Everything You Should Know About Beer (Alcoholic Beverage)

Beer: The Most Loved Alcoholic Beverage

An alcoholic beverage obtained by the fermentation of extracts of malted cereals, barley, and flavoured with hopes is called beer.

Greek scholars confirm that it was known that Egyptians invented it before the wine was made. However, this concept was later changed by a new concept that people living in areas not conducive for wine production extracted liquors from other fruits and grains e.g. barley and this was called barley wine or liquor of life and in some areas as Sabarum or Sabara.

In other such theories, Athenaeus says countries not fit for vineyards such as Britain and Scandinavia produced Barley wine. This was invented for the benefit of the poor who were not able to buy wine. On the contrary, this did not continue as a beverage for the poor only because of the improvement in its manufacturing procedures. The other grains that were used to make beer were referred to as offspring of the corn and called Wine without Wine.

In Middle Ages, it came to Europe and it was consumed like anything because it was taken as an alternative to polluted water. It was boiled during brewing hence it became germs free. Again in modern history, Europe began to be called a golden triangle. This golden triangle had its three corners in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. They produced a beer, which was golden in colour, in other words, golden coloured beer.

Ingredients Used in Beer Making

Water (Eau): Water is one of the basic raw materials, which is a vital part of the manufacturing of beer. Water is extremely important in producing most beverages and must be pure.

Malt: Barley that is prepared for brewing by being steeped, germinated, roasted, and crushed in a mill. The extent to which the malt is roasted determines the colour of the beer. The higher the caramelization the darker will be the beer. The main constituent of malt is starch, which is converted to sugar by fermentation. The crushed malt is soaked and heated. Malt, obtained from barley, is called as ‘Soul of Beer’. Only one-quarter of the world’s barley is used to make malt, the remaining is used to feed animals. The type of barley used can be of two types. They are as follows:

• Two-Row Barley

• Six Row Barley (This belongs to the Hoedeum Sativum family)

The six row barley is grown in hot places like the United States. It is less efficient and it yields less extracts. But it has high digestic enzymes and protein. Other grains like maize, wheat, and rice are also used in conduction with barley but in fewer quantities.

Yeast (Levure):  Brewer’s yeast (which is slightly liquid) is used to convert starch into alcohol and carbon dioxide, a process known as fermentation. Two types of yeast strains are used. The strains of yeast used for bottom fermentation lagers settle to the bottom. It is called saccharomyces carlsbergensis. The second strain of yeast used is called saccharomyces cerevisiae. This is used to produce ale beers as it undergoes top fermentation. The equation goes as:

Starch + Yeast ------------------> Alcohol + CO₂

Hopes (Houblon): A vigorous climbing plant that grows in temperate regions is called hopes. The female flowers are used mainly in the brewing industry which look like small pine cones and belongs to the mulberry family. Its scientific name is Humulus Lupulus. Used Hops are generally used for four basic purposes as follows

• Bittering agent
• Preservative
• Aroma and Flavour
• Retention of Head

The important varieties of hops are:

• Golding
• Fuggles
• Saaz
• Admiral
• Cascade

Sugar (Sucre): Invert sugar which is sugar obtained by the action of acids and invertase enzyme on sucrose is used. It is a mixture of glucose and fructose. A little non-inverted sucrose is usually used in the brewing of the beer.

Finings: Finings are used simply to clarify the beer. Isinglass, the bladder of the Sturgeon fish is traditionally a classic fining agent. Since this is very expensive some cheaper verities are used. E.g. Egg white, Albumin, Gelatin, Bentonite.

 Content of Beer

• Water (89 - 91%)

• Alcohol (3 - 5%)

• Carbohydrates (3 - 4%)

• Proteins (0.4 - 0.5%)

• Carbon Dioxide (0.4 - 0.5%)

• Mineral Salts (0.2%)

Making Beer - The Brewing Process

• Barley is soaked in water known as steeping and spread on the floors to germinate, a process known as germination. (The sprouted barley is known as Green Malt).

• The green malt is kilned or roasted. The brewer blends different malts to produce different coloured beers:

• Pale Malt

• Crystal Malt

• Chocolate Malt

• Black/Dark Malt

• The process up to this stage changes the starch in the cereal to sugar. The barley is now termed Malt.

• Then it is crushed into a powder called Grist.

• The Grist is mixed with hot water and this mixture of Grist and hot water is termed Mash.

• Hops and sugar are added and the liquid is boiled to concentrate it and is termed Wort

• The extract is strained off to remove hops and is then cooled to approximately 16 degrees Celcius.

• Yeast is added and fermentation takes place, giving rise to alcohol and carbon dioxide

• Beer is now allowed to mature and is racked in casks, kegs and tanks.

• The findings are now added to brighten beer

• Beer is tested for quality and consistency before being sent out to trade for sale.

Types of Beer

Beer is mainly classified into two types:

Lager Beer

The word lager means to store. These beers are so named because they are stored for a longer time after fermentation in cold storehouses for clarification and flavour purposes. They are also called bottom-fermented beer as the yeast settles to the bottom during fermentation. The type of yeast used is saccharomyces carlsbergensis which works on the sugar from the bottom of the vessel until the brewer decides it is time to slow down the fermentation. That is done by ice cooling or refrigerating the beer to almost 0c and storing it like this so that it continues to ferment very slowly. The fermentation takes seven days at 7-12c and these are matured for 3-6 months. Lager beers are light-bodied bright colours and effervescent. All American and Indian beers are larger beers.

• Bock beer:- A strong of German origin dark in colour with a slightly sweet aroma. It is made during winter to be used in spring.

• Dortmunder:- A strong full-bodied Lager from Dortmund in Germany the biggest Brewing city in Europe. Malty dry and full-bodied usually have an alcoholic strength of 5.5%.

• Munchener:- A dark brown malty beer sweeter in taste, obtained from Munich in Germany.

• Pilsner:- Golden hoppy aromatic lager that originated in PILZEN Bohemia Czech town in 1842. Pilsner is now the predominant lager beer in Germany (Pilsen in German).

• Weizen beer or Weissbier:- It is a German lager made from malted or unmalted wheat in combination with malted barley. These are light slightly sour and pale in colour.

Ale Beer

Ale Yeasts stick together as they multiply and form a surface on the liquid so that ale results from top fermentation. The fermentation lasts for 3-7 days at a temperature of 18-25 C, sugar is then added and the casks are sealed. The beer continues to ferment & the carbon dioxide that is produced & is trapped and absorbed in the liquid. Sometimes a handful of hops is added to the cask before sealing, this produces a bitter beer. It is usually full-bodied & bitter than lager beer.

• Barley Wine: Barley wine is the English name for a powerful strong ale that is usually served in small nip size bottles

• Draught Beer: Freshly gassed beer which is usually racked into casks that have been sterilized. Sometimes beer is rolled in cellars to encourage secondary fermentation, as soon as this occurs; a porous plug is inserted to ease the pressure of the gas. The beer thus treated is known as draught beer.

• Mild Ale: A faintly sweet beer that is slightly weaker & darker than bitter ale. It is lightly hopped & dark with an alcoholic content of 3%.

• Stout Beer: Made from scorched, very dark malt & generally flavoured with hops. It has a smooth malty flavour & creamy consistency. Sold on draft or in bottles & traditionally not chilled. The world’s best & famous stout is Guinness. It is also known as stout ale.

• Porter Beer: brewed from charred malt highly flowered and aromatic. It is a dry brown ale with heavy foam. It is less hoppy and slightly sweeter than pale ale .its ale strength is about 5%.

• Burton {pale ale}: a biter ale made at Burton which is famous for its fine pale ale by virtue of the character of local water supply having a great deal of permanent hardness and the correct proportion of minerals and salt necessary for successful brewing beer. Nowadays many brewers intimate Burton beers by adding salt to the normal water supply.)

• Scotch Ale:- Powerful rich ale made in Scotland and Belgium.

• Steam Beer: An American cross between a lager and ale. It is brewed only by the Anchor Steam Brewery of San Fransisco.

• Ginger Ale: Despite its name, it is a refreshing, low or non-alcoholic soft drink flavoured with root ginger.

Storage of Beer

• Casks in use are supported on wooden racks known as Stillions or trawls. Casks will properly settle if they are tapped 24 hours before use. 

• The cellar should be clean and well ventilated. Even temperatures of 13-15c should be maintained-strong draughts and wide ranges of temperature should be avoided. Pipes and engines should be cleaned at regular intervals. The beer left in pipes should be drawn off. Returned beer should be filtered back into the cask.

• The cellar should not be overstocked.

• All beer lines should be cleaned weekly with a diluted pipe cleaning fluid and the cellar floor washed down weekly with a solution of mild bleach.

Service of Beer in a Hotel or Restaurant

Lager beer is served at a temperature of 9-10.5c (chilled) & ale at 12.5-15.5c. It is often found in practice that many varieties of bottled beer are also served chilled. Also, draught beer on its route from cask to pump often passes through a chilling unit. The casks of the draught beer are placed horizontally in a fitted back. Due to the secondary fermentation sediments are formed, 24 hours before using the beer a pipe is attached to the cask to convey beer to dispensing unit through refrigerating units. This pipe is known as Keystone.

While serving draught beer the first coaster is placed and then beer is placed on the table. Draught beer should have a small head  & not a large head to make up the quantity required. One may note that beer is in good condition if the head of froth clings to the inside of the glass.

While pouring beer glass should be held at an angle otherwise there would be a large head.

Glasses used should be spotlessly clean with no finger marks grease or lipstick spots on them. Pouring beer into a dirty glass will cause it to go flat quickly. More care should be taken while pouring especially when the bottles have sediments, when pouring, little beer should be left in the base of the bottle holding the sediments back. The ordered beer is taken in the left hand with the neck on the arm. The label is made visible to guests and the name of the beer is to be mentioned. After obtaining permission open the cap of the bottle, and put the cap in a pocket or ashtray. Then take the glass in the left hand & pour as mentioned above, put the glass on the right-hand side with a coaster put the bottle on the table & serve whenever required.

Glassware Used While Serving Beer

• BEER MUGS
• BEER GOBLETS
• BEER TUMBLERS   for bottled beer.
• LAGER GLASS        for lager beer.
• PARIS GOBLET       for brown pale & strong ale.
• PINT GLASSES        for pale ale
• PILSNER                   for pilsner beer.
• WEIZEN GLASSES  for Bavarian weizens.
• THISTLES                  for Scottish ales.
• WORTHINGTON

BEER MEASURES

• NIPS                                   22.72 cl.
• HALF PINT                       28.40cl.
• PINT                                   56.80cl

DRAFT BEER MEASURES:

• PIN                                   20.457L(4.5 gallons)
• FIRKIN                             40.914L(9 gallons)
• KILDERLIN                       81.828L(18 gallon)
• BARREL                           163.656L(36 gallons)
• Hogs head                        245.487L(54 gallons)
• 1 Keg                               10 gallons
• 1 gallon                             5 Liters

Some Famous Brands of Beers

Germany-Biggest Brewing paradise of Europe

• Beck’s
• Holsten
• Dortmunder
• Stern
• Czech
• Pilsner

England

• Bass Ale
• London Pride
• Tolly

France

• Fischer

China

• Tsingtao

Brazil

• Brahma

Australia

• Foster’s
• Swan
• Leopard

America

• Anchor
• Champion
• Coors
• Natural Night

Personal Note:

I hope this was a bit helpful to Hotel Management students, or anyone looking to know about beer. Thanks for visiting and please check out my other articles related to Food & Beverage Service as well.