Brewing process
You always wanted to know how beer is made? Let us show you!
From malt to beer
Producing a high quality beer combining natural methods with the latest brewing technology is a complex process. Beer brewing has always been and remains an art.
In our modern, fully automated brew house we produce two 130 hL mashes a day. The combination of the age-old brewing knowledge embodied in traditional recipes, the latest technology and carefully selected raw materials from the region guarantees the constantly high quality of our beers.
In the beginning is the malt
The grain used to make our beers is initially soaked for a whole day. As a result of its high water content the grain begins to germinate. This process is necessary because during germination enzymes are formed that make the kernels soft and water-soluble.
These enzymes are also required for the subsequent brewing process in order to break down the starch in the grain into fermentable malt sugars. If the grain were allowed to continue germinating, it would produce a new plant.
However, the maltster intervenes before this happens by kiln-drying the so-called “green malt.†The higher the temperature of the kiln, the darker the malt becomes.
Malting has a decisive influence on the character of the beer, its flavour and colour as well as the head it produces and its storage life.
Brewing now begins.
From grist to mash
In the brewery the malt is ground and mixed with extremely pure brewing water in the mash tub. The mash is then heated to different temperatures over 3-4 hours, which activates the enzymes contained in the malt.
Starch is converted into malt sugar and protein into amino acids, which later provide food for the yeast.
Lautering: The “mesh filter”
special filtering vessel known as a lauter tun is used to remove all insoluble elements from the malt. The spent grain is used as a high-quality animal food. The remaining liquid, known as wort, now flows into the wort copper, where it is boiled for 1 to 1½ hours.
Boiling the wort: Refining with hops
During the boil various amounts of hops are added, depending on the type of beer. Hops gives the beer its pleasant tangy, bitter flavour and its characteristic aroma. Hops also increases the storage life of the beer and helps the beer form a good head when poured.
Whirpooling: Solids and liquids
After boiling, the wort is sent into a so-called whirlpool, which separates out coagulated proteins. The so-called teacup effect forces the denser solids into a cone at the centre. This protein has to be removed because it will otherwise interfere with later fermentation.
From malt to sugar to alcohol
Yeast is used to convert the malt sugar into alcohol, carbon dioxide and heat. Primary fermentation takes about a week. The yeast is then removed and used for further brewing processes. The “green” beer is now cellared for around 2 months, where it matures at a temperature of 0°C and develops its full aroma and taste.
Conditioning: Controlled aging
During cellaring three things happen:
First, the flavour of the beer gets its finishing touches. Remaining sugars are almost completely broken down. Second, the carbon dioxide produced binds with the beer to produce its characteristic fizziness Third, yeast, excess protein and fermenting agents settle to the bottom of the tank, with the result that the beer clears.
Filtration: Liquid gold
The aged beer is moved from the storage tanks via a beer filter into pressure tanks. Sheet filters are used to clean the beer of yeast, protein and fermentation agents, a process which gives the beer its shine and brilliance.
The beer is subsequently put into bottles or kegs.