Brewing

Beer and brewing

Brewing beer is an ancient and sophisticated craft. Some might even call it an art-form.

Our highly-trained brewmasters have spent years learning how to make some of the freshest and most delicious beers in the world.

Good beer starts with great ingredients. Read on to see what we use, why we use it and how it’s used to make our beer.

Barley: the 'body and soul' of beer

Germinated and kilned barley, or malt barley, is to beer what grapes are to wine. During the brewing process, the starch in barley is transformed into sugars, which are needed for fermentation.

Barley is responsible for the colour, taste, aroma and head on beer. And it’s the dominant ingredient in all of our beers.

There are many varieties of barley, but not all are considered to be malting quality. And for our beers, we have precise specifications and procedures for selecting the highest-quality malt barley for brewing.

Water: the 'integrity and purity' of beer

Water is the unsung hero of beer ingredients. It doesn’t get the recognition that the barley, malt and hops get, but on average, beer consists of approximately 90% water. And just like any other ingredient, it affects the taste of the beer. That’s why it’s always filtered, tested and tasted before entering the brewing process.

Hops: the 'spice' of beer

Hops are the cone-shaped blossoms that give beer bitterness and contribute to its aroma and foam stability. The unique aroma and bitter flavour of hops counterbalance the sweetness of barley malt.

In brewing, hops are classified as either bitter hops or aroma hops. We often use a mix of different types of hops in our beers to create different scales of bitterness and aromas that range from fruity to piney or flowery.

Yeast: the 'fermenter' of beer

Yeast is a living organism that is very important for beer’s taste by turning sugar into alcohol.

Brewers often keep their own yeast cultures safely protected to guarantee a consistent taste. We have more than 1200 yeast strains in our portfolio that are protected. Not all of them are currently used, which gives our brewers lots of room to innovate and create new beers.

Yeast gives beer different aromas, for example banana, rose, apple, aniseed, almonds, cloves and pepper, just to name a few.

There are two basic types of brewer’s yeast – Ale and Lager – with different general taste qualities. Ale yeast delivers a more intense flavour while lager yeast results in cleaner and crisper qualities.

Other grains, sugars and spices

Other grains, sugars and spices can be added to beer to enhance flavour or to create a more balanced beer. Examples include:

Wheat

For a more refreshing and sour taste, and to create a cloudy beer with a rich, thick head

Oats

For a milder taste and a silky, oily mouth feel

Rye

For a roasted, spicy, peppery character

Corn

For a softer and lighter taste

Honey

For a sweeter taste and higher alcohol content, without provoking the mouth feel

Sugar

For a sweeter taste and higher alcohol content

Fruit

For a sweeter and spicier taste, and a more fruity aroma

Rice

For a lighter, paler colour and crisper taste

Spice

For spicier taste profiles

Brewing

Beer and brewing

Barley: the 'body and soul' of beer

Water: the 'integrity and purity' of beer

Hops: the 'spice' of beer

Yeast: the 'fermenter' of beer

Brewing

Other grains, sugars and spices

Other grains, sugars and spices can be added to beer to enhance flavour or to create a more balanced beer. Examples include:

Wheat

Oats

Rye

Corn

Honey

Sugar

Fruit

Rice

Spice

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