The two most popular drinks in the entire world, through out all of history, have been beer and wine. It is no surprise that it is the cause of much debates among enthusiasts of the two. They can both vary greatly when it comes to benefits, nutrition, and taste, but here is the basic low down on the great debate between wine and beer.
Is Beer Better?
1. What’s Inside
The art of brewing a good beer has a lot to do with that is in it. It is surprisingly simple. The basic ingredients are yeast, hops, grain, and water. Barley is the most commonly used grain when making beer, but some other grains that are used include: rice, corn, or wheat. Hops is where a good brew gets it’s flavor. They are added to balance the sweetness that is provided with malt. The last ingredient is yeast, which is what ferments the mixture into alcohol. In some craft beers fruits, herbs, or spices are added to give it a unique flavor.
2. How It’s Made
There are 5 steps involved in the creation of a beer. The first is called malting. After the grains are harvested they are put through a series of heating, drying, and cracking. This is done in order to isolate enzymes needed for brewing. The next step is called mashing. The grains from the malting step are put in hot water and seeped for around an hour. This concoction is then drained. Wort is the name for the sweet and sticky liquid that is produced. The next step is boiling. The wort is brought to a boil, at which point hops and any other flavorings are added. The fourth, a arguably the most important, step is fermentation. This is when beer gets its alcohol. The wort is cooled down and put into a fermenting vessel. At this point the yeast is added, and fermentation begins. It is now stored for multiple weeks in order to produce alcohol. The finished beer is then bottled and aged and ready for consumption.
3. Benefits
While beer can provide a small amount of nutrients like vitamin B and potassium, it is not enough to really gain any nutritional value. However, beer does provide some other health benefits that may surprise you. The alcohol in beer increases the amount of good cholesterol that you have, if drank in moderation. Beer is also thought to increase creativity and brain function, again the word “moderation” is key here. One surprising benefit that you may reap from knocking a few back every day is the drastic reduction for your risk of kidney stones. The high intake of fluid causes you to make excessive visits to the restroom, flushing out any stones that may be forming before they can cause you problems.
4. Liquid Calories
A typical beer contains just around 170 calories, which may not seem like a whole lot. But if you multiply that by a night out, say 6 beers, you are racking in some serious calories. Since beer is a drink, many people don’t consider the amount of calories it contains, and a calorie is a calorie whether in a beer or a burger. This is why the term “beer belly” is around.
How Fine is Wine?
1. The Perfect Beverage
For many centuries wine has been considered the “perfect” drink. This is because everything needed to make wine is contained within a grape. Grapes can be mashed and stored and eventually, will become wine. This is due to the yeast that coats the skin of grapes that ferments and turns it into alcohol. However, in more recent and commercially driven times, wine has much more than just grapes. Winemakers are only required to list the sulfites that are in your wine, but some of the common ingredients in wine may make you think twice about what you are putting in your body. Potassium sorbate is used to prevent any further fermentation, acids for color and particle stability, sugar in order to increase alcohol levels, and mammal proteins (egg whites) are used for clarifying.
2. Different Types
Wine can be broke down into two main categories, red and white. The difference between the two are red wines are made with purple grapes while white wine is made with green grapes. Wine has developed into a fine art and the different forms that are available now are virtually endless. Some of the most popular types of white wines are chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, and rieslings. Red wine types include shiraz, merlot, and pinot noir. There are some other categories of wine that are “offspring” of red or white such as rose wines, sparkling wines, or dessert wines.
3. Benefits
A topic talked about for decades is the benefits of drinking wine. They are pretty impressive, I must say. A lower risk of heart disease is one often talked of, and it’s true. Red wine contains key ingredients, such as tannins, that protect the heart. Wines from France are most plentiful in this. Major drop in colon cancer risk is another amazing benefit that wine drinkers receive. The moderate consumption of red wines can cut your risk of colon cancer by a whopping 45 percent! There is also quite a few antioxidants present in wines, which have anti aging, and anti cancer fighting properties.
Differences Between Beer and Wine
1. Carbs and Calories
While both beer and wine both have calories and carbohydrates in them, one is not like the other. Beer greatly exceeds the amount of both of these over wine. A single serving of beer contains nearly 200 calories and 13 grams of carbs while wine has only 120 calories and 3 grams of carbs. So if you are watching your waistline, wine is the way to go.
2. Alcohol Content
The amount of alcohol present in wine and beer also make them very different. On average a beer can contain anywhere from 6 percent to 16 percent in commercial beers. Wines on the other hand start at around 12 percent and can shoot all the way up to over 20 percent alcohol.
3. Composition
The key difference between beers and wines are simply what is inside of them. The ingredients are responsible for the taste of the product. Beer is a grainy and somewhat bitter beverage while wine can range from extremely sweet to extremely dry. It really depends on your personal taste preference as to which you think is better.