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Beer
Beer predates wine as the oldest alcoholic beverage known to man, and the “discovery” of the fermentation of grain is closely linked to the transition from a nomadic to a settled agricultural society during the Neolithic Revolution. However, the fermentation of starchy carbohydrates is a more complicated matter than the transformation of grape sugars into alcohol, as a grain’s starch must first be converted into sugar before fermentation can commence. Thus, the aim of the brewing process is twofold: the brewer must derive the wort, a sugar-rich liquid, from malted grain, and then ferment the wort. This brewing process typically utilizes the following raw ingredients: water, yeast, a starch source, and hops—a flower that adds flavor and bitterness, and has both preservative and antiseptic qualities that prohibit bacterial growth.
In the modern brewing process, the first step is to create the malted barley, or malt. Barley—the grain of choice for most beers—is steeped in water for approximately two days to promote germination of the grain. Once the grain begins to germinate, or sprout, it is transferred to compartments with controlled temperature and moisture levels. As the sprout grows to nearly an inch in length, the enzyme amylase is produced, which will convert the starchy carbohydrates of the grain into the fermentable sugars maltose and dextrin. This “green malt” is then roasted with hot air in a kiln to halt further growth. The style of beer desired will determine the length and degree of roasting: heavy roasted black malts, for instance, are used for porter-style beers, whereas pale malt, dried at low temperatures and very light in color, is used for pale ales.
Once the grain is malted, the malt is ground, or cracked, in a mill to produce grist. The grist is combined with hot water in a mash tun. The “mashing” process lasts one to two hours, converting and extracting sugar from the malt, and results in