Sure, beer might be at the top of your list when it comes to buying drinks for a social occasion.
But did you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes to get that ice-cold bottled beer into your hands in the first place? The beer brewing process is fascinating, with a history that might surprise you.
Maybe that’s why so many people turn their favorite drink into a hobby and learn to make their own! Here are five facts you didn’t know about how the beer brewery process works.
1. Yeast Is a Living Thing!
Brewers commonly make beer with four key ingredients: hops, grains, water, and yeast. You might be more familiar with the idea of yeast in bread making, but it also plays a crucial role in beer production.
What you might not know is that yeast isn’t just any old ingredient. It is a living organism.
These tiny organisms are too small for the human eye to see. But, strange as it seems, they are living and breathing!
The yeast becomes active once you combine them with water, which happens during bread making and beer production.
2. Different Brewing Methods Produce Different Flavors
Commercial brewing is as much an art as it is a science. The best brewers in the world spend decades perfecting the perfect recipe and the perfect method to create a beer with a unique (not to mention popular) flavor.
The use of hops and the fermentation length can impact the taste of the beer, as does the quality of the commercial brewing equipment used.
How the yeast develops will also change the taste and appearance of the beer, with darker ales using yeast that ferments near the top of the brewery kettle.
3. Brewers Store Beer in Darkness
There is a good reason for beer companies opting for dark brown bottles to store their creation.
Beer reacts with the sunlight, producing a sulfur taste to the drink (sulfur is that unappealing smell that people associate with rotten eggs). During the production process, brewers store the beer in a cool, dark cellar.
So remember, next time you enjoy a beer on a hot, sunny day – drink up quickly!
4. Beer Brewing Is an Ancient Craft
According to history.com, beer brewing has been around in some form for as long as 12000 years. Ancient civilizations showing clues to beer brewing include the Chinese Empire, Egyptians, Mesopotamia, and the Incas.
Of course, the ancient beer recipe tasted slightly different from the modern variety. In ancient Egypt, the beer was light in color, very fizzy, and had the appearance and taste of sparkling wine.
5. The First Brewers Were Female
Beer drinking and beer production may be more stereotypically associated with men. But did you know that women were the pioneers in crafting and serving the first recipes for beer?
Historians studying the Inca empire discovered that early examples of breweries were run exclusively by women. These were respected roles within society, with women selected for their nobility and their beauty.
An amazing feminist fact to show off to your friends next time you are out drinking!
Five Amazing Facts on the Brewing Process
Beer may seem no more than a tasty and fun drink for every social occasion. Still, the brewing process reveals more about this fascinating tipple than meets the eye!
If you enjoyed this article, take a look through our education section now for some more interesting and little-known facts.
