30 Jun 2017

How do you make beer?

We have seen that Gambrinus is about beer as Bacchus is about wine.
But, exactly, what is behind the beer production process and why is it so good, natural and so popular and appreciated all over the world?

An all-natural product

Essentially, beer is a drink that is obtained from water and barley malt, combined with yeast and hops: all 100% natural ingredients!

But let’s see more specifically how this process takes place.

PHASE 1: Production of malt

At this stage, the barley or other selected cereals (such as wheat, rye, maize) undergo a germination process. By immersion in water, for 2-4 days, a maceration is stimulated, then put the cereals on some grids, on which they will rest for 5-6 days: at this moment the seeds will begin to sprout.

At this point the drying and roasting takes place, which stops the germination and, depending on the temperatures used, will let one type of malt rather than another.

PHASE 2: Ammostatura

The malted cereals are ground and mixed with lukewarm water: the temperature will be raised again making sure that the starch turns into a sugar, exactly maltose; in this way it will be obtained what is commonly called “must”.

Only at this time will it be possible to lower the temperature, so that the must becomes clearer in color, is sterilized and is more concentrated. The hops are then added, which gives the classic taste and bitter aroma to the drink. Also in this case, the duration of the boiling varies according to the type of final product to be obtained, but it is almost never exceeded two hours.

STEP 3: Fermentation

Since both high and low fermentation beers exist, the must is allowed to cool at the temperatures selected according to this subdivision.

This choice will also depend on the use of particular yeasts rather than others.

Yeasts for high fermentation beer, for example, prefer high temperatures and rise to the surface during fermentation, turning sugar into alcohol and producing carbon dioxide. This is the oldest method, widely used for full-bodied and aromatic English beers.

The yeasts for low fermentation beer, on the other hand, prefer low temperatures and settle on the bottom, allowing the carbon dioxide to remain in the beer. The final products obtained in this way are the Lager (which in German means “deposit”), light and fragrant, which after fermentation remain, in fact, “in storage” at temperatures below 0 degrees, to become more stable and tasty.

PHASE 4: Bottling and pasteurization

In the last phase of its production, beer is filtered, pasteurized and finally bottled.
In particular, the pasteurization process, which is also used for many other foods, such as milk, consists in bringing the beverage to a temperature of about 60 °, for only a few minutes, to free it from any bacteria that could be harmful. At the end of this last step the beer will be clear and ready to be drunk.
There are some types, however, that do not require filtering and pasteurization: they are commonly called Weizen and are more turbid, less transparent and with a more intense flavor, also flavored by yeast.