The Beer Production

The brewing process

Four different raw materials are required for beer brewing:

• Water
• Malt
• Hops
• Yeast

Malt

Malt is being produced from grain, mostly barley.

• First of all, the barley from the fields is being thoroughly cleansed.
• Now, the barley is ready for germination in warm and humid air lasting until the malt sprouts reach about the same length as the grain itself. During this process, valuable enzymes and malt sugar are being generated.
• For long durability, the grain is being dried over hot air on the called ”kiln“. The higher the kiln temperature the more malt sugar is converted into caramel.
• The more sugar is converted into caramel, the darker the malt and the brewed beer made out of it.
• The alcoholic content of beer only depends on the blend ratio of malt and water not on the colour - light or dark - of the beer.
• The "Brauhaus JOH. ALBRECHT" obtains malt exclusively from a malt factory complying with demanding quality requirements and controls.

Brewing water

For the beer production it is of main importance that the brewing water is clean and free of impurities.

• In contrary to former times, the content of minerals (hardness) is not of crucial importance anymore since it is possible to balance its effects through natural composition alternatives of the malting and brewing process.
• More important is that the produced beer type is being attuned to the brewing water. Therefore, the brewing recipes are being defined in the JOH. ALBRECHT micro-brewery only after detailed and thorough water analysis. Their compliance is subject to permanent control.

Hops

Besides the convenient flavour, the hops performs further important tasks during beer production.

• Due to its natural content of essential oils (as to be found in remedy herbs like camomile and eucalyptus), the hops protects the beer against deterioration.
• Basically, one differentiates between aroma hops and bitter hops, the latter mainly being used due to its considerably lower price even though aroma hops is of higher quality.
• In its own micro-breweries, JOH. ALBRECHT exclusively utilises aroma hops from carefully selected hops growers obligated to pack the hops newly-harvested and in its natural condition and to keep the hops stored in a cool place until consumption.

Yeast

In the course of fermentation, the purpose of the yeast is to convert the malt sugar which has dissolved during mixing of malt and water in the brewhouse into alcohol and CO₂

• There are two major yeast types, the top fermented and the bottom fermented yeast.
• During fermentation, the top fermented yeast ascends to the beer surface and forms a thick foam layer (hence the name). The optimum fermentation temperature for top fermented yeast is approximately 20°C. Typical top fermented beers are "Weißbier", "Alt", "Kölsch" and "Berliner Weiße".
• The bottom fermented yeast deposes during fermentation on the bottom (hence the name). The optimum fermentation temperature for bottom fermented yeast is approximately 10°C being used for almost any common beer type like "Export", "Helles", "Dunkles", "Pils", "Bock" etc.
• The main difference between the beers produced from either yeast variety is that top fermented beers bear a flowery and fruity taste.

The Beer Production

Schema of a micro-brewery
(Picture in A4-formate: 150 dpi / 161 KB or 300 dpi / 163 KB )

The beer production consist of 9 steps:

• Grinding
• Mashing
• Lautering
• Wort boiling
• Cooling
• Fermentation
• Storage
• Filtration
• Filling

Grinding

The grinding is a coarse milling, even better a crushing of the relatively mellow malt grain. In doing so, it must be observed that the outer shell of the malt grain, the so called husk, remains nearly intact. In step 3 "lautering", these husks serve as a natural filter layer.

Mashing

The word mashing originally derives from "mixing".

• In this context, the beer production starts with mixing the grist of step 1 with warm brewing water.
• The water being applied for mashing-in is called "main mash water" in contrary to the so called "second wort" during "lautering" in step 3.
• This grist-water-mixture is gradually being heated in the "brew vessel". According to individual recipe, the temperature must be hold correspondingly long at each temperature step. During this so called "rest", the starch contained in the malt grain is being converted into malt sugar and valuable amino acids develop from indigestible proteins.
• According to each specific beer type brewed in the JOH. ALBRECHT micro brewery, time and temperature of the single rests are being individually scheduled by the brewmaster and must be carefully observed due to their determining influence on the taste of the beer.
• The result of the entire mashing process of approximately three hours is a hazy liquid containing dissolved malt sugar but also unsolved malt particles, for example husks.

Lautering

"Lautering" means the separation of the hazy mash particles from the clear ("lautering" = old-fashioned word for "clarifying") liquid. This process can be compared to filtering coffee where the coffee grounds are being restrained and a clear fluid containing the dissolved coffee particles runs through the filter. The more water is being poured over the coffee grounds, the more exhaustive the diffusion whereby the running off coffee becomes more and more watery.

• The lautering starts with the transfer of the entire mash into the "lauter tun". The lauter tun is the second copper vessel in the brewhouse equipped with a false bottom with thin slits approximately 1,5 cm above the original bottom.
• Since the husks are heavier than the other mash particles, they depose at the false bottom thus forming a natural filter layer. The false bottom only serves as a support of this "husk filter".
• The brewer calls the thereby almost clear running-off sugar water "wort". As soon as the wort ran-off entirely, the solid mash particles remain within the lauter tun, called "spent grains". In the beginning, these spent grains still contain a fair amount of malt sugar being rinsed out with hot water. The water being applied for this purpose is called "second wort" and is being poured over the spent grains without destroying (as happening for example by stirring) their layering.
• The lautering must be done very carefully because if the wort would run-off freely (like when making coffee), the developing suction would contract the husk layer to almost impermeable extent. For this reason, the lauter tun is equipped with a shut-off valve at the bottom for subtle adjustment of the wort drain.
• After approximately three hours, the lautering result is the wort - a clear, amber sugar water also containing flavours and many other dissolved substances (for example protein) highly significant for the proper development and taste of the beer.
• Because the sugar concentration of the wort determines the later alcoholic content of the beer, the concentration is measured with a calibrated spindle. The measured sugar concentration is increased during boiling (see step 4) due to the thereby evaporating water. In case the wort is relatively "thin", the boiling time must be prolonged in order to later reach the desired alcoholic content.

Wort boiling

The entire run-off wort is being re-collected in the brew vessel and boiled together with the hops for at least one hour. The wort must be boiled until the desired sugar concentration is reached due to evaporating water.

• During boiling, also the composition of the wort changes whereby insolvable components like for example hops oils are being dissolved, others simply drop out or evaporate in form of solid components, the so called "break".
• The sugar concentration of the wort after boiling is the well-known "original extract". Since the original extract is converted into alcohol during fermentation, the later alcoholic content of the beer directly depends on the original extract
• By the time enough water has evaporated, the wort with the whole hops will again be transferred to the lauter tun. The decocted whole hops and the break remain on the false bottom whereas the wort runs-off at the bottom now bearing a distinctive taste of hops.

Cooling

Now, the boiling hot wort must be cooled down to the starting temperature of the yeast.

• From this point of time, an extremely neat and clean operation is required because otherwise lactic acid bacterias instead of the yeast might start the fermentation of the wort. These lactic acid bacterias convert the sugar into lactic acid and not into alcohol like the yeast does. Thereby the beer turns sour and therefore becomes denaturated. Lactic acid bacterias are not harmful to humans in any way. Looking at other food items (yoghurt, cheese, sauerkraut, sourdough etc.), they are even very valuable organisms.
• For top fermentation, the wort is being cooled down to approx. 15°C, for bottom fermentation to approx. 5°C. These temperatures lie about 5°C below the optimum temperature of the respective yeast because fermentation ought to start slowly.
• For cooling down the wort to approx. 20°C it is possible to use cold tap water. During this process, the tap water heats up to approx. 85°C and is available as hot water. In order to further cool down the wort, artificially cooled "ice water" of approx. 1°C is required.

Fermentation

During fermentation, the yeast converts the sugar of the wort into alcohol, CO₂ and heat. The wort turns into "green beer".

• The fermentation ought to be performed slowly because otherwise a big quantity of indesirable fermentation by-products accumulate besides alcohol being the main causer for headaches after a long night. In order to produce high-quality beer, appropriate cooling ensures a fermentation period of approx. 8-10 days.
• Since at this point sugar is converted into alcohol, the measured content of original extract continuously drops during fermentation.
• The accumulated CO₂ can freely escape from the open fermenter. Because CO₂ bubbles through the green beer, indesirable fermentation by-products negatively influencing the taste and digestibility of the beer are being washed out. Through fermentation, a white foam builds up at the beer surface collapsing again at the end of the main fermentation.

Storage

During storage time, the residual sugar ferments to alcohol and CO₂

• For this purpose, the beer is being transferred from the open fermenter to the closed storage tank.
• The storage tank is being closed with a "bunging apparatus". By the use of this bunging apparatus, the desired CO₂-content of the beer can be adjusted. Therefore, the now accumulating CO₂ remains in the beer.
• In order for the sugar to further ferment, the temperature ought to remain at approx. 5°C for a while. Afterwards, the beer is ready for slowly being cooled down to maturity temperature of 1°C.
• Under these temperatures, the green beer matures for several weeks . During this time, the beer almost completely purifies and finally reaches full maturity.
• Due to the fact that in contrary to the big breweries, in the Joh. Albrecht micro-breweries the beer can mature long enough without disturbances and in a cool place, it must not be filtered and stabilised but is rather dispensed in its natural condition still containing all vital ingredients and vitamins.

Filtration

During filtration the residual yeast is being filtered from the beer.

• For this purpose, the beer from the storage tank is being pressed through a Kieselguhr-filter layer under pressure.
• The hereby secreted yeast remains in the filter together with the Kieselguhr and can be disposed after termination of the filtration process.
• After filtration, the beer is being collected in the pressure tank and from there arrives at the filling facilities.

Filling

During filling process, the filtered beer is being filled into bottles or kegs.

1. Bottle filling
• In general, returnable bottles with swing stopper, so called "ricklayer’s bottles", are being used.
• First of all, the bottles must be manually cleaned with the aid of a bottle washing machine comparable to an industrial dishwasher. The bottles are being cleansed of yeast deposits and afterwards sterilised.
• Next, the bottles are manually being removed from the machine and placed on a table for filling.
• For filling purpose, the brewmaster applies a hand operated isobarometric filler. Each bottle is separately being removed from the table. The brewmaster ensures a careful filling of the beer without the development of foam and tight closure of the bottles with a ceramic seal.
• Prior to packing the bottles into transport crates, each bottle receives a seal label indicating date of expiry and table of content. Afterwards, the bottles are ready for sale.
• According to beer type, such filled beer can be stored up to 6 – 12 weeks until consumption.
2. KEG-filling
• In contrary to the bottle filling, the keg-filling in this dimension can already be automatised allowing the filling of approximately 20 Kegs à 50 l/h with a semi-automatic Keg-filling and-cleaning machine.
• For filling purpose, the single Keg is being placed on the machine by hand. The program sequence navigates the individual steps of Keg-cleaning, sterilisation and pre-stressing with CO₂ directly followed by filling of the beer. Approximately three minutes later, the machine releases the Keg and a new Keg can be inserted to the machine.
• After only a short interim storage in a cooled room, the Keg is ready for sale.