Don't argue, don't argue, all beers are equal

In a few days, the May Day holiday will come. Many people are eager to try it out, prepare a barbecue, and drink beer. However, due to the epidemic situation this year, it is unlikely to gather together. Why not have fun at home? Life still needs a sense of ritual.

Speaking of craft beer, have you noticed that craft beer has quietly entered our lives in the past few years and is popular among young people. The taste has also evolved from a single original flavor to today's cherry, peach, raspberry flavors... Unlike the big green sticks that cost a few yuan a bottle in our memory, as long as the word "craft" is attached to beer, its "value" immediately increases, and the price ranges from a dozen yuan to several dozen yuan.

A wide variety of beers. Image source: hippopx

So, what is the difference between craft beer and regular beer? Why do some people rush to buy craft beer, while others always stick to traditional beer...

The English name of the craft beer we are talking about is craft beer, which literally means handmade beer. It originally refers to beer that is not produced in large quantities but is well made and suitable for sharing with neighbors. So strictly speaking, "craft beer" is not a very accurate translation. The big green sticks we often talk about and some common brands in supermarkets are mostly traditional industrial beers. If we want to talk about the specific differences between the two, we have to start with the raw materials and fermentation process.

Do you know what the raw materials of beer are?

First of all, we need to know what the raw materials for brewing beer are. Water, hops, malt, and yeast are the basis for making beer, but they are not necessarily the only four raw materials. If any of these four are missing, it cannot be called beer in the strict sense. Among them, hops are the main source of bitterness in beer. It can also clarify wort, balance the natural sweetness of wort, and improve the stability of beer (antioxidant properties).

Malt used in beer fermentation, Image source: pxhere

Industrial beer selection takes into account many factors, such as cost control, taste, industrial production stability, etc. Therefore, in addition to the above four types of raw materials, corn, rice and other auxiliary materials will be added to replace malt, so that the brewed beer wort has a lower concentration and the taste will naturally be lighter.

Craft beer (handmade beer) uses only four ingredients: water, hops, malt, and yeast. The content of malt and hops is much higher than that of industrial beer, and the taste is stronger. Due to the high cost of raw materials, craft beer is generally priced higher than ordinary industrial beer.

Generally speaking, craft beer tends to be handmade and produced on a small scale, pursuing quality and personalization, while industrial beer focuses on output and economic benefits.

Fermentation technology - the watershed of beer

Beer can be divided into ale (top fermentation) and lager (bottom fermentation) according to the fermentation process.

The origin of beer can be traced back to 6000 BC, and it is also the predecessor of the ale beer process. Lager beer is a rising star that only began to appear in the 19th century. The word lager comes from the German word Lagern, which means cellar, so lager beer is also called cellar beer. What we call big green sticks and most beers are lager beer.

Brewery in the 16th century, Image source: Wikipedia

Lager beer is made using low-temperature maturation technology. The fermentation temperature is below 10 degrees, and the yeast is deposited at the bottom of the fermentation tank. After fermentation, filtration and pasteurization are usually used to increase the shelf life of the beer. Lager beer is thoroughly fermented, with very low residual sugar content. Low-temperature fermentation also reduces the alcohol content of the beer. After long-term storage, there are fewer metabolites, so the beer is clear and has a refreshing, smooth and delicious taste, but the aroma is relatively simple.

Clear lager beer, image source: Tadpole Jun

Ale is a traditional handmade beer and the earliest type of beer brewed by humans. It was brewed on a large scale in European monasteries in the seventh century. However, hops were not added to beer brewing at that time. Later, people discovered that adding hops can extend the shelf life of beer and increase the bitterness and aroma of beer.

When ale beer is fermenting, the yeast is located at the top of the fermentation tank and suspended above the beer. The fermentation temperature is usually controlled at 16 to 24 degrees, which is the ideal metabolic temperature for most microorganisms. This is the origin of the complex aroma of ale beer. Ale beer is generally not filtered or sterilized after fermentation. The wort concentration is high, which maximizes the original aroma of wort and hops. Most of the common craft beers on the market are ale beer.

The one in the middle is ale, which has a mellower taste and a more pronounced malt flavor. Image source: hippopx

The two beers have different fermentation forms and prices, but this does not mean that one is high or low. All beers are equal, but different types of beer are suitable for different drinking methods. Craft beer usually has a strong taste and a high alcohol content, suitable for slow tasting; traditional industrial beer usually has a light taste and a low alcohol content, suitable for large gulps. And "different people have different tastes", some people like the light taste of traditional beer, while others prefer the malt aroma and slight bitterness of craft beer.

Let's see what netizens say

In today's era of pursuing high quality of life, industrial beer has also kept pace with the times. A large number of high-quality industrial beers are emerging, using their solid ingredients, unique brewing technology and rich malt aroma to break the traditional stereotype of industrial beer.

Finally, what Tadpole wants to say is: drinking is harmful to health, the safe dose of alcohol is zero, and minors should not drink!

Audit expert: Wang Guoyi, Postdoctoral Fellow in Food Safety

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Tadpole Musical Notation original article, please indicate the source when reprinting

Editor/My Neighbor Totoro