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From: dbb@fluke.UUCP (Dave Bartley)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: Formaldehyde in beer
Message-ID: <413@vax1.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 11-Nov-83 13:47:46 EST
Article-I.D.: vax1.413
Posted: Fri Nov 11 13:47:46 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 13-Nov-83 11:44:53 EST
References: <1996@gatech.UUCP>
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Everett, Wash
Lines: 27

From what I've read, many beers (especially, but not exclusively, American
beers) contain an impressive list of chemical and natural additives.  I'm not
sure that formaldehyde is among them, but it wouldn't surprise me.  To date,
U. S. breweries have successfully blocked attempts to force listing of the
ingredients on the labels of their products.  There are, however, beers
without such extras, such as Cold Springs Export (Minnesotan, but I can get
it in Seattle).  There are others, both domestic and imported.

By the way, West Germany has had a law on the books since the 16th century
that restricts the ingredients of all beer sold domestically to four: water,
malted barley, hops, and yeast (weizen beer, made with wheat added, is an
exception).  So far, the law has survived Common Market pressures when a
similar law regarding wine-making fell.

Consumer Reports had a rather extensive article on beer a couple of years
back--it was the cover story--which dealt with additives as well as the
usual taste-testing.

Prosit,

Dave Bartley
John Fluke Mfg Co, Inc, Everett, Washington
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