The basic brewing process requires 4 main ingredients: Water,
malted grains (usually barley), hops and yeast.
It is important to know that each style of beer will have a
slightly different process.
This is our basic process for a traditional ale.
Mashing - Malted barley, cracked open
using our mill is mixed with hot water (known as liquor in brewing
terms) into a large vessel called a Mash Tun. This process extracts
sugars from the malt into the water creating a hot, sweet, sugary
liquid known as wort.
Boiling - The wort is sterilised by boiling for
1 hour in a vessel called a Copper/Kettle. Hops are then added to
the boil to give the beer its bitterness, flavour and aroma.
Late Hopping - The wort is transferred from the
Copper to a vessel called a Hop Back, where it is sprayed over a
bed of hops, soaking through them and giving the beer additional
aroma. Each hop variety is chosen for its aroma characteristics,
which can range from fresh citrus or tropical fruit, to spicy,
floral or piney. The wort is then cooled quickly to 21°C through a
heat exchanger on the way to the fermentation tank. Air is mixed
with the wort to help the yeast during fermentation.
Fermentation - Now in a fermentation tank,
yeast is added to the wort and it now becomes known as beer. The
live yeast converts the sugars to alcohol, producing a complex mix
of flavours and aromas. The temperature is controlled between 19°C
and 24°C and this primary fermentation period lasts 3 to 5
days.
Conditioning - Towards the end of the primary
fermentation, after most of the sugar is converted to alcohol the
beer is cooled to 6°C, slowing fermentation down. The tank is
sealed for 3 to 4 days to add condition to the beer, as
fermentation continues slowly the sediment settles to the bottom of
the tank. Beer destined to be bottled into 500/330ml bottles may be
left for a few additional days to increase its condition and to
improve its clarity.
Filtering - Once ready for packaging, the beer
is sent through a centrifugal filter which separates the solids and
beer, improving clarity and quality of the final product.
Packaging- Once through the centrifuge, beer
can be sent to be filled into one of four different packages.
- Bottled Beers. The beer is sent through a fine filter before
it's bottled.
- Traditional Casks. Beer with some yeast remaining is filled
into the casks with the addition of finings and isinglass to help
the beer settle once in a pub's cellar. The small amount of yeast
that makes it into the casks allows a secondary fermentation to
take place within the cask. This adds to the beers condition,
flavour and body.
- Kegs. Beer to be filled into kegs and 12 litre mini barrels is
filtered to improve clarity before being filled into the kegs.
- Small Retail Pack. Draught beer sold through our shop is sent
to a holding tank where it's filled into 1, 3, 5 litre containers
to be taken home and enjoyed.
