How can you make beer?

The basic principle of production is the breaking down of complex sugars (starch) contained in cereal grains into simple sugars. These sugars are then fermented using brewer's yeast. The addition of water is integral to the conversion of the usable substances into a beverage.

The raw materials used to make beer have been the same (in most beers) for centuries. The basic ingredients are water, hops, malt and yeast. These raw materials were so important that on April 23, 1516, the Reinheitsgebot, a law prohibiting the use of other raw materials for production, was created in Germany. The law was in force in the then Holy Roman Empire and the same raw materials are still used today.

The production itself can, of course, vary greatly. Different breweries and different cultures will always have different processes. In addition to the type of beer, the technological equipment and the size of the brewery also matter. However, all the processes are based on the process used in most of today's breweries with the typical taste of beer, the so-called Pilsner type invented in Pilsen. The most typical Czech beers, such as Pilsner Urquell or Radegast, are brewed according to this process.

1.1.1 Scrapping

The first step is the mashing process, where the prepared malt is processed. The malt must be left to rest in the silos for 4-6 weeks, as the moisture content of the malt must be kept as low as possible to reduce the possibility of damage to the grain wrapper (called the plough), which later serves as a filter layer. Before actual milling, the malt must be cleaned and all impurities removed.

1.1.2 Ejection

After milling, the process continues with mashing. In this process, the already mashed malt is mixed with water at a temperature of 38-53 °C in a mash tun (a large container with a stirrer). The classic ratio of malt to water is 1:4 malt to water. After thorough stirring, a thick mixture is formed, the so-called mash, which is also called mash or work.

1.1.3 Mashing

The mashing process breaks down the complex polysaccharides (starches) present in the malt into simple sugars that can be fermented. Most Czech breweries use a two-mutation process.

One third of the prepared mash is pumped into the so-called mash tun. In this boiler, the starch is heated to a temperature of 70-73 °C for around 30 minutes and solidified. Once the starch has solidified, the temperature rises to the boiling point. The heated mixture is pumped back into the cold liner, which lowers the temperature to 63-65 °C and further breaks down the sugars. Then another third of the liquor, which is mixed with the first mash, is pumped into the boiler and the process is repeated. After the second repetition, the temperature of the mash is raised to 73-75 °C.

1.1.4 Sintering

Sintering is a short 30-minute process that separates all the liquid part of the mash from the solid residue of the malt, called malt or brewer's mash. In the malt mash there are residues of malt, skins and starch. The whole process takes place in a malt vat and the final product of the mashing is the wort, which is a sweet clear solution.

1.1.5 Boiling

Once the sweet liquor has been obtained, it must be boiled in a hop house (wort pan). The boiling process evaporates the water and regulates the density of the solution. During the process, hops and possibly spices are added to the wort. The boiling in the hopovar lasts 90-120 minutes, during which time the solution receives the bittering agents from the hops and any bacteria are removed. Hops are added at the beginning of the process for bitterness and at the end for aroma. The result of the boiling process is a hot wort.

The hot wort then needs to be de-sludged. The hot wort is filtered so that there are no hop residues or large pieces of spices.

1.1.6 Chilling

The filtered hot wort must now be cooled to a fermentation temperature of 8 °C. A single-stage plate cooler is used for cooling.

1.1.7 Fermentation

The already cooled wort is now fermented using brewer's yeast and then pumped into the spiles (open vessels) where it ferments. In addition to stills, closed cylindroconical stainless steel tanks can also be used. These tanks are mostly used in large industrial breweries.

The fermentation itself is divided into bottom and top fermentation according to the type of yeast used.

Bottom fermentation takes place at lower temperatures from 5-11°C. Standard draught beers ferment for 7 days, while special beers can take up to 14 days to ferment. The yeast is drawn from the bottom, as the name suggests. Bottom fermentation is better than top fermentation and is used by most large breweries.

Top fermentation takes place at a higher temperature than bottom fermentation, 15-20 °C. Fermentation lasts only 3-7 days. The yeast is collected from the surface and sometimes reused for the next batch of beer. Top fermentation is mainly used in microbreweries and has a specific taste. Top fermentation is also suitable for home brewing.

1.1.8 Finishing fermentation

Beer is now approaching the form we are all familiar with. Now, however, it still has to mature in a closed lager tank. Maturation takes place at a pressure of 1 atmosphere and a temperature of up to 2 °C.

Bottom-fermented beer is usually aged for 3-4 weeks, so-called lagers are aged for 60 days and special types can be aged for up to 1 year.

Top-fermented beers have an ageing period depending on the type of beer in question. Maturation times range from 1 week to 1 year.

1.1.1 Filtration

The final filtration takes place in a special silica filter where all yeast residues and any sludge are thoroughly removed. After filtration, the beer becomes clear.

However, not all beers are filtered. These beers are bottled unfiltered and aged in bottles. The beer then has a specific colour and a strong taste.

1.1.2 Pasteurisation

Beer is pasteurised before it is bottled and distributed to customers and consumers. During pasteurisation, the beer is first heated to 60-80 °C and then cooled rapidly, thus thoroughly sterilising the beer and ridding it of any micro-organisms.

Like filtration, pasteurisation is not the rule for all beers. According to some opinions, pasteurisation takes away from the taste and quality of the beer, which is why many beers are sold unpasteurised. However, unpasteurised beers have a shorter shelf life.