This article appeared on my e-mail server's website today (in German).
Here's my English translation:
--------------------------------------------------- Bitter Ale has more Alcohol than Pils
Berlin (dpa/gms) - travellers visiting an English pub should remember that beers served there frequently contain more alcohol than German beers. The strongly hopped Bitter Ale for instance, has 5,5 per cent alcohol.
English Beer can contain considerably more alcohol than German Beer. © dpa (German Press Agency)
On average, a continental Pilsner contains only 4.8%. "In addition, you always drink more, because there are no capacity markings in England, and the glasses are filled almost to the top, with almost no head", explains Wolfgang Kunze, beer author and Tutor at the "Versuchs- und Lehranstalt für Brauerei (VLB)" ("Research and Training Centre for Brewery (sic)") in Berlin.
Tourists also need to be careful with English beers which carry the description "export" or "strong". Then, according to Kunze, they will have to reckon with an alcohol content of between 6,0 and 10,0 per cent. The strongest English beer, with 8,0 to 10,0 per cent alcohol, is Scotch Ale. "Light" and "heavy" stand for a total alcohol content of between 3,0 und 5,0 per cent. This category includes Pale Ale, for instance. "To this copper-coloured beer is added ginger or orange peel", explains Kunze. The sweetish Mild Ale has no more than 3,5 per cent alcohol and is lightly refined with honey.
Besides this group of ales, there are also the stout beers, with an alcohol content of between 4.5 and 5.0 per cent. "Probably the most famous Stout is Guinness", says Kunze. The ink-black beer is brewed with a lot of hops, barley malt, and some caramel. Less sweet and slightly bitter is Dry Stout. Another traditional English beer - the bitter-dark Porter - has, according to Kunze, been largely displaced by Bitter Ale und Stout.
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Would you want this guy teaching your brewing staff?