Beer is a fermented alcoholic drink that has been around for thousands of years. It is a beverage that has been used in a wide variety of cultures and religions throughout history.
It consists of four basic ingredients: water, grains, hops and yeast. These ingredients are combined to produce a unique taste and aroma in every beer.
Malted Grains: Brewers primarily use barley in their brewing process, but other grains like wheat and oats can also be used. The barley is heated to a specific temperature and time period, which helps create the natural enzymes in the grain that can turn complex starches into sugars, allowing the yeast to convert them to alcohol.
The mash is then boiled with hops, which adds flavour and aroma to the beer, before being cooled down and yeast is added to begin fermentation. The wort is then aged and conditioned before the final brew is made and poured to the public.
Yeast: There are many different types of yeast strains that brewers can choose from to make their beers. Some of these yeasts are more neutral in character and produce fewer fermentation by-products, which can allow the flavours of the beer to stand out.
Hops: The addition of hops to a beer adds a wide range of flavours, with each style introducing different flavors depending on where the hops are grown and when they are used in the brewing process. British hops for example are described as being herbal, whereas American hops can have citrus and pine notes.
