A Brief History of Beer & Light Beer

Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea dating back thousands of years. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches mainly derived from cereal grains—the most common of which is malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), and rice are widely used.

Most beer is flavored with hops, which adds bitterness and acts as a natural preservative, though other flavorings such as herbs. Fruit may even occasionally be included.

Light Beer is beer that is reduced in alcohol content or in calories, compared to normal beer. Light beers may be chosen by beer drinkers who wish to manage their alcohol consumption or their calorie intake. However, they are sometimes criticized for being less flavorful than full-strength beers, being (in perception or in fact) “watered down.”

Dr. Joseph Owades is credited with developing the process that led to the creation of the first light beer in the early 1960's. He is also the creator of the formula for Stampede Light® PLUS. Now that's a great connection!

Craft Beer is an American term, which is also common in Canada and New Zealand, and generally refers to beer that is brewed using traditional methods. Craft Beer is typically brewed without adjuncts such as rice or corn, and with an eye to what's distinctive and flavorful rather than for mass appeal.

You'll hear the term microbrewery used more and more. Microbrewery is a term for a small scale brewery that produces a small volume of beer. A craft brewery describes an approach to brewing which in principle may be carried out on any scale. Most microbreweries are also craft breweries; however "craft" beer can certainly also be a product of a large brewery, and there are many such products coming to market as a result of increased consumer interest in traditional beer.

Except as noted, we have relied on Wikipedia as the source of information on this page.