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This is a brief overview of the brewing process

Milling

Malt is barley that has been partially germinated and then fired in a kiln.  This is done to allow the enzymes in the barley to break the barley flour down to simple sugars. Malt is supplied to the brewery in 25kg bags. The brewing process starts with the grinding (milling) of the malt, which is then termed the “grist”. 

Mashing

The grist combines with the water (called liquor) to form the “mash”. The temperature of the water is carefully controlled as each beer is mashed at slightly different temperatures. The mash stands for approximately an hour during which time the starches within the malt are converted into sugars by a natural enzymic action.

Lautering

At the end of the mashing process, the liquid portion is run off from the mash tun to the kettle for boiling. Further water is added to the mash tun  (sparging) to maximise the extraction of the sweet sugars from the mash. At the end of the lauter, the grain is removed and provided to local people for stock food.

Boiling

The wort is boiled for an hour and hops added. Each style of hops provides a slightly different flavour profile. We use specific hops to provide the bitterness and in most beers, different hops for the aroma. The boiling process also sterilises the liquor.

Cooling

At the end of the boil, the liquid is now called wort is transferred to the fermenters via a heat exchanger.

Fermentation

Yeast is added to the wort and the fermentation process commences. This may take from 4 to 10 days depending on the yeast used, the temperature of the wort and the style of beer.

Bright beer tanks

At the end of the fermentation, the beer is transferred to the bright beer tanks (which are inside a coolroom) to allow the yeast to settle out so that the beer clears. It can spend from a few weeks to several months in the tanks before we release it to the public.

Packaging

The beer is carbonated then packaged from the bright beer tanks. The packaging can be either into kegs or bottles.