What are the ingredients to make beer and how does it work?
At minimum beer must contain four main ingredients. Malted Barley, Hops, Yeast, and Water. The Yeast uses oxygen as fuel to consume carbohydrates in the wort (wort is unfermented beer). The byproduct is literally alcohol and CO2. The left over carbohydrates that are too complex for the yeast to consume are what contribute to the beers color, body, flavor, head etc.
How long does it take to brew a batch?
Brewday can take 4-6 hours depending on how organized I am and which style of beer I am making. After that, ales ferment in about 1-2 weeks and Lagers 2-4 weeks. After that there can be a conditioning or lagering phase which can last 1-6 weeks. If you bottle the beer, as opposed to kegging and force carbonating, you must add a small amount of sugar for the beer to ferment. While sealed with a cap, the CO2 has nowhere to go and is re-absorbed into the beer which causes carbonation. This takes 2 weeks. Long story short, Ales 3-4 weeks and Lagers 6-8 weeks (generally speaking)
At minimum beer must contain four main ingredients. Malted Barley, Hops, Yeast, and Water. The Yeast uses oxygen as fuel to consume carbohydrates in the wort (wort is unfermented beer). The byproduct is literally alcohol and CO2. The left over carbohydrates that are too complex for the yeast to consume are what contribute to the beers color, body, flavor, head etc.
How long does it take to brew a batch?
Brewday can take 4-6 hours depending on how organized I am and which style of beer I am making. After that, ales ferment in about 1-2 weeks and Lagers 2-4 weeks. After that there can be a conditioning or lagering phase which can last 1-6 weeks. If you bottle the beer, as opposed to kegging and force carbonating, you must add a small amount of sugar for the beer to ferment. While sealed with a cap, the CO2 has nowhere to go and is re-absorbed into the beer which causes carbonation. This takes 2 weeks. Long story short, Ales 3-4 weeks and Lagers 6-8 weeks (generally speaking)
What is the difference between a Lager and Ale?
Ales and Lagers use different strains of yeast. Ales ferment at warmer temperatures 18-23 celcius and Lagers 9-12 celcius. The lower the temperature the slower the fermentation and less impact the yeast will have on the beer. Cooler temperatures mean the yeast will produce less, if any, esters or by products that would contribute to aroma and flavor in the beer. This is why Lagers are so "clean and crisp" compared to ales which tend to be fruitier and have more "character". Lager literally means "to store". The storage phase is an extended aging phase of the beer at cool temperatures to "clean up" the beer. Lager yeasts can also ferment another type of sugar called maltotriose that ales yeasts cannot. That's one less sugar left in a lager to contribute to the beers body and flavor.
Ales and Lagers use different strains of yeast. Ales ferment at warmer temperatures 18-23 celcius and Lagers 9-12 celcius. The lower the temperature the slower the fermentation and less impact the yeast will have on the beer. Cooler temperatures mean the yeast will produce less, if any, esters or by products that would contribute to aroma and flavor in the beer. This is why Lagers are so "clean and crisp" compared to ales which tend to be fruitier and have more "character". Lager literally means "to store". The storage phase is an extended aging phase of the beer at cool temperatures to "clean up" the beer. Lager yeasts can also ferment another type of sugar called maltotriose that ales yeasts cannot. That's one less sugar left in a lager to contribute to the beers body and flavor.
What is your flagship/house beer?
How long have you been brewing?
What exactly is a beer judge anyways?
etc...
