Beer has a history of being prescribed as a tonic remedy for illness. Since the days of Ancient Egyptian civilization, beer has been a healthier alternative than drinking from possibly polluted water supplies. The beer we drink has come a long way from back then. Beer is now available with such fortitude that many beers are considered a meal in and of themselves. We are seeing a trend in beer marketing that labels beer as a “healthy” drink. One modern day beer manufacturer is even fortifying their ale with the vitamins to promote their “health” beer. Others are determined to produce only organic beers. There is some scientific support for this claim, but does the evidence justify all the hubub? I propose that the real keys to gaining the health benefits of drinking beer are simple: quality, and, most importantly, moderation.

Beer has been used medicinally throughout its history. Who hasn’t heard of the Irish tradition of giving an anxious child a sip of porter to help them sleep? In his book Sacred and Healing Herbal Beers, author Stephen Harrod Buhner has published numerous recipes for which our ancestors have used certain herbal beer to treat specific illnesses, from Horehound (for coughs) and Wormwood ale (for fevers) to even Borage ale and beer made with the fresh sprigs of the spruce tree. The use of beer medicinally has largely fallen off in the modern age. Scientific studies regarding such arcane recipes are not likely to come forth, but I put some stock in the technology of a time when people were closer to plants and the earth. Still, one must “use all the tools in the tool box”. So what does modern science say about drinking?

Specifically, when do we draw the line, in terms of health, when drinking beer? Certainly, beer is not healthy for everyone. Those people suffering from Hepatitis-C and other conditions that debilitate the liver, drinking alcohol of any sort is strictly unadvisable. According to the Wall Street Journal (Healthy Brew: Studies Show Beer May Be Good for You August 13, 2002) binge drinking (drinking 6 or more beers a day) can put people at risk for obesity, cancer, liver failure and stroke. But for those that drink less than that, the risk of stroke and heart disease is lessened. From the American Heart Association comes the following recommendation of moderation: according to their Dietary Guidelines, the definition of moderation is two drinks a day for men and one for non-pregnant women (a drink being defined as 12 ounces of regular beer) From this we can gather that having an average of 1-2 pints of quality beer a day might be good level of moderate drinking – enough to stimulate health in the heart without going overboard.

Some commercially produced beers in this day and age are even produced with health benefits in mind. One new brand of “healthy beer” comes from a company know as Stampede. This company’s innovation is vitamin fortified beer. With such vitamin fortifiers as Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxine, Folic Acid, it will be interesting to see if beer drinkers are going to go for the so-called “healthy” alternative. Blu Creek’s “Zen IPA” is another product advertised with the “healthy beer” campaign. Their IPA is brewed with green tea, which contributes anti-oxidants to the brew.

Organic beers are probably your best bet for attaining real and lasting health benefits form your beer. Organic beer is made, every step of the way, with ingredients that are grown without the use of pesticides, additives, or preservatives. The result has people talking. Some friends of mine have claimed that organic beers practically cancel out the possibility of a hangover. I know, from my experience, that the taste of organic beer is superior to non-organics of the same type in many instances. But, are these ales really more beneficial for health? Or is the notion of “healthy beer” merely an advertising ploy? Either way, new and interesting brews are surfacing under the banner of “healthy beer”.

One aspect of beer drinking that contributes to moderation is the knowledge and respect of the craft that comes from home brewing. The hard work and diligence that goes into brewing beer gives the home brewer a deeper understanding of the nature of alcoholic inebriation. If you are interested in the afore-mentioned ancient healing beer recipes, home brewing is certainly the only way to try them out. Although the author of Sacred and Healing Herbal Beers is required to make the disclaimer that the recipes in his book are for “educational and historical” purposes only, I, personally, have had a great deal of enjoyment from re-creating these ancient recipes. Although I must also state that I do not advise the making, use, or ingestion of any of those beers by the reader.

The health benefits of drinking beer do seem to outweigh the negatives, for most people. Just a few beers can tip the scale, however. To stay healthy by drinking beer, remember to moderate your drinking, and have respect for the power of alcohol. Try to drink only good quality beer, organic, if you can get it, and as always, drink it in good health.