The Basics: Part 2
So we have our four basic ingredients, grains, water, yeast & hops. Now what?
Simply put, sugars are needed for the fermentation process to produce alcohol. Thankfully sugar is quite easily fermentable. So easy in fact, it happens naturally. Consider that old bottle of apple cider in the back of your fridge. After some time that baby will start to ferment from the yeast naturally found on apples. Fermentation also happens in the wild. Primates are hip to this & have been known to specifically seek out fermented fruits.
Technically speaking, fermented fruit is considered wine, even if it’s still on the vine. Beer, to be considered as such, must get its fermentable sugar from grain.
But raw grain is not as naturally fermentable as fruit & that’s where our journey begins.
The 3 M’s
Malting
Mashing
Milling
Malting:
Without it the sugars within the grain are too hardy for yeast to digest so the grain of choice needs to be malted, a process which begins with the grain being steeped in water. While being steeped, changes occur. Enzymes are produced & the grain sprouts to life converting proteins & carbs into delicious & easily digestible simple sugars.
After a germination period of about 4-5 days elapses the grain is then kiln dried. Drying roasts the grain This helps to develop the biscuit, bready & malty trademarks of beer's flavor while also stopping the grain from further germination. Kilning also prepares the grain for milling making it easier to ground.
Milling:
Milling is the simple action of grinding the malted grain, either finely or coarsely, which helps remove its outer husk. The more finely the grain is broken up the more sugar is extricated during the mashing process.
We’ll pick up the rest next week…
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