Top 10 Phrases for Understanding Craft Beer Brewing

Top 10 Phrases for Understanding Craft Beer Brewing Introduction: The Craft Beer Revolution Welcome, students! The craft beer industry has witnessed a remarkable surge in popularity. No longer confined to mass-produced lagers, craft beer offers a diverse range of flavors and styles. But to truly appreciate this art form, one must grasp the language of brewing. Let's begin! 1. Mashing: The Foundation of Flavor Mashing is the process of extracting fermentable sugars from grains. By carefully controlling temperature and time, brewers create a wort rich in flavor and aroma. Think of it as the canvas upon which the rest of the brewing process unfolds. 2. Hops: Nature's Flavor Enhancers Hops not only add bitterness to beer but also contribute to its aroma and stability. From floral and citrusy to earthy and herbal, the choice of hops can dramatically alter the beer's profile. Dry hopping, a technique of adding hops during fermentation, imparts a vibrant aroma. 3. Fermentation: The Magic Happens During fermentation, yeast consumes the sugars in the wort, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide. This transformative process not only creates alcohol but also adds complexity and character to the beer. Ales and lagers, the two main types of beer, differ in their fermentation temperatures and yeast strains. 4. ABV: Alcohol by Volume