Every month or so I see a post shared from "The Food Babe" on the dangers of the hidden ingredients in our beer. This uneducated piece of pseudo-science bunk is ridiculous. It gets play because it's playing on the inherent fear of what's in our food.
Look, I'm just as concerned as the next person about what is in my food. My wife and tend to buy more organic and locally sourced foods because they simply taste better. I brew my own beer, as the title of this blog suggests, and tend to buy more craft beer or locally brewed products.
That said, as a homebrewer and a beer lover, I am appalled that this article continues to make it's rounds. I'm appalled that she has her "army" spamming brewer's websites and facebook pages with demands for ingredient lists.
Should you know what's in your food and drink? Absolutely. Are brewers trying to hind something? No.
Oh and by the way, that wine you're drinking may hide a lot more than the beer you don't drink Ms. Food Babe. Do some research.
First things first, if you care to read what I'm talking about go find it. I refuse to give this woman any direct links from this site. Go ahead, I'll wait for you to come back.
Are you back? Good.
Now let's talk.
What goes into your beer? Take a look here, here, and here.
All beer is made from four basic ingredients; water, malt, yeast and hops. The combinations of varieties of these four basic building materials give us the lightest lagers, the bitterest India pale ales, the darkest stouts and everything in between.
Can you use additional ingredients? Yes, they are called adjuncts and are used to impart flavors and body to a beer. In some cases adjuncts are added to reduce the cost of mass produced beer. These adjuncts tend to be rice and corn. They can also range from additional sugars like honey or fruit and spices. It all depends on what you're brewing.
The point I'm trying to make is do some basic research for yourself. Don't just willingly believe what someone on the internet tells you to believe.
I recommend starting with some basic brewing books. I also suggest you read Maureen Ogel's great response article to the original Food Babe article and her follow-up. Thomas 'Tom' Cizauskas also has a good article on this.
Be your own informed consumer.
