In the beer brewing process, the soaking, germination, toasting, saccharification, and fermentation procedures of the raw materials are essential for the quality of beer.
Firstly, in the malting process, the level of wheat immersion (water content of wheat grains) is one of the crucial control factors. In China, the most common immersion level for barley is 45%-46% (producing light malt), while for wheat or triticale, a slightly lower immersion level than barley, around 42%, can be used to effectively extend the germination time and promote good malt dissolution. In terms of drying equipment, many domestic breweries still use single-layer high-efficiency drying kilns to produce light-colored barley malt.
Secondly, in the saccharification process, winemakers have always emphasized the choice of saccharification method. In recent years, in order to enhance the characteristics of beer and maximize the utilization of adjuncts (non-germinated rice, puffed corn, etc.), the yield of saccharified wort is increased and energy is saved.
In the beer fermentation process, traditional beer fermentation uses specific beer yeast for low-temperature primary fermentation and is stored for a longer period to naturally clarify the alcohol when diacetyl reaches the standard. Although beer produced by traditional fermentation has a long brewing time, it has a consistent and pure taste with a soft flavor. Currently, most breweries use open-air cylindrical cone base fermentation tanks for modern beer fermentation, which significantly reduces fermentation time and improves production efficiency while retaining the traditional fermentation process.
