The best beer is simply a best-tasting beer. Because there is no bad beer. The taste varies because of the yeast used.
Making of better tasting beer
The yeast in beer imitates the smell of fruits and secretes certain chemicals to attract flies. As yeast attracts more flies, they help produce esters. Unfortunately, mutant yeast varieties don’t produce esters that add flavor.
Factors Making Up For a Good Beer
Smoothness
The fermentation process of beer produces Diacetyl. This compound gives the beer a buttery, smooth flavor. However, it becomes a butterscotch flavor when it goes to higher levels. Hence a slight bitterness is needed to balance the sweetness.
Bitterness
The bitterness of beer is due to the hop flower. The % α (alpha acids) and the composition of the essential oils give the bitterness scale. These alpha acids isomerize to create bitterness. This quality, combined with malt sugars, is the secret to beer’s unique taste.
Freshness
The freshness of beer is due to the oxygen amount exposure. Fresh beer often has a better seal. Stores don’t have a ‘best before date’ for beers, but canned beers are fresher because of their seal.
Hop Varieties
Hops are flowers. Using different hop varieties produce the different taste of beers. Traditionally hop flowers treat nervous disorders. That may be why beer makes one happy. Anyway, noble hops give an herbal flavor to beer with a spicy hint. This beer is the most sought-after. Other hop varieties differ in their bitterness scale.
Malt Bill
Beer is 60% malted barley. This percentage is the elemental composition of all beers. Other grains such as oats, rye, and wheat should only constitute 30% of the grain content or bill. This bill is the “malt bill” factor of beers.
Yeast Strain
Good yeast is a must-have for a good beer, as the different fermentation levels cause different beer flavors. The four most common yeast strains are ale yeast, lager yeast, Belgian yeast, and wheat beer yeast. In addition, the yeast must be active, which is the primal quality.
Temperature
The optimum temperature needed for a beer is about 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. Generally, they grow beer at 0 to 47 degrees Celsius temperatures. The best beer also requires the yeast to grow in acidic conditions at pH 4 to 4.5. There must be sufficient oxygen also.
Production equipment
Good beer needs reliable equipment. First, proper sanitation is necessary to keep the equipment clean. The next big secret is the package. The package must also have a time check. Without this, the beer may fail.
Relish
A good beer is enjoyable. But most beers lack that ooh factor of a unique style. Mainly it shouldn’t have a metallic aftertaste.
Balance
Finally, everything is about balance. A beer is sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. The components such as Hops for bitterness and Lactobacillus for sourness are some elements that need moderation. The carbonation levels also decide sourness.
You can prefer the refine European beers or the novel American craft beers. But, the above given are the ingredients of a good beer, and use this knowledge next time you buy a beer.