
Best lagers in the US revealed ahead of 4th of July... and lower alcoholic beers are taking the top spots
The competition is run by the North American Brewers Association, a nonprofit that promotes craft beer and culture. While beer entries are accepted from all around the world, most of the lager gold medal categories were won by US breweries.
Judges assessed 1,426 entries in Idaho Falls for this year's competition, breaking them down into different categories.
The results found lower alcoholic and lighter beers have increased in popularity.
According to Harvey Hembree, the competition coordinator, Latin American or Tropical-Style Lagers were stand-out categories for lager this year.
'We have noticed an overall trend towards lighter, more sessionable [low alcoholic content] beers across all categories and particularly lagers,' he told Forbes.
He added that this year there was more dark lager and Asian lager submissions to the competition.
'The dark lager categories were very competitive, indicating to us that the market for sessionable dark beer is on the rise,' he said.
Recently, scientists revealed why some people love beer - and say it starts when you're still in the womb.
As part of a recent study, scientists at Swansea University quizzed more than 250 people on their drinking habits while measuring the length of their fingers.
Finger length is thought to be a metric for how much testosterone we were exposed to in the womb – and therefore how 'masculine' we are.
According to the findings, the more testosterone we're exposed to in the womb, the more alcohol we drink as an adult – although it's unclear why.
'Alcohol consumption is a major social and economic problem,' said study author John Manning, professor of evolutionary biology at Swansea University.
'Therefore, it is important to understand why alcohol use shows considerable differences across individuals.
'It is possible that differences in alcohol consumption are set in the womb.'
And so, if you are someone who is planning to enjoy a beer on Fourth of July, take a look below at the award winners.
The World's Best Lagers
American-Style Light (Low-Calorie) Lager: Gold Clubhaus Lager, Von Ebert Brewing Portland, Oregon
American-Style Standard or Premium Lager: 307, Black Tooth Brewing Co., Sheridan, Wyoming
Latin American or Tropical-Style Lager or Ale: Helper Beer, Mexican Lager from Helper Beer, Helper, Utah
Asian-Style Lager Saru Zen Japanese-style Rice Lager: Bozeman Brewing Co., Bozeman, Montana
Helles Lager: Helles Good, Boxing Bear Brewing Co. Albuquerque, New Mexico
American Black Lager: Templin Family Capenfluegan Templin Family Brewing Salt Lake City, Utah
American-Style Amber Lager California Common Vienna Lager: Cardinal Craft Brewing, Burlington, Washington
Vienna-Style Lager Prost Vienna Lager: Prost Brewing Co. Northglenn, Colorado
Marzen Oktoberfest Oktoberfest: Idaho Brewing Co., Idaho Falls, Idaho
Schwarzbier (Black Beer) Oh Black Lager: Discretion Brewing, Soquel, California
Czech Dark Lager Stacks & Towers Czech Dark Lager: Wild Ride Brewing, Redmond, Oregon
Helles Bock Maibock Traditional Bock Ammo Bocks: Bear Island Brewing, Boise, Idaho
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
‘Fantastic Four' film feels like a beginning for Marvel's first family
LOS ANGELES, July 23 (Reuters) - For actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach, the superhero film 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' is different from other Marvel films because it is centered on a close-knit family. 'Our movie is about a family that's been a family for many years, and they undergo this transformation together, which brings them even closer,' said Moss-Bachrach, who plays the character made of rocks named The Thing. 'The Bear' actor added that love is at the heart of the movie, especially when it comes to being in a 'precarious situation' as 'the custodians of the world.' Echoing this, Pedro Pascal, who plays the super stretchy scientist Reed Richards, feels like the cast is like a family. 'We're in our family and kind of holding hands together, waiting for the movie to be released into the world,' he said. Disney's "Fantastic Four: First Steps" introduces Marvel's first family as they face the cosmic threat of Galactus, an intergalactic planet eater, in a futuristic 1960s-inspired world. Joining Moss-Bachrach and Pascal are cast members Vanessa Kirby, who plays Reed's wife with invisibility powers named Sue Storm, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm, who has fire powers. 'Fantastic Four: First Steps,' which scored a positive 87% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, arrives in theaters on Thursday. 'True to its subtitle, the film feels like a fresh start,' Peter Debruge of Variety wrote in a review. Pascal feels the key to stepping into his popular roles in projects like 'Game of Thrones,' 'The Mandalorian' and 'The Last of Us' has been studying the content. 'I love paying attention to the legacy of characters and the legacy of material that you're stepping into. I love being a part of an adaptation or something that has previous authorship, because it helps me,' he said. Daniel Loria, senior vice president at Boxoffice predicts that 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' will open domestically at $115 to $135 million. While sales are currently around $115 to $125 million, he noted an increase in ticket purchases over the last week that will likely draw closer to the $115 to $135 million range. For director Matt Shakman, the film is a celebration of firsts in several different ways. 'The DNA of the 'Fantastic Four' is the space race. So, first steps is an obvious reference to Neil Armstrong, and one small step for mankind,' he said. 'But it's also baby first steps, you know. So, the idea of what having a baby will do to a family and changing a family. Also, about first steps for Marvel's first family in the MCU, bringing them into the MCU for the first time,' he added.


Auto Blog
2 hours ago
- Auto Blog
Breakthrough Hydrogen Fuel Production Uses 3 Unlikely Ingredients
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Engineering experts get 'in the ballpark' of green hydrogen Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a way to produce hydrogen gas with a smaller carbon footprint by combining recycled soda cans with seawater and caffeine. Most current methods for hydrogen fuel production are less eco-friendly due to their reliance on fossil fuels, but MIT's study found that its alternative manufacturing process could be applied at an industrial scale. The team of researchers calculated the carbon emissions associated with sourcing and processing aluminum, reacting it with seawater for hydrogen production, and transporting it to fuel stations. They found that for every kilogram of hydrogen produced, the process would generate 1.45 kilograms of carbon dioxide over its entire life cycle, 9.55 kilograms fewer than traditional fossil-fuel-based methods. One kilogram of hydrogen can take a hydrogen fuel cell car 37 to 62 miles on average, and the team calculated the cost of their fuel production method as $9 per kilogram. The new process starts with pellets of recycled aluminum (in jar) that react with seawater to produce pure hydrogen. The team found that if scaled up, the process could generate 'green' hydrogen with a low-carbon footprint. — Source: MIT The study's assessments centered on using recycled aluminum, as it saves a significant amount of emissions compared to mining for aluminum. Salt in seawater proved valuable due to its ability to sustainably precipitate gallium-indium, a rare-metal alloy that effectively removes aluminum's protective oxide layer, exposing pure metal that produces hydrogen when combined with seawater. The researchers were unable to source gallium-indium from regular water, as oxygen causes aluminum to instantly form a shield-like layer that won't readily cause a reaction, which caffeine helped speed up. Dr. Aly Kombargi, a recent MIT mechanical engineering graduate who was the study's lead author, said in a release from the university: 'We're in the ballpark of green hydrogen. One of the main benefits of using aluminum is the energy density per unit volume. With a very small amount of aluminum fuel, you can conceivably supply much of the power for a hydrogen-fueled vehicle.' Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. What this hydrogen production method could look like at scale Regarding commercial-scale production, these MIT researchers outlined the process as starting with scrap aluminum from a recycling center, shredding that aluminum into pellets, and treating it with gallium-indium, then transporting the pellets as aluminum fuel instead of moving hydrogen, which can be volatile. The ideal fuel station would be near a seawater source, and these researchers are exploring underwater production applications. The team was able to make life cycle assessments for their hydrogen manufacturing method using Earthster, a software tool pulling data from a vast repository of products and processes. Their extensive assessments included primary aluminum mined from the earth versus recycled aluminum, while also evaluating different aluminum and hydrogen transportation methods. The researchers found that once its process using recycled aluminum was complete, it left behind boehmite, an aluminum-based byproduct used in semiconductor and electronic production, which could be sold to manufacturers, further reducing costs, Tech Explorist reports. A researcher demonstrates 'activating' aluminum by dipping an aluminum pellet in a mixture of gallium-indium. — Source: Tony Pulsone/MIT Final thoughts Kombargi's team discovered how recycled aluminum pretreated with a gallium-indium alloy and seawater could facilitate hydrogen fuel production in 2024, but during conferences, the researchers were frequently asked about the method's carbon footprint and cost. Subsequently, extensive trials allowed the team to determine that for every kilogram of hydrogen produced, the process would generate 1.45 kilograms of carbon dioxide over its entire life cycle, 9.55 kilograms fewer than traditional fossil-fuel-based methods. The process's cost of $9 per kilogram is comparable to the price of hydrogen generated with other green technologies such as wind and solar energy, creating a complementary solution. About the Author Cody Carlson View Profile


The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Alcohol-related liver disease rates are increasing in the US
Alcohol -related liver disease has more than doubled in the United States over the past two decades. This increase is predominantly linked to a rise in heavy drinking among four specific groups: women, adults aged 45 and over, individuals living in poverty, and those with metabolic syndrome. Researchers highlight that while the overall average drinking rate in the US has remained unchanged, demographic and health shifts are contributing factors to the surge in liver disease. The study, which analyzed data from 1999 to 2020, offers the first comprehensive look at the changing demographics of heavy drinking and its connection to liver damage since the 1990s. Experts anticipate these findings will assist healthcare professionals in better identifying and treating high-risk populations, potentially leading to more targeted screenings and interventions.