Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Malteado
Como mencionamos al hablar de la malta, para poder extraer los azcares de la
cebada y otros cereales, que luego se transformarn en alcohol, es necesario
primero someterlos a un proceso llamado malteado.
Los granos de cebada se introducen en unos tanques con agua fra y se dejan a
remojo donde se oxigenan continuamente con aire saturado de agua para
mantener la humedad durante dos o tres das. A continuacin se llevan a unas
cajas de germinacin en donde por el efecto de la humedad y del calor, a los
granos de cebada le empezarn a salir una especie de pequeas races. Este
proceso, conocido como germinacin, dura aproximadamente una semana,
obtenindose la llamada malta verde. Debido a este fenmeno natural, el almidn
de la cebada se hace soluble, preparndose para su conversin en azcar.
Para detener la germinacin se lleva la malta verde a unos tostaderos en los que
se har pasar aire seco y caliente y obtener as la malta, que ser de un tipo u otro
dependiendo de la temperatura a la que se seque. Si se seca a baja temperatura,
se obtiene una malta plida que se utiliza en la elaboracin de cervezas ms
plidas y doradas. Cuanto mayor sea la temperatura, ms oscura ser la malta
obtenida y por tanto la cerveza que se haga a partir de ella. El carcter de la malta
obtenida no slo influir en el color de la cerveza, sino tambin en el sabor y
aroma.
Mezcla/Maceracin
Una vez obtenida la malta, y ya en las instalaciones cerveceras, sta se tritura y
se mezcla con agua caliente para extraer sus azcares naturales mediante
procesos enzimticos bioqumicos.
Ebullicin/Lupulizacin
Una vez limpio, el mosto se lleva a una caldera, donde se hierve junto con el
lpulo, que le dar el amargor y aroma tpico de la cerveza. Es sta la caldera
tradicional de cobre que puede verse todava en muchas instalaciones de cerveza.
Fermentacin y maduracin
Las levaduras que se aaden al mosto actan a alta temperatura (entre 18 y 24C)
en la superficie de la mezcla. A las 24 horas de iniciarse el proceso, se forma una
capa de espuma en la superficie. Se quita la cabeza de esta espuma para que
respire el lquido mientras que las levaduras van transformando el azcar en
alcohol. Cuando termina de actuar, la levadura cae al fondo del tanque. Es un
proceso rpido que suele durar entre 5 y 7 das. Es la llamada fermentacin
primaria.
Fermentacin Baja:
Acabado
Brewing process
Malted
As we mentioned when speaking of malt, to extract sugars from barley and other cereals,
which are then converted into alcohol, it is first necessary to undergo a process called
malting.
Barley grains are introduced in tanks with cold water and left soaking where continuously
oxygenated with air saturated water to maintain humidity for two or three days. Here are
some cases where germination are carried by the effect of moisture and heat, barley
grains will start coming a sort of small roots. This process, known as germination lasts
about a week, resulting in the so-called green malt. Because of this natural phenomenon,
barley starch becomes soluble, preparing for conversion into sugar.
To stop the germination the green malt takes some roasters in which it will go dry and hot
air and get malt, which will be of one type or another depending on the temperature at
which it dries. If dried at low temperature, a pale malt used in making paler and lagers is
obtained. The higher the temperature, the darker the malt obtained and therefore the beer
that is made from it. The malt character obtained not only influence the color of the beer,
but also in taste and aroma.
Malting is a process that today is done in different from brewing industries, reaching
facilities malt beer in bags or bulk to be used. There are some producers who still have
their own malting, but they are the exception, since if needed a special type, it will be
obtained in the malting according to the specifications of each producer of beer.
Mix / Maceracin
Once the malt, and already in the brewing facilities, it is crushed and mixed with hot water
to extract natural sugars by enzymatic biochemical processes.
The duration and temperature of this process will depend on each producer and style of
beer will do. It can be a single infusion at a single temperature (as for tea) or a decoction,
in which a tank mix is transferred to another at different temperatures. The infusion usually
lasts one to two hours and is the method traditionally used in the manufacture of ale type
beers. The decoction is a slower process can last up to six hours and used in the
preparation of lager beers. In any case, the result is a kind of sugar water called wort, and
before moving to the next phase will be filtered to remove the remains of grain (husk)
which did not dissolve in water.
At this stage the strength of the future beer is decided, depending on wort extract; this will
depend on the amount of malt used, which will more or less sugars to be converted into
alcohol during fermentation. The amount of alcohol will be decisive to give more or less
body to the beer.
Once clean, the wort is brought to a boiler, where it is boiled with hops, which give the
bitterness and typical beer aroma. This is the traditional copper boiler that can still be seen
in many installations of beer.
Depending on the amount and variety of hops used, the beer will have a more or less
bitterness and aroma. Usually not all hops at first check, but different varieties of hops are
added at different times of the boil. This process usually lasts one hour and a half.
Next, it is necessary to separate the coagulated particles during boiling. This process,
called clarification, is usually done by means of centripetal movement inside the tanks
must, like a whirlpool or vortex that drags the solid particles towards the center and
towards the bottom.
After boiling the wort, this is hot, so before moving on to the fermentation must be cool and
prepare to have the right temperature for the yeast work well.
the wort is carried to the fermentation tank and yeast are added to start the fermentation
process which consists of transforming the must sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Depending on the type of fermentation to occur beers belonging to one of the two great
families of existing beers will be delivered: ale and lager
High fermentation:
For the yeast to work well needs a proper temperature. The process usually begins at
room temperature (18 C) and reaches 24 C due to self heat of fermentation.
Yeasts are added to the must operate at high temperature (between 18 and 24 C) on the
surface of the mixture. At 24 hours of beginning the process, a foam layer is formed on the
surface. the head of this foam is removed to breathe liquid while yeasts are transforming
sugar into alcohol. When finished act, yeast falls to the bottom of the tank. It is a quick
process that usually lasts between 5 and 7 days. It is called the primary fermentation.
Then most top-fermented beers have some kind of further aging. It can be a maturity hot
(13-16 C) for a few days, a cold storage or a second fermentation in the bottle or cask.
The beer is clarified or filtered so that the yeast settle to the bottom and transpasa into
barrels, maturation tanks or bottles for a second fermentation occurs. Sometimes sugar
and yeast to stimulate this second fermentation and carbonation is added. You may also
be added to give more hops aroma. This second fermentation in the bottle, where there is
still yeast, makes some beers from further developing their character in the bottle and can
"grow old" depending on its density and containing yeast.
Overall, the beer made by fementacin and maturing at high temperature, should be
served at about 12/13 degrees, not as cold as the lager, to appreciate all its qualities.
A high beers produced by fermentation is known as ale. Being an English word, this word
is used mainly in English-speaking countries such as the UK, Ireland, USA and Canada. In
Belgium, although many of the special high fermentation beers are not usually they call
them that, but they are known by different names depending on the specialty in question.
Also, most wheat beers (both German and Belgian) and porter and stout are high
fermentation, although they are not known as such.
In general, the beers made by top fermentation are more fruity that lager yeast as used do
not convert all the sugar alcohol wort.
Fermentation Low:
The low temperature fermentation is a relatively recent phenomenon. For many centuries,
in warm climates, farmers tried to prevent the beer from spoiling in summer by saving ice
caves. There they observed that yeast sank to the bottom of the tanks, but continued
transforming sugars into alcohol fermentation finish. With the help of temperature control,
artificial refrigeration and scientific selection of yeast in the nineteenth century, a producer
of Munich, was able to implement a new method of brewing, where luck or weather
conditions did not affect the process of production.
In this first fermentation yeasts act to lower temperature than ale, about 5/9 C, also they
make at the bottom of the fermentation tank. Also they act in a slower manner,
transforming the sugar alcohol and slower until they end. This makes it more dry beer (no
sugar is only), without the fruitiness of ale.
This first fermentation can last up to two weeks and is more difficult to control than the ale
process. A beer produced by bottom fermentation are known as lagers. Most German
beers are of this type.
Then the wort is brought about conditioning tanks where it is stored (store or lager means
in German) at a temperature close to freezing point. Here a second fermentation in which
the yeast is transformed sugar alcohol that occurs. This may favor adding partially
fermented grape juice, which still sugar.
During this period, the beer will develop a special character depending on the time that is
left to mature. A good beer will have a minimum maturity period of three or four weeks,
reaching two or three months.
This type of cold beers with maturation, should serve them at a lower temperature than
ale, to about 8-9 degrees.
Spontaneous fermentation:
No yeast to the wort are added, but is allowed to act wild yeasts air. It is currently the
almost unique case of Belgian lambic, though it was formerly always. It is a complicated
process because you can not control all the elements involved in the fermentation.
Finish
Once finished the ripening process, and before being bottled, the beer can be filtered
partially or completely to remove solid waste may have, then it is bottled or put in a barrel.
The beers they have had a second fermentation in the bottle may contain at the bottom of
the same yeast deposit or sediment. Not to disturb the beer, we must be careful when
serving. This sediment is not only not harmful but it is a sign of a good beer that has a later
maturity.