There are many styles of beer glasses from all over the world. These glasses compliment the beers of their respective regions. Here are a few of the most popular glasses and the brews that pair best with them.

The Stein

A German classic. This mug is very thick and weighty to withstand rowdy toasts and clinks of glasses, a German tradition. The wide opening allows for a thick head. The stein has a handle that prevents the transfer of heat from the palm of hand. Prost!

Brews for the Stein:

Oktoberfest
Marzen
Vienna
Good with most brews, especially if you will be toasting or need a glass that holds lots of brew!

The Weizen

Who says less is more? The Weizen or wheat beer glass is another German Classic. This is a large glass, the wide mouth promotes a thick head. This glass, when tipped up, allows air to flow around the beer and back out through the opening, passing the nose and revealing the pleasant aromas of the brew inside.

Brews for the Weizen Glass:

American Wheat Ales
German Wheat Ales
Dunkel
Hefeweizen
Weizenbock
Kristalweizen
Gose

The Tulip Glass

Art in glass form. The tulip shaped glass is designed for strong brews. The tulip produces and maintains a good thick head and is recommended for beers that are higher in alcohol and malt content. The narrow neck of the Tulip locks in sweetness, aromas and alcohol.

Brews for the Tulip Glass:

Scotch Ales
Strong IPA’s
Abbey Tripel
Lambic Brews
Flemish Ale
Gueze
Saison
Biere de Guarde
Dark Belgium Ale
Barleywine

The Pilsner Flute

The pilsner flute is necessary in any beer drinker’s arsenal. It has a cone shape that supports the fluffy head that comes from pilsners. Just like its cousin, the champagne flute, the pilsner flute has a long narrow cone design that shows off the colors and carbonation of the brew inside.

Brews for the Pilsner Flute:

Any Lager
Any Pilsner
Light Beer
Witbier
Dortmunder Export (Lager)
California Common or Steam Beer

The Goblet

The Goblet is a fun glass and a conversation piece. Many different breweries, especially many in Belgium, have designed personalized goblets from their breweries that include logos, colors and designs. The goblet has a longer neck that is a cinch to hold and a wide mouth that holds a good head and is easy to drink. Many popular goblets have laser etchings in the inside center of the bottom of the glass that induce carbonation and maintains head. The goblet is a good choice for stronger brews.

Brews for the Goblet:

Most Belgium Brews
Belgium IPA
Dubbel
Tripel
Quadrupel
Berliner Weissbier
French Ales

Imperial Irish Pint

Something every true beer aficionado needs. This pint is designed with a narrow base and a wide mouth. The narrow handle was designed to minimize the surface area that your hand touches, thus reducing the warming of your beer. Also, like the English Pint & American Pints, this glass was designed for use in the Pubs of Ireland. Slainte!

Brews for the Irish Pint:

Any Stout!

The Imperial English Pint

A classic piece. Just like the American Pint, the English Pint was made for use in pubs and restaurants. It is wide mouthed and easy to handle and clean. The bulb in the glass is said to improve ease of handling reducing slips and spills. The glass is large and can hold more than your average 12 ounce.

Brews for the English Pint:

English Ales
Bitters/ESB’s
English IPA
English Porter
English Pale Ale
Black and Tan

The American Shaker Pint

American as apple pie. A glass most commonly used in bars and restaurants in the US. It is thick walled, easy to handle and clean. This pint glass shows off colors/carbonation and pairs well with many American made brews. Cheers!

Brews for the American Pint:

Classic American Red Lager
Amber Lager
Adjunct Lager
Blonde Lager

We hope this helps you decide which glasses fit best with your favorite beer libations!

http://www.brewglasses.com/beer-glass-sets.html

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Allusions from old and new testaments are rife with the usage of wine for medicinal purposes. Unlike the abstainers or heavy drinkers, moderate drinkers of alcoholic beverages, are least likely to suffer from major cancers, diabetes, enlarged prostate, arthritis, strokes and dementia. Apart from that moderate drinking of alcohol endows longevity. 100% pure Ethyl alcohol is called rectified spirit. Needless to say, in every nook and corner of Homeopathy, there is existence of alcohol. Out of the total alcoholic consumption, the small intestine absorbs 80% and leaves the 20% for the stomach. Alcohol abridges the gap in between body and mind. For it leaves an impact in both the domains after consumption. Medically speaking the upswing of blood alcohol concentration sustains at least for 20 minutes after a drink. Finally, when the alcohol is absorbed in the organs, mentioned earlier, it gets out of the body through kidneys, lungs and liver.

Barley is soaked in water to let it sprout. Malt is to be had by separating the sprout from dried barley. Thereafter, dried malt is ground to form a mash in water. Again, another mash is formed with heated corn and rice in water. Now these mashes are put together to take out sugar from starch. Through the path of fermentation with the help of yeast beer is made in due course of time. Distilled alcoholic beverages like whiskey, gin rum, vodka etc are to be formed from fermented juice or grain mash.

Bacchus was thought to be the wine god in ancient Greece. Not only in ancient Greece, but also different ancient cultures speak of alcohol. In ancient India, it was called “Somras”. This drink used to be taken to celebrate victory and the tradition carried on.

What is alcohol – Read Up all about alcohol on this great site.

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A dinner evening can be really social and fun, especially if you invite all your friends to bring a course. This way everyone’s tastes are catered for. You can also change the home you hold it in every week for a change of scenery and to share the workload a bit more fairly. These are ideal to hold every second or fourth week.

When you are introducing new couples to one another a cheese fondue can be a wonderful ice breaker. It literally means that people must speak to another to get what they want from the table. It is a really social format of eating, and great for later in life when you have acquired a taste for cheese.

A Dutch rijstafel is an equally engaging way of getting people acquainted with one another. This is also interesting for groups where not everybody knows one another. Lots of small side dishes are prepared, featuring meats, chicken, vegetables and fish. The dishes can be eaten along with the rice, and makes for an enjoyable evening out.

A dress up evening is always a laugh, guaranteed. People seem to lose their inhibitions as they get older, and they also seem to acquire quite an interesting creative streak as well. Dressing up for a theme can be great fun, especially if you can tackle the theme as a couple or collective. Lots of good food and wine can make these evenings one of the best ways to pass the time.

Dancing is one way to let loose and enjoy yourself without worrying about what other people think. You can lose yourself to the rhythm of the music or you can be enveloped in your partners arms for a romantic journey for just the two of you. It will make you feel like a kid again and remind you of days gone by.

If food does not interest you, you should give a tasting evening some thought. This is where you can sip your way through some of the worlds finest brews and blends. Different kinds of alcohol can be experienced, such as whiskey and cognacs for the more discerning palate. You can also be more accessible and go for something you might drink ordinarily like beers. Make sure you have a driver out there waiting to take you home.

If you are aging and battling to enjoy your social life, you might just need to change the activities you try. If the best wine club is no longer your cup of tea you might find you enjoy dinners out or dancing evenings much more, in your later years. It is vital for you to keep some sociability up so that you stay young in your mind.

Tiffany is a wine afficionado who runs the best wine club.

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When living in a particular area, there are often certain flavors and brands that are purchased more than others. In some cities, large physical stores carry a huge amount of stock from countries that are famous for their product. They may carry reds, whites, blushes, and more. However, if living in a smaller community, many times the options available are limited. Rather than making do with what is readily available within a certain area, simply searching the web can produce thousands of results.

When looking for a reliable source for adult beverages, it is important to read what is considered ‘the fine print’. While there are a plethora of stores, many of them are limited as to where they can deliver. Some states will not allow alcoholic beverages across state lines. Other limitations can be around location, such as what would be considered an overseas purchase. All of these limitations are usually found under tabs on websites that discuss delivery.

One great asset to purchasing via the Internet is the potential to get good value for the amount of money spent. If a person was to go into their neighborhood liquor store, they may find limited stock for the oenophile. What stock they do have, may be priced in a manner that is limiting to an individual’s budget. Buying via the Internet can allow the possibility of bulk orders or the use of incentives.

There are a variety of different ways to purchase these types of beverages. First, it is important to determine exactly what is wanted and the reason. For example, if the purchase is going to be given as a gift, it would make sense to search for stores that specialize in gift baskets.

Many of these specialized stores will allow the customer to select which beverages they would like included in the basket. They also frequently package cheeses and crackers that will enhance the flavor of the drink. There are even some that will provide a selection of chocolates, fruits, or other food items that embellish the subtle flavors found in their wines.

If the purchase is for an oenophile, then selecting a store that not only sells the beverages but also includes trinkets such as openers, aerators, and glass markers can be a great alternative. These businesses usually have a variety of items available for true afficionados. There are even stores that will sell the glasses engraved with a name or phrase.

By choosing to buy wine online, a consumer is choosing to take control of his or her palette. By customizing the options and quantities available, a customer can easily make a purchase that is unique to his or her tastes. Taking advantage of the many offers online is the first step in becoming a preferred customer.

Tiffany is a wine aficionado who prefers to buy wine online.

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1. Angel’s Delight: Angel’s delight is a beautiful pink, creamy drink that is absolutely delicious. It can also be used a slight dessert if you’d like to give your guests an alcoholic indulgence.

2. Candy Cane: The candy cane cocktail is a mixture of flavours and colours. It’s a delicate mix of chocolate, berry and mint. Once the actual cocktail is created you also add in peppermint candy that has been finely crushed. This gives the cocktail an even sweeter flavour.

3. Christmas Jones: This cocktail is slightly more hard than the other alternative. It has a very fruity flavour with a blend of pineapple, strawberries and a very big splash of vodka. Once the following has been mixed together you can add a nice splash of lime soda. Garnish with mint.

4. Eggnog: A Christmas party isn’t a Christmas party without a traditional cocktail that has been loved for decades. There are plenty of variations of eggnog and you just need to find the perfect cocktail combination for you and your guests.

5. English Christmas Punch: The reason this cocktail has a punch in it is because it immediately warms you up – quite a kicker for the cold holiday season. It has a hefty selection of red wine and rum. Basically: yum in a punch bottle.

6. Grinch: The Grinch is based off the famous Dr. Seuss novels. You use a melon-based liqueur and it’s absolutely delicious to brighten up your Christmas day. Garnish it with red decorations to complete the character of the drink.

7. Holiday Hopper: This cocktail has an unusual combination of tastes. It combines mint, melon and chocolate to create a delectable taste that will certainly delight. It also can combine with your decorations as it’s a beautiful light green – the same as a Christmas tree.

8. Merry Christmas: Gin and cranberries make this cocktail the ultimate Christmas drink. Simple with the ingredients but an intense flavour that is very light on the stomach and the palette. You can also find “mocktail” recipes if you want to make a non-alcoholic alternative.

9. La Vie En Rouge: Celebrate the party with this crimson drink. Orange liquer, rosemary and cranberry juice gives it a very unusual texture and flavour. Serve it at the dinner party to give your guests as something delectable to enjoy with their meal with.

10.Zen Dream: You use a combination of fruits and green tea liqueur. It’s a very soothing cocktail that can calm even the most troubled mind. Make sure you pick a couple of cocktails to make sure your Christmas party is as eventful as possible. These drinks will positively make your guests get into the Christmas cheer.

Bolade is an experienced party organiser and runs her own online store selling kids birthday supplies, baby shower supplies and other party items.

To learn more about arranging great parties and entertaining, visit her online store by clicking on one fo the links above for more information.

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Color can play a large part in recognising a good wine. The wine should always be served in a clear glass so that you receive a true picture. Being able to clearly see the rim and central color of the wine can give an indication of its age. The way the wine sticks to the side of the glass when swirled around will give and indication as to the alcoholic strength of the wine. While swirling the wine around, take a few short sniffs, your first impression will be the strongest.

As you drink the wine, you should try to roll it around your mouth so that it reaches all the sensory areas. Sucking in a little air at the same time will help to aerate the wine and release more flavor. If the wine lingers on the palette after being swallowed, it suggests a fine mature wine. Younger wines will give an immediate, satisfying taste but will not linger.

The palette is the term used to describe the tasting faculties of the mouth. A wine will make an impression on three areas of the mouth, the front, the middle and the back, although at the time they probably won’t seem that separate. The front will receive the first impression, as the middle perceives the texture and fruitiness, while the back of the palette will pick up the after taste.

It is helpful when beginning to learn about wine, to note down any impressions you may have, no matter how silly they may seem. Write down the very first thing that strikes you about the wine, is it blackcurrant, chocolatey, or just nasty! Just a few simple words will lodge the wine in your mind and help you build up a memory bank for wines you may taste in the future.

The barrels the wine is aged in can play a large part in the flavor of the wine. Wine aged in oak barrels leaches out tannin and flavor from the wood, this mixes with the tannin from the grapes. American Oak has wider pores than French oak, so more oxygen can get to the wine, therefore the wine ages quicker and the fruit begins to develop secondary flavours. American Oak also tends to give out a vanilla flavor. How a barrel is made and how much toasting it is given will also have a big effect on the flavours imported to the wine.

Remember, in a restaurant, you will only need to look at and smell a wine before accepting it or rejecting it. An overbearing wine waiter will find it less easy to talk around a customer who refuses a wine based on its smell rather than its taste.

To discover more about wine, please visit the Beginners Wine Guide

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In sensible drinking terms you should allow around a half to three quarters of a bottle per guest. If you are unsure as to the preference in color of your guest’s wine, it’s usually safe to order a ratio of 50/50 white to red.

Treat Rose as white as well, so for 30 guests, you might look at ordering eight to ten red, four to five white and four to five rose.

Remember to accommodate the drivers as well and ensure you have plenty of soft drinks for those unable to participate in the drinking as they drew the short straw and are designated driver for the evening. It is also a good idea to match every glass of wine with a glass of water. This is a great tip to make sure no one over does things. It may also be a good idea to think about low alcohol or alcohol free wines to give a little more variety. These are generally found under the ‘Low ABV’ label.

If planning for Christmas and wish to attempt a traditional lunchtime gathering with mince pies and a glass of sherry, then you should allow for 12 glasses from one bottle. Remember the different varieties of sherry and be suitably prepared, including sweet and dry types. Think about buying in or making some mulled wine to warmly greet your guests in from the cold. For this you’ll probably get six to eight glasses of homemade mulled wine per bottle of wine used, as water is generally added to the recipe.

If you decide to get creative and offer cocktails at a party, make sure you not only know how to make them but also have all the correct ingredients. It’s a good idea to stick to only one or two simple cocktail recipes. To keep ingredients down, there are many cocktails that can be made using sparkling wine. These include, a ‘Bellini’ – Sparkling wine and fresh peach puree, ‘Pink Mimosa’ – Sparkling wine and pink grapefruit juice, ‘Black Velvet’ – Half Guinness and half sparkling wine, ‘Pink Fizz’ – half raspberry puree and sparkling wine, ‘Nelsons Blood’ – Sparkling wine with a dash of tawny port, and ‘Bucks Fizz’ – one third orange juice and top up with sparkling wine.

Above all remember to enjoy the party, a great party can be had by all without having to over indulge – this just means you have to explain yourself a lot the following day!!

To discover more about wine, please visit the Beginners Wine Guide

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* Acidity- Helps preserve wine. All grapes (and by extension all wines) have acid. Wines extremely high in acidity often have a sour or tart taste. Wines low in acidity are described as tasting “fat” or “flabby.”
* Aeration – Occurs by either swirling the wine around in a glass or decanting the bottle into another container. Aeration softens the tannins by allowing the wine to “breathe” before consumption. Young red wines benefit most from aeration.
* Ascescence- Marks the presence of ethyl acetate and acetic acid. Noticeable by sweet and sour, sometimes vinegary smell and taste along with a sharp feeling in the mouth.
* Astringent- Rough, puckery taste caused by high tannin content. Astringency normally mellows out with age.
* Austere- Dry, hard and acidic wines that attacks the palate with tannic astringency. Often a young wine that will get better with age.
* Balance- No individual part dominates or overpowers the other. Sweetness balances acid; oak and tannin content is balanced by fruitiness.
* Big- Describes the overall body and taste of a wine. Big red wines are usually high in tannins while big white wines are high in alcohol and glycerin.
* Buttery- A texture as creamy as butter. Often used to describe a taste of better white wines such as Chardonnay.
* Finish- The aftertaste, or amount of time the flavors linger in your mouth. A exceptional finish will last anywhere from 15 to 40 seconds. Anything less than this is considered standard, or if under 8 seconds, a poor finish.
* Flinty- The taste experienced when stones/minerals are licked. High acidity and brings to mind a clean, earthly flavor.
* Green- The taste of wine made with under-ripe fruit. Often loosely describes some white wines with a greenish hue, such as Rieslings, which indicate a youthful wine. In recent years, the term “green wine” has taken on an alternate meaning, made with environmentally friendly production methods.
* Hollow- Wines missing a mid-palate taste often caused by too many grapes on inadequately pruned vines. Hollow wines have a strong initial impact and aftertaste but not much flavor while in the mouth on the tongue.
* Legs- The liquid rivulets that appear inside of a wineglass after the wine is swirled in order to evaluate alcohol content.
* Nose- The aroma or bouquet produced as you inhale the aroma of wine. Refers to the delectable odor or fermentation smells – whether desirable or undesirable – found in wine.
* Tannin- Naturally occurring bitter compounds found in grape skins, seeds and stems. Tannins have a hard, astringent taste. Also acts a preservative in aging wine.

This is just a very short basic list of common wine tasting terms. There are enough terms here to help you get comfortable when communicating with others at a wine tasting event. If you rub elbows with any group of wine tasters long enough, you will slowly but surely become familiar with these terms and even find yourself fluently using a few of these terms yourself!

Now that you’ve been introduced to basic wine tasting terminology, take the next step to visit our website for more information on vino! Wine Beginners is the ultimate source of information and recommendations for the aspiring wine enthusiast. Thanks in advance for visiting our site!

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Proper pairing not only creates balance but cleanses the palate between wines as well. Serving the correct hors d’œuvre can turn a so-so bottle of wine into the pièce de résistance of the evening wine tasting event.

Here are some basics for proper pairing and a quick and easy recipe tips.

Popular Appetizers To Serve With Wine

* Cheese- No self respecting wine party would be caught without cheese. Cheese and wine have been the must have item of any good wine tasting party since the ancient times. There are no hard rules about pairing cheese with wine but most believe you should pair hard cheeses with red wines and soft cheeses with white wine. Strong and powerful cheeses should be paired with an equally strong and powerful wine to create a delicious balance so that no one flavor is overpowering the other.
* Crackers- You can’t invite cheese to the party without crackers! Crackers serve a dual purpose. In addition to being tasty with cheese, they help cleanse the palate while soaking up some of the alcohol from the mouth. Water crackers are the perfect accompaniment as they are light and provide a neutral flavor in contrast to the flavorful cheese and wine. Heavily salted and seasoned crackers can alter the taste of the wine. As an aside, avoid cheese flavored crackers.
* Nuts- Nutritious and delicious nuts are an excellent wine companion. Whether roasted, salted, or raw, nuts go especially well with soft, fruity red wines. Add an assortment of wine and nuts to your next wine tasting party.
* Ripe Fresh or Dried Fruit- Nothing says romance quite like a big bowl of fresh ripened strawberries paired with a delectable champagne. Like cheese, fruit and wine have been paired together since ancient times. Pair figs and other dry fruit with a nice Chianti, apples and pears with a delicious Chardonnay or Asti Spumante, while cherries and berries go great with a Port.
* Chocolates- Because of the variables of chocolate in both sweetness and texture, pairing can be difficult. To maintain balance, sweet chocolate should be paired with a sweet wine while bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolates should be paired with a more dry wine. Buttery white chocolate pair nicely with Muscato or Sherry. Rich, velvety dark chocolate when paired with a red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel is a match made in heaven. Choose chocolate with at least 55% cocoa that is free of fillings and nuts that can detract from the taste of the chocolate.

Now that you’ve learned more about the best appetizers to serve with wine, take the next step to visit our website for more information on vino! Wine Beginners is the ultimate source of information and recommendations for the aspiring wine enthusiast. Thanks in advance for visiting our site!

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Much has been debated for years in Switzerland over the perfect beverage to accompany a fondue. Some insist white wine is a good option as the alcohol is supposed to break down the Gruyère cheese. Others say just tea – without milk or sugar – is appropriate.

Wine with fondue slows digestion
A group of researchers from Germany and Switzerland recently set out on a mission to find out which drink provided the better digestion of the fatty cheese. They did not however, delve into which wine was the better accompaniment to cheese.

The experts in this small study gave 20 healthy men and women (aged 23 – 58), a cheese fondue with either a Swiss white wine and kirsch or black tea.

The people who drank the black tea digested the fondue in around six hours, compared to nine hours for those who had the wine and kirsch. Experts found absolutely no difference at all in symptoms like nausea, heartburn or indigestion among the groups.

Mark Fox, a consultant gastroenterologist from the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham, England who led the research said, “the findings apply to any high-calorie, high-fat meal, like traditional Christmas feasts”. And where alcohol is concerned, he added “fatty foods take longer to be broken down in the stomach compared to other foods and adding alcohol complicates the process”.

So now we know that a cup of black tea, containing tannins, is the better accompaniment, if it’s digestion that concerns us, but I’m sure most of us would still opt for that glass of wine – or two! In fact, if we choose a red wine rather than a white, we will get some of those valuable tannins.

Wine and cheese properties
Why does wine complement a fondue so well? We must look at the constituents of both. As we all know most cheeses contain good quantities of calcium and fat. A 30 gram (1 oz) portion of cheese could provide between 20 and 25 percent of ones daily recommended amount of calcium.

On the other hand, the properties of wine couldn’t be more different. The nutritional values of a 100 gram (3.5 oz) sample of red table wine are as follows:

* Energy – 355kJ (85 kcal)
* Carbohydrates – 2.6 grams
* Sugars – 0.6 grams
* Fat – 0.0 grams
* Protein – 0.1 grams
* Alcohol – 10.6 grams

Wine contains numerous types of acid, and most of these acids, especially tartaric acid, must assist to an extent in the breakdown of fats. But, as usual the alcohol in the wine hinders the process.

When it comes down to what beverage to drink with a cheese fondue, science would probably recommend a cup of tea, while most of us would like to throw caution to the wind and go for the wine – or the kirsch.

We have only touched on the beverage side of the matter. Undoubtedly, there are many different cheeses to use in the fondue apart from Gruyère. I reckon the sky’s the limit here, so choose what cheese you like the most, and match it up with a wine, kirsch or even tea. And don’t overdo the alcohol intake!

Rob Hemphill has been a professional in the wine industry for over 20 years, and is now a freelance marketing writer. Specializing in wine consultancy he has a wide knowledge of vines, vineyards and wine growing techniques as well. Good food and wine pairing makes all the difference, and can enhance both.

To learn more about wine and food pairing, please visit Understanding Wine where you will find a wealth of interesting information.

Ever made Homemade wine before? Don’t know how to, why not visit http://winemakinghome.blogspot.com.

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