For centuries, beer has been made with four basic ingredients: malt, water, hops, and yeast. Put basically, the sugars are extracted from grains so that yeast can convert it to alcohol and carbon dioxide, creating the final product: beer. While craft brewing is certainly guided by scientific principles, there is creativity involved, as brewers need to vary the combinations of grains, hops, yeast, and extracts to create a multitude of styles.
This dedication to creativity is what sets craft beer apart from mass market produced beer. The major domestic beer companies use cheaper ingredients – for instance, rice or corn instead of hops – to reduce the price of the final product, creating a watery, bland product.
MALTING
The first step that goes into making craft beer is harvesting the grains. Once the seeds are harvested, they are run through a malting process, which creates the starch enzymes necessary to create fermentable sugars when the yeast is added later.
THE MASH
Once the grains have been malted, the brewer steeps them in hot water, a process known as mashing. This activates the starch enzymes in the grain, causing them to break down and release sugar. The water is drained, which leaves a thick, syrupy substance known as wort.
THE BOIL
The next step in the brewing process is commonly referred to as the boil. In this step, the wort is brought to a boil and hops are gradually added at specifically timed intervals. Hops are a small, pinecone-looking fruit that provide bitterness that balances out the sugar in the wort. There are over 150 varieties of hops, and each type creates a slightly different flavor and level of bitterness. IPAs, or India pale ales, are known for their hoppy, bitter flavor, and typically feature three or four different types of hops.
FERMENTATION AND BOTTLING
After the boil is complete, the liquid goes into a fermenting vessel and the yeast is added. During the next few weeks, the yeast breaks down the sugars to create alcohol and carbon dioxide. When the fermentation process is complete, the beer is then transferred into bottles or kegs, where it will be ready in two to three weeks.
Wilton Jordan is a Craft Beverage Manager providing beers for Spartanburg, Asheville, and Franklin. Since a young age, he has been involved with every aspect of the beer industry; from brewing beer, to selling it, managing multiple beverage programs, to curating beer festivals. In addition to being a beverage enthusiast he is known for being a prolific outdoors-man, with an extensive knowledge of waterfalls in Western North Carolina. Being a hiker, a paddleboarder, offroader, creekwalker, and novice climber he is not only able to offer great beer recommendations, but also information about the area that will ensure you have the best time on your next outdoor adventure!Â