Characteristics of raw materials

Basic technological operations

Assortment and physical and chemical characteristics of beer varieties

Schematic flow diagram of production

Hardware and technological diagram of beer production

Part 2 Biochemical transformations at various stages of beer production

Transformations during mashing and filtering the mash

Factors influencing:

a) the process of boiling wort with hops

b) processes during cooling and oxidation

Transformations during fermentation of beer wort and post-fermentation of beer

Part 1 Beer production technology

CHARACTERISTICS OF RAW MATERIALS FOR BEER PRODUCTION

Malt and unmalted raw materials. The main raw material for beer production is barley malt (light, dark and special varieties), the characteristics of which are given in Table. 21.2. The main varietal characteristics of beer (color, taste, smell, aroma) largely depend on the quality of the malt and the ratio of its types in the recipe. The standard for beer allows the use of unmalted barley, rice milled wheat, and low-fat corn flour. The main requirements for the quality of malt substitutes are purity and compliance with the requirements for food raw materials. The use of unmalted raw materials is economically profitable and technologically justified. Therefore, when preparing 10...11% light beer, it is imperative to use at least 20% unmalted raw materials without the use of enzyme preparations. When using more than 20% unmalted barley, the use of enzyme preparations is mandatory.

In the production of Zhigulevskoe beer, it is allowed to use raw sugar in an amount of up to 6% of the mass of mashed grain products.

Water. The quality of water and its ionic composition have a great influence on the formation of organoleptic characteristics of beer. Process water must meet all requirements for drinking water. It should be transparent, colorless, palatable, odorless, with a total hardness of 2...4 mEq/l and pH 6.8...7.3.

Water is considered optimal for beer production if the ratio of the concentration of calcium ions to the total alkalinity of the water (alkalinity index) is at least 1, and the ratio of calcium and magnesium ions is 1:1...3:1.

Water hardness and its salt composition are regulated using various water treatment methods: reagent, ion exchange, electrodialysis and membrane, based on the principle of reverse osmosis.

To remove unpleasant odors, water is deodorized by passing it through a column filled with activated carbon.

Hops and hop products. Hops are the traditional and most expensive raw material for brewing production. It gives beer a specific bitter taste and aroma, helps remove certain proteins from the wort, serves as an antiseptic, suppressing the activity of contaminating microflora, and increases the foam stability of beer. There are two main types of hops: bittering and aromatic. In brewing, predominantly female inflorescences of aromatic hops are used - hop cones containing lupulin. The latter contains aromatic and bitter substances.

Bittering hop substances include α- and β-acids, soft α-, β-, and hard resins. The content of α-acids, depending on the hop variety, can reach 16%. The most valuable derivatives of α-acids for brewing - isocompounds - provide about 90% of the bitterness of beer.

Aromatic substances are represented mainly by essential oil, the content of which ranges from 0.3 to 2%. An important component of hops is tannins, the amount of which reaches 3%.

“According to their intended purpose, hops are divided into two groups: fine varieties with a bitter substance content of about 15% and α-acids from 3 to 5%, used for the production of beer using classical technology, and coarse varieties with a bitter substance content of more than 20%, intended for the production of powders, granules and extracts.Dried hop cones, ground, granulated or briquetted hops, as well as various hop extracts are used in brewing.

Hops and hop products should be stored in a dry, dark and cooled room with a temperature of 0 to 2 °C and a relative humidity of no higher than 70%.

Enzyme preparations. Used when using more than 20% of unmalted raw materials in an amount from 0.001 to 0.075% by weight of processed raw materials.

Amylolytic (Amylosubtilin G10x, Amylo-rizin Px, etc.), proteolytic (Protosubtilin G10x), cytolytic (Cytorosemin P10x, Celloconingin P10x, etc.) enzyme preparations, as well as their mixtures in the form of multienzyme compositions, are used.

Amylolytic preparations are used for mashing with an increased amount of unmalted raw material and low quality of the original wort. They significantly increase the extract yield and improve the quality of the wort.

Protosubtilin G10x is used with increased quantities of unmalted raw materials and to improve the quality of wort from low-quality malts, as well as to eliminate colloidal haze in beer. Cytolytic drugs increase the yield of the extract due to the hydrolysis of non-starch polysaccharides, mainly hemicellulose. At the same time, the quality of the wort and the stability of the beer increase.

The most promising means is the use of multienzyme compositions (MEC), which make it possible to maintain the high quality of Zhigulevsky beer when using up to 60% unmalted raw materials.

Introduction

Beer is a sparkling, refreshing drink with a characteristic hop aroma and a pleasant bitter taste, saturated with carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) formed during the fermentation process. It not only quenches thirst, but also increases the overall tone of the human body and promotes better metabolism.

Brewing is one of the oldest industries. It is assumed that even 7 thousand years BC. In Babylon, beer was brewed from barley malt and wheat. Then the method of making beer spread in Ancient Egypt, Persia, among the peoples inhabiting the Caucasus and southern Europe, and later throughout Europe.

All Slavic languages contain the word “beer”. Previously, this word was used to describe not only beer, but also a drink in general. The words “beer” and “drink” are consonant in Slavic languages. It was the Slavs who were the intermediaries who transferred the practice of using hops to other European peoples.

During archaeological excavations at the site of Ancient Novgorod, birch bark letters were found in which digests were mentioned. Digests are intoxicating drinks made from honey and beer, characterized by high strength. How highly valued digestions were can be judged by the fact that honey and digestions were tribute in Rus'. It should also be noted that beer, malt and hops were part of the peasants' dues for the use of land.

In Rus', beer and meads of various strengths (light - from 2% to 4% alcohol, medium - from 4.5% to 7%, strong - up to 17% and even 35% or more) were ritual drinks consumed at feasts. Beer was brewed in monasteries. During the reign of the great princes, beer was often mentioned in royal decrees. During the years of his reign (1462–1505), Grand Duke Ivan III forbade anyone from brewing beer and consuming hops, assigning this right to the treasury. The decree was later canceled.

Over time, more and more breweries appear in Rus'. In 1715, at the direction of Peter I, maltsters and brewers were sent to St. Petersburg, which contributed to the development of brewing. The founding of the current beer plant in Lviv dates back to the same year. Beer in Rus' is becoming familiar and popular and even appears on the pages of literary works.

At the turn of the 18th–19th centuries. Beer from Moscow breweries was famous, the total number of which was 236. Apparently, they were smaller compared to the large St. Petersburg ones. Kaluga beer, produced by top fermentation, was especially famous back then.

The history of St. Petersburg brewing is interesting. In 1795, with the highest approval of Catherine II, Abraham Friedrich Krohn founded the elder of Russian brewing in St. Petersburg - a brewery named after Alexander Nevsky. The plant produced up to 170 thousand deciliters per year (1 deciliter or 1 dal equals 10 liters, and 1 hectoliter or 1 hl equals 100 liters) of beer, which was supplied to the imperial table. At the end of the 18th century. Peter Kazalet founded beer production near the Kalinkin Bridge. The Kalinkinsky brewery specialized in producing the best, elite varieties of beer. In 1848, Kron and Kazalet united their factories; later, brewing was carried out at the Kalinkinsky brewery, which already in 1848 produced 330 thousand decalitres. (Since 1923, this plant has been named after Stepan Razin.) In 1863, the Bavaria brewery of the Russian-Bavarian brewing company was established on Petrovsky Island, which became a supplier to the court of His Imperial Majesty. In 1872, the Vienna plant of the Russian-Austrian joint-stock company was founded.

In the second half of the 19th century. The total number of breweries began to decrease, and in the remaining large ones, beer production increased. If in the 80s. XIX century The total number of breweries reached almost one and a half thousand; at the turn of the century there were about a thousand.

The most important impetus for the development of industrial brewing was the invention of steam and refrigeration machines. By the end of the 19th century. About a third of the factories were equipped with steam engines, and then some of them began to use electricity. In 1876, the Trekhgorny Brewery in Moscow produced its first beer. In 1887, the plant's productivity was about 700,000 decaliters. Beer produced by the company at the All-Russian Industrial Exhibitions in 1882 and 1896. for quality it was awarded the “Golden Opel” award. The plant used the achievements of science and technology: in 1899 the enterprise switched to electric lighting, in 1907 it installed a high-performance steam engine, in 1911 the German inventor Nathan installed his wort fermentation plant. In 1908, the 65 largest factories produced half of the total volume of beer. About 20 thousand workers worked in the industry at that time.

On the eve of the First World War, the St. Petersburg province was the leader in the total volume of beer production among the regions of Russia, Moscow was in second place, then Livland (overtaking other provinces in the number of factories) and Warsaw province. Within the borders of the modern Russian Federation, brewing was developed in the St. Petersburg, Moscow, Samara, Kazan and Smolensk provinces. The first place in individual plants was occupied by the Moscow Trekhgornoye Partnership, followed by the St. Petersburg plants of Kalinkinsky and Bavaria. Soon, the First World War with its “prohibition” law and subsequent events temporarily suspended the development of the domestic brewing industry.

In the 30–70s of the 20th century, the brewing industry in Russia was completely technically reconstructed, many new large factories were built, technological processes were mechanized and automated.

Currently, many enterprises are installing modern high-performance equipment. Particular attention is paid to improving the clarification and bottling of beer.

When preparing beer, many physicochemical, biochemical and other processes occur that determine the quality and taste of the finished product. Managing these processes and obtaining a high-quality drink requires workers to have knowledge of technology and equipment, advanced work techniques, and high responsibility for the assigned work.

Raw materials for beer production

Barley

The main raw material for making beer is barley malt, which is obtained from brewing barley varieties. Barley crops are widespread in our country and occupy large areas.

Barley belongs to the cereal family, the genus Hordeumsativum, in which there are two types: two-row and multi-row (six-row). Two-row barley is mainly spring, and six-row barley is mainly winter and spring.

Two-row barley has one normally developed grain and several undeveloped grains on the spike shaft on both sides of it. With this arrangement, the grains of two-row barley develop well, grow large and of the same size. The side grains of six-row barley have an irregularly curved shape and are smaller.

Six-row barley is used for livestock feed, they are called fodder, and two-row barley is used for the production of malt, which is why they are called malting barley. In malting barley varieties, the grain shell is thinner, the content of extractives (mainly starch) is higher, and the protein content is lower than that of fodder barley.

Barley grain consists of an embryo, endosperm (mealy body) and membranes.

The germ is located at the lower end of the grain. It consists of a germinal leaf - a bud and a germinal root. The germ is the main part of the grain responsible for its germination.

The embryo is separated from the endosperm by a scutellum, through the cells of which nutrients are supplied during germination.

Endosperm– the mealy part of the grain. The bulk of the endosperm is large cells filled with starch grains and protein. Thin cell walls are made of hemicellulose. The outer part of the endosperm is the aleurone layer, which consists of three layers of thick-walled cells containing protein and fat. As one approaches the embryo, the thickness of the layer decreases, and near the embryo the aleurone layer disappears. The endosperm cells located next to the embryo do not contain starch, since it was used up by the embryo during ripening and storage of the grain. Most of the enzymes are formed in this layer during grain germination. The cells of the aleurone layer are alive (just like those of the embryo), and the remaining endosperm cells are reserve for the development of the embryo.

Shells. The grain is surrounded by shells, which are arranged in the following order: the outer one is the flower membrane, underneath is the fruit coat, then the seed coat. If the flower membranes are fused with the grain (endosperm), such barley is called filmy; if they are not fused, then it is naked. In hulless barley, the hull is separated during threshing. Filmy barley is used in brewing.

Other types of grain raw materials

In brewing as unmalted materials, i.e. without germination, corn, rice and, less commonly, wheat are also used.

Corn. It is used as an additive to malt in the form of corn flour or corn chaff. Corn contains a lot of fat, which reduces the stability of the foam. Fat is contained mainly in the germ, so its amount in flour can only be reduced by first separating the germ. The fat content for corn flour or chaff should not exceed 2%. Corn fat goes rancid easily, so corn chaff or flour should be stored for no more than 3 months in a dark and cool place. The extractivity of corn is higher than that of barley and amounts to 82–90%. Corn flour contains on average 12–13% water, 63% starch and 9% protein.

Average percentage chemical composition of corn grain (in terms of dry matter): carbohydrates – 78.5; protein substances – 12.15; cellulose – 2.5; fat – 5.1; ash – 1.75. Corn starch contains 21–23% amylose and 77–79% amylopectin. Starch grains are small and difficult to hydrolyze by enzymes.

Rice. It is added to malt in the form of flour or chaff, which is a waste product from rice processing. Before processing, rice is a grain covered with flower membranes. The amount of film in the grain is 17–23%. The starch content in the cut is about 80% (amylose 21–31%, amylopectin 69~79%), protein 6–8%, extract content 95–97% by weight of dry matter.

Many beer lovers often do not know how this drink is produced. The Beer Connoisseur magazine has prepared a brief description of main stages of beer production..

Brewing malt. Photo: Financial Tribune

Malt

Brewing begins with barley, wheat, oats or rye sprouted in a malthouse. The grain is then dried in a kiln and sometimes roasted, a process usually carried out in a separate room from the brewery. In the brewery building, the malt is passed through a crusher to open the shell of the grains. This helps extract more starch during the mashing process. Large breweries also use soaking before crushing.

The combination of different types of grains during the brewing process is often called grain balance.

Mashing

The first step in the brewing process is mashing, in which crushed malt (grass) is placed in mash kettle. Mashing is the process of mixing grits with water and heating the resulting mixture to a temperature from 40 to 80 ºC. During mashing, natural enzymes found in malt break down starches, turning them into sugars, which later become alcohol. This process takes on average one to two hours. The mash temperature can be increased gradually, or the mash can be left at a certain temperature at the brewer's discretion. At different temperatures, different enzymes are activated, which affects the extraction of proteins and fermentable sugars. Proteins play a less important role, but are important for the formation of foam in the finished beer. Most breweries use steam for heating.

Infusion and decoction mashing method

Water is mixed with grits in one of two ways: infused or decoction. When mashing infused in this way the grain is heated in one container (mash tun); when mashing decoction method, part of the mash is removed from the mash kettle and boiled in a separate container, and then returned back to the original mixture. Some brewers repeat this process twice (two-brew mash) or even three times (three-brew mash).

The resulting liquid, consisting of sugars and water, is called wort.

(Note: Malt extract brewing uses concentrated malt syrup or crushed grain powder that is mixed with hot water to make the wort. This method is most often used for brewing beer at home, which allows you to skip the steps required to separate brewer's grains from wort).

Pumping

Decanting or filtration of wort is the process of separating the wort from the spent grains as efficiently as possible. It is typically carried out in a separate racking tun, although the mash laundering process is now available to both large and small breweries.

The bottom of the expressing vat has round or longitudinal holes, as well as drainage holes. Solid particles from the mash remain at the bottom and form a filter for the wort.

The pumping process consists of three stages: mashing out, recirculating and rinsing. Mash-out consists of heating the mash to 76 ºC, which stops enzymatic reactions and preserves fermentable sugars in the wort, and also makes the wort less viscous, making further work easier.

Then it is carried out recycling wort and a filter layer is formed, with the help of which grain particles are naturally separated from the wort, which makes the wort more transparent.

Once the wort has cleared, the remaining spent grain, consisting of husks and particles formed during the mashing process, must be rinsed. Washing The grinding of spent grains is carried out with warm water in order to obtain as much sugar as possible from the grains for the wort.

After washing, the grains are usually used as feed for livestock and pigs or used in the production of bread.

Boiling

Having received the wort, it is sterilized by boiling in a kettle. In this case, enzyme activity stops and the liquid evaporates. During the boil, which typically lasts from 60 to 120 minutes, hops are added.

Photo: +Russ

Hopping

The taste, aroma and bitterness that hops will impart to beer depend on the stage at which they are added. Hops can be added at the very beginning of the boil to add more bitterness: the longer it cooks, the more bitter the drink will be. Hops are added mid-boil for added flavor, and at the end for flavor and aroma.

Hops can also be added after boiling through swirling (flavor/aroma), fermentation (dry hopping for aroma), or maturation (dry hopping for aroma).

Vortex mixing

At the end of boiling, vortex mixing is carried out, which makes the wort even more transparent by removing proteins and hop particles that settle at the bottom. These particles are called sediment. You can use a brew kettle for vortex mixing, but many breweries have a special container for this.

Hop separator- This is a container for vortex mixing, in which there is a separate chamber with hops for filtering sediment. This allows you to give the wort a brighter hop aroma. A hop separator is often used when whole hop cones are added during a boil. A standard whirlpool is best used to separate sediment from hop pellets.

Fermentation

The wort is pumped into the fermentation tank and yeast is pitched (added). This stage is called main fermentation- sugars are converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The result is an ale or lager, depending on the yeast used. (Hybrid beers also use one of these two types of yeast.)

Once the yeast is added at the correct temperature, the beer is usually kept at 15 to 20ºC (ale) or 10ºC (lager). The process of converting sugar into alcohol by yeast generates heat and this process must be strictly controlled. A higher temperature when using ale yeast leads to a more active formation of aromatic organic compounds - esters.

Maturation

During the aging process, ales and lagers mature into their final flavors, and fermentation by-products are reduced. Dry hopping can also be done at this stage to achieve more pronounced aroma. Greater flavor complexity can be achieved through other methods, including barrel aging.

Cold storage of beer for 30 days, known as lagering, defines the main differences between lager and ale: greater clarity and a different taste.

The method is also used to produce lagers. secondary fermentation, which is called by the German word "kreusening". After the fermented “young” beer is transferred to cold storage tanks, the actively fermenting beer is added with yeast added to it. This extra batch of yeast activates the production of carbon dioxide and helps eliminate the undesirable effects of the main fermentation - diacetyl (or butter flavor) and other compounds.

The aging process can last from one to six weeks, and sometimes longer. Depending on the style, the brewer may filter out any remaining yeast or other particles in the beer and then place it in a maturation tank. To give beer greater clarity and increase shelf life, pasteurization can be carried out.

Fort Point Brewery. Photo: Matthew Ankeny

Bottling and carbonation

After the fermentation process is complete, the beer must be kegged or bottled and carbonated, either naturally or forcefully. With forced carbonation, CO 2 is introduced into a container under high pressure to saturate the drink with carbon dioxide. Forced carbonation is used more often, as it speeds up the process and makes the beer even clearer.

Kreusening can also be used during the fermentation stage for carbonation. In addition, this also involves bottle aging or the addition of a small amount of sugar and yeast during bottling.

Experiments

Experimentation is the soul of brewing, and you can change any aspect of the process - ingredients, mashing and fermentation temperatures, as well as their duration.

Indicators

Key values measured using liquid density meters help brewers monitor the fermentation process.

Density- the ratio of water to other substances contained in water, including sugar
Initial density(OG) - wort density before adding yeast
Final density(FG) - density after completion of the fermentation process
ABV- initial gravity and final gravity are the main variables for calculating alcohol by volume (ABV)

It's nice to have a glass of cold beer on a hot day. Does everyone know that brewing beer is a rather labor-intensive technological process. We can even safely say that it is one of the most difficult. To get beer of the highest quality, you need to provide for many different nuances, calculate the quantity and select the right ingredients. Such meticulous work determines whether the resulting drink will become a favorite among beer lovers or will remain on store shelves, gathering a layer of dust.

I invite you to consider some of the stages of beer preparation. Let's say the most important ones, which are used by almost all brewers.

Initially, of course, I would like to note what raw materials this miracle drink is made from. Basically, there are four main components that cannot be avoided.

The first is malt. This is a product made from sprouted grains. Malt is used in the preparation of kvass and baked goods. But when making beer, they mainly use only barley. Initially, its seeds are soaked and allowed to swell, because as a result of this, a very important chemical reaction begins when starch is broken down into malt sugar, which is so necessary for fermentation.

The second very important element is water. The taste of beer depends on the amount of salts it contains, so brewers take these indicators into account. A slight deviation in any direction can spoil the beer, so technologies are used that make it possible to very accurately determine the amount of salt in the water.

The third element was also given to us by nature. This is hops. It is this that gives the beer a slightly bitter taste and aroma. Thanks to its presence, the beer foams so well. It is impossible to replace hops with anything in brewing without causing harm. Interestingly, only hop cones from female plants are used.

For excellent fermentation, yeast is of course necessary. Currently, brewer's yeast Saccharomycetaceae is used, which was specially created for making beer.

There are two distinct fermentation technologies that brewers use:

top fermentation;
bottom fermentation.

As you can imagine, this results in different types of beer being brewed.

And yet, what is the sequence of actions of brewers when preparing this drink and what is the industrial technology for producing beer in factories?

Main stages of beer production

1. Preparation of wort. Barley malt is initially crushed, but not converted into a homogeneous mass; some particles are allowed to remain quite large. The ratio of large and small particles of barley malt also leads to the emergence of new types of beer. After crushing, the barley malt is poured with water and mixed well, “mashed.” This process is called congestion. It is at this point that starch begins to break down into malt sugar. To speed up this process, the mash is heated, but does not exceed 76°C.

Now is the time to filter this wort and place it in a special sieve, in which the mashed malt will remain for some time. All this is necessary so that the solid particles settle down, and it is possible to collect clean wort, which will be used in the next stage.

2. Boiling the wort. The prepared clean wort is first heated, brought to a boil and then hops are added, the amount of which is determined depending on the type of beer. This process takes approximately 3 hours. During this period, all microorganisms die, enzymes are destroyed, after which no chemical reactions are anymore possible. At the end of cooking, the wort is filtered again and allowed to settle for a while so that even the smallest particles that could not be filtered earlier fall down. Some breweries use centrifuges to speed up the purification and filtration process.

3. An important stage is fermentation. Clean filtered wort is poured into fermentation tanks. After it has cooled, add yeast. Here they monitor the temperature very carefully, since the taste of the product also depends on it at this moment. For top fermentation, maintain a temperature of 18-22°C, for bottom fermentation - up to 5-10°C.

After about a day, a rather thick layer of foam forms on the surface, which indicates that the fermentation process is proceeding successfully, and the sugar is converted into carbon dioxide and alcohol. At this point, brewers carefully monitor the temperature to ensure it is stable and never rises. They also monitor carbon dioxide levels. As necessary, it is diverted through special pipes. Fermentation is complete when all the sugar has been processed by the yeast.

4. Maturation. As a result of the first three stages, young beer is born, which must “ripen”. It is placed in special containers for a long four months. At this time, carefully monitor the temperature and pressure in these containers.

5. Filtration. The settled and matured beer is again subjected to filtration in order to finally say goodbye to the smallest unnecessary particles and become absolutely ready for bottling.

6. Bottling. It seemed, at first glance, the simplest stage. Take it and pour it into containers. But beer is a perishable product, so the container must be absolutely clean and sterile. Failure to comply with these rules will lead to deterioration in taste and damage to the product. Before bottling, beer is pasteurized, which makes it possible to slightly increase its shelf life.

And only after all these processes, the desired and delicious drink reaches store shelves, where real beer fans are already eagerly awaiting it. This is such a complicated beer production technology at all factories.

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In most countries of the world, traditional beer is considered the favorite drink. For this reason, the intoxicating drink is in consistently high consumer demand throughout the year. Therefore, beer production as a business is a very profitable activity. In addition, brewing is considered one of the most ancient ways of earning money. Beer production technology was developed hundreds of years ago. Since then, it has been improved and honed year after year.

Nowadays, beer production is overwhelmingly carried out by large breweries with big names. However, according to many lovers of this intoxicating drink, its quality often does not meet the stated requirements. In addition, unscrupulous producers, trying to maximize the shelf life of the drink, add a “bouquet” of preservatives to it, which negatively affect the taste characteristics of bottled beer.

True beer fans prefer live beer to their draft counterparts. It is produced exclusively by private breweries. The taste of a live intoxicating drink is always fresh and pleasant, because it does not contain preservatives or flavor enhancers. Most entrepreneurs who know what home beer production is say that, despite the high level of competition, the business idea is considered one of the most profitable earning opportunities.

Beer production: a competent business plan

Before starting to implement a business idea, a businessman must develop detailed business plan, having previously analyzed consumer demand in a specific territorial area. A separate item in the plan also includes calculations of the amount of required initial capital, as well as the estimated payback period business ideas for the production and sale of beer.

If we talk about demand in the consumer market, it should be noted that beer is considered the most popular among all alcoholic beverages. The reason for its high popularity can be attributed to its low price and pleasant taste. It should also be noted that in summer the demand for this alcohol increases significantly, however, even in the cold season it remains consistently high, so it is not worth calling beer a seasonal drink.

Considering the fact that it is difficult for a simple entrepreneur who owns a small brewery to compete with large factories that engage in mass production, he should carefully consider the process of selling the prepared drink. However, successful sales can only be achieved if beer production technology is followed, which is best brewed according to a proven recipe. Distinctive taste characteristics will win the hearts of consumers, many of whom will become regular customers.

The business plan is divided into the following stages:

after choosing an idea for starting a business, it is necessary to analyze the consumer market;
Next, the business must go through the official registration process;
calculation of all financial costs associated with starting a business;
selection of suitable premises and conclusion of a lease transaction;
selection of brewing equipment;
identification with the sales market and development of an advertising campaign.

Beer production equipment

In today's market, an entrepreneur will find a wide range of equipment from well-known brands. The most popular products are those from Czech, Russian and Chinese manufacturers of equipment for breweries. Price categories also fluctuate greatly.

Take, for example, equipment from the manufacturer Inyegral-Geha, the capacity of which is equal to a thousand liters per day, costs about 650 thousand dollars, but the Russian-made equivalent from JSC Moskon costs about 170 thousand dollars. To start, it is best for an entrepreneur to purchase a model at an affordable price, but of decent quality. If a businessman does not plan to produce more than one hundred liters of beer per day, he only needs to purchase equipment worth about 900 thousand rubles.

Business registration

If an entrepreneur decides to open a business producing and selling beer, he must register his business in the manner prescribed by law. First, a businessman needs to decide what the material and legal form of his activity will be. It is best to stop at IP. As the official registration process becomes simpler, its pace will increase, and tax payment will be carried out according to a simplified scheme.

If we talk about licensing home beer production, the Russian government annually considers new bills regarding licensing of beer production. Today, a license is not required to produce beer, which greatly simplifies starting a business in this area.

Features of beer production

The brewing process must be supervised by a knowledgeable technologist. The owner may not be directly involved in the process, but he must know the specifics of home beer production.

The entire process includes:

wort preparation;
yeast fermentation;
post-fermentation;
filtration and pasteurization processes;
beer spill.

An entrepreneur should also understand that the most profitable option for delivering a drink is to transport it in kegs. In addition, it is more cost-effective to make a hop drink using malt extract, but not malt. Such a product does not need to be certified; the entrepreneur only needs a conclusion from the SES.

Raw materials and their suppliers

All you need for brewing is hops, water, malt extract and brewer's yeast. You can improve the quality of the drink by using soft water. Raw materials are purchased as follows:

concluding a deal with a partner supplier of the necessary equipment;
purchases from foreign companies;
establishing contacts with large breweries.

Initially, a businessman will need about two million rubles. In this case, the amount of income will be approximately two hundred thousand rubles monthly.

Technological processes

Beer production technology conditionally divided into several stages:

Malt is pre-prepared. To do this, it is necessary to germinate cereal grains, for which it is best to choose barley. They are then drained and also cleared of all sprouts;
The wort is mashed. The malt is now crushed and mixed with purified, softened water, resulting in a sweet wort. A mash is considered to be a composition of water and crushed grain products;
Next, the mash is filtered when it is distilled through specific filters, as a result of which the mixture is split into unhopped beer wort and spent grain;
The wort is boiling. Hops and other ingredients are added to it. This process takes an hour or two in total. During boiling, the hops have time to dissolve, and aromatic components that negatively affect the taste also disappear;
The wort is clarified. The separation of the remaining barley from the hops is carried out in a hydrocyclone, where the wort is transferred. Centrifugal force affects the wort so that the residues are concentrated along the radius of the equipment. Then the wort settles for twenty to thirty minutes and is separated from the sediment;
Wort cooling stage. The wort is transported to a special fermentation tank, where it is saturated with sufficient oxygen and cooled. Preparing to feed the yeast;
Next, brewer's yeast is added to the composition, after which the solution ferments for several weeks. Upon completion of the fermentation process, an opaque liquid is obtained that does not at all resemble beer. Therefore, what follows next is the post-fermentation process, when the intoxicating drink is kept in closed tanks under low pressure of carbon dioxide. The duration of the post-fermentation stage directly depends on the type of intoxicating drink;
Beer can be filtered to remove yeast particles. Most often, this stage is carried out only in industrial brewing. Through the use of filtration, the shelf life of beer is increased, since the microflora of the drink is partially destroyed;
Some types of beer are pasteurized. The pasteurization process, when beer is heated to a temperature of 60 - 80 degrees, also lengthens the shelf life of alcohol. It should be noted that pasteurization negatively affects the taste of the drink.

Hired personnel

It will be quite difficult for an entrepreneur to cope even with a small brewery. It is best to hire qualified workers who must understand how to make the drink. Workers will have complete control over each stage of the technological process. It is advisable to hire a financier who will monitor cash flows. An accountant or lawyer is suitable to perform this function.

To transport the drink, you should purchase a car that will be driven by a driver and a loader. An entrepreneur should also not forget about conducting the right marketing campaign, which is developed by a highly qualified manager.

Initially, the entrepreneur can perform some of the functions independently. However, a businessman should not undertake control of technological processes if he does not have certain skills and knowledge.

Sale of beer

Home-made beer production will be profitable only if the entrepreneur takes care of ways to sell the drink in advance. It should be noted that it is unlikely that a businessman will be able to sell a drink at a favorable price in the initial stages, because the competition will be too high. However, over time, when the beer recipe is in demand, the revenue will increase. Then the entrepreneur will be able to reasonably increase the price.

It is also necessary to remember that the intoxicating drink has a rather short shelf life, so it must be sold almost immediately, until all the beneficial qualities and taste properties disappear. It is best for an entrepreneur to try to conclude long-term deals with local pubs and bars, restaurants and outdoor cafes.