Beer Production – How Is Beer Made?
- Beer is made from malt, hops, water, and yeast.
- Water plays an important role and shapes the flavor.
- Beer production goes through several stages, including milling, mashing, adding hops, adding yeast, and storage.
- Beer production itself can happen within a single day, but the fermentation process takes longer.
Beer, the favorite drink of Germany. But let's be honest, beer suits anyone who likes to unwind after work and needs the perfect drink to do it. But have you ever wondered how beer brewing actually works and what ingredients go into it? What makes a truly high-quality beer? If so, you're about to learn exactly what's in beer and how the brewing process unfolds. For a more hands-on experience, you can also get further insight at one of our beer tastings.
What Ingredients Do You Need for Beer?
Beer is made from malt, hops, water, and yeast. Water plays an important role in brewing and has a major impact on flavor. High-quality water comes from breweries' own springs, wells, or the local municipal water supply. What matters is that the water meets drinking water standards and is of high quality.
Which Ingredient Creates the Carbonation in Beer?
The carbonation in beer develops during fermentation, thanks to the addition of yeast. Yeast converts the malt sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Depending on the type of yeast used, the carbonation level in the beer can vary.
How Is Beer Made?
Brewing beer is a fascinating process that has captivated people around the world for centuries. But how exactly is beer actually made? In this article, we'll take a closer look at the steps involved in brewing. From milling the grain to adding the yeast, learn everything about the exciting world of beer brewing.
Step 1: Milling
Malt is the first grain used in brewing, and it's created by soaking grain in water and letting it begin to germinate. Various grain types can be used for this (barley, wheat, spelt, or rye), each carrying its own distinct aroma, which also shapes the beer's flavor.
Once the malt has been soaked in water, it's dried, and anything not needed is removed. The remaining malt then goes through a milling process, essentially crushing it into a coarse powder. Malt determines the beer's color and shapes its alcohol content. Depending on the temperature at which it's dried, the beer will end up darker or lighter. Higher and more humid drying temperatures give the beer a darker color.
Step 2: Mashing
Next comes mashing. During this process, the malt is mixed with warm water and continuously heated at different temperature stages while being stirred. The goal is to release the starch and convert it into malt sugar. The mixture is then transferred into a lauter tun, where the liquid separates from the remaining grain solids. This liquid, called the wort, then flows from the lauter tun into the wort kettle.
Info: the solid residue left behind in the tun, known as spent grain, isn't thrown away, but is usually repurposed as nutrient-rich animal feed.
Step 3: Adding Hops
Hops are added to the wort kettle and boiled for up to an hour. The beer's flavor depends heavily on how much hop is used. Different beer styles also use different hop varieties, mainly split between bittering hops and aroma hops.
Bittering Hops in Beer | Aroma Hops in Beer |
|---|---|
A classic in beer and very popular | Not as bitter as classic bittering-hop beer |
Creates a slightly bitter, crisp aroma | Makes beer's flavor more versatile |
Once the liquid has been boiled, any remaining cloudy particles are removed. The liquid is then cooled in a wort chiller. Once it's cool enough, yeast is added.
Step 4: Adding Yeast
The next step in brewing is adding the yeast, which converts the malt sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. There are different types of yeast used for this: bottom-fermenting yeasts (around 39-48°F) and top-fermenting yeasts (around 50-68°F). The liquid is then transferred into storage tanks and, depending on the beer style, stored there for up to three months.
Step 5: Storage
During fermentation, the alcohol content rises slightly further, along with the carbonation. The remaining yeast and the protein flakes that form settle at the bottom, which causes the beer to become clear.
Step 6: Filtration and Bottling
After storage, the beer is filtered to remove any remaining cloudy particles. It's then bottled, canned, or kegged, ready to be sold.
Brewing Beer: How Long Does It Take to Brew?
Beer production itself can happen within a single day. That said, the fermentation process is crucial and takes considerably longer. Depending on the beer style and desired flavor, storage in tanks can take up to three months. So the entire beer-making process can take several weeks or even months overall. You'll notice this firsthand pretty quickly at our beer brewing seminar.
How Is Non-Alcoholic Beer Made?
Non-alcoholic beer is made in a similar way to regular beer. The main difference is that the fermentation process is stopped before the alcohol content reaches a certain level. This can be achieved through methods like vacuum distillation or reverse osmosis, which remove alcohol from the beer while largely preserving its flavor.
Why Does Freshly Tapped Beer Taste Better?
Freshly tapped beer often tastes better than bottled or canned beer because it comes straight from the keg. During tapping, carbonation and foam are added to the beer, creating a pleasant fizz and a creamy head. Tapping also aerates the beer optimally, allowing its aroma to unfold more fully. As a result, freshly tapped beer often tastes fuller and fresher compared to bottled beer.
Brewing Beer Is Easier Than You'd Think
Brewing beer can also be a great fit for beginners interested in making their own beer. And that's where we can help every beer lover out: our brewing class in Cologne shows you how easy it is to make your own beer. And if you'd rather spend a relaxed evening enjoying beer instead, you can also join one of our {nrEvents} beer tastings to learn what makes a truly high-quality beer, and maybe even discover your new favorite along the way.
