| We all know the effects (and after-effects) of beer. | | | | recognizable ingredients of beer. Yeast comes in |
| But lifting a glass of cool liquid to your mouth on a | | | | several variations, of which there are two major |
| scorching hot day, have you ever stopped to | | | | categories that determine the type of beer |
| consider the processes and ingredients involved in | | | | produced; Ale yeast and Lager yeast. If yeast alone |
| making it? Well maybe not but here is the answer | | | | were used the beer would be extremely sweet and |
| anyway! | | | | therefore another ingredient needs to be added to |
| Simply, beer is a fermented combination of water, | | | | reach the final product. |
| barley, yeast and hops. The major variation in any | | | | Hops are the flowers of the hop plant, a climbing vine |
| beer is the type of yeast used in the fermentation | | | | plant that grows well in many differing climates. Hops |
| process. | | | | contain acids which add bitterness to beer. Adding |
| Let's look at the properties of this beverage. | | | | bitterness to beer helps to balance the sweetness, |
| Water is the main ingredient of beer. In the past, the | | | | as well as acting as a natural preservative. Add more |
| purity of the water influenced the final result and | | | | hops to the mixture and you will get a more bitter |
| was specific to the region of the earth from which it | | | | taste. This kind of beer is extremely popular in Britian |
| came. Today, water is filtered of these impurities, | | | | and is simply referred to as "Bitter" (the original |
| although pure water supplies are still ideally preferred | | | | names are always the best!). |
| by elite brewers. | | | | Variations of these ingredients create different |
| Barley malt is an extremely important ingredient in | | | | tasting beers as well as having an affect on the |
| beer as it is the main source of fermentable sugar. | | | | alcoholic content. |
| Many new breweries use barley malt extract, in | | | | When making your own beer many good resources |
| either syrup or powder form, as this form ferments | | | | are available which provide home brewing kits. It is |
| much quicker. It also contains many minerals and | | | | important to read the ingredients of the packets in |
| vitamins that help the yeast to grow. | | | | order to ascertain which has the best mixture |
| Without yeast, beer would not exist. Yeast is a | | | | according to your needs. One quick tip which many |
| unique single cell organism that eats sugar and expels | | | | home brewers fail to adhere to is this: "Use fresh still |
| alcohol and carbon dioxide, two of the more | | | | water"! |
