Beer is made from 4 simple ingredients; water, grain (barley, wheat, rice, corn, or other cereals), yeast, and hops. Other ingredients are used by many brewers to create distinctive tastes and characters. Brewing beer is a mix of both chemistry and art. The most successful brewer will not only understand all aspects of brewing but will also have the love and devotion of the beer drinker.

While variations abound, most beers are brewed following these 4 steps:

Malting
     The grain is soaked in water until it is partially germinated; it is then kilned, or dried to create �malt�. The drying is what gives the beer its color.
Mashing
     The malt is then mixed with hot water. This releases the sugars from the malt into the water. This is then drained and what is left is called the �wort�.
Brewing
     The wort is then boiled, and to add bitterness and aroma, hops are added. The character of the beer comes from the varietals of hops.
Fermentation
     The introduction of yeast starts the fermentation. Yeast consumes the sugars created during the malting, and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide.