Whether it’s fashion, art, music, or food, there will always be mainstream and mass-produced items. However, those with distinct tastes find ways to step away from the norm and be more experimental.
Beer is just one example. While hundreds of mainstream beer brands use predictable ingredients and methods, dozens of microbreweries experiment with flavors and strengths. The latter type qualifies as “craft beer.”
Here’s a detailed guide on craft beer, what makes it stand out, and what are the steps of the beer brewing process.
What Makes Craft Beer Popular?
The term “craft brewery” gained popularity in the early 20th century due to the dominance of mass-produced, cheap beer. Unlike normal beer, which uses traditional methods and is aimed at more mainstream tastes, craft beer aims to appeal to more adventurous palates.
Craft beer is made by independent brewers or microbreweries that use high-quality ingredients and hands-on brewing techniques to make their products stand out.
Many people differentiate between normal beer and craft beer based on the production volume. This is not always the case. Craft beer can be made in 10-litre or 10,000-litre batches, considering the brewing process isn’t affected.
The Process of Creating Craft Beer
Craft beer has emerged as a cultural phenomenon, embodying tradition and innovation like never before. Beer enthusiasts and microbreweries use the following steps to make craft beer:
Collecting Ingredients
Before you dive into the brewing process, make sure you have all the ingredients. The main raw materials for craft beer are malt, water, yeast, and hops.
You can also add special grains for a unique and more flavorful result.
Mashing
This is the first step of making craft beer. It involves mixing water and malt extract in a large pot, commonly known as a “Mash Tun.” The combined water and malt are heated at a specific temperature, activating enzymes.
The enzymes convert grains’ starches into fermentable sugars. After mashing, a sugar-rich liquid known as wort is created.
Separation
Next, the brewer separates the liquid wort from the malt solids. The wort is then collected in the boilling kettle.
Boiling and Hopping
Once the wort has been collected from the malt, the process of boiling begins. It sterilizes the wort and prepares the solution for fermentation. During boiling, hops are added to the kettle to add bitterness, flavor, and aroma to your craft beer.
Cooling the Wort
Craft brewers then use a wort chiller or an ice bath to cool the liquid and bring it to a level suitable for fermentation.
Fermentation
Once the wort has cooled, it is transferred to a fermenter, where yeast is added. The fermenter is sealed with an airlock, allowing the yeast to convert sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Depending on the type of craft beer you’re making, the fermentation process takes one to two weeks.
Bottling and Conditioning
Once fermentation is complete, you can bottle your beer and let it condition for a few weeks. To naturally carbonate the beer, add a small amount of sugar to the bottling bucket.
After bottling, conditioning allows flavors to melt and carbonation to develop.
Craft Beer: Promise of Excellence
Brewing craft beer is an art and science. Whether you’re a beer enthusiast or run a microbrewery, craft beer can enhance your taste palate and help you cater to a set of discerning customers.
