Let’s brew homemade beer
Beer is a low-alcohol drink obtained by fermentation of malt wort with the addition of hops. Most often, barley is used to brew malt. Rye, barley, rice, and corn are used less frequently. Wheat malt or wheat is added to barley malt in order to make wheat beer. The alcohol content of most beers is from 3 to 6% of total volume. Strong beer contains from 8 to 14% of alcohol. There is also a light beer that contains from 1 to 2% by volume of alcohol.
Beer is drunk almost everywhere and is very popular due to its taste and aroma.Beer contains a lot of useful substances and vitamins, while alcohol content is relatively low. Alcohol can have a vasodilating effect and a calming one. From this point of view, drinking beer can have a positive impact on your health and bring significant benefits.
Beer production technology. Brewed beer wort is cooled, then yeast is added and pumped into the fermenter, where the wort is fermented. The main fermentation process takes place in the fermenter. After main fermentation process ends, beer is still an unfinished product because of its current composition and taste, and, therefore, is called a young or green beer. That’s why, it is pumped into special tanks, where it matures. During this period, the beer goes through the stage of secondary fermentation and aging. Secondary beer fermentation takes place in closed vessels under excessive pressure of carbon dioxide and low temperatures from 0 to 3 °C. Secondary fermentation is highly necessary for the ready beer quality. It develops taste, saturates with carbon dioxide, makes beer more subject to store. As a result of secondary fermentation, the beer acquires a characteristic taste and aroma. Beer should not contact with air during secondary fermentation.
There are two main types of beer: beer of top and bottom fermentation. Low-fermentation yeast is used ti prepare low-fermentation beer. Low-fermentation beer is fermented at low temperatures, from 4 to 9 °C. This is the most typical method in modern brewing. Beer obtained by low-level fermentation is under fermentation for 10-14 days, but completely fermented during 21 days. This kind of beer is called lager.
Top-fermentation yeast is used for top-fermentation beer. Top fermentation is possible at a relatively high temperature, from 15 to 25 °C. This is an older fermentation method. Beer obtained by top fermentation is usually fermented in a short period that is from 5 to 6 days. Maturation lasts for 14 to 21 days, sometimes up to a month. The most famous representatives of this beer type ale, porter, stout, wheat beer.
It is better to use ready-made kits for making top-fermented beer when you are just learning to brew at home. Secondary fermentation and saturation of beer with carbon dioxide should take place in pressure-resistant bottles.
