Beer making is both a science and an art. If you are a budding beer connoisseur, here’s a quick guide to help you know more about your favourite beverage. In this guide, we’ve gathered inputs from the top beer manufacturers to walk our readers through the beer making process.
A beer manufacturer in Delhi once said to us, “Beer making is more than following a step-by-step recipe. To brew great beer, you need to be passionate about what you’re doing.” We agree that beer making is a long, labour-intensive process. It is not something that you can do it under 30-minutes. There are several steps to follow and patience is rewarding. If you’re just like us, interested and passionate about beer, here is a quick guide to brew your favourite drink.
Ingredients for Brewing Beer
All beers – irrespective of the type – require four key ingredients. They are:
- Malted barley
- Yeast
- Hops
- Water
Any type of beer – be it an ale, lager or IPA – has these four basic ingredients. What differs is the brewing process and manipulating other variable to create more variety and flavours. There is plenty of science behind beer brewing. Depending on the type of hops and malts you use, the temperature of the brew changes. Even the water you use impacts the final flavouring.
Now, that we’ve seen the ingredients, let’s take a look at the major steps involved in beer brewing.
The Malting Process
Beer manufacturing starts with malting of grains. Usually, barley is the primary grain used. However, other grains like wheat and oats can also be used. After harvesting, the grains are processed by heating, drying and cracking to isolate the enzymes. The malt determines the final colour of the brew. Lightly-roasted malts produce pale beers, while deeply roasted malts produce dark beers.
Some top beer manufacturers mill their own malt as it gives them better control over the final flavour and colour.
Mashing the Malt
The malted grains are added to the mash tun. In this process, the grains are left to steep in hot water producing wort (pronounced as wurt) a sugary liquid. This process is known as mashing. The malted grains are steeped in hot water (not boiling water) for around an hour. The hot water activates the enzymes in the malt and causes starch in the grains to break down and release simple sugars. After mashing, the wort is drained and used in the next steps.
Adding Hops
The wort from the previous step is move to a copper tub where the hops are added. The hops lend the distinct bitter profile to beer. The wort is boiled along with hops for an hour. Some brewers add extra hops after the first boiling for added aroma. The second batch of hops are not boiled. The liquid at this stage is cooled down to 17-degree Celsius and move to the fermentation vessel.
Fermentation
The cooled wort from the previous step is move to the fermentation vessel. Yeast is added to the liquid at this stage. Now, we wait for yeast to work its magic. The yeast eats the sugar in the wort and produces carbon-di-oxide and alcohol. The fermentation time depends on the type of beer you’re making.
For example, ales have a short fermentation time where the brew is stored at cool temperatures for a short period. On the other hand, lagers are fermented for a longer time. The key here is to maintain the ideal temperature throughout the fermentation process.
Filtering, Processing and Bottling
Once fermentation is complete, the final beer is ready. It is then packaged in different storage jars like casks, kegs, bottles or cans. Additionally, beer manufacturers let the brew go through a secondary fermentation to add the required carbonation.
The Final Product – Delicious, Craft Beer is Ready for Consumption
That’s it. You have now come to the final step of brewing – tasting your delicious beer. Yes, every mug of beer that you taste goes through this long, laborious process. The next time, you try beer at a craft brewery near you, it will certainly taste extra special, now that you know the story behind your favourite beverage.