Beer Production

The Beer Industry

Beer makes up 52% of all alcohol sales and 85% of all alcohol consumption. The beer industry is large
and dynamic. In 2004 it contributed more than $162 billion to the U.S. economy. Today, it is an $86.1
billion dollar industry which employs nearly 1.8 million people, paying out more than $54 billion in
wages annually. The beer industry is expected to see an increase in sales through to 2010 both nationally
and internationally as American brewers seek to develop growing markets abroad.

Modern Beer Production

Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage, and so its commercial making process is highly competitive.
The beer production process of today is highly economical and hygienic. Chemical engineers consider not
only the science of the process, but also the supply chain, waste management, environmental and health
implications as well as the economics of the operation.
The process of beer making is relatively simple and involves making a weak solution of sugars from grain
with some hops thrown in for flavor and stability, and then fermentation using yeast. The yeast converts
most of the sugars into alcohol, with carbon dioxide produced as a byproduct. There are only four main
ingredients to make basic beer : malt, hops, water and yeast. The step by step processes include : Malting,
Mashing, Fermentation, Maturation & Filtration and finally Packaging.

The Manufacturing Process

Malting

The malting process has three stages which essentially serve to convert starches into sugars and remove
them from the barley. First the barley is soaked for several days and then heated to about 16 C. This is
done to initiate germination. Germination is the natural process by which the plant releases enzymes in
order to convert its store of starches into sugars that will fuel growth its growth. When germination is
complete the barley, now called malt, is then milled in preparation for the Mashing Process.
Engineers control the germination process and the drying of the malt so that they can achieve certain
flavors. The temperatures and time period for which the barley is heated must be exact and this is the
responsibility of the engineers in charge of quality control.
Mashing
The crushed malt is then mixed with water and heated to extract the sugars necessary for fermentation and
the proteins that give the beers its body. This mixture is then mashed to extract as much of these
components as possible. The "mash" is then lautered in which the liquid extract, now called wort is
allowed to drain off thereby separating it from the undesirable remainants of the malt. The wort is then
transferred to the brewing kettle where it is boiled until it reaches a desired specific gravity. This also
serves to sterilize the beer. Hops may be introduced at this stage to contribute to the flavor and aroma of
the beer. After the hops are removed the wort is ready for fermentation.
Chemical Engineers perform solid-liquid separation of the malt in the mashing process. Mashing must be
control as it is where the beer gets the sugars necessary for fermentation. This process is not exact and
must be monitored.
Fermentation
The wort is cooled to about 26 C or cooler and yeast is introduced. The yeast converts the sugars in the
wort to ethanol and carbon dioxide and this is how the beer gets it alcohol content and becomes
carbonated. See "The Fermentation Process" below.

Engineers run and maintain the liquid-cooled heat exchanger in which the fermentation takes place. They
are also often responsible for ensuring the right strains of yeast are used. This is where quality control
comes in to play and the fermentation process must be monitored to ensure that the beer does not lose its
sweetness and that the alcohol content is just right as the slightest inconsistencies result in a poor final
product. Here chemical engineers use their knowledge of heat and mass transfer, reaction kinetics and
biochemistry.

The life cycle of yeast in beer brewing has 3 distinct stages:

1. 1. Initial Period
cell wall preparation

nitrogen uptake

sugar uptake

oxygen uptake

2. 2. Respiration

phosphorylization

carbon splitting

redox reactions

formation of pyruvic acid

formation of Acetyl CoA

Krebs Cycle

3. 3. Fermentation

Pyruvic acid --> ethanol

Inorder for the yeast to make use of the abundance of 'food' in the wort, it must first make it's
cell wall permiable to the nutrients. The use of reserve nutrition is used in this process, most
notably glycogen (a healthy yeast cell will be 40% [dry mass] glycogen). Oxygen is absorbed
very rapidly into the cell. The yeast then starts to take in amino acids, elementary peptides and
sugars. The sugars first brought through the celll wall are the simple sugars; glucose and
fructose. Sucrose is acted on by the enzyme invertase, the products; glucose and fructose are
then ingested. Maltose and Maltriose are the last sugars to be used, they are transported across
the cell wall intact and are metabolized into glucose by a-glucosidase.
The yeast, after ingesting these nutrients, starts to respire, evolving CO 2. This stage is aerobic
and involves the redox reaction NAD+ --> NADH2 This phase includes vast reproduction for
the cells, by means of budding. see illustration below. The last two steps, the formation of
Acetyl CoA and the Krebs cycle are alternative pathways in the process and do not directly
lead to the formation of ethanol. (Note that theoretically one glucose molecule will yield two
ethanol molecules, this yield is significantly less due to side reactions at various intermediate
points)

Ultimately the pyruvic acid created during respiration is metabolized into acetaldehyde and
then to ethanol. This process is anaerobic and begins when the dissolved oxygen in solution is
exhausted.

Maturation and Filtration

The beer is then allowed to mature for anywhere from three months to a week. The beer is stored cold
usually in aluminum canisters. During this time the beers flavor matures and yeast and large molecules
settle allowing for easier removal. The beer is then filtered, often twice and is then sent to be packaged.
Chemical engineers also play a part in R&D in beer production. Advances in science and technology
have cut down the maturation period by as much as two thirds. This plus more effective filtration

technology have cut down production time resulting in lower manufacturing costs and an overall better
product.
Packaging
In manufacturing plants that bottle beer there are three stages involved: filling the bottles, putting on
stoppers and pasteurizing the beer. Rotary fillers fill each bottle, then the bottles go down to a crowning
machine which caps them. Finally the bottles go through a tunnel pasteurizer. In the pasteurizer the beer is
raised to about 60C for a sufficient length of time to eliminate harmful bacteria and increase shelf life. In
plants that can beer, micro-filtration is often used instead. The beer is then cooled to room temperature
and is now ready for sale and shipping.

The Fermentation Process

The fermentation process depends greatly on the performance of the yeast. The yeast has to carefully
respond to the fluctuation of many conditions including: the oxygen concentration, pH, ethanol
concentration, nutrient supply and temperature. This is especially important during batch brewery
fermentation because it involves the recycling of one yeast culture, which is used for many rounds of
fermentation.
To begin the fermentation process yeast is mixed into a wort. The wort is an aqueous mixture of malted
barley, hops extracts, and brewing yeast. This creates a yeast "slurry," and then oxygen or sterile air is
added. The slurry is then transferred or "pitched" into some type of conical cylinder where the wort has
been aerated. The yeast will then grow in exponential proportion and quickly use up all the oxygen. This
causes a limited amount of carbon and nutrients, therefore the yeast enters an inactive state, which also
causes an increase in the ethanol concentration. The fermentation process is complete once the yeast has
collected in the cone part of the container. The yeast is then removed or "cropped" from the container and
part of it is stored underneath the beer. These layers are stored at very low temperatures of 3 to 4 degrees
Celsius. The majority of the yeast is then washed with acids usually with a pH level of about 2.2,
recycled, and used again in more fermentation processes. The yeast can only be recycled about four to
five times before the cells deteriorate.
To reduce fermentation time and produce a higher yield different techniques can be applied. One of these
techniques is the use of high-gravity worts and the use of dry yeast. A downside to this is that it increases
the amount of stress that the yeast cells are put through. High-gravity worts is when the plant will use 1618% of dissolved sugars instead of the traditional 11-12% which results in higher ethanol concentrations
by the end of the fermentation. This way the plant can produce beers with a higher percentage of alcohol
in them instead of the usual 4-5%. The reason for using high-gravity worts is because it increases the
efficiency, reduces labor costs, makes a smoother flavor and reduces energy. However, there is always a
cost for heightened productivity because it often subtracts from the quality of the beer. Obtaining a
delicate balance is a definite goal of both the chemical engineer and the manufacturer [3].

Different Styles and How They're Made

Styles of beer are classified by the brewing process used to make them. They are typically divided into
two categories: ale and lager. Ale is brewed with top-fermenting yeasts usually at a higher temperature
(around 10-25C though there are strains fermentable at 12C) relative to lagers ( 7-15C).

Ale The higher temperature and type of yeast used allows for the growth of esters. This and the fact that
ale yeasts cant ferment some types of sugar results in a fruity taste. Other flavors that result as
byproducts from fermentation include clove (spicy, warm), acetaldehyde (green apple aroma), and sulfur
(rotten eggs). Manipulating the levels of these byproducts along with the use of different concentrations
of water, hops, barley, malt, wheat, etc allows the brew master to craft a beer to the flavor he/she desires.
Lager The other most common style, Lager uses bottom-fermenting yeasts and is fermented at a lower
temperature. This allows for the taste of hops to come through because of the diminished concentration of
esters and other byproducts which would normally mask this flavor.
Top and bottom refer to the location in which the yeast settles in the tank. Top fermenting yeast creates a
thick slurry at the liquid line near the top of the tank while bottom yeast sinks to the bottom at the end of
fermentation resulting typically in a much thinner foam at the liquid line.
Sub styles exist to differentiate between ales and lagers. Typical ales include from light to heavy:
klsch, wheat, altbier, ale, porter and stout.

Chemical Engineering and Beer Production

Chemical engineers rely on principles of heat, mass and momentum transfer, and reaction kinetics to
design these unit operations and to develop process models. They then use physical, chemical and
biochemical measurements to test their models and optimize their process operations. From a chemical
engineering point of view, the major brewing operations and matters of concern in the production of beer
are:
Evaporation: Optimization of brew kettle boil: Temperature/time, volatility and agitation and parameters
included in the experimental design.
Solid-liquid separation process: Filtration, sedimentation, pressing and centrifugation are the processes
used.
Solids handling: Abrasion causes malt dust and loose husk which segregate in storage bins and slow
down lautering, and causes brew to brew variability. The low density pneumatic systems require smooth
high radius curves to avoid malt abrasion. Design and operation of dryers for low grain exit temperatures
reduces air pollution and protein denaturation to maintain the quality.
Extraction: Increasing extract yield without knowing what is extracted is not good for quality. So, cutting
off lautering decreases time which increases brew house capacity as much as 10% and yield better quality
wort with lower levels of polyphenols, beta glucans and silicates.
Adsorption: Activated carbon water treatment, crystallization of silica gel are used widely for this
process
Crystallization
Membrane process: The major engineering concerns here are power costs for each system, new
installation or replacements, use of ceramic or polymeric membranes, beer loss and fouling potential.
Nano-filtration or reverse osmosis is finally used to separate lower molecular weight solutes such as

ethanol from complex solutions such as beer. Processes are slow and frequent membrane cleaning is
required.
The Beer Engineer
Beer engineer or brewing engineer is a term coined for process engineers in the beer industry. As with all
process engineers, beer engineers manage plant operations and ensure that production targets are met.
This may include energy management, installing and maintaining equipment and evaluating new process
technologies. As beer production consists of various chemical processes and unit operations involving
reaction kinetics, heat and mass transfers and so forth, chemical engineers are especially suited to this
industry. Furthermore their knowledge of chemistry and engineering technology enables them to work in
both research and development as well as quality control.

Making Your Own Beer

Typically when people think about beer production they imagine an enormous factory with huge
drums, a fair amount of semi-trucks waiting to haul, and an entire warehouse of cans/bottles
containing multi-million dollar labels. However, for many years the idea of home brewing has
become more and more popular.

There are many ways to brew from home ranging from, rugged "brewing kits" with strange
apparatus, little brewing machines, and of course the trusty "more common things that you might
find at home" type equipment lists. One of these such lists can be found at the website
http://www.eartheasy.com/eat_homebrew.htm and is shown below:

References
[1] Lock, Carrie. "ORIGINAL MICROBREWS." Science News 166.14 (02 Oct. 2004): 216-218.
Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. ASU Library, Tempe, AZ. 9 November 2007.
[2] Eberts, Derrek. "To Brew or Not to Brew: A Brief History of Beer in Canada." Manitoba History;
Feb2007 Issue 54, p2-13, 12p. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. ASU Library, Tempe, AZ. 9 November
2007.
[3] Brian R. Gibson, Stephen J. Lawrence, Jessica P. R. Leclaire, Chris D. Powell, Katherine A. Smart.
"Yeast responses to stresses associated with industrial brewery handling" FEMS Microbiology Reviews
31 (5), 535569. ISI Web of Knowledge. ASU Library, Tempe, AZ. 30 November 2007.
[4] Huige, Nick. "Chemical Engineering for quality brewing" Vol 41. MBAA TQ. 2004.
[5] Alstrom, Jason, and Todd Alstrom. "Beer Styles." Beer Advocate. 15 Nov. 2007
<http://beeradvocate.com/>.

The Beer Production

The final product of the brewing process

The brewing process

Four different raw materials are required for beer brewing:

Water
Malt

Hops

Yeast

Malt
Malt is being produced from grain, mostly barley.

First of all, the barley from the fields is being thoroughly cleansed.
Now, the barley is ready for germination in warm and humid air lasting until the malt sprouts reach
about the same length as the grain itself. During this process, valuable enzymes and malt sugar are

being generated.

For long durability, the grain is being dried over hot air on the called kiln. The higher the kiln
temperature the more malt sugar is converted into caramel.

The more sugar is converted into caramel, the darker the malt and the brewed beer made out of it.

The alcoholic content of beer only depends on the blend ratio of malt and water not on the colour light or dark - of the beer.

The "Brauhaus JOH. ALBRECHT" obtains malt exclusively from a malt factory complying with
demanding quality requirements and controls.

Brewing water
For the beer production it is of main importance that the brewing water is clean and free of impurities.

In contrary to former times, the content of minerals (hardness) is not of crucial importance
anymore since it is possible to balance its effects through natural composition alternatives of the
malting and brewing process.
More important is that the produced beer type is being attuned to the brewing water. Therefore, the
brewing recipes are being defined in the JOH. ALBRECHT micro-brewery only after detailed and
thorough water analysis. Their compliance is subject to permanent control.

Water Water Everywhere.

Beer contains approximately 90% water, and the importance of the liquor to final beer quality cannot be
over-estimated.
Historically a correlation was observed between the liquor composition of an area and the type of beer that
the region could best brew. The Pale Ales of Burton-on-Trent and Edinburgh, Porters of London, Stouts of
Dublin and Lagers of Pilsen are classic examples.
Water falling as rain, hail, sleet or snow is pure, but dissolves gasses such as oxygen and carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere. On reaching the ground the water runs off into rivers, streams and lakes and on in
some cases to reservoirs. The composition of the water in the reservoirs is dependent upon the nature of
the catchment area. In areas where the rocks are hard, the water will not penetrate deeply, and will be 'soft'
- that is low in dissolved salts. In areas where the rocks are more permeable - gypsum or limestone for
example - water will penetrate readily and dissolve many minerals on its way to the reservoirs to become
'hard'.
Figure 1
Soft

Hard

Calcium

10

240

Magnesium

50

Bicarbonate

15

250

Sulphate

500

Nitrate

40

Chloride

50

All figures in mgs per litre (ppm)

The water supplied by local Water Authorities is required to be potable - that is fit to drink and free from
pathogenic organisms. In order to reduce microbiological counts chlorine will usually be added, but the
water is not sterile. Fortunately however the micro organisms found in water are not beer spoilage
organisms, being unable to survive the conditions of high ethanol and hop resin levels and low pH found
in beers.
So the objective of liquor treatment is to convert the water sent to us by the Water Authorities into
acceptable brewing liquor. This we achieve by the removal of unwanted ions and addition of required
levels of desirable ions.
Calcium
Of the ions required for brewing, calcium is by far the most important. This is because of the acidifying
effect that calcium has on the wort.
3Ca2+ + 2HPO42- (r) Ca3(PO4)2 + 2H+
Wort contains large amounts of phosphates derived from the malt, and these have a buffering effect - that
is they tend to mop up hydrogen ions and keep the pH higher than desired. Calcium ions precipitate
phosphates as insoluble calcium phosphate and release hydrogen ions into the wort. It is worth mentioning
at this point that whilst the pH of the wort is critical, that of the water in the HLT is not. The pH of water
may vary from about pH 5 to pH 8 dependent upon the levels of dissolved carbon dioxide - even deionised water can have pH levels as low as 5 after exposure to the air. However the carbon dioxide is
driven off by heat in the HLT and the pH of the water will rise.
A combination of the presence of calcium ions and the decrease in pH has a number of effects on the
brewing process:
* The lower pH improves -amylase activity and thus wort fermentability and extract.
The optimum pH for -amylase activity is about 47. Wort produced from liquor containing no calcium
has a pH in the order of 58 - 60, compared to values in the range of 53 - 55 for worts produced from
treated brewing liquor. The activity of the -amylase then is greatly enhanced by the addition of calcium,
this enzyme increasing the production of maltose from Amylose, and thus making worts more
fermentable.
* Calcium has a beneficial effect on the precipitation of wort proteins, both during mashing and during
the boil.
Protein-H + Ca2+ (r) Protein-Ca + 2H+
The hydrogen ions released further reduce the pH which encourages further precipitation of proteins.

Proteins are also degraded, that is converted to simpler substances by proteolytic enzymes called
proteases. These are found in the malt, and have optimum activity at pH values of about 45 - 50. The
reduction in pH then caused by the presence of calcium encourages proteolysis, further reducing protein
levels and increasing wort Free Amino Nitrogen levels (FAN).
FAN compounds are utilised by the yeast during fermentation for the manufacture of Amino acids, and an
increase in FAN levels in the wort improves the health and vigour of the yeast.
High protein levels in beers also have negative effects, making beer more difficult to fine and encouraging
formation of hazes, in particular chill hazes. Product shelf life can also be adversely affected.
* Calcium ions protect the enzyme a-amylase from inhibition by heat.
a-amylase is an endo enzyme, cleaving the internal 1,4 glucosidic links of amylopectin resulting in a rapid
reduction in wort viscosity. The optimum temperature range for
a-amylase activity is 65C - 68C, but the enzyme is rapidly destroyed at these temperatures. Calcium
stabilises a-amylase to 70 - 75C.
It can be seen then that the presence of calcium has positive effects on the activity of a-amylase, -amylase
and Proteases, some of the most important enzymes in the brewing process.
* The drop in pH encouraged by Calcium ions in the mash and copper helps afford the wort and
subsequent beer produced a greater resistance to microbiological infection.
* The reduced pH of the sparge liquor reduces extraction of undesirable silicates, tannins and
polyphenols from the mash bed.
The extraction of such materials is encouraged by alkaline sparge liquor. These materials are very
undesirable, contributing to harsh flavours, hazes in the finished beer and decreased beer stability.
* Calcium precipitates oxalates as insoluble calcium oxalate.
This again occurs in both the mash tun and the copper. If oxalates are not removed they can cause hazes in
finished beers and also contribute to the formation of beerstone in FV's, CT's and casks. Oxalates are also
thought to promote gushing in certain beers, although this is not generally a problem to the micro brewer.
* The presence of calcium reduces colour formation in the copper.
This is due to the reduction of extraction of colour forming compounds such as anthocyanogens and proanthocyanidins during the sparge. The reaction
Reducing Sugar + Heat (r) Melanoidins
is also inhibited.

* Calcium ions improve beer fining performance.

Calcium ions encourage yeast flocculation, each divalent positively charged calcium ion attracting
negatively charged yeast cells to form small aggregations.
With all the above advantages of the presence of calcium and reduction in pH there is one minor
disadvantage.
* The reduction in pH causes a decrease in hop utilisation, giving less bitter beers.
This increases hopping costs, since more hops will be required to achieve a desired level of bitterness.
However the optimum pH for hop isomerisation as used in the commercial production of isomerised hop
extracts is about pH 10, so a reduction from pH 58 in a mash with untreated liquor to pH 51 out of
copper for a treated brew is not too critical.
You will see that much of the calcium added to the mash is lost - precipitated out as phosphate, proteinate
or oxalate. Since calcium is specifically required in the copper for further precipitation of these materials it
is common to add calcium to the grist or Hot Liquor Tank and to then make a second addition to the
copper. Where this is not practical it is quite acceptable to make a larger addition to the grist or to the
H.L.T.
Bicarbonate (Alkalinity)
This ion needs to be very closely controlled in order to achieve good beer. High levels of bicarbonate
cause high pH values throughout the brewing process according to the equation:
HCO3- + H+ H2CO3 (r) CO2 + H2O
HEAT
It should be noted that bicarbonate ions are rather more effective at raising wort pH than calcium ions are
at reducing it.
The conversion of bicarbonate to carbonic acid is reversible until heat is applied, which drives off the
carbon dioxide. This effectively removes the acidic hydrogen ion from the system by using it to form a
stable water molecule. The wort pH therefore remains high and all the advantages derived from the
presence of adequate calcium levels and reduced pH are lost. We therefore see the following:
* Harsh after-tastes in the finished beer
* Extract will be reduced due to lower -amylase activity
* Poorer fermentation due to reduced FAN levels.
* Reduced protein precipitation due to high pH

* Worts and beer more prone to infection

* Increased extract of undesirable materials in the sparge, notably silicates, polyphenols and tannins
The net result of this is then to decrease beer stability and shelf life and to increase the likelihood of
troublesome hazes. Colour will be darker, and flavour will be detrimentally affected.
* Hop utilisation will be increased, giving more bitter beers
It is then essential to ensure removal of excess bicarbonate. You will recall from Figure 1 that a hard water
may contain 250 mgs/l of bicarbonate. The maximum level that can be tolerated without adverse effect for
the production of pale ales is 50 mgs/l, and the preferred level would be about 25 mgs/l. It should also be
noted that whilst additions of calcium may be made to HLT, grist and copper, the removal of bicarbonate
must be achieved in the Hot Liquor Tank. This may be done in a number of ways:
Deionsiation: Very effective, but high capital and revenue costs.
Lime treatment: Addition of carefully controlled amounts of lime (calcium hydroxide) to the HLT will
precipitate the bicarbonate as calcium carbonate. There are 2 major drawbacks:
1. The amount added needs to be exactly calculated and over addition may result in an overall increase in
alkalinity.
2. The precipitated calcium carbonate can form a sludge on the bottom of the HLT that will need periodic
cleaning.
Boiling: This again is a traditional method of removal of bicarbonate (Temporary Hardness) but again has
2 drawbacks:
1. Very expensive.
2. Only effective where the alkalinity is present as bicarbonate. If the levels of sodium, potassium or
magnesium carbonates or hydroxides present are significant boiling will not be effective.
Acid Treatment: Now the most widely used method, for a number of reasons:
1. Relatively inexpensive.
2. Easy to use and does not produce sludge in the HLT
3. May add desirable anions - sulphate or chloride.
4. Can use phosphoric or lactic acids if no anions are wanted - eg for lagers
It is essential to rouse the liquor when acid treating in order to encourage the removal of the carbon
dioxide. This can have corrosive effects on the materials of construction of HLT's if left in solution.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential element of brewing liquor because it is required by yeast as a co-factor for the
production of certain enzymes required for the fermentation process. It is invariably formulated into liquor

treatments at relatively low levels. However caution must be exercised for 3 reasons:
1. Excess magnesium can interfere with the reactions of calcium because its phosphates are more soluble
2. Above about 20 mgs/l magnesium can give beer a sour and bitter taste
3. In excess magnesium has a laxative effect
Sodium
Sodium is present in all beers. Excessive levels are undesirable as it imparts a sour and salty taste at high
concentrations. The flavour is more acceptable when the sodium is present as chloride than as sulphate.
Potassium
Potassium is, like magnesium, a yeast co-factor and is required at trace levels for satisfactory
fermentations. It is more acceptable than sodium from a flavour point of view, giving a salty taste without
the sour notes. It is also gaining some favour as Doctors warn of the effects of high sodium intake on
blood pressure. However potassium salts are very much more expensive than the sodium equivalents, and
in excess potassium has laxative effects.
Sulphate and Chloride
It is convenient to discuss the effect of these two ions together. Much is made in brewing literature of the
impact of these ions on beer flavour characteristics - sulphate gives beer a drier, more bitter flavour, whilst
chloride imparts palate fullness and to an extent sweetness. However what must be noted is that it is the
ratio of the concentrations of these two ions that is significant, rather than simply the actual
concentrations. A ratio of about 2:1 sulphate to chloride is about right for a bitter beer, and it makes little
difference if the actual values are 500:250 or 350:175 mgs/l. As will be seen in Figure 3 ratios of 1:2
sulphate:chloride are recommended for mild ales, whilst a ratio of 1:3 may give best results for stouts or
porters.
Sulphur is essential for the fermentation process, since the yeast needs to manufacture the two sulphur
containing amino acids, cysteine and methionine. Some yeast strains will use sulphur from sulphate ions
for this purpose and will then excrete any excess as sulphite ions. These can then be reduced to form
hydrogen sulphide or sulphur dioxide. Both of these materials have characteristic pungent odours and even
at low levels can give unacceptable sulphury noses to the beer.
Bacteria also have the ability to produce a wide variety of sulphury off flavours, including rubber, garlic
and cooked vegetable.
Nitrate
Levels of Nitrate are beginning to drop generally due to greater control of the use of nitrogenous
fertilisers. Nitrates themselves are not a problem at levels below 50 mgs/l, however they can be reduced
by yeast or bacteria to form Nitrites. These ions can then react with wort amines to form Nitrosamines,
which are carcinogenic.

Trace ions
Metals such as Iron, Manganese, Copper and Zinc may be found in small quantities in water and are all
utilised by yeast at levels below 1 ppm. Higher levels can cause colloidal hazes and metallic off flavours,
particularly with higher levels of Iron. High levels of heavy metals can be toxic to the yeast.
Silica should also be at very low levels in brewing liquor because of the likelihood of colloidal hazes
being formed.
Ammonia should be absent in brewing liquors, being indicative of contamination by sewage.
Fluorine, present in most waters at about 1 ppm for dental purposes, has no detectable effect on the
brewing process. However Chlorine, used for sterilisation, may be at relatively high levels at certain times
of the year. This can cause problems since chlorine is a very reactive chemical and will readily react with
organics to form chlorophenols. These have a medicinal (T.C.P.) flavour which is in some cases detectable
at levels below 1 ppb. Chlorine will be lost to some degree by the heat in the Hot Liquor Tank, but not all
water used within the brewery is from that source. Some brewers may use untreated liquor to break down
to gravity in fermenter, and rinsing following caustic or acid cleaning cycles will typically be with
untreated mains liquor. One solution is to treat both Hot and Cold Liquor Tanks with 10 ppm of Salicon
Liquid 18% (20 mls in 10 brls liquor) and rouse vigorously to remove the chlorine.
Cl2 + SO2 + 2H2O (r) H2SO4 + 2HCl (r) NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, Na2SO4, CaSO4, K2SO4
Typical Liquor Analyses for Beer Types:

BITTER

MILD

PORTER/ LAGER

STOUT

Calcium

200

100

100

50

Magnesium

15

10

10

Bicarbonate

25

50

100

<25

Chloride

200

300

300

10

Sulphate

400

150

100

10

Nitrate

As low as possible

Hops
Besides the convenient flavour, the hops performs further important tasks during beer production.

Due to its natural content of essential oils (as to be found in remedy herbs like camomile and
eucalyptus), the hops protects the beer against deterioration.
Basically, one differentiates between aroma hops and bitter hops, the latter mainly being used due
to its considerably lower price even though aroma hops is of higher quality.
In its own micro-breweries, JOH. ALBRECHT exclusively utilises aroma hops from carefully
selected hops growers obligated to pack the hops newly-harvested and in its natural condition and

to keep the hops stored in a cool place until consumption.

Yeast
In the course of fermentation, the purpose of the yeast is to convert the malt sugar which has dissolved
during mixing of malt and water in the brewhouse into alcohol and CO2

There are two major yeast types, the top fermented and the bottom fermented yeast.
During fermentation, the top fermented yeast ascends to the beer surface and forms a thick foam
layer (hence the name). The optimum fermentation temperature for top fermented yeast is
approximately 20C. Typical top fermented beers are "Weibier", "Alt", "Klsch" and "Berliner
Weie".

The bottom fermented yeast deposes during fermentation on the bottom (hence the name). The
optimum fermentation temperature for bottom fermented yeast is approximately 10C being used
for almost any common beer type like "Export", "Helles", "Dunkles", "Pils", "Bock" etc.

The main difference between the beers produced from either yeast variety is that top fermented
beers bear a flowery and fruity taste.

The Beer Production

Schema of a micro-brewery

(Picture in A4-formate: 150 dpi / 161 KB or 300 dpi / 163 KB )

The beer production consist of 9 steps:

Grinding
Mashing

Lautering

Wort boiling

Cooling

Fermentation

Storage

Filtration

Filling

Grinding
The grinding is a coarse milling, even better a crushing of the relatively mellow malt grain. In doing so, it
must be observed that the outer shell of the malt grain, the so called husk, remains nearly intact. In step 3
"lautering", these husks serve as a natural filter layer.
Mashing
The word mashing originally derives from "mixing".

In this context, the beer production starts with mixing the grist of step 1 with warm brewing water.
The water being applied for mashing-in is called "main mash water" in contrary to the so called
"second wort" during "lautering" in step 3.

This grist-water-mixture is gradually being heated in the "brew vessel". According to individual
recipe, the temperature must be hold correspondingly long at each temperature step. During this so
called "rest", the starch contained in the malt grain is being converted into malt sugar and valuable
amino acids develop from indigestible proteins.

According to each specific beer type brewed in the JOH. ALBRECHT micro brewery, time and
temperature of the single rests are being individually scheduled by the brewmaster and must be
carefully observed due to their determining influence on the taste of the beer.

The result of the entire mashing process of approximately three hours is a hazy liquid containing
dissolved malt sugar but also unsolved malt particles, for example husks.

Lautering
"Lautering" means the separation of the hazy mash particles from the clear ("lautering" = old-fashioned

word for "clarifying") liquid. This process can be compared to filtering coffee where the coffee grounds
are being restrained and a clear fluid containing the dissolved coffee particles runs through the filter. The
more water is being poured over the coffee grounds, the more exhaustive the diffusion whereby the
running off coffee becomes more and more watery.

The lautering starts with the transfer of the entire mash into the "lauter tun". The lauter tun is the
second copper vessel in the brewhouse equipped with a false bottom with thin slits approximately
1,5 cm above the original bottom.
Since the husks are heavier than the other mash particles, they depose at the false bottom thus
forming a natural filter layer. The false bottom only serves as a support of this "husk filter".

The brewer calls the thereby almost clear running-off sugar water "wort". As soon as the wort ranoff entirely, the solid mash particles remain within the lauter tun, called "spent grains". In the
beginning, these spent grains still contain a fair amount of malt sugar being rinsed out with hot
water. The water being applied for this purpose is called "second wort" and is being poured over
the spent grains without destroying (as happening for example by stirring) their layering.

The lautering must be done very carefully because if the wort would run-off freely (like when
making coffee), the developing suction would contract the husk layer to almost impermeable
extent. For this reason, the lauter tun is equipped with a shut-off valve at the bottom for subtle
adjustment of the wort drain.

After approximately three hours, the lautering result is the wort - a clear, amber sugar water also
containing flavours and many other dissolved substances (for example protein) highly significant
for the proper development and taste of the beer.

Because the sugar concentration of the wort determines the later alcoholic content of the beer, the
concentration is measured with a calibrated spindle. The measured sugar concentration is increased
during boiling (see step 4) due to the thereby evaporating water. In case the wort is relatively
"thin", the boiling time must be prolonged in order to later reach the desired alcoholic content.

Wort boiling
The entire run-off wort is being re-collected in the brew vessel and boiled together with the hops for at
least one hour. The wort must be boiled until the desired sugar concentration is reached due to evaporating
water.

During boiling, also the composition of the wort changes whereby insolvable components like for
example hops oils are being dissolved, others simply drop out or evaporate in form of solid
components, the so called "break".
The sugar concentration of the wort after boiling is the well-known "original extract". Since the
original extract is converted into alcohol during fermentation, the later alcoholic content of the
beer directly depends on the original extract
By the time enough water has evaporated, the wort with the whole hops will again be transferred to
the lauter tun. The decocted whole hops and the break remain on the false bottom whereas the wort
runs-off at the bottom now bearing a distinctive taste of hops.

Cooling
Now, the boiling hot wort must be cooled down to the starting temperature of the yeast.

From this point of time, an extremely neat and clean operation is required because otherwise lactic
acid bacterias instead of the yeast might start the fermentation of the wort. These lactic acid
bacterias convert the sugar into lactic acid and not into alcohol like the yeast does. Thereby the
beer turns sour and therefore becomes denaturated. Lactic acid bacterias are not harmful to humans
in any way. Looking at other food items (yoghurt, cheese, sauerkraut, sourdough etc.), they are
even very valuable organisms.
For top fermentation, the wort is being cooled down to approx. 15C, for bottom fermentation to
approx. 5C. These temperatures lie about 5C below the optimum temperature of the respective
yeast because fermentation ought to start slowly.
For cooling down the wort to approx. 20C it is possible to use cold tap water. During this process,
the tap water heats up to approx. 85C and is available as hot water. In order to further cool down
the wort, artificially cooled "ice water" of approx. 1C is required.

Fermentation
During fermentation, the yeast converts the sugar of the wort into alcohol, CO2 and heat. The wort turns
into "green beer".

The fermentation ought to be performed slowly because otherwise a big quantity of indesirable
fermentation by-products accumulate besides alcohol being the main causer for headaches after a
long night. In order to produce high-quality beer, appropriate cooling ensures a fermentation period
of approx. 8-10 days.
Since at this point sugar is converted into alcohol, the measured content of original extract
continuously drops during fermentation.
The accumulated CO2 can freely escape from the open fermenter. Because CO2 bubbles through
the green beer, indesirable fermentation by-products negatively influencing the taste and
digestibility of the beer are being washed out. Through fermentation, a white foam builds up at the
beer surface collapsing again at the end of the main fermentation.

Beer Fermentation Process

Non-bacteria Air Production System

In the beer processing, The purity of the CO2, N2 and so on is really a key to the quality and the
consistency of your beer. So we use twice series filtration, the Prefiltration use cobetter pleated glass
microfiber filter cartridges for gases, depth filter technology and high dirt holding capacity .The final
filtration use cobetter pleated polytetrafluoroethylene membrane filter cartridges for gas, make sure 100%
sterile gas.

Storage
During storage time, the residual sugar ferments to alcohol and CO2

For this purpose, the beer is being transferred from the open fermenter to the closed storage tank.
The storage tank is being closed with a "bunging apparatus". By the use of this bunging apparatus,
the desired CO2-content of the beer can be adjusted. Therefore, the now accumulating CO2 remains
in the beer.

In order for the sugar to further ferment, the temperature ought to remain at approx. 5C for a
while. Afterwards, the beer is ready for slowly being cooled down to maturity temperature of 1C.

Under these temperatures, the green beer matures for several weeks . During this time, the beer
almost completely purifies and finally reaches full maturity.

Due to the fact that in contrary to the big breweries, in the Joh. Albrecht micro-breweries the beer
can mature long enough without disturbances and in a cool place, it must not be filtered and
stabilised but is rather dispensed in its natural condition still containing all vital ingredients and
vitamins.

Filtration
During filtration the residual yeast is being filtered from the beer.

For this purpose, the beer from the storage tank is being pressed through a Kieselguhr-filter layer
under pressure.
The hereby secreted yeast remains in the filter together with the Kieselguhr and can be disposed
after termination of the filtration process.
After filtration, the beer is being collected in the pressure tank and from there arrives at the filling
facilities.

Filling
During filling process, the filtered beer is being filled into bottles or kegs.
a. Bottle filling
In general, returnable bottles with swing stopper, so called "ricklayers bottles", are being
used.

First of all, the bottles must be manually cleaned with the aid of a bottle washing machine
comparable to an industrial dishwasher. The bottles are being cleansed of yeast deposits
and afterwards sterilised.

Next, the bottles are manually being removed from the machine and placed on a table for
filling.

For filling purpose, the brewmaster applies a hand operated isobarometric filler. Each bottle
is separately being removed from the table. The brewmaster ensures a careful filling of the
beer without the development of foam and tight closure of the bottles with a ceramic seal.

Prior to packing the bottles into transport crates, each bottle receives a seal label indicating
date of expiry and table of content. Afterwards, the bottles are ready for sale.

According to beer type, such filled beer can be stored up to 6 12 weeks until
consumption.

b. KEG-filling

In contrary to the bottle filling, the keg-filling in this dimension can already be automatised
allowing the filling of approximately 20 Kegs 50 l/h with a semi-automatic Keg-filling
and-cleaning machine.

For filling purpose, the single Keg is being placed on the machine by hand. The program
sequence navigates the individual steps of Keg-cleaning, sterilisation and pre-stressing with
CO2 directly followed by filling of the beer. Approximately three minutes later, the machine
releases the Keg and a new Keg can be inserted to the machine.

After only a short interim storage in a cooled room, the Keg is ready for sale.

Beer production chart

Pilsner Urquell production

History of beer
No one really knows when beer was first discovered. It was never invented but was likely discovered by
accident, as any cereal-based product can potentially undergo spontaneous fermentation due to airborne
natural yeasts, but records show that folks were drinking beer in China and Mesopotamia as far back as
7000 B.C. In fact, the oldest recipe ever discovered was for brewing a batch of beer, although this version
of beer did not include hops and was sweetened with honey and dates, so it was much sweeter than what
were used to throwing back today.The origins of the beer that we are used to consuming today has its
roots in the German Beer Purity Laws of 1516, which dictated that beer can only contain water, barley,
and hops. However, this was not the first law that regulated beer production.

"image via wikipedia"

Rather, the first mention of a beer law was in the Code of Hammurabi set forth by the infamously harsh
Babylonian leader. By the time the Code was set forth in the 2nd Century B.C., beer had become an
extremely popular beverage in Mesopotamia and in the rest of the biblical world (although the Bible
doesnt mention beer specifically). Many brewers and bar owners at the time would water down their

product or use inferior grains to maximize profit, which great disgusted the ancient ruler, so he put forth a
law forbidding brewers or merchants from doing this. The punishment? The offending party was to be
forcibly drowned in the swill that he created, in true Hammurabi fashion. Fortunately, there were no laws
against public drunkenness!
The true origin of beer is shrouded in the mists of antiquity. No one can say for sure just when or how the
first beer came into being. It is likely that a bowl of barley was left exposed to the elements and was
moistened causing the grain to germinate. Wild air-born yeast then settled on the surface of the resulting
liquor and the fermentation process began. No doubt intrigued by the foaming concoction, someone first
smelled of it and then ventured a sip. The intoxicating effects of this liquid then went on to change the
course of history.
The fact that the brewing of beer predates written language is hardly a topic of debate. In fact, most
scholars readily agree that primitive man had knowledge of brewing and fermenting as far back as ten
thousand years ago, when people first domesticated barley in the highlands of the southern Levant. It is
no stretch of the imagination, to assume that wild grains were gathered and put to various uses, one of
which would most certainly be brewing. The real debate is concerning exactly why humans began to shift
to an agrarian society. The idea has been readily accepted that bread is the "staff of life" and that would be
a likely reason for the rise of farming. Yet, there are others who think that the use of fermented beverages
in religious ceremonies was just as likely.
Perhaps of greater importance is the question of nutrition. Barley once sprouted contains enzymes that
convert starches to sugars thus rendering them more digestible. The addition of yeast introduces essential
amino acids as well as increasing B vitamins. The health benefit of consuming a mildly alcoholic drink
was no doubt a factor. Besides the nutritional value imparted by the yeast; the slightly acidic condition
caused by such an elixir, is most beneficial in the reduction of harmful bacteria in the intestines. It has
further been postulated, that early man would not likely have gone to such trouble to obtain the relatively
small amount of food value provided by bread alone.
One of things that is of interest, is a fact that has been overlooked by most scholars. That is, that in most
cases of archeological evidence of ancient brewing; the presence of a bakery as a part of the structure is
evident as well. This could be explained by the fact that the earliest known recipes for beer call for loaves
of bread to be used in the brewing process. Is it possible that the development of baking was in support of
brewing? Keep in mind the nutritional value of beer. It is hard to believe that it was not considered a food.
The earliest written description of the brewing process was left us by the ancient Sumerians. The Hymn
To Ninkasi is etched on a clay tablet that is about 3800 years old and serves as a recipe as well as a song
of praise. Contained in the verse are directions for the making of beer using loaves of bread. The
Sumerian bread of the time was known as bappir and aside from its brewing applications, was only
consumed in periods of food shortages. This fact alone lends credence to the argument that suggests that
beer, not bread, is the cornerstone of civilization. Thus, the debate continues.
The importance of beer to the ancients is something that one can not dismiss. Hammurabi ruled Babylon
from 1795-1750 BC. He is credited with giving the world its first written laws. In this code of laws; he
had taken care to see that provisions were made in regard to the pricing of beer. Law 108 states; that the
owner of a tavern must give proper measure of beer for corn. Should she take instead, money, then it must
be in an amount equal to said measure of corn and not less. If it was less then she should be convicted and
thrown into the water. One can only presume to drown. Law 111 states that; "If an innkeeper furnish sixty
ka of uskani-drink to she shall receive fifty ka of corn at harvest." That beer played a major role in

everyday life can also be seen in that Hammurabi allowed for a daily ration of brew. It is notable that the
laws regarding beer, are much higher on the list than those in regard to familial responsibilities.
Because of its arid climate Egypt provides us with some of our more concrete archeological evidence of
ancient brewing practices. Not only are there documents and bas relief depicting brewing; there is
physical remains of grains, yeast and herbs that were used in the production of beer. It is believed that
dates were used to sweeten the brew and different herbs and spices to add flavor. Rue could have been
used for bitterness and possible flavorings may have included coriander, juniper, tarragon, anise and
licorice root.
The process was fairly straight forward. A dough was made using a considerable amount of yeast; this
was then formed into loaves and lightly baked. The bread was crumbled and water added at which point it
would be strained to produce a wort. Herbs were then added to improve flavor and dates to increase
sweetness. The resulting liquid was fermented in large vats and eventually placed in sealed jars to be
stored and transported. Although this basic method is well documented there are still questions left
unanswered. Was emmer or barley or both grains used? Were dates a common ingredient? What other
things may have been used to flavor the beer? We may never have the answers to these questions.
Beer is an important foodstuff. Used in moderation it has no harmful effects for a person engaged
in physical work. Although the nutritional elements in beer are low in volume, they are all
contained in a highly pleasing form . (Otto's Dictionary part XIX, p. 816)
the cradle of beer is considered to be Mesopotamia, where local people cultivated grain from as early
as the seventh millennium BC and probably also knew fermented grain drinks.
Chammurapi's Code mentions blossoming brewing activity and the legal stipulation of the wort
content in beer and its price. A breach of the law was punishable by death by drowning.
according to the ancient Egyptians it was the gods who invented beer. Apparently, it was the god of
sun himself who taught man how to make beer.
Edda, the collection of legends from the northern countries of the ninth century, considers mead and
beer as a gift of the gods and believes that after death men in Valhalla drink beer from the hand of a
beautiful girl.
the first mention of beer production in the Czech lands comes from the Brevnov Monastery. The
record states that in 993 AD the Benedictine monks produced wine and beer.
The English have produced beer since ancient times. In the thirteenth century, special supervisors of
breweries and hop-gardens were appointed.
the first historical document relating directly to beer production is the endowment document issued by
the first Czech king, Vratislav II, for the Vysehrad' chapter of 1088.
in the old days, serious songs were sung around the vat. The superstition held sway that without
divine songs the brew would fail. Or they were sung in order to overcome lack of sleep so that nobody
fell into the vat.

 Saint Otta's biography states that in Pomerania, the Saint's companions preferred Slav beer to foreign
wine.
probably the oldest document on the cultivation of hops in the lands of what is today the Czech
Republic is the endowment document from Prince Bretislav from the 1030s. The growing of hops spread
in the eleventh and twelfth centuries and they were even cultivated in Prague, for example on Strelecky
Island.
the great popularity of beer among our ancestors, which often led to an inordinate love of the drink and
drunkenness, is evident in the laws issued in 1039 by Prince Bretislav I. These contain punishments for
publicans serving drunkards, such as breaking all the publican's dishes and serving vessels, shaving his
head, or putting him in the pillories in a public place.
beer has been brewed in Pilsen since the city's foundation in 1295.
in 1530, the English king, Henry VIII, banned the adding of hops to beer, although the ban was
lifted after 22 years.
You can view an extensive collection of more than 15 000 items and documents from the malter's,
brewer's and catering trades in the Brewery Museum in Pilsen.

What makes good beer?

The unique taste and outstanding qualities of the Plzensky Prazdroj brands serve as inspiration to improve
the production activities and the effective use of the experience of brewers from Pilsen, Velke Popovice
and Nosovice, as well as the parent company SABMiller.
The production of good beer needs not only the right raw materials and perfect technological procedure,
but also the right storage and drawing of beer.
What makes good beer:

Drawing beer
Pressure gases

Beer tanks

Sanitation

1. Drawing beer
The customer cannot savour even the best beer properly if the beer is not served with a love for ones
profession, for the guests and for the beer itself.
A true beer-drinking experience is not complete unless it unites first-rate beer, a stylish environment,
glasses befitting the beer, and a barman who knows beer and cares for it properly. Plzensky Prazdroj
contributes to the development of Czech beer culture and gastronomy in general. Two such contributions

are the exclusive Pilsner Urquell glasses and the exclusive beer towers called Prazdroj, introduced lately
by the company.
The exclusive beer tower and the original glasses for the premium brand Pilsner Urquell represent another
step by Plzensky Prazdroj towards improving the standard of the Czech hospitality industry and
supporting traditional Czech beer culture.
Plzensky Prazdroj is thus building on the golden age of Czech pubs, which among other things has always
been characterised by massive metallic taps. We developed the new equipment in order to further
improve the technical parameters, says Vladimir Pribil, Marketing Services Manager at Plzensky
Prazdroj. The new tap enables us to present our brands in a visible and dignified manner befitting such
an important place in the pub as the taproom, Pribil adds.
The new taps have an unmistakable look as well as a solid and robust design. The equipments surface is
coated with titanium, which if properly maintained guarantees an unchanged appearance for at least 20
years. Replaceable plaques containing the logos of the tapped beer brands allow for the versatile use of all
Plzensky Prazdroj brands, and the backlight behind the plaques enhances their visibility. A technological
novelty the cooling of the beer pipeline all the way to the actual tap has a positive effect on the quality
of the beer being drawn.
Important factors for succeeding in the Czech beer market include product a quality, proper sales and
marketing strategy and the brewerys approach towards the technological standards for pouring beer.
Plzensky Prazdrojs approach is characterised by comprehensive care for the beer for the entire period the
beer spends getting from the brewery to the consumer this means transport, storage, and pouring of the
beer. From this viewpoint, the new beer tower parameters meet the requirements for the top quality beer
that our customers are used to. Several versions of the new beer tower are available: with two, three and
four taps. Selecting between a standard lever tap and special rotating tap is also possible.
Evaluating the new tap design
The development of the new Prazdroj beer tap design was very demanding, and over time we prepared
some twenty different alternatives. From our viewpoint, the resulting design is unique in that it has fully
incorporated both the designers ideas and the brewerys criteria. It is often the case that in launching an
everyday service the design improvements give way to production requirements. But Prazdrojs latest
beer tap has succeeded in fully meeting the requirements for operation, beer quality, brand visibility,
versatility, and suitability for various interior designs and still being a good job in design terms, says Jan
Prokop in assessing the work of his design studio, Creative Services.
Creative Services is a design studio working on orders from the automotive, watch, and consumer goods
industries.
And you will discover that your publican actually loves you through that beautifully drawn and skilfully
served glass of Pilsner So said Bohumil Hrabal, the founding father of 20th-century Czech literature
and a great connoisseur of Pilsner beer, in 1995. Pragues renowned beer houses, which Hrabal visited so
often, are characterised by a special way of drawing beer level drawing.
Pouring Flat Head Beer

1st phase
A special rotating tap is used to pour a flat head beer. First, you pour a small amount of
foam into the glass by turning the tap slowly and holding the glass at a 45 angle to the tap.

2nd phase
In the second phase, you open the tap for a maximum flow and let the beer flow onto the
glass wall. The stream of beer is without turbulence, completely transparent.

3rd phase
Finish the drawing by shutting the tap quickly. The glass is full of thick, wet foam rolling
back and forth and slowly rising to the top. A little foam may occasionally flow over the
glass brim.

4th phase
The beer settles slowly. The glass displays a gentle veil of dissolved carbon dioxide rising
from the bottom. The beer comes up very slowly, approaching the glass mark. This is
specific to this drawing method.

Drawing the beer using the standard lever tap

If your taproom does not have a rotating tap installed, you can achieve a similar effect using the lever tap
as well. However, this is more difficult and time-consuming, and also entails the loss of a certain amount
of the initial foam, which needs to be pushed out with the desired wet foam drawn at the end.
1st phase
Hold the glass under the tap at approx. 45. Push back on the valve (away from yourself) to
let a small amount of foam into the glass. Then fill the glass with beer by pulling on the
lever towards your body. The beer flows slowly down the glass wall.

2nd phase
The foam on top protects the beer from oxidation, but this is the dry foam and it is a good
idea to push it away with the tastier wet foam. So when the glass is full, push back on the
valve to push a sufficient amount of the thick foam underneath the dry foam you already
have in the glass, and the excess foam will flow over the glass brim.

Properly drawn beer should have a thick head without any large bubbles in it.
Beer temperature during drawing
The proper temperature during drawing influences both the taste and frothiness of the beer. The
temperature of beer in the tap should be chosen so that the customer receives the beer in his glass at
approx. 6C to 8C. This means that the temperature of the beer during drawing should be about one
degree lower. If the beer temperature is under 5C there may be problems with lower frothing ability or
even cold-induced haze.
The most common mistakes made in drawing beer
Beer is too foamy
Excessive frothiness of beer during drawing may be caused by several factors. One is that the temperature
of the beer on tap is too high or the tap system is at the incorrect pressure setting. Another reason may be
that the flow of beer through the tap is too great. The barman should first check all these issues and make
sure the settings follow Plzensky Prazdrojs recommendations. If the excessive foam is still not
eliminated, we advise contacting a competent member of the Plzensky Prazdroj Technical Services staff.
Beer has too little head
Insufficient foam can also have several causes. If a check of the pressure settings (or the entire tap
system) shows no problems, we recommend checking the CO2 content of the beer. In this case it is
necessary to consult Technical Services, who are ready to provide helpful advice.
Pouring beer straight or along the glass wall
Plzensky Prazdroj recommends pouring along the glass wall to prevent the breaking of the beer caused
by the stream falling onto the bottom of the glass from a great height. If poured straight, the beer often
suffers from a lack of sharpness and is characterised by a tall, unattractive head composed of dry foam
that drops down very fast, leaving the beer looking very flat.
Head or cauliflower
Beer boasting a tall head is usually the result of a painter or other artists work. In reality, such beer is the
result of the beer being drawn on several takes. Plzensky Prazdroj recommends level drawing the beer,
which the regulars of popular Pilsner beer houses value the most.
Beer is too warm or too cold
This is probably caused by the incorrect setting of the cooling capacity. We recommend discussing the
quantity of beer drawn in the restaurant and the related performance of the cooling system with Technical
Services.
Beers head collapses

This is usually the result of a combination of many factors, from wrong drawing method to insufficiently
washed beer glasses. Or perhaps the barman left it standing in no event, however, should such beer end
up on a customers table.
Beer lacks sharpness
Beer that lacks the correct sharpness was most probably drawn in several takes, was poured straight down
instead of along the glass wall, or came from a keg that had been tapped for some time already.
Level-drawn beer is below the measure mark
Level drawing is characterised by a mighty layer of foam that contains a great quantity of beer (wet
foam). This foam gradually releases more beer (the beer will come to the mark). This method of
drawing obviously places a great deal of demand on the barmans skill the best ones can hit the level
right on the mark at a single turn of the tap.
A piece of advice in conclusion
Plzensky Prazdroj grants quality certificates to restaurants that meet all the obligatory prerequisites for
beer quality and serving. The standard of care for beer is regularly checked in such facilities and so the
beer meets Plzensky Prazdrojs quality standards. You will usually find restaurants quality certificates
exhibited in places of honour.
The aesthetics of draught beer
An almost literary attempt at describing an aesthetic category that, though real enough, seems to have
remained outside the interest of the experts. A confession by Josef Krysl, Technical Services Manager at
Plzensky Prazdroj and a tireless promoter of ensuring good beer quality.
The aesthetics of draught beer: this is a term that is perhaps only rooted deeply in Bohemia and among
Czechs. This indescribable beauty, which blesses all the human senses, comes into being when the beer,
once hidden in the keg, comes into the light of day. The mere mention of the idea that such a specialised
and for many, less than lofty field as draught beer technology does have its rules for achieving beauty
seems quite far-fetched. Yet I say that here, too, there are rules for achieving beauty.
The interplay and union of many factors creates the unique, specific perception of a beers taste. First and
foremost, the taste is influenced by the actual beer, with environment, quality of service, price and other
factors also playing their roles. But people sometimes forget about yet another phenomenon the way the
beer is drawn!
Where the due meaning and importance of this fact are recognised you will find not only a quality innkeeping establishment, but also a unique table community. The pub becomes the setting for a specific
culture, for meeting each other again and again, for communication, and for expressing ones free
opinion. It was so even in the worst of times: through various wars, occupation, totalitarian regimes and
normalisation. Bohumil Hrabal described it well in one of his books: This is why, for me, drinking beer
is a sacred time and I know that the pub and the table inside possess such a right of asylum as there was in
the olden days, when you ran into a church and they could not kill you there. I subscribe to this and try
to do my best to ensure that beer (and especially Pilsner beer!) remains an indispensable part of our
nations culture, its past and its present.

The history of beer drawing

The history of taprooms should logically go back as far as beer itself. But in the distant past of beer
brewing, beer was merely poured into smaller vessels and then poured for the guests or consumed directly
from those vessels. Equipment similar to todays taps only appeared in Bohemia in the Middle Ages.
Alehouses typical for the period were found in Pilsen as well. Beer was often consumed directly in the
houses which had beer-brewing privileges and where the beer was brewed. It was drawn straight from the
lager barrel in the cellar. The filled jug or other vessel (ceramic and wooden ones were used and later
replaced with porcelain and glass cups and jugs) was brought to the table and the beer was then poured
from it. Better pubs had ceramic plates in the centre of the tables. The beer vessels were put on those
plates to help retain the beers temperature.
The first taps
However, there were also alehouses where beer could be drawn from the lager barrels into smaller vessels
(12.5l or 25l), from which the beer was tapped directly among the guests in the alehouse. The keg was
first set in a trestle, then a wooden tap was driven into it, and shortly afterwards the filling opening was
re-opened with a dog iron so that air could get inside the keg and let the beer flow out.
The first sign of progress was the invention of a manually-operated pressure pump. This was basically a
metallic piston sealed in leather and driven by an eccentric-looking shaft. Using two-way flaps, it
extracted and pressed air either into the barrel or a pressure vessel.
The advent of the industrial revolution brought the invention and production of simple drawing systems.
We could call them party pumps today. They were used to draw the beer and add pressure to the keg to
make sure that the contents would flow out smoothly. Such units were the great-grandfathers of the
drawing systems as we know them.
Bottled in pubs, too
The trend of drawing beer into bottles became prevalent in Bohemia towards the end of the 19th century.
The trend first started in pubs, with breweries only joining in later. The bottles were closed with a cork
and later with ceramic lids. The bottled beer was not filtered at the time so its expiration date was very
short.
Put it on ice!
Beer used to be drawn from kegs in the cellar. These were surrounded with natural ice. The ice was
obtained from nearby ponds in the winter. This was a way for farmers to gain additional income when
they had little to do in the winter and were glad to help out. The ice was stored either directly in the pub
cellar ice rooms or in barns, insulated with a layer of wheat straw up to one metre thick. This way, the ice
often lasted until November. Breweries procured ice the same way. Later, when artificial cooling systems
were introduced (around 1890) breweries produced ice, supplied it to pubs, iced the kegs in railroad cars,
and invested in ice production (ice money). This system was only discontinued in the 1960s.
20th-century taps

The flowering of the Czech brewing industry in the early 20th century was characterised by the use of
taps similar to todays. Czech beer taps were typically made of brass, whereas ceramics dominated more
in the German lands. Taps were newly equipped with additional cooling in the form of a little box placed
right underneath the tap head through which beer was drawn from the keg in a coiled pipe. The box was
filled with finely chopped ice and water, but cellar cooling still had the greatest impact on beer
temperature. The actual taps were simple, they used the cone system, and their diameter was usually 10,
12 or 14mm. The pressure used never exceeded 0.8bar.
First coolers
One breakthrough was the mass introduction of coolers utilising a stronger coolant brine. Brine cooling
sufficed for average volumes drawn. When the volumes were higher, people began building chilled boxes
and using standard upright tanks of 10 to 15hl in volume. This lasted until 1990, when another important
breakthrough happened.
Technical Services keep an eye on beer quality
The advent of the market economy in the early 1990s also influenced beer drawing and the relationships
between restaurants and breweries. Enter technical services departments, which were gradually
established at the individual breweries. The technical staff members use drawing technology from various
suppliers or, as with Plzensky Prazdroj, participate in developing their own original systems.
2. Pressure gase
Whats behind good beer
The goal of all brewers is to provide the customer with a glass of beer of standard quality, without
undesirable variations. This can sometimes be very difficult for draught beer, because the saying still
holds that the brewer brews the beer, but the bartender makes it.
The taste and quality of beer tapped at a pub or restaurant is influenced by a number of factors. Besides
the actual production procedure, the level of care given the beer after it leaves the brewery is no less
important. The distribution and storage of beer, the sanitation of the tapping equipment, the gases used for
tapping, the washing of the beer glasses, and the proper technique for pouring the beer into the glasses all
play an important role.
Plzensky Prazdrojs experts held an extensive study focused on the impact of tapping technology on the
quality of its golden brew. The results of the study confirm that one should use food industry gases for
drawing beer from keg barrels, and this is also the technology that Plzensky Prazdroj recommends to its
clients.
Efforts at providing customers with draught beer of a high and consistent quality have led to a significant
reduction in the use of air for tapping beer all over the world. This trend began in the Czech Republic
after 1990 and it is only a matter of time before it will become part of sanitary regulations. The
advantages of inert gases far exceed those of compressed air, and this even with the increased cost, which
with the recommended gas mixture is approximately CZK 0.15 to CZK 0.17 higher per 0.5l of beer as
compared to compressed air.

Technology Used for Beer Drawing Influences Beer Quality

Based on research, experts recommend a mixture of technical gases
An extensive survey conducted by the experts of Plzensky Prazdrojs Technical Service has confirmed the
unquestionable influence of the technology used for beer drawing on the resulting taste and quality of the
golden drink. A mixture of technical gases has proved to be the best technology. On the contrary, the use
of air compressors is the least suitable approach.
The experts from Plzensky Prazdrojs Technical Service have focused on the influence of technologies
used for beer drawing on the final quality of beer. Air compressors proved not to be ideal for beer
pouring. When using this pouring technology, which is still common, the pub keeper does not have
complete control over what comes into the beer with the air. The air that flows through the compressor
may contain various unsuitable substances, in particular in pubs located near busy roads. The negative
influence of air also leads to beer oxidation beer ages faster and its quality deteriorates.
Plzensky Prazdrojs experts believe that technical gases produced for this special purpose are more
suitable for beer drawing. They do not cause beer oxidation and have no impact on its taste. Research has
shown that the use of a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in a ratio of 1:1 brings the best results. If a
keg is tapped for longer than a day, this mixture guarantees perfect protection against beer weathering,
thereby supporting its durability. Compared to air compressors, this technology is not considerably more
expensive. Investment in equipment using a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen raises the price of
beer by approximately CZK 0.15 per half-litre.
Given the competition amongst pubs and the tradition of beer drinking in our country, consumers are not
only interested in the price but also in the quality of draught beer. From this point of view we recommend
that pubs drawing beer from kegs use technical gases. It is not because the European Union prohibits or
could prohibit the use of air compressors in the future. We ourselves believe that this technology is out of
date, not suitable, and potentially dangerous for the quality of draught beer.
Pressure Gases Used in the Czech Republic
The use of air as the driving gas results in oxidation caused by oxygen and ozone. Todays brewing world
is looking at the anti-oxidant properties of beer, which have a positive impact on health. But what good
are these effects to us if we eliminate them in the keg? Beer oxidation also causes significant changes in
flavour. For these and many other reasons, breweries are expending huge amounts to reduce the contact of
beer with oxygen to a minimum.
CO2
Advantages:
Inert gas preventing beer oxidation.
Disadvantages:
If the amount of the beer drawn is low and the temperature is low, it dissolves in beer. The beer is
then oversaturated with CO2
N2
Advantages:
Inert gas preventing beer oxidation.
Disadvantages:

If the temperature is higher, natural CO2 escapes from the beer. The beer is flat.
Air (compressors)
Advantages:
Part of the current equipment of many pubs.
Disadvantages:
Oxygen beer oxidation (beer is flat), environment for the multiplication of organisms.
Beer contamination from the compressor environment.
Mixture of technical gasses (CO2+N2)
Advantages:
Inert gas does not influence the taste characteristics of beer.
The ratio of gases can be adjusted according to the beer type; standard: CO2:N2 1:1
Supplied in steel bottles for the food industry a guarantee of microbiological purity.
Meets the requirements for the standard beer quality and reduction of the microbiological risks
(worldwide trend).
Disadvantages:
Higher costs by 0.15 0.17 CZK per 0.5 l beer.
Comparison of costs for air compressor technology and gas mixtures:

(costs per 0.5 l of beer): Cheap compressor

Expensive compressor (larger capacity)
Mixture of technical gasses

CZK 0.05
CZK 0.03
CZK 0.20

3. Beer tanks
A Guarantee of the Freshest Beer Possible
The best technology for beer tapping
At the beginning of 1995, Plzensky Prazdroj experts started providing restaurants with a new process drawing beer from large-capacity tanks rather than traditional kegs. The new process was enabled by
specially developed beer tanks. Today, eight years later, this system prevails in most restaurants that meet
Plzensky Prazdrojs technical requirements for tapping its beers. Thanks to their benefits, the beer tanks
have become one of the major factors in achieving a competitive edge in the already saturated beer
market in the Czech Republic.
Patrons of famous pubs enjoying their favourite Pilsner beer are mostly unaware that the beer is not
poured from traditional kegs but from refrigerated tanks. In the Czech Republic, this system is now used
by almost 400 restaurants and pubs selling Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus, Radegast and Velkopopovicky
Kozel.
There were several reasons behind the tank development decision made by Plzensky Prazdroj at the
beginning of the 1990s. Distribution and storage of beer in large volumes (as opposed to individual kegs)
is cost effective for both the brewery and the owners of restaurants and pubs. However, tanks that were
used earlier had a clear, negative impact on the quality of beer. Upon contact with air, non-pasteurized
beer quickly became stale and lost its optimum quality.

This problem has been removed by introducing a state-of-the-art system of stainless steel tanks with a
volume of 10 hl (and 5 hl from 2006). Inside the tanks, there are leak-proof polypropylene bags in which
to store beer (a so called bag-in-box system). The advantage of this system is that beer does not come into
contact with air during the pouring process. This has a positive impact on the quality and durability of
non-pasteurized beer. A necessary prerequisite for the installation of beer tanks is a minimum level of
weekly beer consumption.
With the benefits that it brought to restaurant operators and consumers, the system positively influenced
the performance of Plzensky Prazdrojs activities on the Czech beer market. Major pubs offering Pilsner
Urquell beer on tap gradually switched to the new system.
Plzensky Prazdrojs Cool-Boxes with Tanks Interesting Facts

The very first modern cool-boxes with tanks in the Czech Republic were installed by experts from
the Velke Popovice brewery at the Prague restaurant Letensky zamecek in 1994. At that time, they
preceded their Pilsner competitor; however only a few years later they were given an opportunity
to share their experience within the same company.

When the new cool-boxes with tanks were being introduced, some pub owners had a conservative
approach to them. Karel Hulata, the owner of the legendary pub U Zlateho tygra, first visited other
pubs where cool-boxes with tanks had already been installed. After finding that the more modern
system for beer storing and distribution would not affect the famous quality of his beer, he
accepted the benefits of the new cool-boxes with tanks.

Today, the bag-in-box system is also used by other breweries. Plzensky Prazdroj is the only
brewery to spread this system on a large scale and complement it with an advanced technical
service. A group of five trained technicians monitors compliance with the standards that must be
observed by restaurants and pubs to use the bag-in-box system, as well as with technical service
requirements and all legal requirements regarding pressure tank safety.

The bag-in-box system is also used abroad. However, there is no other country where the system
is as widespread and advanced as in the Czech Republic, which is due to Plzensky Prazdrojs
efforts. The reasons behind this phenomenon are the record-high beer consumption in the Czech
Republic and the fact that in Bohemia and Moravia it is common to draw only one or a few beer
brands.

Cool-boxes with tanks located behind a glass wall are also an interesting element of a pub interior
(e.g. U Zeleneho stromu, in Bredovsky dvur and Malostranska pivnice in Prague and in Kanadska
pivnice in Zlin). Some pubs are aware of the competitive edge gained by using cool-boxes with
tanks, which enable them to provide the best care for beer, and to inform their guests about the
technology used.

The most important restaurants tapping beer from beer tanks (in the Czech Republic):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

U Andela
Prague
OK Centrum
Kanadska pivnice
Sklenik

Prague
Jihlava
Pardubice
Zlin
Karvina

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

U Rudolfina
Masinka
Malostranska
Centrum
Sklenik

Prague
Otrokovice
Prague
Orlova
Neratovice

The cool-boxes with tanks are proof of the special care given by Plzensky Prazdroj to the beer-drawing
and drinking culture. Another example of such efforts is the introduction of taps, developed by experts
from Plzensky Prazdroj, who were inspired by a technology used in last centurys famous pubs. Yet
another example is the education of pub owners and the recommendation to draw beer right to the top,
which used to be a good habit in Bohemia:
and you discover that the pub owner actually loves you through the glass of Pilsner beer beautifully
tapped right to the top
(Bohumil Hrabal, pub U zlateho tygra, 1994)
Technical Description of Cool-Boxes with Tanks

A stainless-steel tank with a volume of 10 or 5 hl in a horizontal position.

A sterile bag inside made from polypropylene, absolutely impermeable higher barrier system.
It does not release any parts of compounds and can be recycled. Every bag can be used only once.

Tanks (at least three in every restaurant or pub) are located in an insulated room a cool-box with
tanks.

The temperature in cool-boxes is 8 - 10 degrees Celsius.

Beer is drawn by air compressors equipped with filters. Air pressing against the inside bag pushes
it out.

Beer consumption is measured by a digital flow meter.

The cool-box consists of building blocks. It can be disassembled and re-assembled at a different
place.

Beer can be distributed from the tank to four independent taps.

Transportation of beer - storage tanks equipped with separated chambers of 10, 20 and 30 hl.

The cool-boxes with tanks mostly belong to Plzensky Prazdroj, which rents them out to pub
operators.
Beer Tank Storage Diagram

Pros and Cons of the Bag-in-Box System of Cool-Boxes

From the consumers point of view:
Benefits:

Pubs with cool-boxes tap non-pasteurized beer, e.g. a highly natural product.
The beer has the right relish, it is not oversaturated, as might have been the case when beer used to
be tapped from kegs.

The high volume of beer from tap enables pub owners to maintain convenient prices, even in
expensive locations in the centre of Prague.

From the clients point of view:

Benefits:

Customers appreciate the high quality of beer from tanks, which has a positive impact on the
loyalty they show towards the pub and the volume of beer being consumed.
The cool-box system can be connected with up to four independent taps.

It is not necessary to open kegs all the time, the pub owner can pay attention to his guests.

The cool-box belongs to Plzensky Prazdroj and therefore, the operator is not responsible for the
initial investment.

Limitations:

Usually, the installation of a cool-box requires constructional measures.

From Plzensky Prazdrojs point of view:

Benefits:

Reduced costs for beer production (pasteurization is no longer needed) and beer distribution. It is
not necessary to wash the kegs and the transportation of beer in high-volume tanks is cheaper and
faster.
Cool-boxes made from building blocks can be easily disassembled and returned if the pub
terminates its cooperation with the brewery.

Limitations:

Initial investment in the cool-box. However, other cost savings, related to the operation of the pub,
and other benefits for all parties, clearly exceed the initial investment.

The latest computer technology is used to monitor refrigeration of the tanks.

4. Sanitation
Beer piping and dispensing equipment sanitation is an essential precondition for pouring high-quality
beer. And don't think this is some ridiculous modern invention. Remember the idyllic era of Hrabal's
Short Cuts (Postriziny), when so-called "nozzlers" used to go around the pubs. They were called this due
to the "tube" of black elder which they pushed into the mechanism of beer pipes in order to scrub the dirty
walls. And modern sanitation is based on the same principle. A technician connects the beer piping system
and the beer tower to a circuit with a sanitation solution, and inserts the tube, which moves from one side
of the system to another, by force of pressure.
Beer piping sanitation is a process using chemical and mechanical power to eliminate adverse
microorganisms and beer stone in beer piping. To keep the beer piping clean, sanitation must be
performed at regular intervals:
The beer piping must be cleaned once a week if not rinsed with water every day. The same interval is
required for non-pasteurized beer (bag-in-box system).
A two-week interval is permissible if the beer piping is rinsed every day with water after beer pouring is
finished.
If sanitation is performed at longer intervals (once every three weeks or longer), the beer quality may be
greatly jeopardized and, above all, the beers taste may change substantially.
The correct beer piping sanitation process (by sanitation staff)
1. The keg is disconnected.
2. The piping is put into a circuit.
3. The sanitation equipment is switched on. The Bubble-craft mini type and similar sanitation
equipment may be used to clean Plzensky Prazdrojs dispensing equipment.
4. The circuit is rinsed with drinking water (which pushes beer residuals out) and filled with a sanitation
agent. The sanitation agent must be approved by Plzensky Prazdroj, a.s.
5. The sanitation time required by the sanitation agent producer must be observed. Usually, it takes 20
minutes. For mechanical cleansing of the piping, use a sponge.
6. Removed taps must be disassembled, dipped in the sanitation agent, mechanically cleaned, washed
with clean water and re-assembled.

7. The same process is used for keg couplers.

8. After sanitation, the beer piping is rinsed with water thoroughly.
9. The dispensing equipment is re-assembled.
10. The piping is filled with water; tightness of connections is checked.
11. The amount of water in a beer cooler must also be checked.
12. The sanitation is recorded in a sanitation journal.
13. Sanitation of two sets of beer piping should take 45 minutes approximately.
14. A beer cooler condenser is cleaned twice a year, using a recommended process. The cleaning process
is recorded in a sanitation journal. The condenser is also cleaned by an authorized sanitation contractor as
part of the beer piping sanitation).
15. The regular price for sanitation of two sets of beer piping is 350 CZK roughly.
To improve the quality of sanitation of beer piping and dispensing equipment, the Technical Service trains
sanitation companies staff on an annual basis. During the training course, the trainees receive instructions
on the sanitation process, occupational safety and beer quality. Sanitation companies become an
authorized sanitation contractor provided that they have gone through such training and observe the
requirements of Plzensky Prazdroj, a.s.
An authorized sanitation contractor is a company which holds Plzensky Prazdrojs authorization to
provide sanitation of Plzensky Prazdrojs dispensing equipment. Such a company may sanitate and
perform preventative maintenance of dispensing equipment owned by Plzensky Prazdroj.
An authorized sanitation company represents a guarantee of high quality of sanitation, as well as
additional services such as technical gas distribution, dispensing equipment, preventative maintenance,
etc.

5. Beer and health

Is beer appropriate for sportsmen and women?
Sportsmen and women can also drink non-alcoholic beer. Beer is essentially an isotonic beverage, with
roughly the same osmotic pressure as blood, and also provides "quick calories" - it can supplement energy
after a sports performance. Beer enables the highly effective exchange of substances - the substances
contained are used easily and quickly in the organism without secondary transformations. It's also easily
digestible and is an important source of vitamins. Beer also contains a large volume of ion potassium,
magnesium, phosphorus and other trace elements, which means it can be regarded as an ion drink.
Does beer contain vitamins? If so, what sort?
Yes, it contains vitamin B and folic acid, which are present in all beer. One litre of beer provides the
following average vitamin intake:
Vitamin B1 thiamin
(3 % of daily
requirement)

- breaks down saccharoids in tissues, which means it provides the body with energy, also important for
growth, digestion and nerve activity

Vitamin B2 riboflavin
(20 % of daily
requirement)

- is a prosthetic group of oxidation reduction enzymes important for the organism.

Niacin
(45 % of daily
requirement)

- plays an important role in nourishing the cells. Helps release energy from fat and saccharoids and
storing bodily energy. It's part of two coenzymes, helps synthesise body fat and cholesterol.

Vitamin B6 pyridoxin
(31 % of daily
requirement)

- plays an important role in the metabolism and the absorption of proteins, regulates the role of fat and
saccharoids, aids the proper functioning of the nervous system and the creation of red blood cells.

Folic acid
(52 % of daily
requirement)

- is the basic vitamin which supports the creation of red blood corpuscles, metabolism of amino-acids
and the renewal of all cells in the body.

How much do Czechs drink?

The Czech Republic holds the leading position in beer drinking. With consumption of about 160 litres /
person / year it is the biggest in the world. In the Czech Republic, about 75 percent of men and 30 percent
of women drink beer.
Does beer make you fat?
Beer contains bitter hop substances that act as a calming influence on people and also assist the secretion
of bile, which is helpful for digestion. Someone who is calm and satisfied also enjoys and digests food
better. Beer also stimulates the appetite. This results in a greater intake of food, which leads to greater
body mass. Beer itself doesn't make you fatter, it's the excessive intake of other foodstuffs that puts on
weight. According to research, the risk of excessive weight is lower for moderate drinkers than for
teetotallers or heavy drinkers. Beer contains 400 to 500 kilo-calories per litre, fewer than in apple juice,
milk or cola, for example.
What is the source of beer's energy value?
Beer is a nutritious drink due to saccharoids (10 % of daily consumption in 1 l = about 400 - 500 kcal in 1
l), vitamins, proteins, flavins and a high volume of minerals, particularly magnesium.
What is beer's relation to people's health and what does beer contain?
Beer contains many vitamins and other substances which, if consumed moderately, can help prevent
arteriosclerosis. Consumption of 1 litre of beer a day cover's roughly 20 percent of a person's vitamin B6
requirement, 50 percent of niacin and 25 percent of pantothen acid. One litre of beer contains on average
200 mg of biologically active substances. Moderate beer drinking of up to one or two litres daily helps
raise the high density level (HDL) of cholesterol in the blood, which helps prevent the hardening of
arteries, while leaving the overall level of cholesterol in the blood unchanged. Moderate beer
consumption reduces stress, helps blood circulation, reduces the risk of heart disease and reduces high
blood pressure. Beer is a drink that contains a low amount of alcohol (0.5 - 5 %). Beer is intended to be
drunk for its taste, for enjoyment and for better digestion, and not in order to get drunk. Moderate beer
drinking means you can enjoy its positive effects on the organism and not suffer the negative effects of
excessive consumption.

When can I drive a car after drinking 1, 2, 3... beers?

Only when you are completely sober, i.e. when there is no more alcohol in your body. Our law stipulates a
zero limit for alcohol in the blood when driving motor vehicles. For drivers we produce the non-alcoholic
beer Radegast Birell. The time taken to break down alcohol in the body depends on the individual and
many other things. In addition to gender and body mass a person's state of health, degree of tiredness and
other factors must also be taken into account. That's why only an approximate estimate can be given as to
when the alcohol level falls to 0.0 percent. The time when you can sit behind the wheel also depends on
the speed at which you've drunk the beer. Whether over half an hour or two hours. Only an alcohol test
can ascertain the exact time. The stronger the person the longer it takes for the body to break down the
alcohol.
Estimated time to break down alcohol
Men (80kg) Women (60kg)
Beer 10 2:10 hours

3:50 hours

Beer 12 2:50 hours

4:30 hours

Does beer contain the hormone oestrogen? If so, what volume of this female hormone does beer contain?
Beer commonly contains substances similar to hormones. These are called isoflavins, which have mild
oestrogen effects. Their effect on the human organism is still being studied. They are thought to increase
or potentise this type of human hormones, which play an important role in the metabolism, particularly
for women after the menopause, i.e., to a certain degree to prevent ostheoporosis - the decalcification of
the bones. Their concentration is extremely low - for Pilsner Urquell, for example, the sum of these
substances is about 20 nmol/l. Other Czech lagers have a far lower concentration of around 5 nmol/l.
How does the body break down alcohol? How quickly?
About one-fifth of the alcohol is absorbed in the stomach, the rest in the intestines. It appears in the blood
just five minutes after being drunk. Ethyl alcohol dissolves into acetaldehyde, which the liver transforms
into acetic acid. By a complex process this transforms into water and carbon dioxide in the tissues. This
process expels about 90 percent of alcohol from the body, with about 3 percent being expelled in urine
and 7 percent by the lungs - breath, and the least amount through the skin. It takes about 10 to 12 hours
for the body to dispose of alcohol, although sometimes as much as 24 hours.
Can pregnant women drink beer?
Doctors don't recommend it. The harm that alcohol can do to the foetus was discovered recently. Drinking
more than two glass of beer a day (more than half a litre) increases the likelihood of defects to the foetus
such as a hare-lip, heart defects, abnormal development of the limbs, low intelligence and low birth
weight. If you want to drink beer, try non-alcoholic Radegast Birell instead. This refreshes the organism
and doesn't affect your mind or endanger your future baby. It should however be consumed in
moderation, as even Radegast Birell also contains a small amount of alcohol.