Slides
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Finishing
Karl J. Siebert
Introduction
Once fermentation is complete, the beer is placed in a tank and stored
to achieve maturation. Following this, water is added in the case of
high gravity brewing or Light beer production and the beer is filtered.
Beer from the filter outlet is placed in a surge tank (sometimes called
a Bottling Tank or Government Cellar Tank) which supplies a filler.
Storage
During beer storage, which in the case of a bottom fermented beer is
called lagering, the beer is held quietly at a cold temperature. During
this time several aspects of flavor improve, mainly due to the decline
of diacetyl and sulfur compounds. Colloidal stability (likelihood of
haze formation) and filterability also improve, mostly through the
sedimentation of marginally soluble beer components.
Blending
When high gravity brewing is used, a concentrated wort is prepared and
fermented and the resulting beer is stored in concentrated form. Just
before filtration and packaging the high gravity beer is blended with
deaerated, carbonated water to the final package gravity. Whether or not
other products are produced by high gravity brewing, with Light beer
made by any method the main ingredient is more water (needed to dilute
alcohol, which contributes calories).
Filtration
The beer is then filtered, most often through diatomaceous earth.
Brewers filter larger volumes of liquid and use greater quantities of
diatomaceous earth than any other industry. In a few cases, a different
filtration type, using cellulose pulp pads packed into filter frames, is
used instead of d.e. filtration.
Packaging
Filtered beer is packaged into bottles, cans and draft containers (kegs
or casks). British cask-conditioned beer is not filtered, but is fined
in the pub.
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FS430:
Understanding Wine and Beer