Beer, in one form or another, is an alcoholic beverage that can be found in all bars and areas that sell alcoholic beverages. Beers are fermented beverages whose alcohol content comes from the conversion of malt sugar into alcohol by brewer’s yeast. The alcohol content of beer varies depending on the types of beer and is usually between 3% and 15% vol.
So in this post I will share you What is Beer, History of Beer, it’s making process and different types of beer.
What is Beer ?
Beer is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting grains, typically barley, but also wheat, rice, corn, and other grains. The fermentation process is carried out by yeast, which converts the sugars in the grains into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The grains are first steeped in water to extract the sugars, and then the liquid is flavored with hops, which provide bitterness and a fruity or floral aroma, and other ingredients such as herbs, fruits, or spices.
The alcohol content of beer ranges from less than 3% to more than 15% alcohol by volume (ABV), depending on the style of beer. There are many different styles of beer, including ales, lagers, stouts, pilsners, and more, each with their own unique flavor profiles and characteristics.
Beers are often consumed as a refreshing drink, as it is social and enjoyed in group
History of brewing
Before 6000 B.C., brewage was made of barley in Sumeria and Babylonia. Reliefs on Egyptian tombs qualitative analysis from 2400 BC show that barley or partially germinated barley was crushed, mixed with water, and dried into cakes. Once uneven and mixed with water, the cakes gave an extract that was hard by microorganisms accumulated on the surfaces of ferment vessels
Brewing is a large-scale industry in the 21st century. Modern breweries use stainless steel equipment and automated computer-controlled processes to pack beer into metal kegs, glass bottles, aluminum cans and plastic containers. They are now exported all over the world and manufactured under license in foreign countries.
Steps to includes in Beer Making
Beer production involves malting, milling, mashing, extract separation, hop addition and boiling, removal of hops and precipitates, cooling and aeration, fermentation, separation of yeast from young beer, aging, maturing, and packaging. The aim of the entire method is to show grain starch into sugar, extract the sugar with water then ferment it with yeast to make the marginally effervescent alcoholic beverage.
Malting
Malting modifies the barley into green malt, which can then be preserved by drying. The process involves soaking and aerating the barley to allow it to germinate, and drying and maturing the malt.
Mashing
In this process, the malt is mixed with water at a temperature of 62 to 72 °C (144 to 162 °F) and the enzymatic conversion of starch into fermentable sugars takes place. The aqueous extract (must) is then separated from the “spent” grain.
Brewing
After separation, the wort is transferred to a vessel referred to as the kettle or copper for boiling, that is important to arrest catalyst activity and to get the bitterness worth of side hops.
Fermentation
In this most important step of the brewing process, the simple sugars in the wort are converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide, resulting in green (young) beer. Wort at 0.3 kilograms per hectolitre (about 0.4 ounces per gallon), yielding 10,000,000 cells per milliliter of wort.
Maturation (conditioning) and packaging
Slow post-fermentation of residual or added sugar (called priming) or, in lager brewing, the addition of actively fermenting wort (called Krausen) generates carbon dioxide, which is vented from the green beer and freed from unwanted volatile compounds.
Different types of Beer
Bitter
Light, amber colored beer served on tap. It can be sold as light bitter, ordinary bitter, or better bitter. When bottled it is known as Pale Ale or Light Ale depending on the alcohol content.
IPA (India Pale Ale)
Heavily hopped Strong Pale Ale originally brewed in the UK for shipment to the British Colonies. The modern style is a light, hoppy ale.
Abbey-style
Ale brewed in the monastic tradition of the Low Countries but by secular brewers, Often under licence from a religious establishment.
White beer
Traditional this types of beer created with a high proportion of wheat, typically called Wheat beers.
Mild
Can be light-weight or dark looking on the color of the malt utilized in the production process. Typically sold on draught and includes a sweeter and additional complicated flavour than bitter.
Burton
Strong, dark, draught brew. This beer is additionally well-liked in winter once it’s mulled or Spiced and offered as a winter warmer.
Old ale
Brown, candy and strong. Can additionally be mulled or spiced.
Strong ale
The color varies between pale and brown and the taste between dry and sweet. The alcohol content also varies.
Barley wine
Traditionally a malt beer. This beer is sweet and strong and sold in small bottles or shots (originally 1⁄3 pint, now 190ml).
Stout
This types of beer made from scorched, terribly dark malt and munificently tasteful with hops. Encompasses a sleek Malty flavour and creamy consistency. Oversubscribed on draught or in bottles and was historically not Chilled (although nowadays it usually is). Guinness is one example.
Porter
Made from charred malt, with great flavor and aroma. Its name comes from its popularity with market boys working in Dublin and London.
Lager
The name comes from the German lagern (to store). Fermentation takes place at the lowest of the vessel and therefore the brewage is hold on at low temperatures for up to 6 months and generally longer.
Trappist beer
Beer brewed in Trappist monasteries, usually under the supervision of monks. Six Belgian breweries produce this beer, which is strong, complex, unpasteurized and often incorporates rock candy in the recipe.
Pilsner
Clear, pale lagers (originally from Pilsen, thus the name). trendy designs are defined by a zesty hop style and bubbly body.
Smoked beers
Beers made from grain smoked during the malting process. Various woods are used, including alder, cherry, apple, beech or oak. Sometimes smoked peat is used for the process.
Fruit beers and flavoured beers
Variety of beers with extra flavourings adore heather or honeydew, or fruit beers, that have contemporary fruits such as raspberry or Strawberry introduced throughout the creating method to feature flavour.
Reduced alcohol beer
There are Two categories of beer with reduced alcohol
1) Non-alcoholic beers (NABs) contain less than 0.5% alcohol
2) Low alcohol beers (LABs) less than 1.2% alcohol
The beer is made in the Traditional way and then the alcohol is remove.