Have you ever wondered how your favorite beer is made? With all the different styles out there, the process can obviously vary. We produce a range of different beers at our Seattle brewery, and with the vast majority, we follow these key steps in the beer brewing process.
6 Key Steps in Our Seattle Brewery's Beer Brewing Process
1. Choosing the Ingredients
Thankfully, there is no lengthy ingredient list in beer recipes. Although for each ingredient, there is an extensive list of varieties. It is the sheer amount of varieties that allow brewers to experiment and create the vast number of different tastes and smells we've come to expect as beer drinkers. There are just four basic ingredients needed when making beer:
Water
Beer is around 90 percent water, and the composition and quality of the water will affect the final result. Believe it or not, water differs from country to country and even town to town. Water hardness and mineral content can impact the brewing process and the final result. Hard water is ideal for brewing stronger hopped beers, while soft water is the perfect base for a Pilsner. The British town of Burton-on-Trent, for example, is famous for its India Pale Ales (IPAs) due to the high level of minerals found in its water.
Tap water is not seen as ideal for brewing because of chemicals and cleaning agents like chlorine that it often contains. Nowadays, beer brewers commonly start with filtered, pure water. This type of water offers a clean slate that can be manipulated with its own recipes to create the desired beer profile.
Malt
Malts are an essential ingredient in terms of flavor, smell, color, and head. Barley is the most commonly used malt because of its ideal starch-protein ratio, which is crucial in the mashing process. Plus, barley husks are strong and serve as a natural filter bed. Wheat is another popular malt as it contains more proteins and provides a distinctive haze, bready taste, and thicker head.
Oats are traditionally used in stouts but are now increasingly used in other types of beer. They give the beer a velvety, soft feel. Rye can add an earthy, slightly spicy note to the beer. Additional varieties of malts include spelt, corn, and rice. Corn is a key ingredient in Corona and many American-style beers.
Hops
Hops are cone-shaped flowers that provide the smell and bitterness found in beer. The bitterness found in hops balances the malt sugar sweetness and gives a refreshing finish. They also act as a preservative due to their antibacterial properties. Although hop varieties are in the hundreds, they are roughly sorted into three types; Bittering Hops, Aromatic Hops, and Duel Purpose Hops. Their purpose is made clear in the naming.
Different hop types are added at varying stages of the boil to create a more complex hop profile, giving the beer a good balance of taste, aroma, and bitterness.
Yeast
Yeast is a living organism that is responsible for fermentation in beer. It works by metabolizing the malt sugars to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide, turning wort into beer. Yeast also influences the flavor and character of the beer. Like hops, there are hundreds of different strains of yeast which can divide into three groups. Lager yeast is known as a bottom fermenter because it ferments from the bottom of the tank. It works at lower temperatures between 41 and 53 Fahrenheit and results in a cleaner profile.
Ale yeast works at higher temperatures, roughly between 59 and 77 Fahrenheit, and ferments at the top of the tank. There is an enormous variety of ale yeast strains and each has its own characteristics. Ale yeasts produce more ester, a by-product that provides fruity aromas in beer. Wild yeast is used to create wheat beer. Depending on the type of beer brewing, additional ingredients can be added to the mix, such as herbs, fruit, or even coffee for further flavoring.
2. Mashing
The mashing process involves adding the malted grain to hot water. As the malt is soaking, the hot water activates the enzymes, causing the starch to break down and release simple sugars. After being left to soak, the mixture forms a sticky substance that looks like watery porridge. This process can take anywhere between 30 to 120 minutes or more, depending on temperature and type of enzyme. The solids then get separated from the sweet water, which is known as wort.
3. Boiling
The wort is then transferred into the boil kettle and brought to the boil. The boiling process sterilizes the wort and stops the enzyme activity that began in the mashing process, fixing the amount of sugar in the mixture. Because the heat releases the hops acids, it is at this point when hops and other flavoring ingredients get added to the mix. The wort is usually boiled for around 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the beer style.
The longer the hops are in this boiling mixture impacts the bitterness in the final product. For example, if added at the end of the boiling process, the result will seem less bitter and more flavorful. The timings and types of hops added all depend on the style of beer that is brewing.
4. Fermentation
Once the boiling process is complete, the wort is cooled and then transferred into a fermentation vessel. Afterwards, the yeast is pitched into the cooled wort and the magic can begin. Over the next few days, the yeast will eat the sugars produced in the mash and create carbon dioxide and alcohol. The length of the fermentation process is determined by the style of beer being produced but is usually less than two weeks.
The temperature during this stage is vital for the final result of the beer and controlling it can be one of the biggest challenges for brewers. With most ales, the temperature is maintained at around 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit and near 50 degrees Fahrenheit for lagers.
4. Conditioning
When the fermentation process is deemed complete, the conditioning or maturing process can begin. At this point, the yeast calms down and absorbs some of the unwanted compounds, such as carbon dioxide and ethanol. It then settles and, along with other unwanted sediments, separates from the beer. The conditioning process happens at varying temperatures depending on the style of beer. For example, colder temperatures work best for lagers.
This process allows the aromas and flavors to mature and can last anywhere from days to months. When stored in barrels, it can even take years, adding further complexity to the beer.
5. Packaging
The beer then gets transferred into kegs, bottles, or cans. It may also need to be carbonated, depending on the beer style. The finished product then gets shipped to stores, bars, pubs, restaurants, and other outlets that distribute beer.
6. Drinking
The last and most important stage in the beer brewing process is to enjoy it. Whether you're sipping from a glass at our Seattle brewery, your local bar, out in the sunshine, or at home with your feet up, nothing beats the taste of a good beer.
If you would like to learn more about the ins and outs of the craft beer brewing process, stop by Lowercase Brewing. Tour the brewery and sample some of our craft brews. We always have 13 on tap, plus a cider tap, a wine tap, and a cold-brew coffee tap. We also offer 4-packs to-go and poured to order 32oz LoBoy growlers.
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