Wine vs Beer? Wine aficionado or beer enthusiast? Should it matter since they’re both alcoholic beverages anyway? It does matter since, first of all, taste is also a matter of personal opinion.
But what is wine and what is beer? Wine is produced by fermenting grapes with water and sugar. Beer, on the other hand, is brewed from malt, sugar, hops, and water, and then fermented with yeast. So while both involve fermentation, the whole process of wine-making still differs much from that of beer-making. Based on the descriptions alone, the latter is the more tedious undertaking.
That does not necessarily make one better than the other. As emphasized, it is a matter of individual preferences.
Wine vs Beer
The competition is better solved by checking out the benefits of drinking these beverages and their effects on one’s health. Do remember that both and other liquors have alcohol calories, sugar calories and sometimes fat calories.
Below are their similarities and differences. To make things clear, the purpose is not to discredit wine or beer. It is to give a drinker ideas on what to expect from their beverages and make an informed decision, should there ever be a need to make any.
Wine
The good news:
- Red wine is high in tannin. Tannin includes procyanidins, which protects against heart disease.
- Red wine has resveratrol, which, in small doses, slows down aging.
- Wine has flavonoids that protect skin against harmful UV rays and has a significant amount of fiber. Plus, a glass of red wine provides 187 mg of potassium.
- Wine has a high concentration of polyphenols, which is known as an effective antioxidant and for its abilities to decrease inflammation and protect against oxidative damage.
- Wine decreases blood pressure, lowers cholesterol levels, and reduces the risk of heart disease.
- Wine may help reduce depression.
The bad news:
- Drinking white wine may demineralize the teeth’s enamel due to its acidic properties.
- Drinking red wine may cause more problems since resveratrol, which slows down aging in small doses, is not exactly good to the body.
- Drinking red wine may cause migraines and, if excessive, liver damage.
- Drinking wine may elevate the triglyceride levels that may eventually cause heart problems (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, kidney disease).
Beer
The good news:
- Beer is a source of dietary silicon. It improves bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
- Beer treats restlessness, anxiety and sleep disturbances.
- Beer has protein, fiber, B vitamins (vitamin B12, folate, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6).
- Beer can increase bone mineral density (for stronger bones) and may be able to inhibit obesity.
- Beer reduces the risk of heart disease.
The bad news:
- Drinking craft brews may sometimes pack more than 300 calories per bottle.
- Drinking beer may result in heartburn, loud burps, and beer goggles.
- Drinking beer may cause dehydration and, if excessive, liver damage.
- Drinking beer may sometimes be more expensive than drinking wine.
Wine vs Beer : Which is better?
1 bottle of wine is equated to 750 calories.
1 six-pack of ale is equated to 900 calories. Quick math says that’s 150 calories per bottle.
1 glass of standard wine once a week equates to 1260 calories and 9.1 to 19.3 carbs (higher in flavored wines).
1 standard bar pint of ale once a week equates to 1500 calories and 15.6 to 22.4 carbs (higher in flavored beers).
The current US score (from Gallup):
“Drinkers who most frequently pick beer as their alcoholic beverage is 40%” of the drinking population.
“Four in 10 alcohol consumers say they most often drink beer”
“30% prefer wine, while 26% opt for liquor”
“62% of Americans drink alcohol, consistent with historical trend”
Important Notes
Alcohol content – Drinking 1 glass of standard wine is like drinking 1.5 bottles of light beer.
Mortality rate – Wine drinkers have it easier with a 34% lower mortality rate than beer/spirit drinkers.
Those are the facts. Whether the choice is to drink wine or to drink beer is still entirely up to the consumer. Just remember the rule of thumb: DRINK MODERATELY.
How to Keep wine or beer Cool and Fresh
One great advice is to store drinks well and keep them fresh. Buy a kegerator! A kegerator can keep beer or wine clean, fresh, and chilled for months. All one has to do is to make sure to maintain the apparatus properly insulated and keep it well-cleaned after each keg is emptied.
Want to know more? Keg Fridge can answer all kegerator-related questions and even offer valuable tips to potential owners. Contact KegFridge for any kegerator needs.