Beer is one of the most consumed alcoholic beverages in the world. Its popularity is due to its high alcohol content and variety of flavors and textures. There are many different kinds of beer, from light lagers sold in every supermarket to dark and strong stouts produced by microbreweries. However, all beers contain the same main ingredients: water, malted barley, hops and yeast.
Yeast is what transforms the sugar in the beer into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Yeast also lends the flavor and aroma to the beer. There are many different yeast strains, allowing brewers to create a wide range of styles. For example, a strain of yeast that is used to make IPAs tends to produce more fermentation byproducts with higher bitterness than a yeast that is used for making lagers.
The first step in brewing is the mashing process, which involves heating grain with hot water to activate its natural enzymes and turn its starches into sugar. This is important, because the sugar provides food for the yeast during fermentation. The mash is then strained, leaving behind the liquid known as wort.
The wort is cooled, and then yeast is added, beginning the fermentation process that converts the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This fermentation can take several weeks, resulting in the final product. Beer is typically filtered before bottling or barreling to remove any remaining yeast and other particles.
