We all have personal preferences. Take, for example, how someone likes their coffee. Some prefer it light while others crave it bold. Some want cream and others want it black.
Beer is no different. There are so many styles and types, according to Mitch Sokolis, brewmaster at Karbach Brewing, where there are more than 20 different offerings.
“Most beer can be differentiated by the ingredients used to make them,” he said. “There are countless varieties of malt, hops, yeast, fruit and spices.”
The brewing process
That leads us to our question: What exactly does it look like to brew a beer?
Sokolis said the process of brewing an assortment of styles can be different.
“Adding ingredients at different times in the brewing process can impart different flavors and aromas that is expected for a particular style,” he said. “For example, hops are added at the very beginning of the brewing process to make the beer bitter in flavor. Hops that are added later in the process (during or after fermentation) give a beer its hoppy aroma. This is called dry hopping and is what gives hoppy beers like IPAs their piney, citrusy or dank aromas. Our Hopadillo IPA is a great example of a beer that incorporates dry hopping.”
As far as what that looks like from beginning to end, he said, to start, the malt is milled and added to the mash tun with water. This mixture is called the mash.
“The temperature of the mash is set to a specific temperature to allow the enzymes naturally found in the malt to break down starches into sugar,” Sokolis said. “The mash is then transferred over to another vessel called the lauter tun, where it is rinsed to collect all the sugar that we call wort.”
Sokolis said the wort is boiled in a kettle and then pumped into a big cylindrical tank called the whirlpool, where the hop and protein are separated. The bittering hops are typically added during the boil.
The wort is then cooled off in a heat exchanger and dumped into a fermenter. The yeast and oxygen are added, and the fermentation process begins.
“We call the beer at this stage ‘green beer’ and give it a few weeks up to a few months in the tank,” Sokolis said. “We then send the beer to a holding tank called the brite tank through a centrifuge and filter to clarify the beer. The beer is carbonated and tasted in our sensory panel.”
Finally, this is when the beer is ready to be packaged.
“We run the beer through many different instruments throughout the entire process to make sure our beer is consistent and tasty,” Sokolis said.
The non-alcoholic process
When it comes to creating non-alcoholic beer, Sokolis said there are many ways it can be executed. He would know -- Karbach has an award-winning non-alcoholic option.
“It’s one of the fastest growing styles, and lots of breweries are adding it to their lineup,” he said. “Some breweries have specialized equipment that can remove the alcohol from beer. However, we use a proprietary yeast strain that is specially made for non-alcoholic beer.”
Sokolis said the yeast strain can ferment the beer just enough to impart a flavor that is expected in beer without adding too much alcohol -- less than 0.5% ABV (alcohol by volume).
“We also have a few trade secrets that we do to make it taste like the real thing,” he said. “Our Free & Easy Belgian Style White won gold at the Great American Beer Festival this year, which we are very proud of.”
Seasonal brews
Sokolis said when they’re brewing seasonal beer, the main difference in how they do it is in the ingredients and materials they order.
“Karbachtoberfest is our Barvarian-style Marzen that we brew once a year,” he said. “It is by far the favorite amongst the employees, and we make sure to give it special attention when brewing it. We splurge on the ingredients and give it extra time in the cellar to condition.”
He said before it is packaged, the whole brewery is invited to what they call a “tank party,” where they drink straight from the tank.
“It’s always a special moment to enjoy this beer going into the tail end of a hot summer,” Sokolis said.
Canned vs. keg
When asked what his opinion is on can beer versus keg, Sokolis said every type of container has its purpose.
“Assuming the beer is packaged correctly, they can both provide beer the way the brewery intended it,” he said.
Because kegs are reusable, Sokolis said it’s important to make sure they are cleaned properly before putting beer in them.
“Also, making sure they are poured through a well-maintained tap system will reduce the chance of dirty lines, which can affect the taste of the beer,” he said. “Cans are great for portability, such as sharing with friends at a party or sticking in your fridge or cooler.”
Sokolis clearly has a love for the brewing process and the result of it.
“Beer is an awesome thing. There are lots of passionate people who work in the brewing industry. It’s tough work, but a labor of love,” he said.
Sokolis said it’s not uncommon to see Karbach employees enjoying their shift beers in the biergarten after a long day’s work.
“They love enjoying the product they worked so hard on,” he said. “Every employee here has the opportunity to brew their own beer on our research and development system, and it’s been a great way to foster the amazing culture that we have built here.”
To learn more about Karbach Brewing and the more than 20 types of beers they brew in house, click or tap here.