Humans have been brewing beer for more than 6,000 years. Some of the earliest known civilizations, including the Sumerians and the ancient Egyptians, brewed beer alongside each other. In the Middle Ages, monks famously honed the craft. And by the 11th century, hops had made its debut in Germany.
In recent decades, microbrewing has seen a revival as local and home brewers take matters into their own hands. But although the art of brewing beer is thousands of years old, the chemistry behind the process remains exactly the same.
Beer is nothing short of a chemistry experiment, says Bruce Carter, a professor of biochemistry at Vanderbilt University and a longtime home brewer. He explains that the process starts with the “malting” of a grass seed called barley. Malting (or steeping the barley in water for a few days) allows its embryos to start growing and produce enzymes called amylase, which ...
