Beer Brewing Process - 3D Animation "The art of brewing"

[0:00]Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Yet, how is our beer brewed? As stated in the German Purity Law of 1516 and maintained as a tradition until this day, the sole ingredients of beer are specified as water, barley, and hops. The fourth essential ingredient is yeast. In the following, we will show you how the beloved barley juice is produced. Barley or wheat grains are soaked in water in order to make them sprout. This induces the formation of enzymes. Subsequently, the grain is carefully roasted. The resulting malt is stored in silos and later ground in a malt mill, enabling the inherent substances to dissolve more effectively in the brewing process. Next, malt and warm water are mixed together in the mash tun, where they are constantly stirred whilst the temperature is raised from 45 to 78 degrees Celsius. There are various steps during the mashing process, where the mash is held at a certain temperature so that the malt's natural enzymes can convert the starches into sugar, so-called saccharification. The mash is now purified in the lauter tun, which separates the liquid from the grain. Slowly, the brew is filtered through a bed of malt grist at the bottom of the tun and run through a sieve further down. Rotating blades or knives in the lauter tun provide a good flow of the liquid by cutting through the grist and loosening it. The resulting liquid containing the dissolved extracts is called wort. Hot water is continually added to further extract any remaining ingredients. This resulting original wort is the key to the taste of the beer. Spent grain, the solid residues of the brewing process, consisting mainly of grain, sprout shells, as well as insoluble proteins, can still be of use. It serves as a high-quality feed in cattle farming to increase the milk yield of cows. At this stage, hops are added to the liquid wort, which is then boiled in a brew kettle for up to two hours at more than 80 degrees Celsius. The beer's taste and shelf life are determined by the amount and type of hops used. The choice of hops used is a key element of the brewing process, as the variety chosen, as well as its area of cultivation, can influence the taste of the resulting beer significantly. The more hops added by the brewer, the more bitter the finished beer becomes. The amount of hops added ranges between 18 and 40 milligrams per liter. After boiling, the wort is pumped rapidly into the so-called whirlpool. Due to the rotation, the residues of hops and proteins sink to the center of the kettle forming a cone. In this way, the solid particles are separated from the wort. Using a plate heat exchanger, the hot wort is cooled to the so-called pitching temperature, as yeast only ferments at a low temperature. The hot wort enters the cooler from the side and flows through profiled plates, which are cooled internally by iced water entering from the other side. The heat extracted during the process can be reutilized for brewing. The cooled wort is filled into the fermentation tank where yeast is added. Depending on the type of yeast used, the required temperature for the wort ranges from 5 to 20 degrees Celsius. According to the type of beer he wants to produce, the brewer uses either top fermenting or bottom fermenting yeast. Top fermenting yeast, used to make ales, dark beers, and wheat beers, forms flocks during fermentation, which rise due to carbonic acid, leaving foam on the surface of the beer. This process requires warmer temperatures. Bottom fermenting yeast needs lower temperatures. It does not flock, but sinks to the bottom. This is used to make pils, malt, and lager beers. The yeast converts the wort's malt sugar into carbonic acid and alcohol. When this process is completed, it is removed and the young beer is ready. In storage tanks, the secondary fermentation process continues, where the remaining sugar is converted into alcohol. The taste is refined and carbonic acid is bound. The remaining yeast and protein sink to the bottom. Depending on the type of beer required, the young beer stays in the storage tanks for up to three months. By using kieselguhr filters, yeast and other undesired sediments are removed. Subsequently, instead of pasteurizing by heating, a plate and frame filter press can be used, whereby the beer is slowly pressed through individual layers of cellulose filters. This procedure is used for bright beers, such as pils. Finally, the beer is filled into various containers, such as barrels, casks, bottles, or cans. At this stage, it is most important to prevent oxygen being absorbed, as this would affect the quality of the beer. In Germany, brewers and consumers are very proud of their brewing tradition, and for generations, beer has maintained its leading position as Germany's favorite alcoholic drink. If Franklin was right, we should be one of God's beloved and happy peoples. Of course, one should enjoy our beloved barley juice with some moderation. Cheers!