What is Beer Made Of?

At its most basic level, beer is made from four simple ingredients – water, yeast, hops, and grain. However the craft beer industry has expanded on these ingredients exponentially, with flavors and styles developed to fit a variety of preferences. So what is beer made of, and why are the ingredients so important?

Water: The Base of It All

Water makes up the majority of every beer, giving it its base flavor and ability to make it easy to drink. Different regions have different mineral contents in their water, which can impart unique flavors to each beer. Because of this, some famous breweries around the world will alter the water they use to keep their characteristic flavors alive when brewing in a different region. Additionally, if you’ve ever compared a craft beer to a macro-brewed beer, you might have noticed the former tastes much more robust. This all comes down to water, as the minerals in the craft beer will make it more flavorful.

Yeast: Producing Alcohol and Flavor

Yeast is the ingredient that transforms beer from a simple watery mixture of hops and grain into a flavorful, alcoholic beverage. Yeast helps speed up fermentation by breaking down the sugars in the mash of unfermented beer. Depending on the strain of yeast used, the fermentation will yield different flavor profiles. Hefeweizens, for example, only use a certain strain of yeast, which produces gentle spicy and clove flavors.

Hops: Essential for Hoppy Beers

Hops are the flower of the hop plant, used to provide the signature bitterness and aromas to beer. Depending on the variety of hop used and how long it is added during the brewing process, different beers will have varying levels of hop bitterness and aroma complexity. For example, an IPA will use a variety of hops (such as Citra and Mosaic) added at multiple points throughout the brew, giving it its signature hoppy, citrusy taste.

Malt: The Building Blocks of Malt Beverages

Finally, the last ingredient that goes into the beer is malt. Malt is grain that is germinated, dried and crushed so the starch in the grain is exposed. The malt is then added to hot water, during a process known as mashing, breaking down starches into sugar, which then ferments to create alcohol and give beer its characteristic flavor and sweetness. Different types of malt provide different flavors, from roasted notes in darker beers, to sweetness in lighter beers.

Conclusion

Beer is a simple yet infinitely complex beverage, with a variety of styles and flavors all stemming from the same four basic ingredients: water, yeast, hops, and grain. Although each ingredient can have a huge impact on a beer, it takes a skilled brewer to bring these flavors together and create a truly great beer. So next time you’re enjoying a craft beer, remember its humble beginnings in these four essential ingredients.