Wheat Beers

Wheat beers are beers that are brewed with both
malted barley and malted wheat, rather than using
just barley.  The addition of wheat will lend wheat
beers a lighter flavor and somewhat paler color
than most all barley ales and beers.  Wheat beer
is normally top fermented, which is fermentation
with ale yeast.

All types of wheat beers have become very popular
in the last several years, especially in warm
weather.  In earlier centuries, the brewing of
wheat beer was illegal in many places, simply
because wheat was too important as both bread and
cereal to waste it with brewing beers.

The two most important varieties of wheat beers
are Belgian and German.

Belgian

Belgian wheat beers are easily the best known,
as they get their name from the suspended wheat
proteins which give it the whitish color.  Belgian
white beers often have spices such as coriander
or orange peels added, which help to give them
a hint of fruity flavor.

German

German wheat beer is a well known variation through
the sourthern part of the country.  The German
yeast wheat is a variety in which the yeast isn’t
filtered out.  The filtration will take the yeast
out, and also strips wheat proteins which will
make it appear cloudy.

A lot of microbrewers in the United States as
well as Canada that make their own variations of
wheat beer, which is particularly popular in
Portland Oregon, which is considered to be the
beer capital.

In Europe, wheat beer is normally served in special
types of wheat beer glasses.  In Belgium they are
normally solid glasses.  Other countries will take
half a liter, in which the glasses are normally
tall and slim, tapering slightly towards the
base.

In the United States, wheat beer is normally served
with a slice of lemon.

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Methods Of Microbrewing

The first thing you’ll need to do when brewing is
to sanitize everything that will come in contact
with your unfermented beer.  It will take time
for the sanitizer to do its job, so don’t rush
things.

Next, you’ll need to rinse everything to remove
any remaining sanitizer.  Any remaining sanitizer
can kill of your yeast if you don’t rinse things
well.  Add 3 1/2 gallons of water to your
fermenter then seal it with the fermenter’s lid
or a rubber stopper.  This should be done as
soon as you can before you begin to cook the
wort.

Cooking

Add 2 gallons of cold water to the pot and bring
it to a boil.  Once the water has started to boil,
add your malt syrup or extract kit.  Always watch
your pot boil and never leave it.  Stir it well,
until the extract has dissolved.

Boiling over can create a mess and cause you to
loose precious ingredients.  Malt doesn’t boil
like water, as it comes to a boil the liquid will
expand and foam over the top. Stir constantly
and keep a close watch to avoid boiling over.

Add a few tablespoons of your boiling wort to
1 cup of cool water in a santized container,
making sure the temperature isn’t too high.
Next, add your yeast packet and cover the
container with a saucer or lid.

Pitching Yeast

After the wort has finished boiling, allow the
mixture time to cool to 70 - 80 degrees then
pitch the yeast into your fermenter, which you
already have filled to 2/3 of the desired
final level with cold water.

These are the basic steps for brewing your
own microbrews.  You’ll also have to siphon,
bottle, then pour your brew.  The final steps
aren’t that difficult, although they do
require a certain level of precision.  If
this is your first time brewing, you should
watch someone experienced first.

With microbrewing, there are many different
methods, including fruit.  Fruit is unlike
other types of microbrews, as the method
introduces fruit into the equation and makes
for a very unique - yet interesting taste.

When brewing your own beers, you can use
any method you prefer.  Some are harder than
others, although a little bit of time is all
you need to become a pro.  Once you have been
brewing for a while, you’ll be able to
brew even the most exotic of microbrews - all
it takes is time and dedication.

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History of Microbrews

Many historians believe that the ancient Sumerians
and Mesopotamians were brewing as early back as
10,000 B.C.  Even though this product would have
been different from the bottles varieties of today,
it would have still been recognizable.

The ancient Egyptians and the Chinese brewed their
beer, as did civilizations in America, where they
used corn instead of barley.  Back then, thousands
of years ago, microbrews were very popular and
on their way to what we now know and love today.

In the middle ages, European monks were the
guardians of literature and science, as well as
the art of making beer.  They refined the process
to perfection, and even institutionalized the use
of hops as both flavoring and a preservative.

It wasn’t however, until Louis Pasteur came along
that a final, important development was determined.
Until this time, brewers had to depend on the wild
yet airborne yeast for fermentation.  By establishing
that yeast is actually a living organism, he opened
the gates for controlling the conversion of sugar
into alcohol.

Grapes grow well in warmer climates, while barley
grows better in cool climates.  This is how the
northern areas of Germany and England first became
famous for their beers.

Beer in America

Everything in America went dim until the dark day
of 1920, when prohibition took effect.  A lot of
breweries went out of business or switched their
production to soda pop.  Not everyone stopped
drinking, but gangster related products weren’t
known for high quality.

When Franklin D. Roosevelt became president, he
quickly appealed the very unpopular law.  The
new breeds of now famous beer came after World War
2 were generally mass produced and very bland.

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Troubleshooting Home Brewing

Stuck Fermentation

Stuck fermentation occurs when your beer fails to
ferment to completion.  This can result from the
use of old yeast or poor ingredients.  The best
way to take care of this problem, is to prevent
it from starting.  To do this, you should:

1. Re-hydrate the yeast by adding it to
some water and adding wort to the yeast an hour
or more before you pitch.  This will help ensure
that your yeast is still active.

2. Use an all malt or a recipe that has
a lot of it, as yeast needs nutrients to stay
alive.  Corn and sugar lack these nutrients.  If
your yeast still fails to survive, it cannot
reproduce.  For this very reason, distilled water
shouldn’t be used when making beer.

Under Carbonation

If you’ve used the proper amount of priming sugar
and your beer is still flat, it’s probably due
to the fact that you didn’t properly rise the
sanitizing solution from the bottles.  If too
much sanitizer is left in the bottles, it can
kill the yeast, which results in flat beer.  The
only way to prevent this is to stop it from
happening.

Over Carbonation

Over carbonation can cause your beer to turn into
a foam disaster.  It can result from these causes:

1. Too much or uneven priming sugar.  You
should measure your primer carefully and dissolve
it thoroughly in boiling water and allow it the
proper time to cool.  Before bottling, make sure
to stir this into your beer.

2. Bottling your beer too early can also
result in too much carbonation.

3. Poor sanitization is also a cause.  If
you allow your beer to come in contact with wild
yeast, it can result in over carbonation and
possibly even off flavors.

4. Bottles that are under filled can
also contribute to over carbonation.  You should
allow 1/2 inch of head space to allow your
beer time to pressurize.

By taking the proper time to fix problems, you’ll
ensure that your brew comes out great every
time you brew it.  If you happen to run into a
problem, always take the time to rationize it
before you rush into fixing it.  If you rush into
fixing a problem, you may start another one.

You should expect problems, especially if this
is your first time brewing.  Even for expert home
brewers, problems can occur from time to time -
which is something you’ll learn to deal with.

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Lagers

Lagering, as a process, was discovered around 200
years ago in Bavaria.  Here, it was found that
beers experiencing secondary fermentation in casks
stored in the caves of the Alps would produce beers
with differnet characteristics than ales.

The process of lagering became very popular in
areas where fermentating with cool temperatures
could be maintained, although it wasn’t until the
invention of the refrigerator that lagers really
spread around the world.

Over the last several years, flat sales have been
seen for breweries as a growth in sales for
American microbrews.  Even though a lot of the
beer volume from lager is composed of cheap quality
product from the large breweries, there’s plenty
of great products available, although most are
from Europe.

European All Malt Pilsener

World wild, Pilseners are the most popular style.
The style originated in Bohemia in a town that
was named Pilsen by the brewery.  Even though
there are some superb Pilseners made outside this
region, the style is frequently cheapened and
is also the basis for many beers lacking quality
or being just plain ol’ cheap beer.

German Pilsener

Classic German Pilseners are very light in color
and well hopped, with the hop bitterness being
high.  It’s a well attenuated, medium bodied beer
although a malty accent can be perceived.  There
shouldn’t be any chill haze, as the head of the
beer should be dense and rich.

Bohemian Lager

Lagers in this category are very similar to German
Pilseners, although they are more full bodied
and can be as dark as light amber.  This style of
beer will balance the moderate bitterness and
noble hop aroma with a malty, yet slightly sweet
body.

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Beer Culture

Social Context

Many social traditions and activities are very
associated with drinking beer, such as playing cards,
darts, or other games.  The consumption of beer in
isolation and excess may be associated with people
drinking away their troubles, while drinking in
excess with company may be associated with binge
drinking.

Around the World

All over the world, beer is consumed.  There are
several breweries in the Middle East countries as
well, such as Iraq and Syria.  There is also
breweries in African countries and other remote
countries such as Mongolia as well.

Glassware

Getting an appropriate beer glass is considered
desirable by some drinkers.  There are some drinkers
of beer that may sometimes drink out of the bottle
or can, while others may choose to pour their
beer into a glass.  Drinking from a bottle picks
up aromas by the nose, so if a drinker wishes to
appreciate the aroma of a beer, the beer is first
poured into a mug, glass, or stein.

Similar to  wine, there is specialized styles of
glasses for some types of beer, with some breweries
producing glassware intended for their own styles
of beer.

Temperature

The conditions for serving beer have a big influence
on a drinker’s experiences.  An important factor
when drinking is the temperature - as colder
temperatures will start to inhibit the chemical
senses of the tongue and throat, which will narrow
down the flavor profile of beer, allow certain
lagers to release their crispness.

Pouring

The process of pouring will have an influence on
the presentation of beer.  The flow rate from the
tap, titling of the glass, and position of the
pour into the glass will all affect the outcome,
such as the size and longevity of the head and the
turbulence of the bar as it begins to release the
carbonation.

The more heavily carbonated beers such as German
pilseners will need settling time before they are
served, although many of them are served with the
addition of the remaining yeast at the bottom to
add extra color and flavor.

Beer Rating

The rating of beer is a craze that combines the
enjoyment of drinking beer with the hobby of
collecting it.  Those that drink beer sometimes
tend to record their scores and comments on various
internet websites.

This is a worldwide activity, as people in the
United States will swap bottles of beer with those
living in New Zealand and Russia.  The scores may
then be tallied together to create lists of the
most popular beers in each country as well as
those throughout the world.

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The Brewing Process

Brewing is the actual process of alcoholic beverages
and alcohol through fermentation. This method is
used with beer production, although the term can
also be used for other drinks as well.  The term
brewing is also used to refer to any chemical
mixing process as well.

The process of brewing has a long history indeed,
which archeological evidence tells us that this
technique was actually used in ancient Egypt as
well.  Many descriptions of various beer recipes
can be found in Sumerian writings, which are
some of the oldest writings of any type.

Even though the process of brewing is complex and
varies greatly, Below, you’ll find the basic
stages relating to brewing.

1.  Mashing - This is the first phase of brewing,
in which the malted grains are crushed and soaked
in warm water in order to create an extract of the
malt.  The mash is then held at constant
temperature long enough for the enzymes to convert
starches into fermentable sugar.
2.  Sparging -  At this stage, water is
filtered through the mash to dissolve all of the
sugars.  The darker, sugar heavy liquid is known
as the wort.
3.  Boiling - The wort is boiled along
with any remaining ingredients to remove any excess
water and kill any type of microorganisms.  The
hops, either whole or extract are added at some
point during this stage.
4.  Fermentation - The yeast is now added
and the beer is left to ferment.  After it has
fermented, the beer may be allowed to ferment again,
which will allow further settling of the yeast and
other particulate matter which may have been introduced
earlier in the process.
5.  Packaging - At the final stage, the
beer will contain alcohol, but not too much carbon
dioxide.  The brewer will have a few options to
increase the levels of carbon dioxide.  The most
common approach is force carbonation, via the direct
addition of CO2 gas to the keg or bottle.

After it has been brewed, the beer in normally a
finished product.  At this point, the beer is
kegged, casked, bottled, or canned.  Beers that
are unfiltered may be stored for further fermentation
in conditioning tanks, casks, or bottles to allow
smoothing of harsh alcohol or heavy hops.

There are some beer enthusiasts that consider a
long conditioning period attractive for various
strong beers such as Barley and wines.  Depending on
the beer enthusiast and what he likes to drink,
it will vary.

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Beer Ingredients

The main ingredients found in beer are water, malted
barley, hops, and yeast.  There are other ingredients
such as flavoring, sugar, and other ingredients that
are commonly used.  Starches are used as well, as
they convert in the mashing process to easily
fermentable sugars that will help to increase the
alcohol content of beer while adding body and flavor.

Water
Seeing as how beer is mainly composed of water, the
source of water and its characteristics have a very
important effect on the character of the beer.  A
lot of beer styles were influenced by the
characteristics of water in the region.  Although
the effect of minerals in brewing water is complex,
hard water is more suited to dark styles, while
soft ware is more suited to light styles.

Malt
Among malts, barley is the most widely used due to
its high amylase content, and a digestive enzyme
that facilitates the breakdown of starch into
sugars.  Depending on what can be cultivated locally,
other malts and unmalted grains can be used, such
as wheat, rice, oats, and rye.

Malt is obtained by soaking grain in water, allowing
it to germinate, then drying the germinated grain
in a kiln.  By malting the grain, enzymes will
eventually convert the starches in the grain into
fermentable sugars.

Hops
Since the seventeenth century, hops have been
commonly used as a bittering agent in beer.  Hops
help to contribute a bitterness that will balance
the sweetness of the malts.  They also contribute
aromas which range from citrus to herbal.

Hops also provide an antibiotic effect that favors
the activity of brewer’s yeast over the less
desirable microorganisms.  The bitterness in beer
is normally measured on the International
Bitterness Units scale.

Yeast
Yeast is a microorganism that’s responsible for
fermentation.  Specific strains of yeast are chosen
depending on the type of beer produced, as the
two main strains are ale yeast and lager yeast,
with other variations available as well.

Yeast helps to metabolise the sugars that are
extracted from the grains, and produces alcohol
and carbon dioxide as a result.  Before the functions
of yeast were understood, all fermentations were
done using wild or airborne yeasts.

Clarifying Agent
A lot of brewers prefer to add one or more
clarifying agents to beer that aren’t required
to be published as ingredients.  Examples include
Isinglas finings, which are obtained from swim
bladders of fish and Irish moss, which is a type
of red alga.

Since these ingredients can be obtained from animals,
those who are concerned with either the use or
consumption of animal products should obtain detailed
information from the brewer.

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Process Of Homebrewing Microbrews

The normal batch of homebrewed beer is five gallons
in volume, which is enough for 2 cases, or 48 12
ounce bottle of beer.

The typical homebrewed beer is produced by boiling
water, malt extract and hops together in a large
kettle and then cooling the resulting wort and adding
yeast for fermenting.  Experienced homebrewers will
make their own extract from crushed malt barley by
a more complicated process of mashing the grain in
boiling hot water.

With both cases, the wort is boiled for 15 min to
an hour, to help remove some impurities, dissolve
the character of the hops, then break down some of
the sugar.  The wort is then cooled down to a
pitching temperature.

The cooled wort is then poured into the primary
fermenter in a manner of aggression, as to aerate
the wort.  Sufficient oxygen is also necessary for
the yeast’s growth stage.  The yeast is then put
into the wort.

The primary fermentation will take place in a large
food bucket or carboy.  Sometimes it is left open
but often stoppered with the carbon dioxide gas
that’s produced by venting through a fermentation
lock.

The process of making microbrews takes a lot of
time indeed, although you can take the necessary
short cuts once you learn more about how the
process works.  If this is your first time brewing,
you should always use common sense and know what
you are doing.

One of the best things about making your own
homebrews is the fact that you can experiment with
ingredients and brew your own creations.  You can
brew almost anything, providing you have the right
type of equipment - which can easily be found.

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Pale Ale Beer

English Pale Ale

The style of English pale ale was originated by
producers in Burton during the 1800’s.  The high
levels of calcium found in the water compliment this
style quite well, by making a more efficient
extraction of bitter resins from the hops.

The taste and aroma of English pale ale is similar
to that of the English Bitter.  The term “pale” was
intended originally to distinguish beers of this
type from the black London Porter.  Classic English
ales aren’t pale, rather golden to copper colored.

American Pale Ale

The types of American pale ales range from golden
to light colored copper.  This style of ale is best
characterized by American variety hops used to
produce high hop bitterness, aroma, and flavor.
These types of beers are less malty than their British
counterparts.

These beers have medium body and low to medium
maltiness.  Chill haze is acceptable only at cold
temperatures.

Belgian Pale Ale

The Belgian ales are very similar to British ales,
although they are more spicy and aromatic - both
in malt and yeast character.  These types of ales
are known by low, yet noticeable hop bitterness,
flavor, and aroma.

Low malt aroma and light to medium body are typical
for Belgian pal ale.  In color, they are golden to
deep amber.  Noble hop types are normally used,
while low to medium fruity esters are evident in
both flavor and aroma.  Chill haze with Belgian pale
ale is acceptable at cold temperatures.

Pale ale beers are very popular throughout the world,
being served in hundreds of thousands of bars.  They
are also great for social occasions as well, as
millions of people enjoy their dark yet satisfying
tastes.  If you’ve never experienced pale ale beer -
you shouldn’t deprive yourself any longer.

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