How Craft Beer Is Brewed
Craft Beer is a style of beer brewed by small, independent breweries. These brewers use real malts and other quality ingredients, often with great creativity in adapting traditional beer styles to the tastes of their customers.
There are many different ways to brew craft beer, but most begin with the grain, water and yeast that is used in the process. Each step of the brewing process lends a different flavor and character to the final product.
Yeast: The fungus used to turn the sugar into alcohol is referred to as the “yeast.” Once the yeast has been added to the wort, it will ferment and eventually become the alcohol you drink. It will also create a bitterness in the beer by releasing acid into the wort. This bitterness is referred to as the International Bitterness Unit (IBU).
Hops: The smallest pine cone-looking fruits grow on the plant and are added at the end of the brewing process to provide the bitter taste that balances out the sweetness in the beer. The levels of hops in the beer can range from a high number to low, depending on what flavor profile the beer is trying to achieve.
Hefeweizen: German hefeweizens are one of the most popular and iconic craft beers, known for their citrus flavor. These beers are made from a combination of wheat, barley and other grains like rice.
Lager: The word lager is derived from the German term, “to store.” These beers are bottom-fermented and are aged for weeks or months at cold temperatures. They may be hopped or not hopped but most have an earthy, malty flavor that is not as full-bodied as an ale.