Beer is one of the world’s most popular drinks, with a history dating back thousands of years. Over time, various beer brewing methods have been developed and adjusted, each adding to the diversity of flavours, textures, and types of beer available today. At 4Ts Brewery, known for producing high-quality beers in Warrington, we appreciate how different beer brewing techniques can transform the end result when brewing beer. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular beer brewing methods and how they affect beer flavours.
Traditional Beer Brewing Methods
Traditional beer brewing techniques have been passed down through generations. While modern brewing often uses more sophisticated equipment, many traditional beer brewing techniques are still used today to produce unique and flavourful beers.
Open Fermentation
Used for centuries in breweries across Europe, open fermentation ferments beer in wide yet shallow vessels which are exposed to the air. This allows for more interaction with natural yeasts and bacteria and is especially common in Belgian-style ales and farmhouse beers. It produces a beer that has distinctive flavours, with fruity, spicy, or funky hints.
Decoction Mashing
One of the oldest beer brewing methods is known as decoction mashing. This technique involves removing some of the mash, boiling it, and then returning it to the main mash. The goal is to extract deep malt flavours and this method is particularly common in traditional German beers. The boiling process caramelises the sugars, so it adds rich, bready, and nutty notes to the final sip.
Spontaneous Fermentation
Spontaneous fermentation lets natural, wild yeasts ferment the beer rather than adding cultivated yeast strains. This method, which is often used in Belgian Lambic beer, results in sour, complex, and very unique beers. It’s a very time-consuming process, which is why it is not used so commonly nowadays, but rewards those with patience and time with one-of-a-kind flavour profiles.
Modern Brewing Techniques
When making beers in Warrington, we also incorporate modern brewing techniques. These help to create new and innovative beers and allow breweries to expand their offerings.
Cold Crashing
Cold crashing involves quickly lowering the temperature of the beer after fermentation to around 0 to 4°C. This helps any suspended particles, such as proteins and yeast, to settle at the bottom. The end result is a clearer beer with a cleaner taste. It doesn’t impact the flavour as much, but it changes how the drink feels in your mouth and its presentation in the bottle or glass.
Dry Hopping
Unlike traditional hopping methods, where hops are boiled to extract bitterness, dry hopping adds hops after the boiling process. The hops are usually added during fermentation to enhance the aroma of the beer. You’ll find this brings out floral, citrus, or piney notes without increasing bitterness. It’s a technique that’s now very widely used when making modern IPAs and pale ales.
Barrel-Aging
Ageing beer in wooden barrels, such as those that previously held spirits like whisky, rum, or wine, adds layers of flavour to beer. The beer takes on notes from the wood, adding a hint of vanilla, oak, or smoke. This method is used to create strong ales, stouts, and sour beers in beer kegs in Warrington.
Ingredients and Timing – What Influence Do They Have on Beer Brewing?
As well as the beer brewing techniques we shared above, the ingredients and timing you use when brewing beer will impact the end result. The type of yeast used can completely change the flavour profile of the beer, as does the water that is used for the base of the drink. For example, Burton-on-Trent is known for its hard water, which is perfect for brewing pale ales. The timing of when the hops are added can impact the character of the beer, resulting in a bitter beer when you add hops early or an aromatic beer when it’s added post-boil.
Beer brewing is a combination of an art and a science. The variety of both traditional and modern beer brewing techniques contribute to the variety of flavours beer lovers enjoy today. At 4Ts Brewery, we use a selection of these methods to deliver high-quality, distinctive beers in Warrington that offer great taste and character. The good news for beer lovers is that there is always something new and exciting to try, thanks to the experimentation that continues with new beer brewing techniques. It’s fascinating to learn about the effort that goes into making each glass of your favourite refreshing beverage and the many hundreds of years of history that some beers have behind them.
Here at 4Ts Brewery, we are proud of the over 10 years of experience we have producing quality cask, bottled, craft, and canned beers in Warrington. We aim to satisfy tastebuds everywhere, so take a look at the full selection of products on offer in our online shop now.
