Understanding the 4 Main Ingredients of Beer

Perhaps true enjoyment of great beer comes from the fact that it primarily comprises four simple ingredients:  water, malts, hops, and yeast.  The art of beer making comes from the process.  The conditions in which those ingredients come together and the quality of each will create uniquely tasting beverages.  If you’ve ever wondered what goes into your favorite tall one, here’s a quick guide to understanding the main ingredients of beer.

Water

Obviously, water is the number one ingredient in beer.  However, good beer isn’t brewed by simply filling a vat with water from a hose.  The type of water used will make a difference in the flavor and quality of the beverage.  Remember the Coors marketing slogan, “Brewed with pure Rocky Mountain spring water?”  This was a successful campaign because serious beer drinkers know the water is foundational to the beer’s flavor.

Most brewers prefer to use filtered water.  By using filtered water, the brewery can get the balance they want between purity and mineral content while eliminating pollutants.  There must be enough calcium and magnesium left to promote fermentation.  Here’s how a good balance will impact the results:

• More minerals make the beer flavors sweeter, richer, or more acidic.
• pH balance will encourage yeast activity and enzymatic action in the mash.
• Alkalinity keeps the pH balance consistent and discourages bacterial growth.

Since different water sources worldwide have varying mineral contents, tasting beer from these locations will allow you to enjoy many flavors.  For example, this is why Dublin, Ireland, has achieved fame for its Guinness Stout.

Malts

The malts used for beer are not the same as those used to make a malted milkshake.  Instead, the term “malts” is short for malted barley.  Fermented sugars from malted barley–primarily maltose–activate the yeast. Different malts produce different flavors, including lager, pale, Vienna, Munich, toasted, roasted, and chocolate malts.  Beers with more intense malts will have a higher alcohol content or ABV.  

Malts are created when barley is soaked and drained.  As the seed begins to germinate, enzymes activate that convert starch and proteins into sugars and amino acids. It’s these enzymes the brewer needs.  As soon as the seed sprouts, the grain is heat dried, crushed, and then soaked again in hot water to release the enzyme activity.  The starch of the barley seed is converted into sugars.  Next, the brewer boils these sugars with hops and combines them with yeast to make beer.

Hops

Hops are the botanicals that give beer much of its bitterness, aroma, and flavor.  They are the green cone-shaped flowers from the Humulus lupus plant.  Little yellow pods called lupulin inside the flowers contain resins and essential oils that brewers boil and add to their mix.  Essential oils boil off quickly, so adding the mixture as either hot or cold will make the beer taste different.  A “hoppy” beer will be more bitter and have a higher IBU rating.

Hops grow well in moderate, sunny climates with rich soil.  Some well-known places for growing hops include North America, Germany, the Czech Republic, and New Zealand.  Cascade hops, developed by Oregon State University, is one of the most popular hops used in the production of IPAs and American Pale Ales.  

Yeast

Yeast is the magic ingredient that makes everything come together and turn into beer.  Yeast eats the fermentable sugars and converts them into carbonation, alcohol, and flavors.  There are many strains of yeast throughout the world, and each strain creates a slightly different result.  Often breweries will have their own proprietary strain they cultivate for their production.  If you want to try a beer with a more robust yeast flavor, try a Belgian pale ale.  

Learn more about the main ingredients of beer with a visit to The Growler Guys

Explore the growing variety of beers in one taproom, The Growler Guys.  Each location carries the best local varieties, from the palest ales to the darkest stouts, along with ciders and kombucha.  Our friendly staff is happy to walk you through the characteristics of every style to help you discover your personal favorites.  Take home the beers you love best in a growler to share with family and friends.  View our online tap list to learn about the available selections at a location near you!