Autumn. Leaves are changing colors. Night falls a little earlier. The air is brisk. It’s the perfect time to cozy up with a mug of beer. Beer? Yes, beer, and the WPRP East Coast team had the opportunity to learn how it goes from malt, to mash, to mug!
Al and the Team spent some time at the Barley Creek Brewing Company, with Brewmaster Matt, who gave a tour of the brewhouse and a greater understanding and appreciation of the world’s most widely consumed alcoholic beverage. Here is a taste of their beer making process:
The grist mill cracks the malt, which is then heated with water in the mash tun (giant kettle). This is where the magic happens. Starch from the malt is converted to sugar and the liquid (wort) is transferred to the brew kettle. Hops are added at this time, but not all hops are added at the same time. Bittering Hops are added once the wort is collected, as they need to hang out the longest. Flavoring Hops are added about half-way through the boiling process and Aroma Hops are added during the last 5 minutes of the boil, or at flame-out, so they are not lost in the steam.
After the boil, the hopped-up liquid is transferred to one of their seven fermentation vessels, depending on the style of the brew.
Did you know Lagers are bottom dwellers? They utilize yeast from the bottom of the tank, while Ales ferment at the top. After fermentation, the beer is transferred to the conditioning tank for final clarification and carbonation. Bubbles make a big difference in texture. Larger bubbles dissipate quickly and leave you with a light, crisp beer. Tinier bubbles create a foam that at sinks down into the glass helping to fill your belly and making the beer a heavier, more hearty drink.
And last, but not least, fresh beer is pumped directly from their vessels, through the taps and into a mug.
That’s beer in a nutshell. Matt gave a great tour that ended with a sampling of their home brews. The colors and tastes were varied and unique. There were hints of sweet, bitter and even fruit, specifically bananas. Matt was a great host and imparted a few words of wisdom: “Give a man a beer and, he’ll be happy for an hour. Teach a man to brew, and he’ll be happy for a lifetime”
Thanks Matt.
To off-set the beer tasting, the Team headed over to The Frogtown Chophouse in Swiftwater, PA for a delicious dinner and ended the evening singing a round of Happy Birthday to two of our Team Members with birthdays just one day apart! Happy Birthday Josh and Steph!
Phoenix, AZ 85009