Most people evaluate craft beer as delicious yet expensive. Indeed, the price of craft beer is slightly higher compared to ordinary industrial beer. This is a concern for many individuals interested in entering the craft beer industry: Will people around them accept the high price of craft beer? Today, ACE Equipment will help analyze why craft beer is priced higher and discuss its development.
First, let’s discuss the raw materials.
Industrial beer:
Ingredients include water, malt, hops, and yeast. However, additional auxiliary materials like rice, corn, and starch are used to replace malt.
Craft beer:
Craft beer is also brewed using malt, hops, yeast, and water, without any artificial additives. Craft beer places high demands on the quality of hops. Brewing a BBL (117 liters) of beer typically requires several pounds of hops. For beers like IPA or those with a floral aroma as the main flavor, a substantial amount of hops is necessary without considering the cost. There are over 100 types of subdivided yeast, all of which must be fresh. Malt-wise, brewing a BBL (117 liters) of beer requires at least 70-80 pounds of malt.
ACE Craft Beer Brewing Equipment for Sale
Next, let’s delve into the fermentation process.
Industrial beer:
Mostly undergoes bottom fermentation at low temperatures. Yeast settles at the bottom of the fermentation tank and works below the liquid level, with temperatures generally controlled below 10°C. The fermentation tanks used are larger, and filtration and pasteurization are typically performed after fermentation to extend the beer’s shelf life. Time is money, so industrial beer usually ferments for about 3 days and matures for 5 days, resulting in insufficient fermentation, lower wort concentration, and lighter flavor.
Craft beer:
Mostly undergoes top fermentation at temperatures ranging from 10-20 degrees. Craft beer fermentation tanks are usually smaller, and no filtration or sterilization is conducted post-fermentation. Traditional craft beers can undergo fermentation for up to 2 months. Lager beers in the craft series employ fermentation technology and require low-temperature cooling for a minimum of four weeks after fermentation. During fermentation, yeast releases various flavor compounds, but with a sufficiently long cooling period, yeast reabsorbs these compounds, resulting in a fresh, clean, and flavorful beer.
Lastly, let’s talk about style and nutrition.
Industrial beer:
In order to achieve a consistent taste, industrial beer follows a single brewing process and style, with short fermentation times. The taste is light, with abundant bubbles, low wort concentration, low alcohol content, and consequently, low natural nutritional value, leading to lower costs.
Craft beer:
Craft beer typically incorporates a wide variety and quantity of malt, yeast, and hops, allowing for different styles. According to beer types, there are nearly 100 styles of craft beer worldwide. Craft beers possess strong aroma, high wort content, rich and full taste, higher nutritional value, and increasing costs.
