Something for the beer drinkers

Just to show that I'm not totally wine-centric, here's a useful article debunking several common myths about beer.

Myth #1: The Guinness served in Ireland is different to the rest of the world
Actually, the Guinness served in Ireland is most likely the same as that served in Boston or Berlin. However, many people will attest that Guinness simply tastes better in Ireland, which is why the myth spread. There's a certain amount of sentimentality in this myth, but when you dig into it, most of the reasoning is pretty circumstantial.

There are a few reasons why it may taste better in Ireland — most likely freshness and rapid keg turnover (a pub in Dublin will serve the freshest Guinness in the world) — but the actual product is not any different that the black stuff served around the world. Also, a Guinness drinker in Ireland is guaranteed to have their drink poured correctly in Ireland than in some parts of the world, which will have an impact on the quality of the experience.

Myth #2: Lite beers will help you lose weight
On average, a lite beer will have 90-100 calories, while a regular beer might have under 200. In the grand scheme of things, lite beers will contribute very little to your dietary goals, and considering their typical lack of taste, you'd be better off drinking one or two regular beers.

One myth they didn't directly address is that English beers are supposed to be drunk warm. They're supposed to be drunk at cellar temperature, which in the days before refrigeration would have been somewhere in the 50°F range . . . cool, but certainly not chilled. Central heating came much later to Britain than to most of North America . . . few rooms in England would have been kept as warm as North Americans think of as "room temperature".