15. Confessions of a Brewer

     Brewing has undeniably come a long way from the spontaneously fermented bread beers of Mesopotamia 7,000 years ago. Although brewing is still based on centuries-old principles, advancements in technologies have rapidly changed the modern brewery and the character of the beers they produce. Many of the processes that would have been completed by the brewer are now automated. From precisely roasting and milling grain, controlling mashing temperatures and timings to filtration, carbonation and canning. In most breweries automation is employed at every stage of the brewing process.

     So where does our small brewery in Borrisdale fit into this picture.

     We like to think that we do things traditionally. We use all natural ingredients and we control every part of the brewing process. However that’s not to say that we are behind the brewing times. We have developed our beers and our methods to make the most of everything that is available to the modern brewer whilst keeping the real ale ‘real’. We’re happy to be open about our ingredients and our methods because we are proud of them. We think it’s what makes our brewery special.

     Early brewers would have used the whole air dried hop cones or flowers in their beers, however in the early 1970’s hops became available in pellets. Fresh hops are dried and slowly milled at low temperatures to retain colour and avoid oxidation. The resulting sticky powder is compressed into pellets and dried. The natural character of the hop provides both the binder and a protective coating so the pellets don't contain any additives. This results in a processed but all natural product. We like using pelletised hops because unlike whole hops, the pellets sink and dissolve which means they don’t clog filters during the boil and (technical info alert!) the increased surface area improves isomerization of alpha acids. Pelleted hops also store well and can be transported all over the world which means the variety of hops available is almost endless.

     As you may have noticed we love hops and we love to experiment so we use several different suppliers. Brewer’s Select were founded in Essex in 2013 to supply the growing Craft Beer market and they source hops from all over the world. We also use The Malt Miller for hops. They stock a range of around 85 different hop varieties in both pellet and whole hop form. We love that they receive dried hop bales and process and vacuum pack them in house. Our other preferred hop supplier is a company in Northern Ireland called…wait for it…Get ‘er Brewed. This is one area where tiny breweries like us have a real advantage. Last year we used an Australian hop called Eclipse in our Single Malt and Single Hop SMASH beer. This was a tricky one to get hold of because it isn’t yet grown in commercial quantities, but as we needed such a small quantity we sourced just enough for one special edition batch from a Home Brew supplier.

     One ingredient we have a great supply of in Harris is water and for most beers malt, water and hops are all you need to start brewing. The water is added to the brewing vessel first and heated to the required temperature. Next you add the grain and much like making porridge stir, stir and stir some more. This is mashing. By steeping the grain in warm water the sugars and malt flavours and aromas are released. At this stage the grain is removed and rinsed with hot water or sparged. The resulting barley infused liquid or wort is then boiled.

     Yeast is a microorganism which feeds on sugar and produces alcohol, carbon dioxide and other compounds that improve the beers flavour. Beer would just be a non-alcoholic barley tea without yeast, however it is often an underrated ingredient in the brewing process. When describing beers we tend to talk about the malt and hop flavours however sometimes fruity flavours such as banana, apple and pear or spicy notes like clove or pepper come from the yeast.

     We use half a dozen different strains of yeast on a regular basis. Different yeasts for different flavours, carbonation profiles and alcohol efficiencies. After around two weeks most of the sugars will be used, the beer will have reached its final strength and is ready to be bottled.