What Are the General Ingredients That Go into a Craft Beer?

Beer can be classified as being the most popular alcoholic beverage in the world, because it is refreshing, gives you a good enough kick, is tasty and of course it is cheap, unlike other types of alcohol, making it the choice of beverage irrespective of social standing, age or affluence.

The beer demand curve around the world is somewhat flat, because there is a consistent demand for it no matter what the season. However, in recent times something new has come around revolutionising the world of beer. Craft Beer in London and practically everywhere else has had a growing popularity in the recent past, because of its superior taste, exotic aroma and appearance, and more than ever, its high-quality production.

Craft Beer is produced by small, independent breweries, using hand picked high-quality ingredients and traditional brewing methods, unlike the mass-produced beers that you get everywhere. These brewers create artisan beers that are made to their own unique recipes, and sometimes even use very innovative and creative brewing techniques which have been handed down through the generations. Craft Beer brewers are generally either a small family run business or one operated by a group of friends. Whoever is operating the business, it must be said that brewers of Craft Beer in London are people who have a passion and a love for beer, and more especially for what they produce, which is why their main goal is to produce a top-quality product. Due to this concentration on quality and taste, these brewers only produce a limited amount of Craft Beer per year, making the demand for it far greater than the actual supply.

So, what makes Craft Beer so popular? The taste of course! Craft Beer provides a very unique and flavourful experience to the beer lover, which is achieved through the use of the best ingredients around. Due to this reason these producers have a high ingredient cost, making their beer far more expensive than the regular mass-produced brands you find in the market. In addition to the general ingredients, these brewers also add fruits, spices and herbs, and have their own unique fermentation and brewing methods to enhance the flavour, aroma and appearance of the different types of beer which they produce.

The main ingredients of Craft Beer are:

• Malt – Malted Barley is the favoured ingredient for making Craft Beer in London, even though certain other grains such as corn and rice are much cheaper ingredients. Barley adds a softer, sweeter flavour, aroma and appearance to the beer, and the resulting flavours can vary greatly depending on the degree of roasting. Barley is transformed into Malt by soaking it in water and giving it sufficient time to germinate. The brewers apply heat to stop the germinating process and start roasting the malt to the different required degrees.
• Hops – Hops is one of the more commonly known ingredients for Craft Beer, and gives the beer its bitter flavour and specific aroma. Hops also has antibacterial properties which help in the preservation process of the beer. The different types of beer vary according to the type of Hops used for it and the when it is added to the production process. It is not wrong to say that Hops is the most expensive ingredient when it comes to creating Craft Beer, and fortunately only a little quantity of it actually goes into the production, although certain types of Craft Beer such as IPA’s need a vast quantity of Hops to create its unique flavour. Hops are categorised into three different types, although there are so many varieties available out there which are used for producing beer. These categories are Bitterhops, Aromahops and Double Target hops.
• Yeast – Yeast is an essential ingredient in producing Craft Beer as it is needed for the fermentation process (turning sugars into alcohol). There are three dominant types of yeast which are used in the beer producing industry, which are top, bottom and wild yeast. The type of yeast that the brewers use will affect the overall flavour of the beer that they produce.
• Water – Water makes up around 90% of the beer and high-quality water is one of the most essential ingredients in the making of Craft Beer. The delicate process of beer making can be greatly affected by the characteristics of the water used, which is why Craft Beer breweries ensure that only the highest quality water is added to their production process. Essentially the water in the beer is what causes the same type of beer produced in different regions to taste different from each other.

While each of these essential ingredients determines the flavour and aroma of your favourite Craft Beer, brewers also use several other ingredients to enhance the flavour, such as fruits, herbs and spices, including things like coffee and chocolate.

Are you now craving for a Craft Beer in London? All you need to do is search for Craft Beer near me on your smart device to order and get your favourite Craft Beer delivered right to your door. This service is provided by many ecommerce sites these days, making it very convenient and easy for beer lovers to get craft beer, because many places such as beer shops and pubs may not have it readily available owing to the fact that they are produced in small quantities. These online stores however are usually dedicated to the supply of Craft Beer and you can easily find your favourite brewer or type by searching online.