history

Social lubricants have been around since the beginnings of human history. Remnants of fermented beverages, of one form or another, have been uncovered at archeological digs. Could it be that even a caveman needed a little help during those awkward first date moments? We can only imagine.

glossary

alcohol - This is a by-product of fermentation. Yeast consumes sugars in the wort converting them to carbon dioxide and alcohol. The type of alcohol produced is called ethyl alcohol or ethanol. The alcohol content of a beer is expressed as as a percantage of volume or weight, the U.S. uses weight.

More certain is the evidence of brewing beer in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. The Babylonians even wrote a hymn to Ninkasi, the goddess of brewing. The hymn is actually a recipe for creating beer. The Greeks and Romans seemed to prefer wine as their poison, leaving beer to the Northern European barbarians. But by the Middle Ages, helped in part due to the lack of good drinking water, beer became a staple in Europe. Each region developed its own style and methods of production. The 14th and 15th centuries saw monasteries taking the lead in artisan beers. Today brewing is a huge global industry featuring large multi-national companies and small local micro-breweries. After all, there are still those awkward moments to fill.

ale - A family of beers produced by a method called top fermentation (see fermentation below). This type of fermentation produces beverages that are low in carbonation and tend toward a fruitiness due to the presence of chemicals called esters. The best known ales are from Britain, and are usually served warm.

barley - A cereal grain used in the brewing of beer. It is malted (see below) and treated with enzymes resulting in the mash.

beer - The general name give to a group of fermented beverages made from barley, hops, water, and yeast. Other ingredients may be added.

quick facts

There are more than 1,300 breweries in Germany, the highest number of breweries in the world.

As for consumption, the Germans rank third behind the Czechs and the Irish.

beer styles - The three major beer styles are lagers, ales, and specialty beers. Specialty beers are brewed with addition of flavorants and other non-standard ingredients.

draft (draught) - Any of the several processes of dispensing beer from a tank, cask or, keg using air pressure. This can be through a hand pump, pressure from an air pump or, injected carbon dioxide.

The Benedictine Abbey, Weihenstephen, established what is reputedly the oldest brewery in the world. The year was 725!Germans rank third behind the Czechs and the Irish.

At its most basic, brewing beer is a five step process.

1. Mashing - Malted grains are crushed and soaked in warm water creasting a malt extract. Enzymes are used to convert the starches into sugar.

fermentation - This is the process of producing alcohol and carbon dioxide through the actions of yeast on grain-based sugars. bottom-fermentation - Bottom-fermenting yeast works well at low temperatures and ferments more sugars leaving a crisp, clean taste. The yeast then settles to the bottom of the tank so the beer can be siphoned off. Also referred to as "lager yeast". top-fermentation - Top-fermenting yeast works better at warmer temperatures and are able to tolerate higher alcohol concentrations than bottom-fermenting yeast. It is unable to ferment some sugars, and results in a fruitier, sweeter beer. Also known as "ale yeast".

2. Spurging - Water is passed through the mash to dissolve the sugars. The dark, sugar-laden liquid, is called the wort.

grains - (such as rice, corn, maize, or wheat) used in addition to malted barley to make a beer. They tend to lighten the flavor of a beer and produce alcohol.

3. Boiling - The wort is boiled along with added hops, to remove the excess water and kill any microorganisms.

hops - One of the four principal ingredients of beer, hops are flower cones added to beer as a bittering agent, a preservative, and an aromatic.

4. Fermentation - Yeast is added and the beer is left to ferment. If desired, a second fermentation may occur. The particulate matter is left to settle or the brewer may skip this process and simply filter off the yeast.

lager - Beers produced with bottom fermenting yeast strains that are able to tolerate lower fermenting temperatures. This cooler environment inhibits the natural production of esters and other byproducts, creating a crisper tasting product. From the German word "to store". Most North American beers are lagers.

5. Packaging - Now the beer has alcohol, but not much fizz. To add the sparkle the most common solution is to force carbon dioxide into the keg or bottle, called forced carbonation. Generally this beverage is packaged as the final product. Beers, however, can be aged and flavored depending on the whim of the brewer.

malt (ing) - The process by which barley is steeped in warm water, alloowed to germinate, then processed with enzymes that convert insoluble starch to soluble sugar. This is the primary ingredient of beer.

wort - This is the dark, surgar heavy liquid that is drawn off of the mash. Hops are added, the mixture is boiled and then fermented.