Page 10 - Demo

5Chapter OneThe Beer Scene before 1982The four traditional ingredients in beer are malted barley, hops, water, and yeast. Barley is allowed to germinate, naturally converting starches into sugars, then roasted to stop the conversion. The length of roasting affects the flavor and color of both the malted barley and the finished beer. For example, lighter malt can impart biscuit and cracker flavors while darker malt can add notes of caramel and chocolate. Different types of malts are mixed together to create the grain bill or soul of beer.14 Hops are the other flavoring agent in beer, used to add bitterness, round out the sweetness of the malt, and act as a preservative for the finished product. Hops come in many varieties, each contributing slightly different flavors and aromas to the finished beer including pine, grass, citrus, tropical fruit, and even cheese.15 Yeast ferments the converted sugars from the malt into alcohol, carbon dioxide, and a variety of flavorful by-products.16 Ale yeast and lager yeast are the two main varieties of brewer%u2019s yeast. Ale yeast ferments at warmer temperatures, contributing flavor and aroma compounds to the finished beer. Lager yeast ferments at colder temperatures and imparts little flavor to the finished beer, instead letting the malt and hops dominate. Water is the main ingredient of beer but by no means the simplest. Water chemistry affects how the malt, hops, and yeast interact with one another as much as the brewing process itself. A variety of chemicals can be used to adjust water chemistry to meet the needs of specific beer styles.17Initially, beer differed region by region based on the locally available malt, hops, yeast, and water. Over time new styles emerged with new industrial processes utilizing new agricultural and scientific discoveries. Throughout the twentieth century there were hundreds of beer styles being produced in Europe, Asia, and Africa; however, in the United States most breweries