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The Virtual Brewery Tour, Continued
| Back to Page 1 of the tour. |
| We don't tell people what to like, we just give them great choices! |
| Continue the tour--click here |
In the brew kettle, the mixture is boiled for one to two hours and hops
are added at various points. Hops added at the beginning of the boil
add bitterness to the wort. Hops added near the end of the boil do
not add bitterness but contribute aroma and special flavors. Boiling is
important for other reasons as well. It deactivates the enzymes, kills
microbes, causes proteins to drop out of solution, and drives away
sulfur compounds naturally found in malt. After boiling for the
prescribed amount of time, the wort is forced to flow around the
kettle in a big circle. This is very similar to using a giant spoon to stir a
giant pot of soup. The spinning causes the coagulated proteins and
hop solids to collect in the middle of the kettle in a big pile, leaving the
wort clear.
Below is a picture of the boil. You've heard the saying "A watched pot
never boils." Well, it's a little different in a brewery. Boil-overs are
nasty--think hot sticky syrup all over the floor.
are added at various points. Hops added at the beginning of the boil
add bitterness to the wort. Hops added near the end of the boil do
not add bitterness but contribute aroma and special flavors. Boiling is
important for other reasons as well. It deactivates the enzymes, kills
microbes, causes proteins to drop out of solution, and drives away
sulfur compounds naturally found in malt. After boiling for the
prescribed amount of time, the wort is forced to flow around the
kettle in a big circle. This is very similar to using a giant spoon to stir a
giant pot of soup. The spinning causes the coagulated proteins and
hop solids to collect in the middle of the kettle in a big pile, leaving the
wort clear.
Below is a picture of the boil. You've heard the saying "A watched pot
never boils." Well, it's a little different in a brewery. Boil-overs are
nasty--think hot sticky syrup all over the floor.
Below is a picture of the mash inside of the mash-tun. The rakes help
to even out the grain bed during mash-in.
to even out the grain bed during mash-in.
After mashing, the resulting sweet liquid (wort) is rinsed (sparged)
from the grain with hot water. The liquid is transferred to the brew
kettle. After most of the sugar is rinsed from the grains, they are
called “spent grains." While this is just a waste stream for the
brewery, it is very good food for dairy cows and hogs. We provide our
spent grains to a local farmer in Hancock County. In return, he brings
us home-made bacon and sausage.
from the grain with hot water. The liquid is transferred to the brew
kettle. After most of the sugar is rinsed from the grains, they are
called “spent grains." While this is just a waste stream for the
brewery, it is very good food for dairy cows and hogs. We provide our
spent grains to a local farmer in Hancock County. In return, he brings
us home-made bacon and sausage.