Encyclopedia
Beer is one of the world's oldest
alcoholic beverages, possibly brewed for the first time over 10,000 years ago, according to renowned beer writer
Michael Jackson. It is a fermented beverage made from
malted
barley,
hops,
yeast and water, and is
carbonated in almost all cases. By altering the production method or the ingredients, a staggeringly wide variety of different types of beer can be produced. Much like fine wines, many beers can also be aged and evolve into beverages that defy the common definitions of beer.
History
Beer is one of the oldest beverages humans have produced, possibly dating back to at least the 8th millennium BC , and recorded in the written history of
Ancient Egypt and
Mesopotamia. As almost any substance containing
carbohydrates, namely
sugar or starch, can naturally undergo fermentation, it is likely that beer-like beverages were independently invented among various cultures throughout the world.
In Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Levant, large-scale production of beer was common. In Europe, beer was being produced by or for monasteries as early as the
7th century. By the
14th and
15th centuries, beer had achieved great popularity, at least in part because health epidemics made drinking beer safer than drinking water. However it was not until the
17th century, according to Michael Jackson, that beer took on the styles and flavours that we might recognise in the beers of today.
Today, the brewing industry is a huge global
business, consisting of several multinational companies, and many thousands of smaller producers ranging from brewpubs to regional breweries.
Brewing
- For a full explanation, see Brewing
Though the process of
brewing beer is complex and varies considerably, the basic stages that are consistent are outlined below. There may be additional filtration steps between stages.
- Mashing: The first phase of brewing, in which the malted grains are crushed and soaked in warm water in order to create a malt extract. The mash is held at constant temperature long enough for enzymes to convert starches into fermentable sugars.
- Sparging: Water is filtered through the mash to dissolve the sugars. The darker, sugar-heavy liquid is called the wort.
- Boiling: The wort is boiled along with any remaining ingredients , to remove excess water and kill any microorganisms. The hops are added at some stage during the boil.
- Fermentation: The yeast is added and the beer is left to ferment. After primary fermentation, the beer may be allowed a second fermentation, which allows further settling of yeast and other particulate matter which may have been introduced earlier in the process. Some brewers may skip the secondary fermentation and simply filter off the yeast.
- Packaging: At this point, the beer contains alcohol, but not much carbon dioxide. The brewer has a few options to increase carbon dioxide levels. The most common approach by large-scale brewers is force carbonation, via the direct addition of CO2 gas to the keg or bottle. Smaller-scale or more classically-minded brewers will add extra sugar or a small amount of newly fermenting wort to the final vessel, resulting in a short refermentation known as "cask-" or "bottle conditioning".
After brewing, the beer is usually a finished product. At this point the beer is
kegged,
casked,
bottled, or
canned.
Unfiltered beers may be stored for further fermentation in conditioning tanks, casks or bottles to allow smoothing of harsh alcohol notes, integration of heavy hop flavours, and/or the introduction of oxidised notes such as wine or sherry flavours. Some beer enthusiasts consider a long conditioning period attractive for various strong beers such as Barley wines. There are some beer cafes in Europe, such as Kulminator in Antwerp, which stock beers aged ten years or more. Aged beers such as
Bass Kings Ale from 1902,
Courage Imperial Russian Stout and
Thomas Hardys Ale are particularly valued.
Beer forms one of the most important parts of the modern day Irish economy.
Ingredients
The basic ingredients of beer are
water, a fermentable starch source, such as
malted
barley, and
yeast. It is common for a flavouring to be added, the most popular being
hops. A mixture of starch sources may be used, with the secondary starch source, such as corn, rice and sugar, often being termed an adjunct, especially when used as a lower cost substitute for malted barley.
Water
Beer is composed mainly of water, which when heated is known as brewing liquor. The characteristics of the water have an influence on the character of the beer. Although the effect of, and interactions between, various dissolved minerals in brewing water is complex, as a general rule, hard water is more suited to dark beer such as
stout, while very soft water is more suited for brewing
pale ale and
pale lager.
Starch source
The most common starch source is malted cereal. And among malts, barley malt is the most widely used owing to its high
amylase content, a
digestive enzyme which facilitates the breakdown of the starch into sugars. However, depending on what can be cultivated locally, other malted and unmalted grains may be used, including
wheat,
rice,
oats, and
rye, and less frequently,
maize and
sorghum. Malt is formed from grain by soaking it in water, allowing it to start to germinate, and then drying the germinated grain in a kiln. Malting the grain produces the enzymes that will eventually convert the starches in the grain into fermentable sugars. Different roasting times and temperatures are used to produce different colours of malt from the same grain. Darker malts will produce darker beers. Two or more types of malt may be combined.
People who have
gluten intolerance have a reaction to the gliadin found in wheat but more frequently, the "
gluten" of
barley. Such people have to drink
gluten free beer to prevent abdominal pain or possible malnutrition.
Hops
Hops have commonly been used as a bittering agent in beer since the seventeenth century.
Hops contain several characteristics very favourable to beer: hops contribute a bitterness that balances the sweetness of the malt, hops also contribute aromas which range from flowery to citrus to herbal, hops have an antibiotic effect that favours the activity of brewer's yeast over less desirable microorganisms and the use of hops aids in "
head retention", the length of time that a foamy head created by the beer's carbonation agent will last. The bitterness of commercially-brewed beers is measured on the International Bitterness Units scale. While hop plants are grown by farmers all around the world in many different varieties, there is no major commercial use for hops other than in beer.
Yeast
A microorganism that is responsible for fermentation. A specific strain of
yeast is chosen depending on the type of beer being produced, the two main strains being
ale yeast and
lager yeast , with some other variations available, such as
Brettanomyces is a non-spore forming [i] genus of yeast [i] in the family Saccharomycetaceae [i] ...
and
Torulaspora delbrueckii. Yeast will
metabolise the sugars extracted from the grains, and produce
alcohol and
carbon dioxide as a result. Before yeast's functions were understood, fermentations were conducted naturally using wild or airborne yeasts; although a few styles such as
lambics still rely on this ancient method, most modern fermentations are conducted using pure yeast
cultures.
Clarifying agent
Some brewers add one or more clarifying agents to beer that are not required to be published as ingredients. Common examples of these include Isinglass finings, obtained from swimbladders of
fish; kappa carrageenan, derived from seaweed;
Irish moss, a type of
red alga; and gelatin. Since these ingredients may be derived from
animals, those concerned with the use or consumption of animal products should obtain specific details of the filtration process from the brewer.
Styles
A great many different types, or styles, of beer are brewed across the globe. The traditional European brewing nations - the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Holland and Austria - all have their own beer styles. These form the basis of the vast majority of beer brewed around the world. In some countries - notably the USA, Canada and Australia - brewers have adapted and developed European styles to such an extent that they have effectively created their own indigenous types.
The greatest diversity of flavors and types of beer can be found in Belgium, as is portrayed by its
Belgian beer and
lambic and other beer styles. American brewers also produce many different styles of beer, such as Brown Ale,
Amber ale, Blonde Ale, Cream Ale and
Red Ale. And some brewers use
adjuncts such as chili or oats to make different styles such as oatmeal stout or chili beer.
Beer styles, however, are largely irrelevant in the world of beer consumption and appreciation. Far more important considerations are answers to the questions: do I like this beer and why? Styles are frequently subject to different interpretations and therefore, can be inaccurate in terms of describing a beer. Much more widely accepted and accurate are descriptions of certain aspects of the beer: aroma, appearance, mouthfeel , taste and the lack or presence of discernible alcohol.
Categorising by yeastA common method of categorising beer is by the behaviour of the yeast used in the fermentation process. In this method of categorising, those beers which use a fast acting yeast which leaves behind residual sugars are termed ales, while those beers which use a slower and longer acting yeast which removes most of the sugars leaving a clean and dry beer are termed lagers.
Ale
A modern
ale is commonly defined by the strain of yeast used and the fermenting temperature.
Ales are normally brewed with top-fermenting yeasts, though a number of British brewers, including
Fullers and
Weltons, use ale yeast strains that have less pronounced top-fermentation characteristics. The important distinction for ales is that they are fermented at higher temperatures and thus ferment more quickly than lagers.
Ale is typically fermented at temperatures between 15 and 24
°C . At these temperatures, yeast produces significant amounts of
esters and other secondary flavour and aroma products, and the result is often a beer with slightly "fruity" compounds resembling but not limited to
apple,
pear,
pineapple,
banana,
plum, or prune. Typical ales have a sweeter, fuller body than "lagers".
Differences between some ales and lagers can be difficult to categorise. Steam beer, Kölsch, Alt and some modern British Golden Summer Beers use elements of both lager and ale production. Baltic Porter and Bière de Garde may be produced by either lager or ale methods or a combination of both.
However, lager production is perceived to produce cleaner tasting, dryer and lighter beer than ale.
Lager
Lager is the English name for bottom-fermenting beers of Central European origin, though the term is not used there. They are the most commonly-consumed beer in the world. The name comes from the
German lagern . Lager yeast is a bottom-fermenting yeast, and typically undergoes primary fermentation at 7-12 °C , and then is given a long secondary fermentation at 0-4 °C . During the secondary stage, the lager clears and mellows. The cooler conditions also inhibit the natural production of
esters and other byproducts, resulting in a "crisper" tasting beer.
Modern methods of producing lager were pioneered by Gabriel Sedlmayr the Younger, who perfected dark brown lagers at the
Spaten Brewery in
Bavaria, and Anton Dreher, who began brewing a lager, probably of amber-red color, in
Vienna in 1840–1841. With modern improved yeast strains, most lager breweries use only short periods of cold storage, typically 1–3 weeks.
The
lagering phase is not restricted to
lager beers. In Germany, all beers are stored at low temperatures before consumption; in the British tradition, the practice of Cold Conditioning is similar in nature.
Lambic beers: spontaneous fermentation
Lambic beers use wild yeasts, rather than cultivated ones. Many of these are not related to brewer's yeast , and may have significant differences in aroma and sourness.
Pale and dark beer
The most common color is a pale amber produced from using pale malts.
Pale lager is a term used for beers made from
malt dried with coke. Coke had been first used for roasting malt in 1642, but it wasn't until around 1703 that the term
pale ale was first used.
In terms of volume, most of today's beer is based on the
pale lager brewed in 1842 in the town of
Plzen, in the
Czech Republic. The modern Pilsner lager is light in colour and high in carbonation, with a strong hop flavour and an alcohol by volume content of around 5%. The
Pilsner Urquell and
Heineken brands of beer are typical examples of pale lager, as are the American brands Budweiser, Coors, and Miller.
Dark beers are usually brewed from a pale malt or pils malt base with a small proportion of darker malt added to achieve the desired shade. Other colourants - such as caramel - are also widely used to darken beers. Very dark beers, such as
stout, use dark or patent malts. These have been roasted longer.
Serving
Draught and keg
Draught beer from a pressurized
keg is the most common dispense method in bars around the world. A metal keg is pressurized with
carbon dioxide gas which drives the beer to the dispensing tap or faucet. Some beers, notably
stouts, such as
Guinness and "Smooth" bitters, such as
Boddingtons, may be served with a nitrogen/carbon dioxide mixture.
Nitrogen has fine bubbles, producing a dense head and a creamy mouthfeel.
In the 1980s Guinness introduced the beer widget, a nitrogen pressurized ball inside a can which creates a foamy head. The words "draft" and "draught" are often used as marketing terms to describe
canned or
bottled beers containing a beer widget.
Cask ales
Cask ales are unfiltered and unpasteurised. When the landlord feels the beer has settled, and he is ready to serve it, he will knock a soft spile into a bunghole on the side of the cask. The major difference in appearance between a keg and a cask is the bunghole. A keg does not have a bunghole on the side.
The soft spile in the bunghole allows gas to vent off. This can be seen by the bubbles foaming around the spile. The landlord will periodically check the bubbles by wiping the spile clean and then watching to see how fast the bubbles reform. There still has to be some life in the beer otherwise it will taste flat, but too much life and the beer will taste hard or fizzy. When the beer is judged to be ready, the landlord will replace the soft spile with a hard one and let the beer settle for 24 hours. He will also knock a tap into the end of the cask. This might simply be a tap if the cask is stored behind the bar. The beer will then be served simply under gravity pressure: Turn on the tap, and the beer comes out. But if the cask is in the cellar, the beer needs to travel via tubes, or beer lines, up to the bar area using a beer engine.
Bottles
Most beers are filtered before bottling. See
Filtered beer. But some are bottle conditioned.
Bottle conditioned beers are unfiltered and unpasteurised. It is usually recommended that the beer is poured slowly, leaving any yeast sediment at the bottom of the bottle. However, some drinkers prefer to pour in the yeast, and this practice is customary with
wheat beers. Typically when serving a
hefeweizen 90% of the contents is poured and the remainder swirled to suspend the sediment before pouring it into the glass.
Cans
A lot of beer is sold in
Beer cans. People either drink from the can or pour the beer into a glass.
Culture
Social context
Various social traditions and activities are associated with beer drinking, such as playing
cards,
darts or other
pub games; attending
beer festivals, or visiting a
series of different pubs in one evening;
rating beer; joining an organisation such as
CAMRA; or
brewing beer at home. Various
drinking games, such as
beer pong, are also very popular.
International consumption
Beer is considered to be a social lubricant in many societies. Beer is consumed in countries all over the world. There are breweries in Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq and Syria as well as African countries and remote countries such as Mongolia. Sales of beer are four times as much as wine, the second most popular alcoholic beverage.
Vessels
Beer is drunk from a variety of vessels, such as a glass, a
beer stein, a mug, a
pewter tankard or even a
beer bottle or
can. Many drinkers consider that the type of vessel influences their enjoyment of the beer. In Europe, many breweries produce glassware intended only for their own beers. While some drinkers in Britain may prefer their ale to be served in
pewter tankards, most drinkers in Europe expect their beer to be served in a glass, preferably the glass chosen by the brewery.
The pouring process has an influence on a beer's presentation.
The rate of flow from the tap or other serving vessel, tilt of the glass, and position of the pour into the glass all influence the end result, such as the size and longevity of the head, lacing , and
turbulence of the beer and its release of
carbonation.
Unfiltered bottled beers may be served with the addition of the remaining yeast at the bottom of the bottle to add both flavour and colour.
Serving temperature
The temperature of a beer has an influence on a drinker's experience. Colder temperatures allow fully attenuated beers such as
pale lagers to be enjoyed for their crispness; while warmer temperatures allow the more rounded flavours of an ale or a
stout to be perceived. There are no firmly agreed principles for all cases; however, a general approach is that lighter coloured beers, such as pale lagers, are usually enjoyed cold , while dark, strong beers such as Imperial Stouts are often enjoyed at cellar temperature and then allowed to warm up in the room to individual taste. Other beers should be served at temperatures between these extremes.
Rating
Rating beer is a recent craze that combines the enjoyment of beer drinking with the hobby of
collecting. People drink beer and then record their scores and comments on various internet websites. This is a worldwide activity and people in the
USA will swap bottles of beer with people living in
New Zealand and
Russia. People's scores may be tallied together to create lists of the most popular beers in each country as well as the most highly rated beers in the world.
Health effects
Beer contains alcohol which has a number of health risks and benefits. However, beer includes a wide variety of other agents that are currently undergoing scientific evaluation.
Nutritionally, beer can contain significant amounts of
magnesium,
selenium,
potassium,
phosphorus,
biotin, and B vitamins. Typically, the darker the brew, the more nutrient dense.
A 2005 Japanese study found that non-alcoholic beer may possess strong anti-cancer properties. Another study found nonalcoholic beer to mirror the cardiovascular benefits associated with moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages.
It is considered that over-eating and lack of muscle tone is the main cause of a
beer belly, rather than beer consumption. A recent study, however, found a link between binge drinking and
beer belly .
Strength
The alcohol content of beers varies by local custom. British ales average around 4% abv, while
Belgian beers tend to average 8% abv. The strength of the typical global pale lager is 5% abv.
Typical brewing yeast cannot reproduce above 12% abv. However, in the
1980s the Swiss brewery Hurlimann developed a yeast strain which could get as high as 14% for their Samichlaus beer.
Some brewers use champagne yeasts to artificially increase the alcohol content of their beers.
Samuel Adams reached 20% abv with
Millennium and then surpassed that amount to 25.6% abv with
Utopias. The strongest beer sold in Britain was
Dogfish Head's
World Wide Stout, a 21% abv
stout which was available from UK Safeways in 2003. In Japan in 2005, the Hakusekikan Beer Restaurant sold an
eisbock, strengthened through freezing, believed to be 28% abv. The beer that is considered to be the strongest yet made is Hair of the Dog's
Dave - a 29% abv barley wine made in 1994.
Related beverages
- See
There are a number of related beverages such as
kvass, sahti and
pulque.
- Africa: Hundreds of local drinks made from millet, sorghum, and other available starch crops.
- Andes, South America: Chicha, an Andean beverage made from germinated maize.
- Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet and Sikkim: Chhaang, a popular semi-fermented rice/millet drink in the eastern Himalaya.
- China: Jiu refers to all alcoholic drinks, most of which are distilled liquors , but there are traditional grain-based relatives of beer such as sulima, made by the Mosuo people, and lijiang yinjiu, made by the Nakhi people, both in the Lijiang region of Yunnan.
- Finland: Sahti, a traditional Finnish beer.
- Japan: Sake, a rice-based fermented drink.
- Korea
One of the world's oldest civilization [i]s, Korea began with the founding of Gojoseon [i] in 2333 ...
:
Soju- Kyrgyzstan: Bozo is a low alcohol, somewhat porridgey drink made from millet. The Kyrgyz are also fans of kumis, , the fermented mare's milk drink popular in many parts of Central Asia and Mongolia. This is very easy to obtain as it is sold in any market and at small stands on the side of the highway in rural areas as a source of income for the local nomads.
- Mexico: Pulque
