Beer is one of the world’s most popular drinks. It is a fermented beverage, made from just four basic ingredients: malt, water, yeast and hops.
It can be prepared in a wide variety of ways, and it is possible for brewers to make their own unique styles of beer. That simplicity and the capacity for variation are two of the key reasons that beer has been around for so long.
There are many different types of beer, including ales and lagers. We’ll focus on the most common types in this article, but there are plenty of others to explore as well.
Yeast: The beer yeast that brewers use helps convert the sugars produced by the grain into alcohol and carbon dioxide. There are many different strains of yeast that can affect the flavor and aroma of the beer.
Malt: The malted barley that brewers use in the mashing stage is where the beer gets its taste and color from. It provides the enzymes that help break down complicated starches into simple sugars and eventually into alcohol.
Water: The water used to brew the beer is very important, as it helps the brewing process by providing the yeast with oxygen and sugars that it needs. The quality of the water also contributes to the flavor and appearance of the beer.
During the brewing process, the wort, which is the liquid made from the mash, will separate out and be rinsed to remove any remaining sugars before a boil can be performed. Once the wort has separated, it is ready for the addition of hops, which will add bitterness and give the beer its aroma and flavor.
