Issue link: https://www.cominghomemag.com/i/1520927
7 uestions with A B R E W E R Learn what's brewing in the world of beer. Whether you're at a beach, local bar, or faraway mountaintop, no other beverage brings people together—both strangers and friends—quite like beer. As one of humankind's oldest drinks, beer channels connection, regardless of where you are. To help us learn more about the beloved libation and its impact on community, we interviewed Nick C., an Ohio-based brewer and beer enthusiast. 1. Can you tell us about the general beer brewing process? Beer brewing starts with four basic ingredients: grains (typically barley), water, hops, and yeast. First, the grains run through a mill to release the starches. The milled grains get mixed with hot water in a mash tun, which is like a cooler or insulated container, to introduce enzymes that turn the starches into fermenting sugars, eventually producing a liquid solution called wort. We then separate the wort liquid by draining it from the mash tun and leaving the used grains behind. This is called lautering. Next, we boil the wort in a large kettle and add hops and other flavorings. The brew also gets sterilized here. Following boiling, we move into the cooling phase, as beers need to be cooled in a vessel at a certain temperature to prepare for fermentation. To begin the fermentation process, the beer is transferred to a fermenter, and yeast is incorporated to activate sugars in the wort and create carbon dioxide and alcohol. Depending on the process and ingredients, this step could take days to weeks to complete. After sufficiently fermenting and achieving the desired taste, most beers can be carbonated and packaged. However, some beers (usually those with fruit or spices) must be relocated to a separate vessel for conditioning, where they continue to carbonate, age, and merge flavors. 2. What are the main types of beer? Popular styles of beer include: • Lager. Light, crisp, and easy-to-drink beers fermented at cooler temperatures. • Ale. Fermented at warmer temperatures with a more complex, punchier taste. • Wheat Ale. Type of ale with a significant amount of wheat, resulting in stronger carbonation, pale coloring, and a refreshing, zesty profile. • Porter. Malty, well-hopped beer with chocolate, caramel, or coffee notes and a dark brown to black appearance. • Stout. Similar to a porter, but made with roasted barley for a deeper color, bolder flavor, and thicker texture. • India Pale Ale (IPA). Hop-forward, bitter ale with high alcohol content. • Sour. Deliberately sour or tart beer made with acid-producing bacteria. Sours are my favorite. I have a huge sweet tooth, and sours have the sweet kick and acidity that I like. 12 COMING HOME MAGAZINE