http://homepage.ntlworld.com/geraint.bevan...rian_beers.html

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

The hops - hemp connection in beer

I just discovered that one of the essential ingredients in beer, hops, is actually an extremely close relative of the hemp or cannabis plant. about hops:

"The hops used to make beer are the flower of the hop vine, which is a member of the hemp family (Cannabaceae). Hops are closely related to another member of the hemp family that you may have heard of -- cannabis, or marijuana, although hops do not have the psychoactive effects associated with marijuana.

Hops contain acids, which give beer its bitterness, as well as oils that give beer some of its flavor and aroma. Adding hops to beer also inhibits the formation of certain bacteria that can spoil the beer. "


Despite what that excerpt says, I'm sure its absolutely NO coincidence that hops and cannabis are related. There must have been a practice way back at some point of combining the two... Ah, for more detailed information, I just found this article, Marijuana in Beer. It goes into a bit of the history of hemp and some of its uses with beer.

From: http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2004/09/...on-in-beer.html

http://www.innvista.com/health/herbs/hops.htm

The properties of hops.

The story about Guinness as I'm sure most of you went right there to see if you could drink it is when they modernized their brewery about a hundred years ago and went from wooden vats with no roof to completely sealed steel vats and still keeping the same the recipe for everyone's favorite, Guiness Stout, there was a noticeable difference in taste and one that folks prefered the pre-modernization taste. As the what was the reason for the modernization, to put a roof on the vats to keep the rats from falling in as they thought this was a big problem, but it turned out that all the dead rats in the brew gave Guiness its distinctive taste that was preferred. What was done to rectify the problem is Guiness has lamb added to it to give their stout that good ol' taste of fermented rat.

Is that true?

In your seemingly exhaustive list babu, I find no mention of either Colt .45 malt-liquor, or Schlitz, both favorites of poverty stricken American brahmanas who cannot afford the high-brow brews on your list.

Not true, according to this website.

I'm overwhelmed. How long does one have to live to reach a properly realized conclusion about all these?

Babu, this is so long, next time please just post a snippet and a link to the storehouse of knowledge where the whole thing resides. Or I can do it -- just tell me the source.

Oneiros, read the info and my question is they don't say why Guinness isn't acceptable for vegetarians to drink so exactly what meat or blood is added?

I heard the strory from a Guinness distributor so you may be correct as its been my experience that distributors talk out their ass.

It is fishy:

"Like most beers, Guinness uses isinglass – made from the swim bladder of fishes – in the production process. The Vegetarian Society has long argued that there are other ways to clarify beer that would enable its members to enjoy a pint."

It depends upon the sex as men are generally bigger drinkers than woman but I've met a few women who could drink me under the table.

I'm sorry if my last post sounded sexist but its true that women have half the stomach sizes as men and therefore are not able to drink as much.

I do not know about the stomach size, but since women have a larger percentage of fat in their body mass than men, they get higher alcohol levels than a man from drinking the same amount.

Also women are generally smaller.

And even if they aren't smaller, we don't say they are bigger but refer to them as Ruebenesque.

Or as being 'big-boned'.

shhhhh... don't let them know about the higher percentage of body fat. Its the one thing they never want to hear.

I am not "Rubenesque."

I am simply fat.

I also have gray hair and green eyes.

It's all good.

It would still be nice to pare the initial long post down and provide the link. Thanks!

Perhaps but just curious to know if you are a drinker? As devotees of Krishna are eager to read and hear continuously of their Lord, so do beer bhaktas never tire of the nectar. For me, it was far too short. I will though limit the length of my posts and give the url for those who don't tire of the glories of their favorite watering hole or fermentation.

I am not particularly into drinking, although I've tried beer (yuck) and wine (tolerable). I like margaritas.

It is my bias against maintaining long quoted texts that makes me ask. A fair use segment and a link may stay up indefinitely, larger quotes must be accompanied by links and will be pared down after a few weeks (so people get a chance to check it out).

Thanks!

FINALLY a sisterly soul who also has realized that beer is yuck! Whoever I try to tell this to, they look at me as if I were seriously befuddled!

i agree about beer tasting bad and coffee too and people -are- befuddled if you have this opinion but what is befuddling is that most everyone as a youth thinks these things taste bad but changes their mind, why?

Make sure you drink a veganly correct tequila (not Mexcal) that does not have a worm in it.