhaps I should aspire to greater things in life.

Looks good. I am just saying not many Americans are willing to work until midnight or later every Friday and/or Saturday or come in at 8 am or earlier every Saturday and/or Sunday morning. Or to sometimes close a Saturday night to only open on a Sunday morning...weekend after weekend. Not to mention that stress is high, everyone is complaining...servers...managers...customers..., pay is usually to low (an opinion, ok), and virtually no benefits.

I have mad respect for anyone who can last more than a year.

Chefs might enjoy the finer things...cooks, it is hit-or-miss.

"Hipsters" aside, there is a difference in beers. It's not like there is a factory that pumps out gallons of the same stuff and then labels it Bud or PBR. They are actually different beers.

I remember Schlitz having a sharper, almost tangy taste. PBR is sweet and smooth. And I am not a "hipster." It's just that PBR tastes like beer.

For some reason, in the early 2000s, Pabst became the beer to drink amongst the "cool" kids. I know, I was one of them. The reason why I called the woman a hipster was because her postings, as well as other postings in the forum I was paraphrasing, came off to me like the young'ins mentioned in this opening:
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/a...u-dont-have-to-like-it-but-respect-it/264392/

Here's a link to hipsters and PBR:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/29/pbr-coolness-study_n_5399109.html

Most BMC beers contain formaldehyde to preserve it, but this can also cause headaches. And before anyone blows up on me, look it up!

To my knowledge this was the original article that sparked the controversy:
http://magazine.nd.edu/news/26480-what-s-in-those-cans-besides-beer/

As you read the article keep in mind that this application is in reference to all aluminum cans, not just those used by the BMCs. So if drinking a can of Bud gives you a headache than drinking a can of Dale's Pale Ale, or Joe's Organic Soda, should, too.

Keeping in spirit with this thread, my Invertebrate Zoology professor once told the [course] lab that back in the 1970s they would sniff formaldehyde to get rid of a headache. Then again anyone who has ever taken a Medicinal Chemistry course in college would be scared bonkers to even take an Aspirin.

Also keep in mind that this is for canned beer, not bottled, which could very well be why most beer drinkers have a preference for bottled or draft beers over canned?

Here is the abstract to an NIH research paper from 1983 on the same subject. I do not have a subscription to PubMed but my old lady is a lab manager at NIH. I'll ask if she can track down a copy. Pay attention to the detection limit and then read the preceding "mushroom" paper below:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6874204

The "mushroom" paper. Although the focus is on edible mushrooms it does cover naturally occurring formaldehyde and formaldehyde in commercial products:
http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/57/38/93/PDF/PEER_stage2_10.1080%2F02652030903081929.pdf

And then....

...This is a good paper in that it does not necessarily focus on formaldehyde content in beer but is more of a criticism of past techniques that could not discern formaldehyde from other aldehydes. Note that this paper is not about canned beer, though, and I am sure that Bud was one of the 60 "world beers" they sampled. Still a good read. You can get the full paper from the navigation bar on the right:
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijac/2011/797604/abs/

Headaches can be caused by other factors: dehydration and acetaldehyde (a by product of alcohol metabolism in the human body. Acetaldehyde is more toxic than alcohol itself and is general credited for feelings of hangovers).

I wouldn't doubt that BMCs do not include preservatives or other products in their bottles/cans in order to help create the same product and experience every time but formaldehyde is not one of them. As I wrote above, if a can of Bud gives you a headache than a can of craft beer, should too, if the can itself is to blame.

 

[JonM]

well I heard they got the formaldehyde by putting puppies into food processors

I heard that's more of a southern thing. Here in the Midwest, we get our formaldehyde by blending up doe-eyed kittens and baby bunnies.

 

[n240sxguy]

There may not be such a factory, but there HAS to be a factory pumping out "headache inducing additive" that
all of the BMC breweries use. I can't drink even one without getting a headache.


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Try coors banquet. It's the only one that I've tried that doesn't give me a headache.


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