You are here: > Home > Plan Your Visit > Eating Out in the Peak District and Derbyshire > The Brewing Process

The Brewing Process

The main ingredients for making beer are barley, malt, water, hops and yeast. Malt is produced by germinating good quality barley under controlled conditions and then stopping the process by drying and heating. The amount of heat applied determines the complexity of the sugars produced in the corn, giving rise to a variety of malt types: lightly heated for pale ales; heated and crystallised for darker beers and roasted for the bitter flavours of stouts and porters.
 
Water, known as 'brewing liquor', has a distinct effect on the flavour of the beer. Some Derbyshire brewers use their own sources of water to give their beers a unique taste.
 
Hops are chosen either for the bitter flavour they give, or the aroma they impart to the beer. As with malt, the brewer can use different types of hops to produce different flavours or aromas: for instance, a bitter taste is provided by Fuggles hops and a more aromatic finish with Goldings hops. Hops also help to preserve the beer.
 
Yeast is the agent which turns the unfermented beer into an alcoholic drink. The yeast acts to transform the sugar from the malt into alcohol, releasing carbon dioxide in the process. Brewers cultivate their own particular strains of yeast to ensure consistency of flavour and individuality for their beers.
 
Occasionally other ingredients may be added to complement the above: the addition of brewing sugar increases the amount of fermentable material in the brew for a higher alcoholic content, maize is believed to give the beer a better head and oats provide a smoother 'mouth feel'.
 
Differences in the type of malt and hops used, variations in brewing temperatures and fermenting times, changes to when the ingredients are added can all create an almost endless array of flavours and strengths – one of the great joys of drinking real ales.
 
 

Main Banner adverts