Did you know beer is more sanitary and purer than local water supplies?

You may be tempted to doubt or debunk the efficacy of the fact that beer is purer and more sanitary than any water available for human consumption. Experts at the First Nigerian Beer and Health Symposium which held in Lagos recently have shown that the water used in brewing beer is the purest and most sanitary of waters available to human anywhere in the world.

The experts who made illuminating presentations to an enthusiastic crowd of media practitioners, beer connoisseurs, medical practitioners, critics, celebrities through breath-taking presentations laden with empirical research facts and evidences, proved beyond any reasonable that beer is actually purer and more sanitary than any water available. 

Brewing experts who made presentations on beer brewing process explained that the water used in brewing beer is deliberately treated and filtered to eliminate any form of organism, no matter how micro as the process of using yeast to turn natural sugar (starch gotten from malted grains) will not tolerate any form of organismal interruption during fermentation.

According to the brew masters, the water used to make beer is boiled early on in the brewing process which killed any pathogens. The alcohol produced during fermentation and the addition of hops helped to preserve it.

The purity and sanitary state of brewing process, the brew masters explained further, was responsible for why people at certain eras of human civilisation, have turned to beer when waters around them were unsafe for human consumption.

With evidence from empirical researches, the brew masters show how back in the Middle Ages, when there was little to no water purification technology, everybody (men, women, and children) would drink beer instead of water because it was safer. The combination of boiling the water to make the beer and the alcohol content in the beer killed most bacteria that were often present in their water supply.

The brewing experts, explained further that the brewing process makes beer cleaner than its original water source and since the purity of water could seldom be guaranteed in the Middle Ages, alcoholic drinks, especially beer, were a popular choice, having been boiled as part of the brewing process. The same tradition has survived in modern breweries.

Beer was one of the most common drinks during the Middle Ages. It was consumed daily by all social classes in the northern and eastern parts of Europe where grape cultivation was difficult or impossible. Though wine of varying qualities was the most common drink in the south, beer was still popular among the lower classes. In England and the Low Countries, the per capita consumption was 275-300 liters (60-66 gallons) a year by the Late Middle Ages, and beer was drunk with every meal.

Indeed, the case was reported of a young man in a tenth century Saxon colloquy who is asked what he drinks and answers: “Beer if I have it or water if I have no beer.” This is a clear expression of people being comfortable with water and preferring beer back then.


More than any other kinds beverages and water, Prof. Tola Atinmo who led the symposium presentation stated that beer, through its components, has preventive effects on lifestyle-related diseases. According to the professor of Human Nutrition at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, lifestyle-related disease, are caused by unsuitable dietary habits, lack of exercise and stress, e. g. type-2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, osteoporosis.

Sponsored by Nigerian Breweries on the bill of its flagship lager beer brand, Star Lager

the unique symposium held inside the cosy bowels of the sprawling Iris & Jazmine Halls of Eko Hotel & Suites in Victoria Island, Lagos and featured an array of top celebrities in attendance, including talk show host and CEO of Ebony TV, Ms. Mo Abudu, Editor of THISDAYStyle, Ms. Ruth Osime, Founder/President of Brilla FM, Larry Izamoje among other top celebr

ities drawn from across profession, industries and endeavours.

Other experts who spoke at the symposium also include: Dr. Kathryn O’Sullivan, a Manchester, United-Kingdom-based Public Health Nutritionist and Consultant and Dr. Olu Malomo, Acting Head of Department of Food Technology and Associate Professor of Food Technology, Bells University, Ota, Ogun State were unanimous in describing beer as a healthy natural drink. According to Dr. Malomo, “Beer is obtained majorly from four basic ingredients, grains (barley, wheat, corn/maize, sorghum etc.), yeast, hops and water – all natural ingredients.”

Beer is Made of Natural Ingredients

Water

♦    Water accounts more than 90% of beer

♦    It comes from different sources

♦    Can infuse beer with unique flavor, particularly when it comes from a source such as a well

♦    Water is purified in the brewery to make it brew perfect

♦    Some breweries purify water for surrounding villages

Barley

♦    Barley belongs to the grass family

♦    It is an important food crop

♦    Only 15-20% of cultivated barley is for brewing

♦    Barley is malted during the brewing process. The darker the malt the darker the beer

♦    Barley is a ‘wonder’ ingredient in brewing: Starch, Enzymes, Proteins, Husk.

♦    Malted barley influences colour, flavour, foam, mouth feel, and alcohol content of beer

HOPS

♦    We use two types of hops – Bitterness & Aroma

♦    Hops also influence foam formation, foam stabilisation and cling

♦    A natural preservative

♦    Hops grow on vines

♦    Only the female hop flowers are used in brewing

YEAST

♦    A single celled organism that activates fermentation

♦    An enabler as opposed to an ingredient in beer

♦    Yeast turns fermentable sugars
(from barley) into alcohol, CO₂
and esters (flavours)

♦    2 main types – Top Fermenting, Bottom Fermenting

♦    Top fermentation done at room temperature, high in esters (e.g. Ales)

♦    Bottom fermentation done at low temperature creates crisp taste
(e.g. Lagers)