Brewing is the production of beer by steeping a starch source (commonly cereal grains, the most popular of which is barley) in water and fermenting the resulting sweet liquid with yeast. It may be done in a brewery by a commercial brewer, at home by a homebrewer, or communally.
Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BC, and archaeological evidence suggests that emerging civilizations, including ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, brewed beer. Since the nineteenth century the brewing industry has been part of most western economies.
Grain Storage
GRAIN STORAGE
The main ingredient of most beers is malted barley, which typically is stored in a grain silo or is often stored in 55lb bags. The malting process and involves wetting and sprouting the barley, then dry roasting it. The color of these malts depend on the temperature and duration of the roasting: darker malts are roasted hotter and longer.
Malt silos are usually constructed from concrete or preformed steel panels.
Milling
MILLING
MILLING
The milling operation has somewhat conflicting objectives that must be delicately balanced — to grind the starchy interior of the kernels finely enough to permit easy conversion to sugars, while not grinding the malt husks because they are needed later in the process to naturally strain and filter the wort. Some unmalted grains such as rice, but unlike barley, can be ground as finely as desired, since their husks or hulls previously have been removed.
Corn grits need not be ground and, as a result, bypass the mills. The malt mill uses sets of rollers and screens to separate the husks from the kernel and grind the kernels into the grist necessary for mashing.
Mashing
LAUTERING MASH
The next step in the brewing process involves separating the dissolved extract from the malt husks and other insoluble grain particles in the mash by straining, or “lautering.” A lauter tun, used for this straining process, contains many slotted openings to hold back the grain husks, forming a natural filter bed. The liquid draws through the grain bed into the brew kettle.
This liquid, called “wort,” is clarified as it passes through the grain. As the clean, sweet wort is transferred to the brew kettle, the top of the grain bed is flooded with hot water in a process known as sparging, such that the wort running to the kettle becomes less concentrated as the kettle fills.
Lautering
LAUTERING MASH
The next step in the brewing process involves separating the dissolved extract from the malt husks and other insoluble grain particles in the mash by straining, or “lautering.” A lauter tun, used for this straining process, contains many slotted openings to hold back the grain husks, forming a natural filter bed. The liquid draws through the grain bed into the brew kettle.
This liquid, called “wort,” is clarified as it passes through the grain. As the clean, sweet wort is transferred to the brew kettle, the top of the grain bed is flooded with hot water in a process known as sparging, such that the wort running to the kettle becomes less concentrated as the kettle fills.
BREWING - BOILING & HOPPING
LAUTERING MASH
The next step in the brewing process involves separating the dissolved extract from the malt husks and other insoluble grain particles in the mash by straining, or “lautering.” A lauter tun, used for this straining process, contains many slotted openings to hold back the grain husks, forming a natural filter bed. The liquid draws through the grain bed into the brew kettle.
This liquid, called “wort,” is clarified as it passes through the grain. As the clean, sweet wort is transferred to the brew kettle, the top of the grain bed is flooded with hot water in a process known as sparging, such that the wort running to the kettle becomes less concentrated as the kettle fills.
Cooling
LAUTERING MASH
The next step in the brewing process involves separating the dissolved extract from the malt husks and other insoluble grain particles in the mash by straining, or “lautering.” A lauter tun, used for this straining process, contains many slotted openings to hold back the grain husks, forming a natural filter bed. The liquid draws through the grain bed into the brew kettle.
This liquid, called “wort,” is clarified as it passes through the grain. As the clean, sweet wort is transferred to the brew kettle, the top of the grain bed is flooded with hot water in a process known as sparging, such that the wort running to the kettle becomes less concentrated as the kettle fills.
FERMENTATION
LAUTERING MASH
The next step in the brewing process involves separating the dissolved extract from the malt husks and other insoluble grain particles in the mash by straining, or “lautering.” A lauter tun, used for this straining process, contains many slotted openings to hold back the grain husks, forming a natural filter bed. The liquid draws through the grain bed into the brew kettle.
This liquid, called “wort,” is clarified as it passes through the grain. As the clean, sweet wort is transferred to the brew kettle, the top of the grain bed is flooded with hot water in a process known as sparging, such that the wort running to the kettle becomes less concentrated as the kettle fills.
Conditioning, Finishing
LAUTERING MASH
The next step in the brewing process involves separating the dissolved extract from the malt husks and other insoluble grain particles in the mash by straining, or “lautering.” A lauter tun, used for this straining process, contains many slotted openings to hold back the grain husks, forming a natural filter bed. The liquid draws through the grain bed into the brew kettle.
This liquid, called “wort,” is clarified as it passes through the grain. As the clean, sweet wort is transferred to the brew kettle, the top of the grain bed is flooded with hot water in a process known as sparging, such that the wort running to the kettle becomes less concentrated as the kettle fills.
FILTRATION
LAUTERING MASH
The next step in the brewing process involves separating the dissolved extract from the malt husks and other insoluble grain particles in the mash by straining, or “lautering.” A lauter tun, used for this straining process, contains many slotted openings to hold back the grain husks, forming a natural filter bed. The liquid draws through the grain bed into the brew kettle.
This liquid, called “wort,” is clarified as it passes through the grain. As the clean, sweet wort is transferred to the brew kettle, the top of the grain bed is flooded with hot water in a process known as sparging, such that the wort running to the kettle becomes less concentrated as the kettle fills.
PACKAGING
LAUTERING MASH
The next step in the brewing process involves separating the dissolved extract from the malt husks and other insoluble grain particles in the mash by straining, or “lautering.” A lauter tun, used for this straining process, contains many slotted openings to hold back the grain husks, forming a natural filter bed. The liquid draws through the grain bed into the brew kettle.
This liquid, called “wort,” is clarified as it passes through the grain. As the clean, sweet wort is transferred to the brew kettle, the top of the grain bed is flooded with hot water in a process known as sparging, such that the wort running to the kettle becomes less concentrated as the kettle fills.