With the mashing process of malted grain completed, certain duties have been relieved in order to continue the beer brewing process. It is at this stage commonly that the amateur home brewer can enter the process of beer brewing with readily available liquid malt extract in a can. Whether the raw ingredients of barley grain are more difficult to come by, or the brewer wishes to bypass the elementary level of mashing, these canned syrups which just require the addition of water can certainly make the whole brewing process more convenient to the average consumer brewer. Although they may lack certain qualities desired by the home brewer and their goal, there are a number of recipes to choose from which can still give exceptional outcomes if the following stages of brewing are endured with conviction.
If the syrup is not already at the 'hopped wort' level, then the process of boiling must be undergone with the addition of flavoring. So following on from the steps of lautering and sparging after the mashing process, our wort is now transferred to a kettle for boiling. This is commonly known as a 'copper' in typical brewing terminology, and the whole boiling procedure acts as a type of sterilization by destroying any unwanted harmful microorganisms. During the boil the addition of hops are then introduced, and these can be in the form of fresh hop flowers, hop pellets, or on the small scale home brewing, a hop teabag.
The hops act as a source of bitterness to balance out the sweetness of the wort, and they also contribute to the characteristic flavor and aroma commonly found in beer. Boling may last between 50 minutes to 2 hours depending on the volume of wort or the intensity of the boil, and it must be conducted in an even manner. The duration also depends on how much water the brewer wishes to evaporate in order to obtain a more condensed form of wort, and with prolonged boiling the hops add more bitterness with less aromatic and flavor qualities. During this period other ingredients such as herbs or spices may be added in order to enhance the characteristics of the beer.
Once boiling is over, the hopped wort must then be filtered of sediment and dense solids produced by the addition of hops or other additives. If fresh hops were used, then the method of filtering is most commonly achieved by passing the wort through a small vat known as a hopback. This vessel is a confined space filled with fresh hops which act as a natural filter removing large particles and adding extra aroma and flavor to the wort which may have been lost through boiling. If however hop pellets were used, then the hopback method does not become so efficient a filter for the smaller particles. This is where the use of a whirlpool tank comes into play, which basically uses centrifugal force to separate the sediment to form in a central cone shape which can then be easily removed. The wort is then cooled to a temperature of between 20-26°C once filtration is complete, and transferred to another vessel used for the process of fermentation to begin.
In the
Beer Fermentation Tanks , brewer's yeast is added to the hopped wort, and the hibernation and transformation stage is finally underway. With this stage of primary fermentation, it is here that the sugars in the wort metabolize with the help of the yeast into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Depending on the amount of yeast applied and sugars present in the wort will determine how much alcohol is produced, but if alcohol levels increase beyond 12% in volume then the yeast destabilizes and becomes inert as the by-product of alcohol is actually toxic to the yeast. Yeast effectiveness can also be inhibited by lower temperatures and shorter fermentation time, resulting in decreased alcohol content. Temperatures are important also to fermentation depending on what type of yeast is used. Bottom-fermenting yeasts which produce lagers operate better at cooler temperatures of between 7-12°C, whereas top-fermenting yeasts work better between 15-24°C producing ales and stouts.
After primary fermentation where the majority of alcohol is produced over a period which can ultimately last weeks, the wort has now become beer and can be transferred to another vessel for secondary fermentation. During transfer, filtration can be applied to remove unwanted sediment, though not entirely necessary with regards to the brewer's choice. It can add to greater clarity and stabilize the flavors by removing dead yeast particles, before going to it's next destination. It is possible the secondary fermentation process can take place directly in the bottle or in another vessel if preferred, but either way the container should remain airtight to allow for natural pressurization caused by the continuous production of carbon dioxide, which in turn prevents the beer from becoming flat.
A third stage of fermentation may be applied depending on the devout nature of the brewer and their respect towards patience, but as always these methods are entirely optional. Further conditioning is usually necessary during this secondary or third period which should normally outlast the primary fermentation greatly with regards to time. For lagers it is necessary to maintain temperatures close to freezing to allow for a mellow and smooth flavor, but with beers made from top-fermenting yeasts cooler temperatures are determined again at the brewer's discretion. For the novice brewer it can all be just an experience in trial and error, but with the correct approach and even a system of varied applied techniques and waiting periods to the same initial batch production, the perfect home brew may just be well within arms reach