Beer Brewing

Brewing is defined as the production of alcoholic beverages and alcohol fuel via the process of fermentation. The process of brewing produces Beer, Sake and Soy.
Brewing by itself has a long history and it can be traced back right till the ancient Egypt. As a matter of fact, various recipes for beer are found in the Sumerian writings, which are one of the oldest known writing.

Beer Brewing Process

Beer is brewed using a very simple process where the main ingredient is the malted grain which depending on the process can be barley, wheat or rye. Malt is obtained by a allowing a grain to germinate. Once the grain has been malted, it is dried in a kiln and roasted at times. Depending on the degree to which the grain is roasted the color of the malt is decided which has a strong influence on the color and flavor of the beer. During the germination process, a large number of enzymes, notably the alpha enzyme and the beta enzyme are produced which helps in converting the starch that is present in the grain to sugar.

Next, the malt is crushed to break apart the grain kernels as it helps increase their surface area and also separates the smaller pieces of the grain from the husks. The resulting product obtained is termed ‘grist. Grist is mixed with heated water in a vat known as the ‘mash tun’ and the process is known as ‘mashing’. During the process of mashing, the natural enzymes present in the malt break down the starch into sugar, which is a very vital part of the fermentation process. The mashing process takes about 2 hours and in between the mashing, various temperature rests that is waiting period is permitted to help activate the different enzymes which again depends on the type of malt that is being used and what is desired by the brew master. The mash tun is equipped with a slotted bottom, which serves as a strainer and helps in the separation of the liquid from the grain.

The liquid that is obtained once the mashing is complete is further strained in a process termed ‘lautering’. It is a common practice to raise the temperature just prior to this process to deactivate all enzymes. Additional water is also sprinkled on the grains to extract the additional sugar. This process is known as sparging.

The liquid obtained after the above processes are complete is known as the wort. It is encased in a large tank usually called the kettle or copper. Wort is now boiled with hops, herbs and sugars depending on the requirement. The boiling process ensures that the enzymatic process has been terminated and it also helps in precipitating proteins and sterilizing the wort. Hop help add flavor, bitterness and aroma to the beer. At the very end, the wort is allowed to settle down is a vessel known as the ‘whirl pool’ and the clear wort is cooled.

The wort is now moved into a fermentation vessel where the yeast is added which converts the sugar present into alcohol, carbon dioxide and a few more components via the process known as glycolysis. Approximately after 2 weeks, the fresh beer is stored in conditioning tanks. The beer can be stored anywhere between a week and three months. It is then filtered to remove all particulates and yeast and is ready to be packaged or served.

Beer Varieties

The two most common varieties of beer that we have all heard of are the Ale and Lager. These varieties are obtained depending on the type of yeast used. The yeast used for ale ferments at warmer temperatures and foams on the surface of the fermenting beer. The ale beer is generally ready for drinking within 3 weeks after the process of fermentation is started. The color of ale ranges from a very pale shade to black opaque and the best flavors are found in England.

The yeast used to make lager ferment at low temperatures and tend to accumulate at the bottom of the fermenting vessel. Lager is stored for a period of 30 days very at a temperature very close to the freezing point during which the beer mellows and the flavor becomes smooth. The color of lager also varies from a pale shade to deep back.

I bet none of us realized that beer making is such an elaborate process. I guess it will make us appreciate the beer on a hot day even more!