Boston Beer Company The Boston Beer Company is an independent organization and this training has not been created, reviewed or approved by the
Cicerone Certification® Program. The syllabus: © Copyright 2008 Craft Beer Institute
Cicerone Certification Program
Novice Syllabus
®
Commentary from the training staff of the Boston Beer Company is in blue.
Full Syllabus
IV. Beer ingredients and brewing processes
A. Malted barley
1. Cereal grain like wheat, rice
a. A seed that can grow into whole new plant
Barley is a cereal grain like wheat and rice. It’s a seed with all the starch and protein needed for it to grow
into a plant. Barley is the ideal cereal for making beer as it contains a better proportion of the enzymes that
brewers use to break down the plant’s starches into sugars (yeast consumes sugar, not starch). Barley
also has a thicker husk that aids in separating the liquid wort from the spent grain in the brewing process.
Without the husk, hot water and crushed grain would turn to the consistency of oatmeal and the liquid
would be next to impossible to remove.
2. Malting process
a. Awakens seed, initiates growth
b. Done to prepare barley for use in brewing
c. Dried and possibly toasted to allow for storage
and transportation to brewer
The barley seed is malted, that is, allowed to sprout or germinate. This is done by soaking the raw barley
kernels in water for about 24 hours. They soak up water and swell. Enzymes are created and the seed
prepares to sprout beginning the process of breaking down its stored starch into sugar. The plant will use
this stored energy to develop and grow into an adult barley plant whereby it can then shift to photosynthesis
as its energy source. The barley is now referred to as malted barley.
The brewer arrests the “sprouting” process by kilning the “green” malt. In kilning, the malt is dried and
lightly toasted. The key in kilning is not to apply too much heat, as that would denature the enzymes that
brewers need during the mashing stage of the brewing process. Malted barley is ready to use by the
brewery and can go immediately to the mill to be broken into smaller pieces. It is also relatively stable and
can be stored until needed.
3. Wide range of malts available
a. Very pale to very dark
b. Flavor varies from bready to coffee-like
c. Key determinant in beer color
v1 Page 1 This lightly-kilned malt is referred to as “base malt” or “pale malt” and makes up the majority of nearly every
beer. This is because this malt has the highest percentage of available starch that can be converted to
sugar, also known as its extract potential. Even in stouts, base malts will make up the majority of the brew.
Lighter malts can impart a taste that ranges from starchy to toast. To achieve a darker color and more
flavor, malt and sometimes unmalted barley (just the seeds) are sent to a roaster. It looks like a coffee
roaster and can really ratchet up the color and flavor. In most cases the heat will denature the diastatic
enzymes (those enzymes that the brewer reactivates in the mash tun). Therefore, roasted malted or
unmalted barely contribute little fermentable sugar. Most malts that have gone to a roaster are known as
specialty malts and are used in smaller quantities to add flavor and color. Color in malt is expressed in
degrees Lovibond in the United States (an older system of measurement that used colored glasses as a
comparison to register color). In caramel 60 L, for instance, the 60 refers to the color and the L means the
Lovibond scale is being used.
Burnt, coffee, chocolate and roasty malt flavors in darker colored malts happen as a result of the Maillard
reaction. Some of these same flavors are found in cooking because it is the same chemistry. Browning a
steak on the grill produces a similar browning flavor like that found in Chrystal malt. This makes for some
nice food and beer pairings.
B. Hops
1. Green, pinecone-like flower from fast-growing vine
2. Dried and sometimes ground and compressed into
pellets
3. More than 50 different varieties of hops.
Hops come from a vining perennial that is dioecious, meaning the males and females flowers are on
separate plants. Only the female cones are used in brewing. In fact, they are not really flowers but
strobiles or catkins (the pussy willow is also a catkin). They are propagated through cuttings, that is, a
section of the root stock (rhizome) that has been cut away and replanted. Hops are the “spice” of beer and
balance the sweetness of malt. Without them, beer could be cloyingly sweet. They also act as a
preservative by preventing the growth of wild bacteria, and yes, they are related to cannabis.
The hops are harvested, dried in a kiln and sent to a mill to be pulverized and pressed into pellets for
shipping. Pellets take up a lot less room than whole hops and are therefore more economical to ship.
There also seems to be some advantages to hop pellets over whole hops in that the cell walls of the hop
petals (bracts) and the lupulin glands at the base of the bracts (sticky yellow orbs where the alpha acids
reside) have been broken allowing more flavor to leach into the brew. They are typically stored in a cold
and lightless environment until ready to use. Heavy foil bags are perfect.
According to Tasting Beer, by Randy Mosher, the number of hop varieties is close to 100 worldwide and
roughly a third of them are available in the U.S.
4. Very selective growing conditions limits commercial
production
a. United States
v1 Page 2 i. Primarily Yakima Valley, Washington State
ii. Some in Oregon, Idaho, California
The United States accounts for a little more than a third of the world’s production with Yakima Valley,
Washington growing about 75% of all the U.S. production.
b. Other major growing areas in
i. Germany
ii. Czech Republic
iii. Belgium
iv. Australia/New Zealand
Germany and Czech Republic are famous for their noble hop varieties (all aroma hops, low in alpha acid,
grown in their original, indigenous central European regions). Four of these varieties are grown in
Germany: Hallertauer Mittelfruh, Tettnanger, Spalt and Hersbrucker (although not all circles recognize
Hersbrucker as noble). Saaz is from the Czech Republic and is grown northwest of Prague. These hops
all have a refined citrus quality that is less intense than American varieties. They also showcase an herbal,
piney, spiciness.
Belgium hop production is relatively low and generally used in only Belgium and Flanders style beers.
Hops here are not used for either bittering or aroma but historically more for their preservative qualities.
Classic British ales use earthy hops grown in East Kent: Fuggles and Goldings.
Australia and New Zealand have entered the hop industry with varieties grown in regions in the “same”
southern latitudes as the ideal hop growing regions found in the northern latitudes. Currently it’s a fairly
small production on the world stage.
5. Hop characteristics in beer determined mostly by:
a. Variety selected
b. How used in brewing
Hops are used for bittering or aroma depending on when they are added to the kettle during brewing.
Bittering hops are added early in the boil where they are chemically altered (isomerized) by the heat
producing even more bitterness. Generally hops with a higher alpha acid yield are used for bittering.
Aroma hops, with a low alpha acid content, are added late in the boil and do not become as bitter and
impart that nice fresh hop aroma that is so often characterized as piney, citrus and grassy. Many hops are
used in both places and have really more to do with what style of beer is being made. Some American pale
ales, for instance, use Cascade throughout. Samuel Adams Boston Lager® has Hallertauer Mittelfruh
added for both bittering and aroma although Hallertauer Mittelfruh is a classic low alpha acid, noble hop
classically used as a finishing (aroma) hop. American Standard mass produced lagers are only interested
in high alpha bittering hops. They don’t use much, so the economics work well. They aren’t really
interested in the aroma so low alpha hops are rarely used.
C. Yeast
1. Two major classes of yeast: ale and lager
v1 Page 3 a. Ale generally ferments at about 68 F and gives
fruitier flavor
b. Lager generally ferments at about 50 F and lacks
fruity character
2. Dozens of different yeast strains available
a. Selection influences beer flavor and production
process
Yeast is a single-celled fungus that has been responsible for the making of bread and beer for millennia.
However, it was not until the mid 1900’s when Louis Pasteur discovered that yeast was a microorganism
and was responsible for fermentation. It metabolizes sugars (besides proteins and fatty acids) and creates
alcohol (ethanol) and carbon dioxide as well as over 400 other chemicals compounds which we can
actually taste. The yeast strain (from hundreds of ale strains to only a few lager types) influences beer
flavor. Yeast also reacts differently to fermentation conditions such as temperature, aeration, wort
composition, vessel configuration, pressure and so on.
Ale yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) works best in temperature ranges of 55°F and above, but most
generally the temperature for fermentation is around 65°F. Because of the warmer temperatures and
therefore stronger yeast growth, ale yeast produces a lot of flavors from fruity esters like banana, ripe apple
and bready or doughy to phenolics like clove (depends on the strain) and plastic band-aid. There are a lot
of genetic variations among ale yeast strains which is why there is a much bigger family of ales. Ale yeast
tends to cling together in “rafts” as they grow, capturing the CO₂ bubbles causing them to float (thus, top
fermenting). They sink to the bottom just like lager yeast when CO₂ production ceases and temperatures
decline.
Lager yeast (Saccharomyces uvarum, Saccharomyces pastorianus – both acceptable names) generally
ferments at ranges of 40 to 50°F and lacks the fruity character found in ales. This is because the lower
fermentation temperatures prevent the byproducts that ale yeasts produce at higher temperatures. Lager
yeast fermented or stressed at higher temperatures will also produce funky flavors – generally not desirable
– but that depends on style (“steam Beer styles comes to mind as a lager beer fermented at the low range
of ale temperatures). For the most part, however, lagers do not have flavor characteristics derived from
yeast. If you taste some, it’s probably not a lager. When lager cells are budding (growing, reproducing),
they only form pairs before splitting again. No rafts, therefore, to captured bubbles and so they sink –
bottom fermenting!
Brettanomyces is a wild yeast strain originally cultivated from oak wood wine barrels and comes off as
barnyard, horse stable, antiseptic, bacon, or smoky. It ferments very slowly and is used in some Belgium
(like lambics) and Flanders style beers.
D. Water
1. Water makes up 90+% of the weight of beer.
2. All water contains traces of minerals
a. Many are essential to beer production
b. Several have desirable flavor impact
v1 Page 4 3. Modern brewers adjust water chemistry to fit the
requirements of the beer they brew
The majority of all beer is comprised of water, but none of it is pure. It all has “stuff” in it because water is
one of nature’s best solvents. It dissolves various minerals as it comes in contact with them. Making a
beer is largely about pH (percent hydrogen). How alkaline or acidic the water is can affect how the yeast
react and work and how the hops show (pleasant or harsh and astringent). Limestone, for
instance, contributes calcium carbonate and can tip water to the alkaline side (hops come off as astringent
in this environment). Bavarian dark bocks combat this with dark malts which are slightly acidic. The dark
malts mellow out the alkalinity of the water. Also, tiny amounts of metals like copper and zinc, while
tasteless, are vital for yeast nutrition. Sodium, calcium sulfate, and chloride are all mineral salts that
contribute to a beer’s taste.
At one point in time - pre mid to late 19th century - the water source affected the beer taste and, in turn, the
style. In fact, many of the classic beer styles developed in response to the water available (as well as other
ingredients on hand). Bavarian darks lagers are mentioned above, but Bohemian Pilsner is another
example. It is made with the very soft water (no minerals to speak of at all) found in Plzen,
Czechoslovakia. This water allows hops to show well, without a harsh astringency found in other water
chemistries. So it is fair to say that beer produced on one side of a mountain tasted different than beer
produced on the other side, simply because the water source was different. Once water chemistry was
understood, it was possible to reproduce any beer style anywhere in the world by simply adding or
detracting minerals. So, as long as the water is potable, brewers can locate their breweries near any water
source.
F. Brewing
1. Milling
2. Mash Tun – Mashing
a. Mash Kettle - Decoction
3. Lauter Tun - mash filtration
4. Kettle – boil
5. Cooling
6. Fermentation
7. Krausening
8. Lagering
9. Finishing
a. Bottling or racking (filling a keg)
b. Pasteurization or sterile filtration
The first step in actually making the beer is to crush the barley malt in a mill. Most mills accomplish this by
fracturing the malt between a pair of rollers. The idea is to crush it and not grind it into a powder so that the
husk remains intact to work later in the lauter tun as a filter bed.
v1 Page 5 Once the malt is crushed, now called grist, it is ready for mashing. In mashing, hot water is added and
stirred into the mixture. Those diastatic enzymes are temperature sensitive and are reactivated by the
heat. Mashing is performed at either a constant temperature or a series of rising temperatures, depending
on the style of beer being brewed. Brewers must choose their temperatures, as well as the amount of time
spent at the temperatures, to obtain ideal results. The mashing process is all about making food for yeast.
Starches leached from the malt are converted to simple sugars for the yeast to consume. Not all the starch
is converted, however, and these unfermented sugars, called dextrins, give the beer its body, what is
sometimes called mouth feel.
In decoction, a fourth brewing vessel is used: the mash kettle. A portion of the mash (usually around 20%)
is boiled and then added to the mash tun. This is an old world way of brewing in southern Germany and
was used to obtain a higher degree of extract from undermodified malt (by boiling, the starches not
exposed during the germination of the seed become available). It also was an easy way to spike
temperatures in the mash tun in a time when fire was the sole source of heat. We feel so strongly about
the process at The Boston Beer Company that we make Samuel Adams Boston Lager this way. It gives
our brewers greater control over the body and ultimately the taste of the finished beer.
The completed mash is filtered by gravity in a lauter tun to separate the solids (mash) from the liquid malt
extract. The lauter tun has a false bottom. The husks from the barley can’t penetrate the fine screen and
so provide a natural filtration bed for the liquid. The sweet, end-filtered liquid product is called “wort”. The
wort drains from the bottom of the lauter tun and is transferred to the kettle for boiling.
In the kettle the sweet wort is brought to a boil for around 90 minutes. It is during this time that hops are
added and as we have already pointed out, adding them early will achieve bitterness in the beer and
adding them late will achieve aroma. The boiling also achieves a number of other results:
• It sterilizes the wort and stops all mash enzyme activity.
• It extracts bitter and aromatic substances from the hops.
• It volatilizes — “boils off” — any harsh grainy odors from the malt.
• It precipitates the “trub” (see below; pronounced “troob”), which helps to clarify the wort. Trub is made
of proteins from the malt and tannins from the hops.
• It produces color and flavor from wort sugars, which “brown” when exposed to high temperatures.
The boiled wort is transferred from the kettle to a whirlpool, where the trub (hops and spices and
coagulated proteins) is removed. The wort is cooled to the desired temperature for starting fermentation
and saturated with air. Yeast requires oxygen for growth during the next several hours of activity before
actual fermentation begins. This is the only time oxygen is infused into the beer. Oxygen is usually
unwanted as it produces a papery, stale flavor.
v1 Page 6 To ferment the beer, the aerated wort is “pitched” with a controlled amount of yeast (of a chosen type and
strain) at a selected temperature appropriate for that yeast. The yeast ferments the simple sugars into
alcohol and carbon dioxide and in the case of ales, flavors compounds. The fermentation produces heat
and, therefore, a rise in the temperature of the fermented wort. This is kept under control via glycol jackets
that surround the fermentation vessels. Primary fermentation can take up to seven days, during which time the yeast multiplies a number of times
by budding. When a beer is krausened, a small portion of young, fermenting beer and yeast is added to a
tank of beer at the end of primary fermentation to produce a second fermentation. Usually 15 percent to 20
percent new beer is added. Since such a small supply of wort is being introduced, the new yeast has a
limited food supply. The yeast quickly exhausts the available sugars, producing more alcohol and CO2, and
is forced to scavenge among a range of secondary compounds for more food. These secondary
compounds were produced by the yeast itself during the primary fermentation and, if left in the beer, might
produce strong and potentially offensive odors and flavors. Krausening helps produce an elegant and
balanced flavor in beer, also adding smoothness and body. And, since more CO2 is being produced, it is a
natural way to carbonate beer. Krausening adds an additional week to the brewing cycle.
After fermentation, lager beers are sent to storage called “ruh”. During this period the beer is aged from
one to several weeks during which the temperature of the beer is slowly reduced. This can help reduce the
harsher secondary products of fermentation, while clarifying and mellowing the beer. It’s also referred to as
cold conditioning. Samuel Adams Boston Lager is aged 21 days (or 35 days for the total cycle time,
including primary fermentation of seven days, krausening of seven days and lagering of 21). It’s both the
quality and the quantity of the ingredients, as well as the amount of time it takes to make the beer, that
accounts for its world-class status.
Once lagering is complete, and sooner for many ales which aren’t cold stored, the beer is filtered to remove
any remaining yeast and other insoluble matter, such as protein if the style warrants it. Hefeweizen is
unfiltered, as an example. Diatomaceous earth or “DE” (the refined skeletons of ancient marine organisms)
is frequently used as a filtration medium.
Now the beer is ready for packaging: bottling or the racking of kegs. Bottles are filled on lighting fast
carousels without splashing so that no oxygen is introduced. It is done in such a manner as to produce a
vacuum in the head space that we all encounter when opening a bottle and hearing the familiar “spish”.
Kegs, on the other hand, are filled upside down displacing the CO₂ that the empty keg has been filled with.
Again, no oxygen is the key.
Most bottled beers are pasteurized or sterile-filtered to protect it from the continued growth of any stray
yeast or other beer-loving microorganisms. After all the bottles have been filled, they are run through a
pasteurizer, where they are gently sprayed with hot water. The temperature is allowed to rise to 140°F and
cooled back down to normal. This extra process not only extends the shelf life of packaged beers, but
allows them to be stored at room temperature without damage. American draft beer is normally not
pasteurized while imports as a practicality are pasteurized.
v1 Page 7 Pasteurization may either be done before the beer is packaged in a flash pasteurizer or after packaging in a
tunnel spray pasteurizer. The latter is less worrisome, but the former subjects the beer to only a few
seconds of heat, instead of 20 to 30 minutes.
BEER BREWING PROCESS FLOW CHART
WATER
HOPS
MALT
MALT MILL
MASH KETTLE
MASH TUN
LAUTER TUN
BREW KETTLE
HEAT
EXCHANGE
FILTRATION
STORAGE TANK
KRAUSEN TANK
HOPS
WHIRLPOOL
FERMENTATION
TANK
YEAST
BOSTON BEER
CORPORATION
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