In this ongoing blog series we’ll be exploring beer from A to Z, and hopefully demystify the wonderful, varied world of beer. If you enjoy beer and have always wondered how it’s made, what’s in it, how does it get from grain-to-glass, or any other facet of beer making and its constituent parts, then this series is for you. If you always wanted to try your hand at homebrewing, but didn’t know where to start, this Beer 101 series will give you the information you need to understand how it all works, and how to get from that desire to your first homebrewed beer. Grab a seat, take notes if you like, and enjoy as we dive into the basics of beer.
It’s impossible to breakdown a subject as vast, and with as many parts as beer without starting at the very beginning. So, what exactly is beer? Simply put, beer is an alcoholic beverage made of water, malted barley (or other grains), yeast, and hops. In-fact, the oldest continuously existing law in the world is the Deutsches Reinheitsgebot (German Beer Purity Law), which was enacted in 1516, and dictates that beer can ONLY contain those 4 ingredients, and nothing else. The law even goes so far as to specify that the grain used is barley. We’ll go over the history of that law in another blog, as it’s quite a lengthy study and interesting bit of history. If you’ve ever wondered why German brewers don’t add other things to their beers (like lactose, or chocolate) as brewers from everywhere else do, particularly in the world of craft beer, it’s because of the Beer Purity Law. Under German law, by definition, the beverage would no longer be considered beer. Beer is separated broadly into 2 types; ales and lagers – both of which have many styles and sub-categories of styles. Ales are made with top-fermenting yeast (typically fermented at warmer temperatures), and lagers with bottom-fermenting yeast (typically fermented at colder temperatures).
To better understand beer, let’s examine each part one-by-one. We’ll skip water, as it’s safe to assume that we all know what water is. Grains are the 2nd largest portion of any beer, and most typically that specific grain is barley (and in Germany’s case it MUST be barley). Barley (Horgeum vulgare) is a grass which grows primarily in temperate climates, and is one of the oldest cultivated grains in the world. It is used for beer brewing, eaten as a food source, and used in the production of other alcoholic beverages as well. Barley comes in a number of varieties, but those most commonly used in beer production are 2 & 6-row variants. Row in this sense is referring to the growth pattern of the kernels on the plant. 2-row is most commonly used in beer production due to its large kernel size, as it takes less processing versus using plants with smaller kernels. There is also a slight difference in the starch and protein contents of 2 & 6-row barley. 2-row typically has a slightly lower protein content, but a higher starch content, and generally produces a more malty flavor (6-row produces a more grainy flavor).
Now that we know what barley is, what does malted barley mean? Malting is the process by which which barley grain (or kernels) is germinated (soaked with water and allowed to grow), and subsequently has the germination process stopped by drying the germinated grain with hot air. The primary purpose of malting the barley is that is produces enzymes that are needed to convert the starches in the grain into fermentable sugars during the mash phase of the brewing process. We’ll go over what mashing is, as well as the other beer making steps in another blog. Effectively, without malting the barley, it is not very useful as a grain for the purposes of beer making. The enzymes are key to the process, and they also change the flavor profile of the grain.
Hops (Humulus lupulus) are the cone-shaped strobiles (flowers) of the hop plant, which is a perennial vine. Hops are used in beer making for aroma, flavor, and stability of the finished beer. Hops have many notable aromas and flavors depending upon the specific hop variety, but are most known for their bittering effect in beer. Depending upon the specific variety of hop used in beer production, the aromas and flavors produced can vary drastically, as can the overall bitterness of the final product. Which specific hop variety is used, as well as how much, when, at what temperature, and at what stage of the process they are added all have an effect on the aroma, flavor, and bittering produced by the hops in the final beer. The bitter characteristic of hops is due to alpha acids in the hops that become isomerized (turn into iso-alpha acids) when the hops are heated during the brewing process. The ultimate determination as to how bitter a hop makes the beer is how much of the alpha acid in the hops is isomerized while brewing, most notably during the boil phase of the brewing process. Specific hop varieties have as much variance in alpha acid content as they do in aroma and flavor profile, so choosing the right hop or combination of hops to compliment a given beer style is paramount.
Finally we turn to the unsung hero of the brewing process, and without which, beer wouldn’t be beer – yeast. Yeast is a single-celled organism in the Fungi kingdom. Yeast comes in many different forms and varieties, but generally speaking, there are 2 main types of yeast used in the beer making process; ale yeast and lager yeast. Ale yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is a top-fermenting yeast that functions best at warmer temperatures (typically in the 60-70 degrees F range). Lager yeast (Saccharomyces carlsbergensis) is a bottom-fermenting yeast that functions best at colder temperatures (typically in the 45 – 55 degrees F range). The temperature can vary for both ale and lager yeast depending upon the specific strain used. Much as there are different varieties of hops, so too are there different strains of yeast. The differentiation between top and bottom fermenting refers to the activity of the yeast itself on the wort (the liquid produced in the beer brewing process before the addition of yeast, and conversion of sugars to alcohol). Ale yeast gathers at the top of the fermenting wort, and lager yeast gathers at the bottom of the wort, hence top/bottom-fermenting. As with hops, the specific strain of ale or lager yeast used in the brewing process can have drastic impacts on the final aroma and flavor of the finished beer. Temperature control during all stages of fermentation are also critical in controlling specific aroma and flavor profiles.
Now that we’ve peeked our heads down the rabbit hole, you should have a better understanding of what beer is and its composition. While quite simple in its formulation, beer production is a rather complicated process that involves a lot of moving parts, and a lot of time and patience. As a homebrewer, I absolutely love getting to come up with my own beer recipe ideas and getting to enjoy the fruits of my labor. That process has given me a much greater respect than I already had for those in the brewing industry. As challenging as beer making is, and as frustrating as it can be at times, it is, if nothing else, a labor of love. Beer may just be comprised of 4 ingredients, but it is the byproduct of science, passion, and a lot of hard work. To all the brewers out there making our favorite drink, cheers to you!
The Craft Beer Corner 