Beer Drinkers Guide :
BEER BASICS | HISTORY OF BEER | BEER STYLES | ART OF BREWING
beer is affected negatively by light, especially direct sunlight, and so your stocks should be stored in cool dark storeroom.
The influnce of temperature
Beer,like many other food products,loses its fresh flavoure quicker in a warm environment. cool
condition, therefore, are much more favorable to beer quality. beer kept under refrigeration will
outlast beer which is exposed to heat.However,beer should never be frozen as this spoils its
flavour and appearance.The ideal temperature to serve beer in india is 4 degrees celsius.
Beer and health
It is widely accepted that moderate alcohol consumtion has health-giving denefits,primarily in
reducing the risk of heart disease.A study by the Harvard medical school in the united states
concluded that all alcohol beverages, drunk in moderation,are beneficial. in addition,beer's
nutritional value can be gauged frome a 1992 study by the food science and Technology division
of the CSIR which found that castel lager(findings would be similar for all SABMiller's lagers)
was:
*A rich source of phosphorus and folic acid.
*A significiant sourec of energy magnesium, potassium,riboflavin,niacin,vitamin B6 and vitamin
B12.
*A moderate source of protein of plant origin,carbohydrate, calcium and manganese.
Beer's unique flavoure characteristics
The specific malt variety,the specific maize,the brand recipe and the yeast strain all contribute
directly to the flavour of different beers. hops are the balancing "pepper & salt" of beer.Hops
from the fruit cone of the female hop plant,impart a characteristically spice, tangy-bitter
flavours and the more hops added, the bittere the beer. For example,low hop beers are castle
lager,lion lager,Amstel lager and Hansa pilsener.
Simple daily maintenance schedules
Here are some helpful hints to help you run a more efficent bar.
*Check yourn counter mount illumination is working.
*Check that air is circulatig freely around your under-counter or remote coolers.
*With cabinet glasswashser,clean your jets, filters and washarms. With manual glasswasing,change
your detergent and rinse water frequently.
*Check in-glass temperrature (consumer's glass) that each pack type (bottle,can or draught) is 4
degrees celsius.
*Re-stock your bottles shelves and coolers with new stock from the back, bringing your old stock
to the front. Remember the old acronym FIFO (first in,first out).
BEER STYLES
Ther are Literally hundreds of different beer style around the world,
and thousands of brandS.
Visul appearnce is one of he easiest ways of classifying a beer style.the
main beer styles are:
LAGERS
A Lager is fermented with a yeast that works at cool temperatures and
is then subjected to cold maturation or storage.the yeast strain in a
lager sink to the bottom of the fermeting vessel and thus said to be bootom-fermented.Lagers
are cleaner, drier (lees sweet) and more rounded beers with a less fruity
aroma and often a characteristic "Grassy"nose. Lager are served
cool, and are clear and light in colour.Lager are refreshing and very
well suited to hot climates
PILSENERS
In the late 19th century,when all beers were dark or cloudy, a brewery
in pilsen, bohemia (now
the czech republic)produced the first beer that has a golden and clear.
It became known as a Pilsener. A true Pilsener-type lager has a good,
soft malt character and balanced dryness, with a notable degree of bitterness
and hop aroma.
ALES
The term ales refers only to the method of fermentation which happens
at comparatively warm temperatures. The yeast stains rise to the top of
the fermenting vessel and the maturation period is relatively short. Ales
have fairly complex flavour and fuity aroma and palate.Ales are rich and
full and very popular in colder countries.
Stouts
Stouts are very dark(almost black), with a roasted or toasted taste. Some
of the malt used is roasted during the klning process to impart the dark
colour and characteristic flavour. Stouts have plenty of hop character.
ICE BEERS
Ice beers were originally produced by Labatt's in cannada and have been
a sucess story for brewing industry ever since. These beers are produced
by chilling the beer ath the end of fermentation period until ice crystals
start to form. The beer is then drained out through a screen of ice before
being stored, Filtered and packaged. The end result is a beer that has
a smooth flavour and which is highly drinkable.
MALTING
Malting prepares barley for brewing. the barley is steeped in water,allowed
to germinate and is
then kiln-dried in carefully controlled conditions.During this process
starches in the barley
are made accessible,and enzymes aer formed which convert starch into simple
sugars during the
subsequent brewing procees.The selection and blending of different malts-pale,crystal
or roasted
-cotribution to the ultimate flavour,body,colour and aroma of the beer.
Mashing
During mashing,ground barley malt and selected maize aer combined with
specially condition water,
ceating a thick mixture called "the mash".A specified heating
programme continues the conversion
of starches in the mash in to simple suggars.Varying the time and temperatures
in the mashing
programme influences the body and colour of the beer and determines the
potential alcohol
content.the addition of maize enhances drinkability.
Lautering
The mash is transferred to the lauter turn,which acts as a giant sieve
and filter,spearating the
rich fermenttable liquid "wort"from the solid grain.As the liquid
dies off the grain,it is
sprayed by hot water to recover the maximum amount of fermentable sugars.
Wort boiling
The wort is brought to controlled boil to balance the ingredients precisely.A
small amount of hops
are added. the type and quality of hops,and the timing of thire addition
to the boiling wort,
determine the distinctive bitterness and hop aroma of the beer.After boiling,the
sloid are separated
and the wort is cooled.
Fermentation/Maturation/Filteration
specially selected brewer's yeast is added to the fermentation procees
under controlled temperatures.
During fermentation, yeast converts the sugars in the wort into alcohol
and carbon dioxide.this
young beer is then transferred to even colder storage vessels,wherw it
matures. After reaching
its full potential, the beer is filtered,carbonated and transferred to
the bright ber tank.
perhaps the most important determinat of beer character is the living
yeast.Brewers,therefore,
give great attention to the integrity and vitality of their own yeast
strains.
Packaging
Because beer is best when it is fresh,it is packaged as quickly and efficiently
as possible on
the high speed lines,in kegs,bottles or cans.
Beer is one the oldest product of civilization,and may even have been a stepping stone to the invetion of leavened bread.Historians believe that the ancient mesopotamians and sumerians were brewing as early as 10,000 BC. the ancient Egyptians and chinese brewed beer as did precolumbian civilization in the Americas,who used cron instead of barley. In the middle ages,European monks were the guardians of literature and scince,as well as the art of beer
making.They refind the process to near perfection and intitutionalized the use of hops as a flavouring and preservative. While grapes grow well in warm climates,barley grows better in cooler climes. This is how the northern countries of Germany and England became famous for their beers.Beer.Today. Beer.Tomorrow-some years ago,a British man was the victim of a car accident sued the other driver,claiming he had lost his ability to taste beer as a
result of his injuries.the jude agreed the this was a "great loss" and awarded the man $ 14,076. The rest of us are not likely to lose our taste for beer any time soon. no matter what time of day or night it is,you can be sure that someone somewhere in the world is enjoying a beer right now. In the U.S. and canada, microbreweries,breweries that product fewer than 15,000 barrels of beer year, are part of growing craft industry that includes homemade and specialty beer. The brewpub is also a growing idustry;this is an insitutuiton that brews its own
beer,mainly for consumption on the premises. Cooking with beer is another growing trend. Beer can now be tasted as an ingredient in sauces and batters, whilebook and internet sites proclaim that a good beer is the ideal accompaniment to heart beef dishes,seafood,and fish
entrees. Beer has been a part of gatherings,huge celebrations, and simple meals all over
the world from the dawn of history.An appreciation of beer crosses language lines and cultural differences.
There's just something about beer that defines the salt-of -the earth. Cheers!