Beer Ingredients and Brewing Process

There are five main substances that are used to brew beer. The first and probably the most important ingredient is water. Water is used to create the main substance and makeup of the beverage. Although, there are specific types of water that can vary the kind of beer that you are making. Generally when brewing a darker beer, the brewer would want to use hard water (water with higher mineral content). In contrast you would want to use soft water (low mineral content) when brewing a lighter beer. The second ingredient is Malt. Malt is barley used because of its high amylase content and also due to the fact that it contains a digestive enzyme that facilitates the breakdown of starch into sure. This is obtained by soaking the grain in water, which allows the grain to germinate, which after is dried in a kiln. By malting the grain, the enzymes will eventually convert starches in the grain into fermentable sugars. The next ingredient is hops, which is the bittering agent that is used in beer. Not only do the hops help to bitter the beer, but when doing this they are also helping to balance out the sweetness of the malts. These hops can also be used to add different aromas and hints of other flavors that range from citrus to herbal scents and tastes. Not only do these hops provide these assets to the brew, but they also have an antibiotic effect on the yeast that brewers use. One final effect that hops have on the final product of beer is that they add as a natural preservative when the beer has finished brewing. The next ingredient is something we have already talked about a little bit, yeast. Yeast, next to water is the most important part of the beer. This ingredient is responsible for the fermentation process that the concoction will undergo. There are different strains that can be used in the beer in order to achieve different types of brews. The two main strains that are used are normally ale yeast and lager yeast. Along with being the ingredient that helps the beer ferment, it also helps to metabolize the sugars that are extracted from the grains of barley. This is the ingredient that produces the alcohol in beer. One final ingredient that is used in beer that is actually an option instead of a necessary ingredient to make beer is the clarifying agent. This ingredient is often obtained from animals, most often the swim bladders from fish and also Irish moss. This particular ingredient is only found in traces of the final product.

The process to brewing beer is relatively simple, although the timing and amount of each ingredient is crucial in order to create the type of beer that the brewer is trying to obtain. The first step in the brewing process is to mix the starch (malted barley) with hot water. Once the malted barley has been mixed together, the result is combined in a mash tun with crushed malt, which is also called “ grist”. The mash process takes one to two hours. This is also the process where the starch changes into sugar. The result of this process is called “sweet wort”. The sweet wort is then drained off of the barley grains and washed in a process called “ sparging” in order to gather more of the fermentable liquid. This process is called “wort separation”. The liquid collected from the wort separation is then boiled for about an hour. This is also where the wort begins to evaporate from the liquid. This process is also where the remaining enzymes from the mashing stage are destroyed and no longer traceable. The earlier that the hops are added during this process, the more bitter the beer will be, also causing less hops and flavor remaining in the final product. Once the hopped wort has cooled, the yeast is then added while in the fermenter where the “wort” then becomes beer. The fermenting process can take weeks or months depending on variable such as the strength of the desired beer, yeast type, and temperature. Often times beer is given time for a second fermentation in order to allow the beer to let the yeast settle a little more and let the liquid clear. Another scenario where a second fermentation would be necessary is when there is a long period of time between the distribution of the beer and the completion of the brewing process. After the beer has been canned, bottled, or put in a keg, the beer is ready to be distributed out to liquor stores, bars, and restaurants in order to be consumed and enjoyed.