Changes

The four major ingredients of beer are [[water]], [[malt]], [[hops]] and [[yeast]].  The particular combination, amount and variety of each of these ingredients determine the final flavor, alcoholic strength and style of the finished beer.

The four major ingredients of beer are [[water]], [[malt]], [[hops]] and [[yeast]].  The particular combination, amount and variety of each of these ingredients determine the final flavor, alcoholic strength and style of the finished beer.

Although almost all modern beer styles use [[hops]], early European brewers originally added spices such as rosemary, coriander, ginger, anise seed, and juniper berries to their beers to impart more complex flavors.  Hops are used primarily used today because the bitterness derived from the hops tend to counter-balance the sweetness derived from the malt, and provide a more balanced flavor.  Hops may also be added to beer to impart a floral or spicy aroma and flavor.  Another benefit early brewers found was that hops also tended to help preserve their beers longer than unhopped beers.  

Although almost all modern beer styles use [[hops]], early European brewers originally added spices such as rosemary, coriander, ginger, anise seed, and juniper berries to their beers to impart more complex flavors.  Hops are used primarily used today because the bitterness derived from the hops tend to counterbalance the sweetness derived from the malt, and provide a more balanced flavor.  Hops may also be added to beer to impart a floral or spicy aroma and flavor.  Another benefit early brewers found was that hops also tended to help preserve their beers longer than unhopped beers.  

The earliest written records of hop cultivation come from 8th and 9th century A.D. from the Hallertau district in [[Germany]], now famous for their Hallertau Mittelfruh hop variety.  The earliest actual brewing records explicitly noting the addition of hops come from 14th century Germany.

The earliest written records of hop cultivation come from 8th and 9th century A.D. from the Hallertau district in [[Germany]], now famous for their Hallertau Mittelfruh hop variety.  The earliest actual brewing records explicitly noting the addition of hops come from 14th century Germany.

===Ale===

===Ale===

Lambic is probably the oldest style of beer produced in the world today.  A later style is that of ale.  Ales are fermented using ''top-fermenting'' yeasts, yeasts which congregate at the top of the wort and tend to work best at higher temperatures than Lager yeasts.  The top fermentation and warm fermentation temperatures add complex flavors to the beer.  "Real Ale" is a term created by the Campaign for Real Ale, and refers to beers brewed by traditional methods, from traditional ingredients and, vitally, served from the vessel in which they have been conditioned. Real Ale has become a cult drink in the United Kingdom and affcionados happily descrive themselves as ''"Real Ale Snobs"'' (non-afficionados tend to use a less family-friendly subrique!).

Lambic is probably the oldest style of beer produced in the world today.  A later style is that of ale.  Ales are fermented using ''top-fermenting'' yeasts, yeasts which congregate at the top of the wort and tend to work best at higher temperatures than Lager yeasts.  The top fermentation and warm fermentation temperatures add complex flavors to the beer.  "Real Ale" is a term created by the Campaign for Real Ale, and refers to beers brewed by traditional methods, from traditional ingredients and, vitally, served from the vessel in which they have been conditioned. Real Ale has become a cult drink in the United Kingdom and affcionados happily descrive themselves as ''"Real Ale Snobs"'' (non-aficionados tend to use a less family-friendly subrique!).

===Barley Wine===

===Barley Wine===

===Lager===

===Lager===

Lager is a,comparitively, recent introduction.  True lagers are brewed at cold temperatures, using bottom fermenting yeast and are then conditioned (or "lagered") for extented periods at very low temperatures.  Whilst the ale process adds complexflavors to the beer the lager brewing and conditioning process tends to produce a clean, unified and crisp taste.

Lager is a,comparatively, recent introduction.  True lagers are brewed at cold temperatures, using bottom fermenting yeast and are then conditioned (or "lagered") for extented periods at very low temperatures.  Whilst the ale process adds complexflavors to the beer the lager brewing and conditioning process tends to produce a clean, unified and crisp taste.

===Lambic===

===Lambic===