PART ONE, THE BREWING PROCESS

Part One, the Brewing Process

Morgan E. DeMuth
University of South Florida Sarasota- Manatee

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Abstract
Brewing beer is a very intricate process. Beers four main ingredients have strict temperatures and
timing in order to produce a quality product. Micro- brewing and home brewing have their
differences. Professional brewers are going to have more resources and will be able to produce
larger amounts of beer in one beer making processes than a home brewer. Even though the
quantities may be different and the tools used may very between the two, the ultimate goal is the
same; every brewer, whether one at home or in a brewery, wants to make good beer.

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The basic brewing process involves a combination of steps. The process is generally the same
process when using home brewing techniques or micro-brewery techniques. Micro- breweries
will have more resources to use than home brewing, but stay on the same guide line. All beers
have four main ingredients malt extract/grains, yeast, water, and hops.
First step to brewing beer would be to sanitize all equipment being used. This is very important
because any extra bacterium that comes in contact with the yeast or sugar can spoil your beer.
The next step involves the grains/ malt extract. Depending on if you are mashing the grains to
make the extract or using a prepared malt extract you may have a few extra steps. Assuming you
go with mashing the grains the extra steps involve the process of getting the sugar from those
grains. The water and grains have to be heated to about 155 degrees F. The grains and hot water
are then turned for up to an hour and brought up to about 170 degrees F. Once this is drained you
have the wort, or unfermented beer. Now it is time for the hops, the length in time you decided to
add the hops can change the flavoring of your beer. This is a bitter ingredient that is used to
balance the sweetness of the wort. The water, wort, and hops are meant to be boiled for about an
hour. The coil cooler is then added to bring the temperature of the mix. The biggest step comes
next, the yeast. This can come in a dry or liquid form, it is important because it contains living
organisms that ferment the beer. The mix is poured in to the object it will be fermenting in.
Usually carboys or conical fermenters are used. Then an airlock is added to the top of the
container in which the beer is being fermented in. The airlock helps release the carbon dioxide
produced during fermentation, but doesnt let any oxygen or bacteria get in. It is important to
have the correct airlock because the beer can explode if the carbon dioxide is not escaping. The
fermentation process can take anywhere from two to four weeks to produce. Then the
carbonation process can start! There are two different ways to conduct the carbonating of your

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beer. You can keg your beer, which this process forces carbonation through cooling the beer and
using CO2 pressure. Or you can bottle the beer, but first you can add a carbonation tablet, pre
measured amount of sugar, dry malt extract, or krausening. (Smith, 2015) These mixtures or
tablets are added right before bottling and will allow the beer to become carbonized. Depending
on the kind of beer you have decided to make is what temperature it should be stored at. Lagers
need a colder temperature where ales can be stored from 68 72 degrees F.
Home brewer sets can be sold at different stores and even have different website dedicated to just
the home brewing process. With home brewing it is usually used for someones personal interest,
a hobby. This usually produces a small amount of beer at a given time. Tools can be used to
create the correct rigs for making beer. Some people even use their own stoves to heat their pots
for home brewing. Micro- brewing involves professionals in a higher qualified environment.
Micro- breweries contain large stainless steel tanks and high pressure boilers. They can produce
large amounts of beer in just one set and has machines to help bottle or can the beer.

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Bibliography
Smith, B. (2015, February 11). Carbonation Options for Your Home Brewed Beer.
Retrieved September 9, 2015, from BeerSmith.com:
http://beersmith.com/blog/2015/02/11/carbonation-options-for-your-homebrewed-beer/
Trimble, T. (2011, January 13). How to Brew Beer: Getting Started. Retrieved
September 9, 2015, from www.popularmechanics.com:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/how-to/g466/thestarters-guide-to-brewing-beer/