To drink or not to drink: should I drink non-alcoholic beer while driving?
It would seem that non-alcoholic beer was invented for what else - exactly for those cases when you want to enjoy your favorite drink, but you can't mess with the degrees. But it's not that simple: a small percentage of alcohol is present even in "nullivka". So should you thoughtlessly consume non-alcoholic beer while driving or is it still necessary to adhere to some rules? Let's find out.
What is non-alcoholic beer and what are the consequences?
Non-degree beer is brewed from the same ingredients and in the same way as regular beer. The only difference is that in the final stage the alcohol is removed from it. Usually it is either evaporated or removed with a special filter, or fermentation is suppressed in the process.
But it is impossible to get rid of alcohol completely, and after all the stages of purification there is a small percentage of alcohol in beer. Usually not more than 0.5%, i.e. less than in kvass or kefir. After one can of non-alcoholic beer, the number of ppm in the blood will be about 0.04. The permissible rate of alcohol in the body is 0.35 ppm, which means that you can drink one or even several bottles without the risk of being fined for drunken driving.
However, there is a nuance here. The police officer may smell alcohol, because non-alcoholic beer smells the same as drinks with degrees. And this can lead to other problems - for example, an offer to undergo examination in a medical facility. Under no circumstances refuse, especially if you drank non-alcoholic beer in moderation - for disagreement you can be deprived of the license, and the examination will show that the truth is on your side.
What's the safety net?
To be sure not to get into trouble when drinking non-alcoholic beer, wait 15 minutes - according to research, during this time it is completely out of the body. Of course, this tactic will not work if you drink a lot at once - with a large volume there will be more alcohol. But if you slowly enjoy your favorite drink for 2-3 hours, and then wait a little more - you certainly will not exceed the acceptable norm.
To summarize, it is possible to say that you should not drink beer while driving - if you get carried away, you may miss the moment when the amount of alcohol in blood will go over the limit. But it is possible to relax in good company and after a short period of time to get behind the wheel - so you will be sure that you do not commit anything illegal. And if you also choose a really tasty drink, such as non-alcoholic beer from the best Belgian producers, which are usually offered in a specialized beer restaurant, forced sobriety exactly will not be any disadvantage. Because beer is first of all a pleasure of taste!
Coffee and beer - a match or a flop? Exploring the myths about the famous combination
Coffee and beer are drunk at different times and on different occasions, but they have much more in common than meets the eye. Beverages that were considered ordinary 10 years ago have now become gourmet products: craft beer and specialty coffee have won millions of fans. But what if you mix the two? Let’s find out how justified this combination is and what myths are associated with it. How did the combination of coffee and beer appear? Experiments with coffee and beer began in the middle of the XX century, when brewers and bartenders began to look for new flavors. But the real boom happened in the nineties and noughties due to the growing popularity of craft beer. The first successful variants were coffee stouts and porters — dark brews with deep flavors that perfectly complemented the coffee notes. Brewers added coffee at various stages: — during brewing — for a rich flavor;— during fermentation — for softness;— into the finished beer — as a cold coffee infusion. A good example of such a recipe is the Japanese beer Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout, which can be tasted in Lambic beer restaurants. It’s a flavorful, dense ale brewed in the style of American imperial stouts with coffee beans added for espresso. Bartenders, too, have contributed to popularizing this unusual combination, creating original cocktails from coffee and beer. The most popular is the Black & Tan, which includes stout, lager and espresso. Today, such mixes are part of the craft culture. Is it true that coffee helps sober you up? One of the main myths is that coffee supposedly neutralizes alcohol. In fact, caffeine only masks intoxication. It creates the illusion of liveliness, but coffee does not actually lower blood alcohol levels. In addition, a cocktail of coffee and beer can increase the strain on the heart. If you drink coffee before alcohol, it will temporarily increase the activity of liver enzymes that break down ethanol. But this does not mean that it is necessary to increase the dose. Coffee with beer: harm or benefit? In moderate quantities, low-alcohol coffee beers (for example, stouts with 4-6% strength) are relatively safe. If you want to try such a mix, choose drinks from quality ingredients. For example: — Dark beer (porter, stout) and cold espresso.— Lager or ale and light coffee syrup. There are contraindications for such cocktails. Mixing coffee with beer is not recommended for people with hypertension, heart and GI diseases, as well as those who use drugs incompatible with caffeine. The combination of coffee and beer is an interesting gastronomic experience, especially if you respect the measure. Come to Lambic — we will treat you to interesting drinks without harming your health!
20 May 2025
Bitter! Let's understand what IBU is and how bitterness affects the taste of beer
If you’ve scrutinized craft beer labels, you’ve definitely seen the mysterious IBU abbreviation on them. This indicator plays a key role in shaping the flavor of the beverage. Let’s find out what it means and why bitterness is one of the main criteria for evaluating beer. What is IBU? IBU (International Bitterness Unit) is an international indicator of beer bitterness. It indicates the concentration of isohumulone, an alpha acid found in hops, which gives the drink its characteristic bitterness. The higher the IBU, the more bitter the beer will be. However, the perception of bitterness depends not only on this indicator, but also on the balance with malt sweetness, strength and aromatic additives. Why do you need the IBU index? Before the advent of industrial brewing, a beverage could be either too sweet or, conversely, too sour or bitter. To achieve a harmonious flavor, brewers began to adjust bitterness with hops. In the past, herbs (thistle, mint, juniper) were used to soften sweetness, but today the main source of bitterness is hops. It is added at different stages of brewing to: — compensate for the sweetness of the malt;— add complexity and flavor to the beer;— increase shelf life (isohumulone has antibacterial properties). The first to calculate the bitterness of beer were the people of Great Britain, using the formula «pounds of hops per quart of malt». The modern IBU standard was developed to accurately categorize beers. How to calculate IBU? The bitterness index is determined using a mathematical formula: G = D × E D = (A × B) / (C × 0.1) Where: A — mass of hops (in grams); B — alpha acid content of hops (%); C — wort volume (in liters); E — loss factor (production time and beer density are affected); G — final IBU. The longer the hops are brewed, the more alpha acids pass into the wort, increasing bitterness. IBU scale: from lager to IPA Beer bitterness is measured on a scale of 0 to 120+ IBUs, but most beers are in the 5-90 range. Beer Style IBU Level Characteristics Pale Lagers 8–15 Light, smooth, minimal bitterness Wheat Ales 10–20 Fruity notes, low bitterness Porters/Stouts 30–50 Coffee, chocolate tones, moderate bitterness American IPA 50–80 Strong hop bitterness, citrus and pine notes Imperial IPA 80–120+ Extreme bitterness, high alcohol content Why is IBU not the main selection criterion? A high IBU does not always mean that the beer will seem too bitter. For example, sweet stouts (30-50 IBU) seem less bitter than IPAs due to caramel and chocolate notes. And light lagers (8-15 IBU) may be perceived as more bitter due to a lack of malt balance. How do you choose a beer based on bitterness level? If you don’t like bitterness — choose lagers, wheat ales, Belgian trippels (up to 30 IBU). If you like balance, try porters or amber ales (30-50 IBU). If you like a rich hop bitterness, an IPA or Imperial Stout (50+ IBU) is ideal. You can try any of these varieties in Lambic beer restaurants. Come — we will find something to surprise you!
20 May 2025