The project “Restaurants of New Kaliningrad.Ru”, after a conversation with the technologist and brewer of the Hercules brewery Pavel Borovets, revealed a number of interesting brewing details: what is malt, how does the type of future beer depend on its variety, how many times and at what stage of the preparation of beer are added hops. We also tasted all types of beer offered by Hercules and even a new variety that is not yet on sale.

- Where did you study the art of brewing?

I started working at a large brewery - Pete. Then the Berlin Institute of Brewing organized seminars in Moscow for brewers, I have a certificate for this seminar. And when I already started working in the Brewery of the Hercules Restaurant, I consulted with the Austrian brewer Vincenz Fleck, who designed our brewery.

- What is the difference between working in a large factory and in a small brewery?

In volumes and in the ability to experiment, to change something depending on the preferences of our customers or in our opinion. Choose different proportions or types of malt, for example.

- What is beer made of?

There are four components. The most important thing is malt. This is sprouted barley, or sprouted wheat.

- Necessarily sprouted?

Yes, they are factory-grown and prepared as a component for brewing. We buy malt in Bavaria, at one of the best malt houses in the world, Weyermann, which has been operating as a family business since 1879. The process of germinating malt takes about a month, first the grain is soaked to start the biological processes embedded in the grain. Then it is germinated and dried in a special way. The type of malt depends on the drying process (time and temperature). Our brewery uses six types of malt and brews four types of beer. For four types, six types of malt are needed to add them in a certain proportion. Somewhere for color, somewhere for taste.

- That is, one barley is used, but several types of malt are obtained from it during processing?

Absolutely right. The basis for brewing beer - the base, so to speak - is Pilsner malt, from 80 to 95% of the total mass of malt. The remaining varieties are added for color, smell and taste. By the way, in this form, in grains, it is already quite edible.

True, quite tasty grains. Blacks resemble roasted coffee, while light ones have a distant taste of bread ... So, two components of beer were found out: water, malt. What else?

The third component is hops. It is a plant, but it is supplied in granular form in most breweries (the smell of such hops resembles a good seasoned cheese, a rather pungent odor - approx. “New Kaliningrad.Ru”) . Hop is needed to give beer a “beer” bitterness and a specific aroma. There will be no beer without hops.

The fourth component is yeast. They look just like ordinary dry bakeries. We also have four types of yeast. Each beer has its own variety. For example, we will soon begin to brew wheat beer, it uses a special kind of yeast that gives the fruity aroma to beer. Yeast is added at the very last moment.

- Water, hops, different types of malt and different types of yeast. How does it all turn into beer?

The conditional vat is filled with water, heated to a certain temperature, then we add crushed malt. That is, this grain, which we saw, is slightly crushed. This process occurs automatically, by crusher. Violation of the integrity of the grain shell helps him completely give away the substances responsible for the taste.

The density of beer depends on the amount of malt. Least of all goes to Pshenichnoye, a little more goes to Red Ale and the maximum quantity goes to Black Stout.

- That is, malt gives beer strength?

Yes. There is such a term as "wort density". On the bottles you can see, write the notation. This is, roughly speaking, the solids content in beer.

After mixing the malt with water and before filtering the process is called “mashing”. Water is mixed with malt and a stepwise heating occurs. At each of these pauses, a certain chemical process occurs and as a result a wort is obtained.

By the way, you need to try it. It is very useful, but, unfortunately, is not even stored in the refrigerator at all.

- Delicious! Muddy warm drink with a rich aroma of fresh black bread, but sweetish in taste.Where does the boiled grain go then?

All this mass goes to the "filter tank". At its bottom are sieves that do not allow large particles to pass through. So the liquid is separated from the dry substances, the filtration process ends and boiling begins.

- First, mashing, then filtering, then boiling. What's next?

The maximum temperature does not exceed 98 degrees. Hops are added during this process. But not immediately, but in stages. The sooner you set the hops, the more bitterness he will give to the drink, and the late task of the hops gives the beer a flavor.

Then the drink passes into the next tank and cools along the way. For example, light or smoked beer - up to 10-12 degrees. We maintain this temperature and add yeast.

“Based on my baking experience, I know that yeast feels better at higher temperatures.”

This temperature is needed for slow "bottom" fermentation. And for top fermentation, the temperature will be 20-22 degrees, and the process will go faster.

Now the red beer that we brewed yesterday is just wandering around. I will open the lid and it can be photographed. Foam on top indicates the work of the yeast.

“How long should this beer roam, Red Ale?”

About two days. But there are beers in the Czech Republic, for example, that roam for 30 days.

- About wine, you can say "young" or with "aging." Is there something similar in brewing?

There is the term "grün bier", green beer. This beer can now be called that. Green is not ready to eat yet.

- And after how much is this "green beer" ready to drink?

A fermentation process is still needed. For varieties with top fermentation, 14 days, and for bottom fermentation another 21 days. At this time, every day we lower the temperature by one degree, the yeast gradually settles and is removed. And only after that beer can be bottled in kegs (keg is a metal container used for storing and transporting beer - approx. “New Kaliningrad.Ru”).

- And what is the shelf life of beer?

If you pour it, then no more than 8 days for live beer.

- What is the difference between living beer and non-living beer?

Rather, from pasteurized. The presence of yeast. Most of the yeast is removed by filtration, but those that remain make the beer "alive."

“Do you brew four beers now?”

Yes. We had and will have four beers in stock. Smoked beer ...

- Smoked beer? What is it like?

Special smoked malt is used, which is smoked on beech sawdust.

- I know that you want to remove this type from the line of beers?

Because we are ready to offer 4 different beers. Now we are adding Light Wheat, which means one kind of beer will have to be sacrificed. Most likely, we will remove Smoked. It depends on the demand of our customers. Perhaps because it is dark, and for dark beer, for some reason, the percentage of sales is less. Although he has fans.

- So you remove from the line dark beers in general?

Why, we leave the Dark Stout, which is cooked using burnt and caramel malts. This is the strongest beer in our assortment.

- So, what types of beer do you brew and offer your customers today?

The smoked beer we talked about is Light Lager, Red Ale and Black Stout. And very soon, we will offer our customers Light wheat beer, which, I think, will quickly gain popularity.

- Very soon when is it?

To summer. I think in mid-June. We have already purchased some raw materials and have recently done a trial cooking, now we will order b aboutthe largest batch of raw materials so that this beer is always in our assortment.

- It is a little muddy, but light and very pleasant to the taste.

Turbidity is due to yeast. This is a fairly popular beer both in the world and in our city.

Be sure to try Red Ale. This is a top-fermented beer with an interesting taste. Riding fermentation process is faster and the final result is less like beer, therefore it is called ale.

- But the taste is quite beer.

Of course, because hops were added there according to the recipe. Previously, in the 15th century, ales were cooked without any hops at all. Mint and some other herbs were strewn there. And now, in our time, beer called top fermentation is called ale. This occurs at higher temperatures compared to bottom fermentation with the release of specific phenols.

- What are the most popular beers now, according to sales?

Bright Lager and Red Ale.

- At the Light Camp  such a typical beer taste. A slightly bitter, rich classic beer, in my opinion. No wonder it is popular.

From the Hercules beer line"Restaurants of New Kaliningrad.Ru" recommend Smoked beer. Very unusual and pleasant taste, moderately bitter, you can feel the smack of smoked malt on beech sawdust. Hurry up to try, because in a month or two it will be replaced by the popular Light Wheat Beer. "Restaurants of New Kaliningrad.Ru" will write about it.

Home-made beer compares favorably with cheap store counterparts with a richer flavor, thick foam and lack of preservatives. It turns out a drink that does not contain anything superfluous. I will tell you how to brew beer according to the classic recipe using only traditional ingredients: hops, malt, water and yeast. To preserve the original taste, we will not resort to filtration and pasteurization.

  It is believed that to make real beer you need to buy a mini brewery or other expensive equipment. This myth is imposed by manufacturers of similar products. Together with the brewery, such offices will gladly sell the finished concentrate, which you only need to dilute in water and ferment. As a result, the novice brewer exorbitantly overpays for beer, the quality of which at best is slightly higher than the store cheap brands.

In fact, you can make home-made beer without special equipment using improvised means: a large pot for brewing, a fermentation tank made of plastic or glass, any bottles and other available devices, the full list of which is published below.

You only have to buy hops, malt and brewer's yeast. I do not insist on choosing a particular company or brand. The assortment is wide enough; purchase any product you like.

Theoretically, malt and hops can be grown at home. But these processes are beyond the scope of the article. Further, we assume that all the necessary ingredients are available: homemade or purchased. The only thing I don’t advise experimenting with brewer's yeast, but to immediately choose the best strains in the store, because beer differs from grain mash in particular yeast.

Ingredients:

• water - 27 liters;
• hops (alpha acidity 4.5%) - 45 grams;
• barley malt - 4 kg;
• brewer's yeast - 25 grams;
• sugar - 8 grams per liter of beer (needed for the natural saturation of carbon dioxide).

Necessary equipment:

• 30 liter enameled pan - for making wort;
• fermentation tank - for fermentation;
• thermometer (required) - if moonshine made from sugar or wine can be made only by approximately controlling the temperature, then with beer this is initially a failure;
• bottles for bottling finished beer (plastic or glass);
• small diameter silicone hose - to remove beer from the sediment;
• ice water bath or beer wort cooler;
• gauze (3-5 meters) or a bag of fabric;
• iodine and a white plate (optional);
• hydrometer (optional) - a device for determining the sugar content of the wort.

Home brewing

1. Preparation.  The first stage, during which the brewer checks the availability of the necessary ingredients and the readiness of the equipment for work. I also advise you to pay attention to the following points.

Sterilization.  Wash all used containers and devices well with hot water and dry. Before working with the ingredients, the brewer thoroughly washes with soap and wipes his hands dry. It is very important not to infect the beer wort with wild yeast and pathogenic microorganisms, otherwise instead of beer you get mash. Neglect of sterilization eliminates all further efforts.

Water.  It is better to use spring or bottled water. In extreme cases, the usual tap is suitable. Before brewing beer, water is defended for 24 hours in open containers. This time is enough for the chlorine to erode, and heavy metals and salts settle at the bottom. Subsequently, the settled water is carefully drained from the sediment into another container through a thin tube.

Yeast.  For normal fermentation, brewer's yeast is activated 15-30 minutes before entering the wort with a small amount of warm water (temperature not higher than 28 degrees). There is no universal method for properly brewing any brewer's yeast. Therefore, you must adhere to the instructions on the packaging.

2. Mashing the wort.  This term refers to the mixing of crushed malt with hot water to break down starch in grains into sugar (maltose) and soluble substances (dextrins). Sometimes malt is sold in brewed form, crushed, which makes the task a little easier. If not, the dried sprouted grain needs to be chopped on its own, using a grain grinder or a mechanical meat grinder.

Attention! Grinding does not mean grinding into flour, you just need to refine the grains into small pieces, necessarily preserving the particles of the grain peel, which will then be needed to filter the wort. The correct grinding option is shown in the photo.

  Right grinding

25 liters of water are poured into an enameled pan and heated to 80 ° C on a stove. Then ground malt is poured into a fabric or homemade bag measuring 1 by 1 meter, made of 3-4 layers of gauze. A bag of malt is immersed in water, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 90 minutes, maintaining a stable temperature of 61-72 ° C.

Grouting malt at a temperature of 61-63 degrees contributes to a better sugar yield, increasing the strength of home-brewed beer. At 68-72 ° C, the density of the wort increases, although the alcohol content in the drink will be slightly lower, but the taste will be more saturated. I recommend keeping to the temperature range of 65-72 ° C, which results in a tasty, dense beer with a strength of 4%.

  Cooking malt in a bag

After 90 minutes of cooking, an iodine test is made to make sure that there is no starch left in the wort. To do this, 5-10 milligrams of wort is poured onto a clean white plate and mixed with a few drops of iodine. If the solution turns dark blue, cook the contents of the pan for another 15 minutes. If iodine has not changed the color of the wort - you're done. Iodine test can not be done, but simply increase the time of mashing (cooking) by 15 minutes, the quality of the drink will not be affected.

Then the temperature is sharply raised to 78-80 ° C and the wort is boiled for 5 minutes to completely stop the enzymes. Next, the bag with the remaining malt is removed from the tank and washed with 2 liters of boiled water at a temperature of 78 degrees. So the remnants of extractives are washed. Wash water is added to the wort.

This method of mashing is called "in the bag" and allows you to do without filtering - separation of grains (not dissolved particles of malt) from the main wort. In turn, filtration requires specific equipment (purification systems) and multiple transfusion of wort from one container to another. Mashing in a bag does not affect the quality of the brewed beer in any way, but takes several times less time.

3. Boiling the wort.  The contents of the pan are brought to a boil and the first portion of hops is added, in our case it is 15 grams. After 30 minutes of intense boiling, the next 15 grams are poured, and after 40 minutes the remaining 15 grams of hops are boiled for another 20 minutes.

Depending on the beer recipe chosen, time intervals and hop quantities may vary. But, adhering to the indicated sequence and proportions, it is guaranteed to get a normal result.

Boiling takes an hour and a half, throughout this time it is important to maintain intense heating so that the wort gurgles.

  Adding hops

4. Cooling.  Beer must must be cooled quickly (in 15-30 minutes) to 24-26 ° C. The faster this is done, the lower the risk of infecting the drink with bacteria and wild yeast that are harmful to fermentation.

You can cool the wort with a special immersion cooler (one of the possible designs in the photo) or carefully transfer the container to a bath of ice water. Most novice brewers use the second method. The main thing is not to accidentally turn the hot pot over, scalding yourself with boiling water.

  Cooler design

Chilled wort is poured through cheesecloth into a fermentation tank.

5. Fermentation.  Diluted brewer's yeast is added to the must and mixed well. In this case, it is very important to observe the temperature and proportions indicated in the instructions on the bag label.

Yeast is top fermentation, which contribute at a temperature of 18-22 ° C, and bottom fermentation, working at 5-16 ° C. Different types of beer are obtained from these two types.

The filled fermentation tank is transferred to a dark place with the temperature recommended by the yeast producer. In our case, it is 24-25 ° C. Then install a water seal and leave alone for 7-10 days.

  Fermentation tank example

After 6-12 hours, active fermentation will begin, which usually lasts 2-3 days. At this time, the water trap intensively blows bubbles, then the frequency of carbon dioxide release slowly decreases. At the end of the fermentation, the young home-made beer turns light. Readiness is determined by two methods: a sugar meter (hydrometer) and a water seal.

In the first case, the readings of two samples of the hydrometer over the past 12 hours are compared. If the values \u200b\u200bdiverge slightly (in hundredths), then you can proceed to the next step. Not everyone has a sugar meter, so at home they often just look at the water seal. The absence of bubbles within 18-24 hours indicates the end of fermentation.

6. Corking and carbonization.  Beer carbonization is the saturation of a drink with carbon dioxide, which helps to improve the taste and the appearance of a thick foam. Despite the complex name, the process itself is very simple.

In bottles for storing beer (preferably dark) add sugar at the rate of 8 grams per 1 liter. Sugar will cause a slight secondary fermentation, which will saturate the beer with carbon dioxide. Then the beer is drained from the precipitate through a silicone tube, filling the prepared bottles.

  Spill completed

One end of the tube is lowered to the middle of the beer container, the other to the very bottom of the bottle, this minimizes the contact of the drink with air. It is important not to touch the yeast, which, depending on the type, can settle on the bottom or accumulate on the surface, otherwise the beer will turn out cloudy. Bottles are not refilled 2 cm to the neck and sealed tightly.

The easiest way to use a plastic container, since the lids to it can be twisted by hand. Glass bottles need cork stoppers or a special device to seal ordinary beer corks (pictured).

  Cork Bottle
  Conventional plug closure

Bottles filled with beer are transferred to a dark place with a temperature of 20-24 ° C and left for 15-20 days. Once every 7 days, the containers should be shaken well. After that, the drink is placed in the refrigerator.

7. Ripening.  Homemade beer is ready. But if you let the drink stand for another 30 days, the taste will improve significantly.
  Beer can be stored in the refrigerator for 6-8 months, an open bottle - 2-3 days.

Another method of brewing beer without special equipment is shown in the video.

The main step for making popular foam alcohol is fermentation. Sugars, which are in a fermenting mass, are converted into alcohol, carbon dioxide and other components due to the action of microorganisms.

How does one of the most important stages in brewing go? What is the optimum temperature at this stage? Are there any features?

The central stage of brewing begins with the addition of yeast to the wort. Under their influence, simple sugars are converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide. The duration and temperature of alcohol fermentation depend on what kind of alcohol you want to get as a result.

At this stage, several processes can be distinguished - primary  and secondary. The primary, or main, fermentation process begins at the moment of adding the yeast culture. In the process, the wort is covered with foam. After some time, 5-10 days, the yeast settles in a fermentation tank. After this, the alcohol is poured into the fermenter so that the settled dead yeast cells do not spoil the taste of the final product. In this case, the wort is freed from hop sediment, particles of grain and tannins.

The primary stage takes place in a special room - a fermentation room, where fermentation tanks are located, in which beer wort is located. Such fermenters are well insulated and are located next to the basement for fermentation, to ensure independent flow of "young" beer.

The temperature in the fermenter is maintained at 4-6 degrees. Using the supply and exhaust ventilation, carbon dioxide released during the fermentation process is removed.
Secondary fermentation has its own nuances, which are worth paying attention to.

Secondary fermentation, or croisening, is used to produce lagers. After pumping the "young" drink in a container for cold storage, actively fermenting beer with an additional portion of yeast is added to it.

With this, carbon dioxide is formed and the undesirable effects of primary fermentation are eliminated.How much beer is fermenting in this case?  Secondary fermentation of alcohol can last from a week to two months. Brewers can filter the yeast depending on the style of alcohol and place in special tanks for ripening.

Also at this stage pasteurization can be carried out, which will make the drink more transparent, and the shelf life longer.Both primary and secondary fermentation affect the “density of beer” and the “how many degrees in beer” there will be in the final result.

Beer fermentation temperature table

The temperature of the process depends on what type of alcohol should be - top or bottom fermentation, as well as which grade you want to get.

Grade	Temperature
—Lager— — American dry and malt	7
—Pilsner— — American and European	7-9
Lambic and English Lager	7-10
European dark and amber Viennese	9-10
Oktoberfest	9-12,5
Double side and ale strong	10
Side	10-12,5
Bitter, golden, brown, Indian pale ale, creamy and oat stout, light and Scottish ale, porter	12,5
- Smoked - and - wheat -	12,5
Saison	12,5-15,5
Barley, Dry and Imperial Stout, Abbey Ale	15,5

What is top fermented beer?

Oldest  the type is alcohol obtained by fermentation. The process got its name due to the fact that after budding the yeast cultures do not separate for a long time and form colonies. Bubbles of carbon dioxide accumulate on such colonies, which, in turn, pushes yeast masses upward.

He needs higher temperatures than alcohol, which is produced using grassroots fermentation. Saccheromyas cerevisae yeast is used for this fermentation. They are related to yeast for grassroots fermentation, but their optimum temperature is much higher and is 14-28 degrees. Due to the high temperature, yeast cultures grow much faster, respectively, and the process itself is accelerated many times. When horse fermentation does not require special devices for instant cooling.

This technology is usually used for production. wheat varietiesas well as high alcohol varieties. Such alcohol matures very quickly, but very little is stored.Fast fermentation was a necessity at one time. Before the invention of refrigeration units, only a small number of breweries had suitable “cold” conditions for fermenting the drink.

English ales, as well as many varieties of Bavarian and Belgian alcohol are produced in this way. One of the nice additions to this method is natural — carbonization — which makes alcohol more foamy and “playful.”

Today, the production of a drink by horse-drawn fermentation is causing more and more interest, especially for those who produce —beer at home—. The increased number of craft breweries and less sophisticated equipment for production make such alcohol more profitable for production.

Did you know? Bottom-fermented beer has a low alcohol content, an interesting and bright taste, and most importantly, a long shelf life.

What is bottom fermented beer

The modern method of preparation is the preparation of alcohol using bottom fermentation. This method differs in the complicated course of work with yeast cultures. Such fermentation requires a room in which the optimum temperature of 4-9 degrees will be maintained.

During downstream fermentation, fewer bacteria are produced and, accordingly, the whole process takes longer. Infusion of the drink takes much longer than what happens with horse fermentation. The drink also requires a much longer time period for the fermentation process itself and subsequent storage. The optimum temperature for this process is considered to be 6-10 degrees. In this case, the yeast does not rise up, but settles to the bottom.

Very many manufacturers prefer this particular brewing method, since from a commercial point of view it looks more appropriate, and the alcohol obtained in this way has more pleasant taste shades.
Alcohol, which is produced with the help of bottom-fermenting yeast, belongs to the “lager” style, and Pilsen and black are considered the most popular varieties.

Getting a “foamy” drink is not an easy task and requires a lot of serious and thorough approach  at all stages - from selection of yeast culture to bottling. Fermentation as a central part of production is a very demanding process, a mistake during which will make the final product unusable.

If you intend to use one of the methods of fermentation, of course, you should consult with professional brewers, be patient and have specialized literature.

If you have “experienced” brewers among you, be sure to share your preferences and tips with “newcomers” in the comments.

Includes stages, each of which must pass according to the rules. Otherwise, the beer will not have the desired taste. There are no trifles: the type of yeast used, the fermentation tank for beer, and the aging time of the drink are important. Consider the main points.

First: choose yeast. Types of yeast used in brewing:

• dry (in powder form);
• pills;
• liquid.

Preferably added to the drink. dry yeast. Reason: they are easy to transport, and in addition, they are stored in almost any environment. The disadvantage of this type: less interesting taste than liquid yeast.

The choice of yeast also depends on what kind of beer you want to make: ale or lager. So, for camp varieties we take Fementis-Saflager 34/70.

To cook ale (read:), it would be nice to get SafaleS-04. This subspecies is perfect for fermentation in wooden barrels.

What is yeast? This is a product received from malt and hops by fermentation. Without them, brewing beer is impossible. Before you “fill” them with must, they must be properly prepared.

Training

Special preparation of liquid yeast is not required, but with dry yeast you need to work a little. The actions are as follows:

1. Disinfect  capacity selected for the process.
2. Pour into it warm water  (whose temperature is from 26 to 28ºС).
3. Sprinkle dry yeast on top.
4. Cover the dishes foil.
5. Leave for 40 minutes.
6. Shake the liquid until a suspension is obtained.
7. We add the resulting suspension to the wort.

The preparatory stage is completed: now we are waiting for fermentation and the moment when the tasting of the drink begins.

Choosing a beer fermentation tank

Beginner brewers think about the question: what kind of fermentation tank is suitable for making a drink? Most often, the choice is stopped on a plastic container.

The brewer's task: not to be mistaken with the size of the container. It should be roomy, because foam is formed, which will overflow over the edges if the volume of the tank is insufficient.

You put the container with and pour the wort into it. Do not forget open the lid. This is necessary so that too rapid fermentation ceases. A week goes by. After that, future beer is removed from the sediment and left for secondary fermentation.

Horse fermentation

Initially, there was only a method of horse fermentation. Why? It was not always possible to reach temperatures below 14 ° C. Riding requires temperature   from 15 to 25ºС. Yeast in the process of upper fermentation does not separate for a long time. They form colonies of gas bubbles.

Upper fermentation is gradual formation of higher alcohols and esters. This is how ale or German wheat beer is produced. The taste of these alcoholic drinks is somewhat rougher than those obtained by bottom fermentation.

Bottom fermentation

With bottom fermentation of yeast settle at the bottom of the tankin which the whole process takes place. Such beer is brewed in cold rooms, carefully making sure that the temperature regime is not violated. Yeast should settle at the bottom of the container.

Lager varieties formed in this way are more palatable, according to many connoisseurs. Another plus: camp varieties longer stored, easier to transport.

Fermentation stages

Whole process shared at 4 stagesduring which future beer gradually becomes what we are used to.

• The wort was poured into the vat and the yeast was placed there. Carbon dioxide is being released. gas bubbles rise to the surface. We wait from 12 to 20 hours: during this time, a white foam appears. At this time, we can assume that the first stage has come to an end.
• At the second stage, take a look at the wort: do you see curls on the surface? They resemble roses in appearance. This means that the yeast began to multiply rapidly, which means that fermentation intensifies. Everything goes according to plan.
• The third stage is characterized by a change in the color of the curls. They turn brown and rise higher.

Attention!  At this point, watch carefully wort temperature! It grows, therefore, it is necessary to cool the future beer from time to time, bringing it to a temperature of 6 or 7ºС.

• Last step: stop fermentation. Curls fall. Yeast “sinks” to the bottom, beer becomes lighter.

Do you think the foamy preparation process is complete? No, there is one more stage ahead, but it will proceed in another capacity.

The end of the fermentation stages

To understand that fermentation is complete, inspect the fluid. Assess its uniformity. Check did the yeast sink to the bottom. Pay attention to the color: if it is unclear, then you need to wait a little longer. If the beer has become light, it can be poured into a glass container.

Wort Transfusion

Check that the temperature of the wort is from 8 to 10ºС. If so, prepare clean glass containers. Fermentation will be carried out in them.

It can be nice bottles, in which you will then serve beer to the table. Pour carefully so that no sediment gets into the bottles. Use a siphon tube for this.

Fermentation

So we have come to the end of the process. But you need not just pour beer into bottles and remove for some time in a place inaccessible to children and guests. In the bottle add something sugar-containing:

• sugar;
• glucose
• sugar syrup.

The calculation here is this: you need 9 g of sugar-containing product per 1 liter of wort. In the process of fermentation, carbon dioxide is formed. Beer should be stored in glass containers at a temperature of 18-20ºС. Fermentation is necessary in order for the drink to acquire a pleasant taste and aroma.

Shelf life

Beer of industrial production, if it is "live", stored 3 days. If you followed the production technology, then a home-made drink can stand for three days  - nothing will happen to him.

If beer is prepared on horseback, the shelf life is extended up to 3 months. To extend the shelf life, try to observe the following conditions:

• place the bottles upright;
• close containers tightly;
• do not allow sunlight to hit the beer;
• protect the drink both from overheating and from hypothermia.

If you spend alcohol pasteurization, then the shelf life will increase to 6 months.

Have you ever made beer at home? Tell us about your experience. Also share your opinion: how does a home product differ from an analog manufactured in an industrial way. Which is tastier?

Try making beer in your own kitchen. Its undeniable advantage: used only natural ingredients. In addition, you personally conducted a selection of products and gradually brewed a drink, avoiding the intervention of "extraneous elements."

Useful videos

Look at the order of fermentation of home-made beer - all stages:

  Personal experience of removal from sediment and overflow to secondary fermentation, see:

  About the primary and secondary fermentation of beer in a regular tank, see:

If you are an experienced brewer, you will surely find something to recommend to beginners. How to ferment so that the taste is above all praise? Share information with us, and we will post it on our pages. See you soon!

How much does homemade beer ferment? A question that cannot be answered in one sentence. The duration of fermentation at home depends on various factors. The main one is the selected cooking method. Beer fermentation is divided into top and bottom. The catalyst for any of these processes is brewer's yeast.

Horse fermentation

This method of product ripening is used for special types of beer. For example, such as the English porter. The first home brewing began with it. This is due to the fact that this method of preparation did not require special refrigeration equipment, which appeared much later. To brew beer at home using this technology continues today.

With the top method of preparation, the must must ferment at a temperature of + 150 ° C to + 240 ° C. A feature of this technology is a long period of division of yeast after budding. Its result is an accumulation of carbon dioxide in the form of bubbles that rise to the surface and resemble a cap of foam. It is this phenomenon that gave the name to the product ripening method.

Attention. At top fermentation of beer at home, a large amount of higher alcohols and esters is formed in it. They form the taste of the product and give it the flavor characteristic of the drink.

Horse ripening received its second birth due to the development of modern craft production. Among the reasons why small breweries choose this technology for themselves:

More simple equipment necessary for the production of equipment;

High quality drink.

This beer is especially loved and popular with connoisseurs of the hop product. Very often it is called "alive."

The best yeast for brewing beer by top fermentation is Saccheromyas Cerevisae. They differ from yeast used for bottom fermentation in the range of temperature of use. Their main indicator that has a serious impact on the process is activity. It is checked using a piece of dough mixed with this yeast and dipped in water with t 28-300С. The time the ball rises to the surface of the water is an indicator of activity. It should not exceed 25-30 minutes. If the yeast is not active, they are “invigorated” by mixing with sweet water. Otherwise, the fermentation process will be delayed.

A huge role is played by the quality of the malt. It is best to take malt made from wheat for this preparation.

A drink prepared in this way has a higher strength.

The beer maturation process with the top method is shorter, but its shelf life is much shorter than the bottom. Bavaria, Belgium and England like to make home-made beer in this way. In these countries, it is also used for the preparation of ales, ciders and statutes.

Bottom fermentation

The method of bottom fermentation is longer. The drink matures at a temperature of + 60 ° C to + 100 ° C. When using this technology, a foamy cap is not collected on the surface of the product. Yeast settles to the bottom.

The drink prepared in a grassroots way has an expressive taste and low alcohol content.

Such a ripening process is longer and requires special refrigeration equipment. The finished product has a long shelf life. Specialists call this beer camp. Its most famous varieties are Pilzenskoe and Black beer. This cooking method is used in industrial production.

Fermentation stages

The technology of preparation of the drink provides for two stages of maturation - directly fermentation and maturation. With the riding method, the duration of the fermentation process is from 3 to 5 days. With the grassroots method, the drink wanders from 7 to 10 days.

In the process of this technological stage, the sugar contained in the malt wort, under the influence of yeast, is split into carbon dioxide and alcohol. The result is a young beer. Secondary fermentation is carried out to improve the taste of the product and a set of strength. This stage immediately follows the filtration of the drink. It is carried out at the end of the main fermentation process.

The ripening of the product can significantly improve its quality and get rid of extraneous taste.

Beer should ferment at this stage with the same temperature parameters as with primary fermentation. How many days the ripening process will take place at home depends on the type of beer selected.

At the stage of ripening, the following processes occur:

Dead yeast cells are removed from hops;

The taste of the drink improves.

If you do not clean the product after the active stage of maturation from the sediment, it will get an unpleasant smell of fusel oils.

The precipitate obtained by filtration can be used for recycling.

This is useful to know

Of particular importance for the ripening process is the quality of the cooked wort. When it is cooked under the influence of high temperatures, saccharification of malt occurs. This is the main component in the preparation of the drink. Sweet wort is a breeding ground for yeast. They break down the product into carbon dioxide, which is necessary to accelerate ripening and has an effect on the strength of the drink.

You can shorten the ripening process by:

Temperature increase;

Increased yeast dosage

Adds sugar to the wort.

A very high temperature can turn a drunken drink into a mash, so this method of speeding up the process should be used with extreme caution. Slow down the ripening time of the product by liquefying its temperature. In the development of some varieties, the duration of this stage can reach up to 6 months.

The ripening process is carried out in closed containers. They are filled no more than 2/3. The readiness of the product is determined by its density. To do this, use a hydrometer. The indicator of its scale should be at around 1.010. If it is higher, then the product must be "reanimated" with sugar syrup. To prepare it, take:

200 grams of sugar;

0.5 l of water.

The temperature of the syrup before adding should not exceed 28-32 0 С. Any adjustments to the technological process affect the taste, aroma and strength of the drink. Each brewer in the process of home-made preparation of the drink develops its own technology, "finds" the optimal parameters for its brewing and ripening. Thus, new varieties are obtained. They are neither better nor worse, just different.

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