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How is Beer Made?


How is beer made?  
 

1. Mashing  

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The malt is added to heated water, which spurs enzymes in the malt to convert the malt's starch into sugars and its proteins into nitrogen compounds. This typically takes place in large cylindrical tanks called "mash tuns."


2. Lautering

 
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The mash is transferred into another cylindrical tank called a "lauter tun" that acts as a strainer to remove the spent grain from the liquid. The extract is a sugary liquid and, until the end of the fermentation process, the brew will be called "wort."

 

3. Boiling/Hopping


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The wort is then transferred into another tank, typically stainless steel or copper, called the "brew kettle." Hops are added to the wort and it is boiled for a specific amount of time to extract oils from the hops, achieve a particular flavor, and sterilize the wort.  


4. Cooling  

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After boiling, the wort is cooled to around 63 to 70 degrees F for ales and usually about 55 degrees F for lagers.

 

5. Fermentation   
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The wort is moved to fermenting tanks where the yeast is added. The fermentation process takes seven to ten days. Ales will often be cellared at slightly cooler temperatures for another week. Lagers will be stored even longer at colder temperatures for several weeks. Ale yeast is sometimes called top-fermenting yeast because the yeast often has a tendency to rise to the top of the fermentation for a period of time. Lager yeast will tend to settle only to the bottom and thus are sometimes called bottom-fermenting yeast.  


6. Storage and Packaging
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After the fermentation process, the brew is finally beer! It is stored in a cool environment for a few weeks and is ready to be bottled, shipped, and enjoyed.