The Ultimate Beer Lover’s Guide: How To Ferment Beer For Unmatched Flavor

Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the world. It is an alcoholic beverage made using malt (usually barley malt), hops, water and yeast. Beer fermentation is the process by which beer yeast carries out life activities. Fermentation needs to meet certain conditions. Yeast uses fermentable substances in the wort for life activities. The product of this process is beer. Fermentation converts the glucose in the wort into ethanol and CO2 gas. In this way, the beer has a certain alcohol content and carbonation. When the cooled wort is transferred to the fermenter and beer yeast is added, the fermentation has already begun.

How many stages are there in the fermentation process?

After adding yeast to the cooled wort, the fermentation begins. The whole fermentation process can be divided into yeast recovery stage, aerobic respiration stage, and anaerobic respiration stage.
After the yeast is inoculated, it resumes its physiological activity under the condition of oxygenation of the wort. They use the amino acids in the wort as the main nitrogen source and fermentable sugars as the main carbon source for respiration. Of course, they also get energy from the wort to reproduce. At the same time, a series of metabolic by-products are produced. Finally, alcohol fermentation is carried out under anaerobic conditions.

How long does the beer need to ferment?

The fermentation time of beer is determined by factors such as product type, quality requirements, yeast performance, inoculation amount, fermentation temperature, season, and other factors. Normally, the fermentation time of summer beer is shorter, and the fermentation time of craft beer is longer. We cannot determine the most suitable fermentation time. Because we only need to put in the brewer’s yeast, they will do the rest.
But, we can change certain conditions to shorten or extend this time frame. For example, control the fermentation temperature. It depends on the yeast strain you use and what you are looking for in a beer.

Control the fermentation temperature

Temperature control is a very important part of the fermentation process. We can influence the fermentation time by changing the fermentation temperature. Generally, beer fermentation can be divided into three types: low-temperature fermentation, medium temperature fermentation, and high-temperature fermentation. Each yeast strain has an optimal temperature range. Different temperatures within this range will affect the fermentation capacity of different yeasts. Generally, the lower the temperature, the slower the yeast will work. The higher the temperature, the faster the fermentation rate.
During low-temperature fermentation, the vigorous fermentation temperature of beer yeast is around 8°C. During medium-temperature fermentation, the vigorous fermentation temperature of beer yeast is about 10-12°C. When high-temperature fermentation is carried out, the vigorous fermentation temperature of beer yeast is 15-18°C.
As the fermentation temperature increases, the fermentation cycle will be shortened. But, the increase in the number of metabolic by-products will affect the flavor of the beer. Also, it is easy to be infected with bacteria. If the fermentation temperature is too low, the fermentation may stop. You need to extend the fermentation time to reach the normal fermentation level.
The temperature of fermentation needs to be controlled within a reasonable range. For example, if the fermentation temperature of yeast is 18-22°C, the temperature should be controlled at 19-20°C. Specific circumstances must specific analysis. The most popular yeast in the brewing world is Kviek. It can ferment beer above 30°C. Of course, this will not affect the taste of beer.

Two main beer fermentation technologies

The fermentation technology should be changed according to the design and structure of the fermentation tank. Under normal circumstances, it is divided into upper fermentation technology and lower fermentation technology according to the different types of yeast used. In our microbrewery equipment, we use the most common fermentation technology. These technologies can be combined in a brewery to produce different types of beer. If you want to know more about microbrewery, you can contact us. Micet Craft will provide you with a professional turnkey solution. But, we can change certain conditions to shorten or extend this time frame. For example, control the fermentation temperature. It depends on the yeast strain you use and what you are looking for in a beer.

Bottom fermentation technology

The bottom fermentation technology is also called the Lagers process. It is a fermentation technology used in industrial beer. After the fermentation is completed, the yeast will settle to the bottom of the fermentation vessel at a fermentation temperature of 5-10°C. The fermentation time is 3-7 days. The beer that is fermented in the lower part has a light taste but is rich in foam.

Top fermentation technology

The upper fermentation technology is also known as the Ales process. This process is generally used for the fermentation of craft beer. During the fermentation process, the yeast floats on the fermentation surface with CO2, and the fermentation temperature is 15-20°C. The upper fermentation time is longer, usually 15-30 days. Of course, some craft beers must fermentation for more than 40 days. The beer fermented on the top has a strong taste and a malt aroma.

How do I know when the beer has finished fermentation?

A common mistake made by novice winemakers is to judge the progress of the fermentation through the valve on the fermentation tank. This is a wrong way of judging. The function of the gas valve is to ensure that nothing enters the fermentation tank. Of course, it can also ensure that the excess CO2 can overflow.
There is only one way to know whether the beer is fermented, and that is to use a hydrometer or refractometer. They can help you check the sugar content in wort/beer. When the beer maintains a stable specific gravity (SG) reading, it indicates that the fermentation has been completed.

What should I do after the beer fermentation is complete?

When the beer fermentation is complete, it is recommended to transfer the beer to a bright tank for clarification. Of course, you can also choose to package and sell directly. If you want to carry out secondary fermentation, it is recommended to carry it out in a bright tank. You can fill the bright tank with enough CO2 to carbonate the beer.

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How to ferment beer？