Beer

The History of Beer

The most widely consumed alcoholic beverage is BEER! The history of beer began in 95BC, when farming grain first began. Even the Egyptian workers while building the Great Pyramids enjoyed a nice cold beer after a long day at work, as they received beer for nutrition and refreshment. As a matter of fact, it is documented that as far back as 5000 years ago, workers in URUK “modern day Iraq” were paid in beer for their services.

America’s first brewery, Dutch West India Company of Lower Manhattan, dates back to 1632. The first brewery on the Treasure Coast, started pouring in April of 2013, Sailfish Brewing Company, under the vision of Nick Bischoff, David BuShea and Brew Master Al Beltran opened Fort Pierce’s first brewery.

In 1860, Adolphus Busch who took over a struggling company and named it Anheuser-Busch is credited with brewing a Bohemian Lager named Budweiser and later became the largest US Brewery. The Anheuser- Busch Company is credited with the refrigerated rail car to transport beer which helped make Budweiser the first National beer in the US. Southern Eagle Distributing, located in Fort Pierce, Fla. is the Treasure Coasts’ local Anheuser- Busch distributor. Along with their Flagship brand Budweiser, Southern Eagle Distributing represents 36 different suppliers and almost 600 brands.

Ingredients In Beer

Water

Water is the most used ingredient in beer and makes up 90% of beers content, which is why it’s the most important. The geography of the water actually effects the style of beer. Water in England is better for stouts. Australian water is better for pale ales. Overall the influence of water affects the color, aroma and flavor profile of beer.

Hops

Hops are used to flavor the beer. The amount used varies according to the style and effects the aroma and color. Hops are the flower cones harvested from the female hop plant. The hop cones contain essential oils and alpha acids which provide a host of benefits to beer. Hop oils impart desirable flavors and aromatic essences to beer, such as citrus, flowers, spices and grass, or piney, earthy, woodsy notes. The alpha acids of hops provide the bitterness to beer necessary to offset the malt sweetness.

Malt

Barley is the grain that is malted as a source of starch. Barley malt, commonly referred to as “malt”. The starches and sugars extracted from barley, when combined with yeast, create alcohol. To extract the sugars, the grain is soaked in water and then allowed to germinate and dry in a kiln. Barley also provides essential starches, enzymes, flavor, sweetness, body, color and foam, and balances hop bitterness.

There are two classifications of barley used to make malt:

Six-row barley

Two-row barley

Yeast

Yeast is responsible for the fermenting the sugars and creating alcohol. It influences the color and flavor of the beer and effects the alcohol content. Early brewers didn't know about yeast, although it was certainly a vital ingredient that existed in nature and “magically” turned their bready-sweet liquid into beer. Thanks largely to the work of Louis Pasteur and his microscope, yeast was discovered in the 19th century. These living, single-celled micro-organisms feast on sugars in the malty liquid converting them into alcohol and carbon dioxide

There are over 500 different types of brewer’s yeast.