Die
ROHSTOFFE
Das Malz, der Körper des Bieres
Did you know that the foundation for the color and flavor of beer is laid not in the brewery, but in the malthouse? While the brewer determines the character of his finished beer through his careful selection of brewing malt, the malt's development and composition are largely in the hands of the maltster. First, the maltster selects suitable grain varieties, such as barley or wheat, for brewing malt production. The grains are mechanically cleaned and sorted. They then enter the soaking chamber, where the grain is exposed to alternating water and air for up to three days, before germinating in the germination box for approximately five days. During this process, various protein and starch compounds dissolve. With good ventilation, this creates green malt, which then needs to be dried, or in brewing and malting terms, "kilned." By carefully selecting the kilning temperature, the maltster determines the color and flavor of the important raw material, malt—and thus also the color of the finished beer. Malt for light beer is dried at around 80 degrees Celsius, while malt for dark beer is dried at around 100 degrees Celsius. All processes in the malting plant are natural, without any chemical additives. The maltster controls the process solely through optimal humidity, temperature, and ventilation. The finished brewing malt is freed from root germs, dedusted, and polished before being finally stored in silos. From there, the finished brewing malt is delivered to the brewery, which uses it further in the brewing process. Only barley malt may be used for bottom-fermented beers. Other malts, such as wheat, rye, or spelt malt, may also be used for top-fermented varieties.
Das
WASSER
Soft water is generally used for light, hoppy beers, while harder water can be used for dark and full-bodied beers. Water is also needed in breweries for cleaning and cooling. Brewing water is the main component of beer: more than 90 percent of it consists of this natural raw material. Particularly high-quality water is used in the brewing process. Its quality often exceeds that of ordinary drinking water.
Der
HOPFEN
Die Seele des Bieres
The hop cones give beer its distinctive aroma and its typical bitter taste. Hops are also responsible for the firm head of foam on a freshly poured beer. Hops also increase the shelf life of the beer, completely naturally and without chemical additives. Depending on the type of beer, the brewer adds 100 to 400 grams of hops to one hectoliter of beer: Pilsner-style beers and strong beers are sometimes considerably more heavily hopped than, for example, the less bitter export beers. This climbing plant, which can grow up to seven meters tall, is recognized as a medicinal plant, and its calming effects have been utilized by humans for centuries. Hops also give beer its particularly relaxing effect.
Die
HEFE
Yeast causes the wort made from malt to ferment. During this fermentation, maltose converts into carbon dioxide and alcohol. Yeast are microscopic single-celled organisms found almost everywhere in nature. Although the effects of yeast were known very early on, they were not scientifically researched until the end of the 19th century. At that time, the Frenchman Louis Pasteur and the Dane Emil Christian Hansen identified various yeast strains that were ideally suited to brewing beer. Without yeast cells, there would be no fermentation, and without fermentation, no beer. In addition to alcohol, the yeast cells produce up to 300 volatile and non-volatile by-products during fermentation, including other alcohols, esters, aldehydes, etc., which significantly influence the flavor of the beer. Yeast is the most economical raw material for beer because it reproduces itself during the brewing process. And even better: After brewing, the yeast used can be purified and thus reused multiple times. Brewers generally distinguish between top-fermenting and bottom-fermenting yeast strains. Top-fermenting yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) float on the surface of the green beer at the end of the open fermentation process, while bottom-fermenting yeast (Saccharomyces carlsbergensis) settles at the bottom of the fermentation vessels. Top-fermenting (e.g., stout, pale ale, wheat beer) and bottom-fermenting beers (e.g., Helles, Schwarzbier, Maibock) differ depending on the use of these different yeasts. Top-fermenting brewing is the older method, as fermentation takes place at higher temperatures (usually between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius), which were easier to achieve before the invention of the refrigeration machine by Carl von Linde in 1873. Bottom-fermenting yeast, in comparison, requires lower temperatures. Its use was previously only possible in regions where enough ice could be harvested in winter to ensure adequate cooling during the warmer seasons. With the invention of the refrigeration machine, the triumph of bottom-fermented beer began. However, there are still many specialties brewed with top fermentation today, such as pale ale, stout, and wheat beer.