This photo – found on Pinterest and luzfosca.tumblr.com – Erich Angenendt Historische Ansicht mit Bierfässern – Historical view with beer barrels.

The world of beer is about as old and diverse as the world of wine, dating back to Neolithic times (circa 9500 BCE) when grains were first planted for farming purposes.

Today, the type of grains and flavorings that craft brewers are using to create various styles of the prepared beverage are intriguing if only a little confusing for those of us who know very little about the ins and outs of the art.

Certainly, there are a plethora of opportunities for all of us to learn more: we can subscribe to magazines, or attend a seminar, or learn the craft first-hand through a local brewing course, or by buying a kit to make a bucket o beer at home … but what about those of us who are simply curious about the dark world of craft beer?

Now with a little help from our friends at CraftBeer.com, we have a portable style guide to light the way.

My goal here is not to do a long write up about the specific gravities, or differences in foam and flavor profiles found in CraftBeer’s 84-page eBook released last month – which fits nicely on a digital bookshelf on my phone. I’d rather turn you loose and encourage you to indulge your senses in what is quickly developing into an opportunity for all of us to enjoy beer more.

Life is too short to not drink good beer … period.

[Editor’s Note: The title of this short comes from Todd Snider’s song, “Beer Run”]