DID YOU KNOW?

Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage

 and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced

 by the brewing and fermentation of starches which are mainly derived from

cereal grains — most commonly malted barley although wheat, maize (corn),

 and rice are also used. Alcoholic beverages which are distilled after fermentation,

fermented from non-cereal sources such as grapes or honey, or fermented from

un-malted cereal grain, are not classified as beer.

The two main types of beer are lager and ale. Ale is further classified into varieties such as pale ale, stout, and brown ale.

Most beer is flavored with hops, which add bitterness and act as a natural preservative. Other flavorings, such as fruits or herbs, may also be used. The alcoholic strength of beer is usually 4% to 6% alcohol by volume (ABV), but it may be less than 1% or more than 20%, and at least as high as 55%.

Beer is part of the drinking culture of various nations and has acquired social traditions such as beer festivals, cantus, pub culture, pub games, and pub crawling.

The basics of brewing beer are shared across national and cultural boundaries. The beer-brewing industry is global in scope, consisting of several dominant multinational companies and thousands of smaller producers, which range from regional breweries to microbreweries.