Secrets of production: what beer is made of and how it is brewed
The first beer appeared in the 7th century BC. Most likely, it bore little resemblance to modern varieties, and the production technology differed considerably. We won’t be able to find out how the ancient Sumerians prepared their drink, but it’s easy to tell you what ingredients and how beer is brewed today. Let’s go!
The subtleties of the process
The basis of any beer is malt. This is the name given to the seeds of cereals that have undergone special fermentation. Grains can be different — wheat, barley, rye and even corn. After the grains are ripe, they are sent to a crusher to be pulverized. Once the grains are completely broken, the next stage of production comes — mashing.
This is the name given to the process of mixing malt with water. The resulting mass is heated to a high temperature — from 60 to 72 degrees Celsius. This is necessary for the malt to release starch, which is then broken down and transformed into simple sugars. It is they that become the alcohol base of the future drink.
At this stage, the malt and water become wort — a sweet mass that undergoes fermentation. The wort is filtered to get rid of residual grains, and then boiled. The high temperatures precipitate the proteins that will later become the foam, and the drink itself is sanitized.
Then hops are added to the wort, either during boiling or immediately after. It is responsible for the aroma of the future drink and bitterness in its taste. The longer the hops are boiled, the more pronounced the bitterness will be.
But that’s not all. The resulting mass is again cleaned from the remnants of grains to make the drink even more transparent. A special decanter or whirlpool is used for this purpose.
Then the wort is cooled — from 100 degrees to the fermentation temperature. Modern production facilities use a special device for this purpose — a heat exchanger. After that, the mass is placed in a container where it will ferment. To start the process, yeast is added to the wort. They turn sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. It is the type of yeast that determines which family the beer will belong to: ales or lagers. Sometimes no yeast is added, and fermentation takes place under the influence of «wild» yeasts — microorganisms that are found in a particular geographical area. This is the case with lambic, which is produced by spontaneous fermentation in the Senna River Valley.
Once the fermentation process is complete, aging begins. The beer is placed in a container (for example, some varieties are aged in wine barrels) for a certain period of time.
By the way, non-alcoholic beer is brewed in the same way, and degrees are removed from it with a special device after fermentation.
Lambic has both. Come to any of our beer restaurants and try it!
Porter beer: from the working class to the aristocrats
If you ask beer connoisseurs what a porter is now, many will answer: a noble dark beer whose flavor is dominated by notes of chocolate, fruit, coffee beans, biscuit and toast. But all these flavors did not appear at once, and far from always the variety was considered refined. How porter came to be and when it acquired a recognizable flavor profile — we’ll tell you in this article. Back in the past The first mention of porter dates back to the early 18th century. It went down in history as the first style to be aged — brewers used to put their products on the counter immediately after production. Porter got its name from the English porter — loader. The point is that the new style became especially popular among the working class and port movers because of its high caloric content. The first London Porters were much stronger than modern ones — about 6.6%. At first they were made exclusively from brown malt, then they switched to a mix of light and black malt — 95 and 5 percent respectively. Until now, this recipe is not considered strict, but many producers use it. Sometimes caramel, chocolate, brown and other varieties of malt are added instead of black malt, but not roasted, as it adds undesirable notes to the drink. Hops and yeast are usually English, but in other countries producers often change them to local ones. At the end of the 18th century, porter became popular in Russia. In our country it was considered the drink of aristocrats. After World War II the drink was practically stopped being produced, and its triumphant revival took place in 1978 thanks to the efforts of the Penrhos craft brewery, which was later joined by other producers. Types of Porter There are several official types of porter: — brown — the weakest, with a strength of about 4.5%;— strong — existed until 2015, now conditionally divided into English with a strength of 4 to 5.4% with a pronounced malt character and American (bitter, dry, strength up to 6.5%);— «pre-dry» — reminiscent of American, but milder, strength up to 6%;— Baltic — the strongest porter up to 9.5%, with pronounced fruity tones. How to drink? Porter is recommended to be consumed chilled to 8-12 degrees. It goes well with mature cheeses, various meat dishes, including steak, chocolate desserts. You can try a quality porter in any of Lambic beer restaurants. Our list includes hundreds of varieties from all over the world, as well as many delicious dishes, pleasant atmosphere and excellent service. Come — we will find something to surprise you!
09 August 2024
Hook Norton Double Stout beer: twice the fun
Dark, dense, with hints of coffee and chocolate — of course, we are talking about stout. This English ale has long been on the menus of all beer restaurants and in the personal top of true beer connoisseurs. There are hundreds of stout varieties, each of which is unique in its own way. We will tell you about one special variety — Hook Norton Double Stout — in this article. What’s unique about it? Hook Norton Double Stout is produced by the British brewery of the same name using an ancient recipe dating back centuries. It is kept in strict secrecy, and it is not surprising: Hook Norton Double Stout differs significantly from other similar brews. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that two types of malt are used: brown and black. The first one gives the drink dryness and characteristic mild bitterness, the second one is responsible for rich dark color and aroma. The flavor of Hook Norton Double Stout is rich, tantalizing, with notes of toast and roasted coffee beans. A bit of history Hook Norton Brewery traces its history back to 1849, when founder John Harris bought a farm with a malt house in Oxfordshire. At first, he focused solely on selling malt, but in 1856, he began brewing his own beer. Today, the Hook Norton complex has dozens of buildings, including its own visitor center. The brewery is especially proud of its Hooky line. This is a series of English ales of the highest quality, which includes Hook Norton Double Stout. How to drink Double stout is recommended to drink from tall glasses, which allow to better reveal the aroma and taste of beer. However, the ideal glass for a stout is the Irish pint or pint tulip. This glass widens slightly in the middle — its top is slightly wider than the bottom. The drinking temperature is room temperature or slightly lower (around 12-14 degrees Celsius). Hook Norton Double Stout beer goes well with a variety of meats — pork, beef, game, as well as barbecue dishes and dark chocolate desserts. You can try the unique Hook Norton Double Stout beer at any beer restaurant in the Lambic chain. We have hundreds of beers on the menu, as well as delicious food and great atmosphere. We are waiting for you!
09 August 2024