Beer ...need I say more?

In honor of a successful brewing event, that resulted in a perfect Summer Ale, I felt it to be a good time to talk a little about "Beer".

My Summer Pale Ale (left)



Beer: an alcoholic beverage made from a malted grain, water, hops, and yeast.

Today other flavors may be added, such as spices, flower extracts, and fruit.





The basic beer making process is to take some grain and malt it; the grain is steeped in water then allowed to germinate or start to bud and dry.  The dried grain is milled (now called Grist) and added to hot water to extract the sugar from the grain (the mixture is called Mash).  The liquid is separated from the remaining solids and heated again.  During this process flavoring is added, such as hops. While the grain provides the sugar for yeast to convert into alcohol, the hops add aroma, bitterness, and a slight tannin backbone.  A little side note, the use of hops to beer is a more recent addition.  The hops also act as a preservative that allows the beer to be stored.

The liquid is then placed in a very sterile container, using very sterile equipment, with a little yeast.  The mixture is slightly agitated and left to ferment; convert the sugar to alcohol.   The process takes about 2 weeks to fully ferment.  The beer, yes we have beer at this point, a little sugar, honey, or agave nectar is added to wake up the yeast.  This secondary fermentation gives the beer its carbonation, which is what allows for the beer to have a head when poured.  The beer is then racked, the process of moving the beer from the fermentation container to the storage containers, and sealed.  The new beer needs to sit quietly in the dark for another 10-12 days before it is ready to drink.

So now that we know how to make beer, let's talk a little about the two types of beer - Lager and Ale. There are numerous sub-categories withing these two styles.  The main difference is that Lagers ferment from the bottom and Ales use yeast that ferment from the top.  Lager's are fermented much cooler than Ales. Lagers are lighter in color and have a light body.

Classic Lagers have their roots in Holland and Germany. Corona brand from Mexico is actually a pale lager or American lager style beer; the distinctive aroma of Corona comes from the hops exposure to light in the clear bottle.  The reason a lime is served with Corona is to mask the hops odor, not to keep flies away.  That's why most beer is placed brown/amber bottles or cans.

The rest of beer falls into the Ale category.  Pale Ales, Stouts, Porters, Belgian Beers, and Wheat Beer are all Ales.  They tend to be heavier in mouth feel and stronger in flavor, especially hops - bitterness.

What gives a beer its personality is the combination of grains, hops, and flavoring.  There are many different grains that can be used and those grains can be non-toasted or toasted to difference levels.  There are just as many different varieties of hops. Combining different grains in different proportions with hops in varying amounts, added at different times in the Boil process, allows for a near infinite number of recipes to make beer.  Just remember to take good notes while you're brewing so you can replicate the recipe again.

I'm thinking a nice burger and onion rings would go well with my Summer Ale...