By Joe Quattrocchi

The brewing process begins with malted grain. The type of beer dictates the types of grains used, but barley always serves as the primary ingredient. The brewer allows the barley, wheat, rice, and other grains to germinate in large vats of water before drying them. Depending on the specific beer, the grains may also undergo a roasting process at this point, which creates a darker beer. When the grains germinate, the starches contained in them turn to sugar due to the release of certain enzymes. Brewers crush the grains to increase surface area, allowing them to absorb more water and release more sugars.

After milling the malted grains, a brewer next places them in hot water to create a sort of mash. Once a sufficient amount of time has passed and the water has absorbed the sugar from the grain, the brewer strains out the liquid, known as wort. At this point, the brewer boils the wort with hops and other ingredients that create flavor, such as herbs, spices, or fruit. Several chemical reactions take place at this stage, all of which have a strong bearing on the final color and taste of the beer. The hopped wort then has time to settle so that the brewer may filter out solid particles from the beer and quickly cool it to a temperature suitable for adding yeast in order to begin the fermentation process. Adding yeast before the wort adequately cools will hinder or prevent fermentation. The yeast converts sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide.

During the fermentation process, the beer ages in a conditioning tank for various periods of time according to the desired flavor and smoothness. Afterward, the brewer may filter the beer if necessary. He or she then carbonates the beer and prepares it for bottling.

About the Author

Joe Quattrocchi founded the Back Bay Brewing Company in Boston, which both Boston Magazine and the Improper Bostonian named among the city’s best restaurants. After five years, he acquired a full liquor license and converted the brewery into the popular Vox Populi. Having operated several other bars and restaurants in Boston, Joe Quattrocchi remains active with the Downtown North Association, which serves the interests of the city’s West End neighborhood.