article_snippet: Beers and ales have been brewed for centuries but it appears the taste hasn't changed all that much during this time.
article_snippet: But when experts from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and  the Technical University of Munich tested the beers experts from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and   pinpointed specific flavours.
article_snippet: two of these bottles also analysed six reference beers including Leffe Brune, Koff Porter, Weihenstephan Hefe Weissbier, Paulaner Hefe Weissbier, Aldaris Porteris Alus, and Olvi Sandels.
article_snippet: The results were normalised to make sure the ethanol concentrations in beers matched, or were within the range of, those found in beers.
article_snippet: Ethanol contents are between 2.8 per cent and 3.2 per cent, comparable to typical weak modern lagers and ales.
article_snippet: only one unit below modern levels, and the colour strengths are in the range of modern ales and lagers, but much lower than those of porters or stouts.
article_snippet: Chemists compared the samples to modern-day beers including Leffe Brune (left) and Paulaner Hefe Weissbier (right).
article_snippet: Ethanol contents are between 2.8% and 3.2% and colour strengths were in the range of modern ales and lager .
article_snippet: The role of hops in breweries in the 1800s was not as important as it is in modern beer production.
highlights_snippet: This makes These similar to modern lagers and ales rather than stouts .