“If you can’t drink it, don’t cook with it,” so said the late celebrity chef, Keith Floyd, about using wines to flavor food. If the guy was still around, he’d agree that any of the top wine brands we’ve listed in the infographic below would pass his taste, he who loved to cook with a half bottle of wine because the other half–he already drank.

Wine isn’t the only alcohol you can use for cooking; in fact, marinating with beer not only tenderizes meat, but neutralizes carcinogens from burnt meat. Moreover, beer, surprisingly, has less calories compared to wine. An 8 fl. oz. beer has about 93 calories versus 200 for the same amount of wine. Why then, er… the beery belly? It’s likely because we guzzle more bottles of beer than we would glasses of wine in one sitting. For more health benefits of beer and wine see the infographic below.

But this isn’t about cooking or health alone; the infographic will let you enjoy a round of facts and trivia that you can dispense with gusto during a drinking session. For instance, which do you think is older beer or wine? Or where do you find the oldest and still operational brewery and winery? Well, the oldest winery was founded in 1211, a century before Dante wrote The Divine Comedy. If you think that’s really old, wait till you check the oldest brewery below. If you want some high-brow facts, impress your drinking buddies by pointing out the most expensive wines and beers ever. While you’re at it, feign business intelligence by mentioning that the U.S. has overtaken France as the number one wine market last year, or that the U.S. and Germany are the only two countries to belong among the top five markets for both wine and beer.

FOR MORE INTERESTING FACTS AND FIGURES CHECK OUT THE INFOGRAPHIC BELOW:

Author: Alex Hillsberg, an independent journalist writing about a variety of topics including finance, entertainment and B2B & SaaS related issues.

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Beer vs. Wine Surprising facts, popular brands, market trends Beer sells more Global consumption 187 billion liters of beer drank vs. 24 billion liters of wine drank That’s 2 bottles of beers per 1 glass of wine drank 5 Biggest beer markets--China is still no. 1 beer market China 44,201 US 24,186 Brazil 12,800 Russia 10,560 Germany 8,630 5 Biggest wine markets--US overtakes France as no. 1 wine market US 2,915 France 2,818 Italy 2,180 Germany 2,030 UK 1,274 Best-selling beer brands in the world Harbin in, Corona Extra out Snow 103. mhl Tsingtao 52.5 mhl Bud Light 51.0 mhl Budweiser 44.2 mhl Skol 40.6 mhl Yanjing 37.9 mhl Heineken 28.3 mhl Harbin 28.1 mhl Brahma 27.9 mhl Coors Light 25.0 mhl Best-selling wine brands in the world New World wines dominate Old World’s Barefoot 16.9 Gallo 15.0 Concha y Toro 13.8 Hardys 13.2 Yellow Tail 12.5 Robert Mondavi 11.9 Sutter Home 11.2 Lindeman’s 7.2 Beringer 7.2 Jacob’s Creek 6.6 Who drinks the most beer?--Czechs and Austrians are the top beer-loving countries Czech 234.8 Austria 170.3 Germany 167.6 Estonia 161.8 Poland 155.6 Ireland 155.3 Croatia 135.7 Venezuela 135.1 Finland 133.0 Romania 131.4 US at 14th 121.8 Who drinks the most wine?--Vatican is still unbeatable Vatican 73.8 Andorra 46.4 France 44.2 St. Pierre & Miquelon 43.6 Slovenia 43.3 Croatia 42.6 Macedonia 41.5 Portugal 40.9 Switzerland 40.4 Norfolk Is. 39.9 Us at 56th 10.4 Did you know wine is getting more popular in the US? Percent of Americans who drink beer vs. wine closes in since 1992 1992 2002 2012 Beer drinkers 47% 46% 36% Wine 27% 31% 35% Age groups that spur US wine consumption: 8 to 29 and 50+ The Strongest Beers & Wines In The World--Top wines with highest alcohol by volume Top wines with highest alcohol by volume Sherry 22% Port wine 20% Bum wine 20% Madeira wine 18% Vermouth 18% Marsala wine 17% Table wine 14% Cabernet 14% Top beers with highest alcohol by volume Barleywine 15% Stout 10% India Pale Ale 7% Pilsner 6% ESB 6% Brown ale 6% Lager 5% Porter 5% Which is healthier? Beer Stronger bones - Beer contains high levels of silicon found to be associated with increased bone mineral density Vitamin booster - Beer is found to boost vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid. Guards against carcinogens - Beer’s sugar is theorized to block carcinogens that result from pan-frying Wine Good for the heart - Resveratrol in red wine is believed to prevent blood vessel damage and clots and reduce bad cholesterol Reduces risk of diseases - Procyanidins in red wine is said to reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes, cataracts, and colon cancer Prevents sunburn - Flavanoids in red wine are found to stop the skin’s chemical reaction to excessive sun exposure Did you know? Oldest and still open Brewery: Founded in 1050 in Bavaria, Germany, the Weltenburg Abbey still brews beer to this day Winery: Schloss Vollrads, in the heart of Rheingau region in Germany, sold its first wine in 1211, nearly a century before Dante wrote The Divine Comedy Winery Most expensive beers Vieille Bon Secours Ale - $1,165 This 12-liter Belgian ale brewed by Caulier and stored for ten years was discovered in the cellar of London’s Belgo restaurant in 2009 and sold to the willing buyer. The Antarctic Nail Ale - $1,815 It’s the most expensive beer ever sold at a charity auction for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. It’s brewed using actual water from an Antarctic iceberg and only 30 bottles were made. Most expensive wines Chateau Margaux 2009 - $195,000 It’s considered the most expensive sold in a retail shop. Only three bottles were put on display in an upscale shop in Dubai. Screaming Eagle Cabernet 1992 - $500,000 The most expensive wine ever sold, this bottle fetched the world record at the Napa Valley Wine Auction in 2000 for charity. Secret Health Benefits Of Beer & Wine Beer Baths Help Your Skin - Beer spas are popular in Germany, Czech Republic, and Austria where people bathe in dark lager to improve their skin, thanks to beer’s rich amount of yeast and vitamins Live Over 100 years old - People of Sardinia who drink Cannonau red wine--found to have the highest polyphenol concentration--are said to be 10 times more likely to live to a century Which Alcohol Do You Prefer and Why?