How Is Beer Made? Understanding the Science Behind Brewing

What Are the Main Ingredients in Beer?

Beer might seem like a magical elixir in a glass made for the gods, but at its core, it’s made from four simple ingredients that have been perfected over time. Water, malted grains, hops, and yeast each play a crucial role in creating the flavors, textures, and aromas you love.

The majority of beer is actually water, and while some people say its the secret ingredient, it has less impact on the flavor as malted grains or hops. The grains give the beer its backbone, including the color, body, and sweetness. Hops are added to give the drink bitterness to balance out the flavors. Yeast will eat up all the sugars from the malt, and turn them into alcohol and carbonation.

What Is Malting and Why Is It Important?

You can’t just add grains into the brewing process, they need to undergo a process called malting. During this period, the raw grains are transformed into a usable component that unlocks the natural sugars, which the yeast eventually reacts with later on in the process.

Here is how it all works: The grains are soaked in water to germinate, then dried in a kiln to stop the grain from continuing to grow. Doing this action at the right time creates a sweet, toasty beer base with enzymes that break down the starches during brewing.

What Happens During the Brewing Process?

Brewing beer is both an art and a science. The process gets complex but the basics are easy to understand. You start with mashing, which combines the malted grains with hot water to extract fermentable sugars. The sweet result is called “wort,” and it’s boiled and hops are added to give more flavor, aroma, and bitterness.

The wort is cooled and thrown into a fermentation tank. This is the point where yeast is added, and it starts eating up all the sugars, transforming them into alcohol. The fermentation process lasts about a week or more before being sent out.

At Flanker, we appreciate the full journey behind every beer, and that’s why every pint on our beer menu celebrates the care and chemistry that go into every batch.

What Role Does Temperature Play in Brewing Great Beer?

Temperature in brewing isn’t some small detail; it can change the entire outcome of the brewing process. Controlling heat is what separates the good brewers from the great ones. During mashing, the specific temperatures help to activate enzymes that break the starches into sugar.

Fermentation also uses temperature to speed up or slow down the process, depending on the yeast. Even after brewing, temperature makes a world of difference. Think about the last hot beer you tasted. Not nearly as pleasant as an ice-cold one.

What’s the Difference Between Craft Beer and Industrial Beer?

While craft brewers are more adaptable and make smaller batches of beers because of their limited resources, industrial brewers are able to mass produce tons of the same kind of beer because the process is already established.

Craft brewers are more associated with experimentation and creating bold flavors, unique styles, and creative recipes. Industrial beers stick with large-scale operations, and only innovate if something is already working with smaller breweries.

Flanker believes in offering the best of both worlds. Our beer is carefully curated to include standout Las Vegas local brewers, alongside popular favorites you know and love. Explore our full menu to see all your options.

What Makes Flanker LV the Best Place To Grab a Beer in Las Vegas?

Sure, you can learn how beer is made anywhere, but there’s something special about enjoying an ice-cold pint in a place that just gets it. At Flanker, we combine beer appreciation with a fun, lively, and entertaining environment at one of the best sports bars in Las Vegas. Our dining room features a massive 30 ft. screen for catching the game, and there’s plenty more HD TVs covering every wall.

You’ll get plenty of seating to spread out, and every room has lots of high-quality TVs to catch all the action. We’ve got a rotating lineup of draft options from crisp lagers to bold IPAs so you and some friends can come in, watch the game, and grab your favorite brew.

Grab a Brew Without Waiting

Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar is one of the best places in town to grab a cold one, but since everyone knows this, things get a bit busy. Nothing kills the vibes like standing around thirsty, watching other people enjoying your favorite brew.

With our simple reservation system, we make it easy to skip the line and get straight to sipping. Book your table in advance, and walk in knowing your seat and your cold brew are ready and waiting.