Beer

Introduction & Top Questions
History of brewing
Types of beer
The brewing process
- Malting
  - Steeping
  - Germination
  - Kilning
  - Modernization
- Mashing
  - Milling
  - Mixing the mash
  - Separating the wort
- Boiling and fermenting
  - Boiling
    - Hops
    - Heating and cooling
  - Fermentation
    - Yeast
    - Fermenting methods
- Maturation and packaging

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Six small glasses of craft beer in varying amber and golden hues are arranged on a metal tray atop a wooden bar counter in Brussels, Belgium.

Behind the scenes: How Samuel Adams beer is made

A hand holds a magnifying glass over an Absolut Vodka label, highlighting “80 PROOF” with question marks in the background.

Diagram showing the beer production process from barley to finished product, with labeled steps including malting, milling, mashing, brewing with hops, fermentation, maturation, filtration, pasteurization, and packaging into bottles, cans, or kegs.

Cluster of green hop cones and leaves growing on a vine wrapped around a wooden pole.

At a Glance

beer summary

Quizzes

Beer and Brewing

Related Questions

How are ale and lager fermentation methods different?
How are stouts related to mild ales?
How did Emile Hansen's pure yeast cultures affect lager brewing?
How did London porter brewers create porter in the 18th century?
How did ancient Egyptians use barley cakes to make beer?
How did bottom fermentation change beer brewing in Germany?
How did hops become established in British brewing?
How did monastic orders preserve brewing during the Middle Ages?
How did refrigeration allow lager beer to be brewed during summer?
How did the Industrial Revolution change beer production?
How did thermometers and saccharometers improve brewing?
How do New England IPAs get their hazy appearance and fruity aroma?
How do fermentation temperatures differ for ale and lager beer?
How do modern breweries use computers and stainless-steel equipment?
How do porter and stout differ in their use of roasted barley?
How do sake and pulque differ from barley-based beer?
How does bock differ from other Munich-style lagers?
How does mashing convert grain starches into fermentable sugars?
How does yeast affect the taste and smell of beer?
How is alcohol strength in beer measured?
How is weiss beer made differently from most German lagers?
What health problems can result from frequent heavy alcohol use?
What ingredients are required by German law for standard beer production?
What role do hops play in beer brewing?
When were hops first used in Germany?
Which grains are used to make traditional beers in parts of Africa?
Why can alcohol use during pregnancy harm a developing fetus?
Why can the boundary between porter and stout be difficult to define?
Why did German-style lagers become widespread in the Americas?
Why did the water in Burton upon Trent help create pale ale?
Why do many English brewing words have Anglo-Saxon origins?
Why do many craft breweries sell much of their beer in taprooms?
Why does milk stout contain lactose?
Why is bottom-fermented beer called lager?
Why is wort boiled during the beer-brewing process?
Why must breweries carefully control hygiene when reusing yeast?
Is lager different from beer?
What are the steps in making beer?

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External Websites

Verywell Fit - Beer Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health - The Nutrition Source - Is Wine Fine, or Beer Better?
National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Beer and Microbiota: Pathways for a Positive and Healthy Interaction
World History Encyclopedia - Beer
LiveScience - Raise Your Glass: 10 Intoxicating Beer Facts

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

beer and brewing - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Beer

alcoholic beverage

Written by

Thomas W. Young

Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry, University of Birmingham, England. Coauthor of Malting and Brewing Science.

Thomas W. Young

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 11, 2026 •History

Beer, alcoholic beverage produced by extracting raw materials with water, boiling (usually with hops), and fermenting. In some countries beer is defined by law—as in Germany, where the standard ingredients, besides water, are malt (kiln-dried germinated barley), hops, and yeast. Before 6000 bce, beer was made from barley in Sumer and Babylonia. Reliefs on Egyptian tombs dating from 2400 bce show that barley or partly germinated barley was crushed, mixed with water, and dried into...

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