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Processes

12 bytes added, 00:57, 2 July 2006
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={{Portal|name=The Brewing Process==}}
''Brewing'' is the production of ''beer'' through the fermentation of extracts from [[Malt|malted grains]] - traditionally barley or wheat. Malted grains are made by allowing grains to germinate and then drying them in kilns. The [[Malting Process|malting process]] creates enzymes necessary for converting complex starches into sugars. Malted grains are then crushed and heated with [[Water|water]] in a process called ''[[Mashing|mashing]]'' to convert complex starches into simple sugars that can be readily extracted and fermented. The sweet sugars are extracted by running hot water through the grain in a process called ''sparging''. A sweet liquid extract called ''wort'' is produced in the sparging process. The wort is then transferred to a large kettle where it is boiled with [[Hops|hops]] typically for an hour or more. The boiling process extracts bittering oils from the hops to balance the sweetness of the malt, and also sterilizes the wort. The wort is then cooled rapidly and transferred to a ''fermenting'' vat where yeast is added. [[Yeast|Yeast]] ferments the sugars in the wort, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide. After a week of active fermentation, the beer is typically transferred to a secondary vessel for conditioning. After aging the beer is filtered, carbonated and bottled or [[Kegging|kegged]] for consumption.