Brewing beer is an art form that has been around for centuries. It begins with raw barley, wheat, oats or rye that have been germinated in a malt house. The grain is then dried in an oven and sometimes roasted, a process that is usually carried out in a separate place in the brewery. In the brewery, malt is sent through a grinding mill, opening the husks of the grains, which helps to expose the starches during the mashing process.
The process of steep grinding, or soaking the grain before grinding, is also an option for large-scale brewers. Craft beer is defined as beer made only with traditional ingredients; water, malted barley, hops and yeast. Other components may be added to a craft beer to achieve a particular taste or mouthfeel, such as oats, honey, spices or even fruit. The starch source in a beer provides the fermentable material and is a key determinant of the strength and flavor of beer. In addition to descriptions of flavors and what each unit of measurement means, craft beer is also described by its appearance, taste, aroma, mouthfeel and aftertaste. The history of craft beer dates back to ancient times.
A 3900-year-old Sumerian poem honoring Ninkasi, the patron goddess of brewing, contains the oldest surviving beer recipe, describing the production of beer from barley through bread. For example, the Indian Pale Ale (IPA) variety, one of the most popular craft beers today, originated during the English occupation of India. One of the first questions my friends ask me when they try my homemade beer is how long does it take to make craft beer? Although many people use the terms craft brewery and microbrewery interchangeably, and in fact most microbreweries produce craft beer, they are not necessarily the same thing. Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or has an equivalent economic interest) by a member of the alcoholic beverage industry who is not itself a craft brewer. Once the conditioning is complete, you can finally enjoy your finished craft beer and share it with your friends. Although all three produce craft beer with the same ingredients and similar processes, they are not the same.
The term lager is still used to designate beer produced from bottom-fermented yeast, and the term ale is now used for top-fermented British types of beer. Kräusening is another important step in crafting beer. This involves introducing actively fermenting beer including yeast to inactive new beer. Sour beers such as lambicas are fermented entirely in wood while other beers are aged in barrels that were previously used to mature wines or spirits. If you're like us here at The Hoppy Monk, there's nothing better than drinking a freshly brewed craft beer after a hard day's work. Crafting your own beer can be an incredibly rewarding experience and it's something that everyone should try at least once!.
