Bubbly Drink-Beer

What is beer?

Beer is an alcoholic beverage made from cereal grains, hops, water, and yeast. Everybody knows what is cereal grains such as wheat, oats, or corn. The hop is vine grown for its papery, yellowish-greenflowers, which are used in brewing beer. The flowers, also called hops, grow in conelike clusters that measure from 1 to 4 inches ( 2.5 to 10 centimeters ) in length. The petals have tiny glands that contain various oils and ressins ( sticky substances ). These materials prevent the growth of bacteria in beer and give the beverage its bitter taste. The yeast used in winemaking acts on the sugar in grapes and other fruits to produce alcohol through fermentation. In most wines, the carbon dioxide gas is allowed to escape into the air. But it provides the bubbles for some champagnes and other sparkling wines. Another type of commercial yeast, called brewer's yeast, cannot act directly on the grain used in the brewing of beer. Brewers must first convert the starch in the grain into sugar by means of a process called malting. The yeast is then added to convert the sugar to alcohol.Brewers use carbon dioxide to carbonate the beer.

How to make beer, brewers mix barley malt with water and such grains as corn and rice. This mixture is heated to convert starches in the grains into sugar. The excess grain is removed from the mixture, which is then boiled with hops to provide more flavor. Next, brewers add yeast to the mixture, which starts a process called fermentation. This process changes the sugar into alcohol. After fermentation, the beer is aged in tanks for several weeks or months to improve its taste. It is then filtered and packaged in barrels, bottles, or cans.

Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic drinks. It was brewed at least as early as 4000 B.C.. The ancient Assyrians, Babylonians, Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Teutons made beer.