Thirst is a natural condition that all of us have encountered, and our bodies, thanks to a part of the brain called Lamina terminalis, know when we need to do something about it.
Beer is approximately 95% water, so our favorite drink does have a thirst quenching role. According to scientists, lower and no-alcohol beers are much better at fighting thirst simply because they have a higher percentage of water. The more alcohol is present, the lower the thirst quenching effects are. In fact, with higher alcohol beers (and other drinks in general), dehydration occurs more quickly. That’s why it is always a good idea to drink water alongside, especially in the summer months.
Beer was never about quenching thirst only. When talking to brewers and tapmasters, two staples of Czech beer culture, the subject is rarely focused on thirst quenching. It is always more or less about offering a great drinking experience. As for the thirst quenching effect of beer, besides the alcohol level, packaging and serving beer play huge roles.
Packaging beer is the most repetitive part of brewing but it has to be done with precision and patience. In this phase the addition of CO2 gas for carbonisation has a major impact on the perception of beer, especially for quenching thirst. While some styles are meant to be packaged flat, it certainly does not work for a lager. The bite is there for a reason.
There are a few better things on a warm sunny day than getting a glass or mug of cold beer. While this is a strong mental image, serving beer is not about photo opportunities (only). Cold storage and clean lines do wonders for the beer served. The enemies of a well served beer are dirty draft lines, dirty glassware and worst of all warm serving temperature. All of this affects the laboursome work put into brewing a great refreshing glass of beer.
Summer.
Thirst.
Cold beer.
The best math equation in the world.
