Brewing like 100 years ago

Malt is grain that has been briefly germinated and then dried. Malting barley is often used for this purpose. Hops used to be grown locally in small quantities, but today they come to us from other regions of Bavaria. The water for brewing can be taken directly from the clear streams and springs of the Rhön.

The first step on our brew day - the so-called mashing. The crushed malt is continuously stirred in hot water in a large vat. If the stirrer can't do it on its own, the brewers help out with the ‘Bräuscheid’ or ‘Maischkrücken’. This is where starch and proteins in the mash are converted into sugar and amino acids.

After ‘lautering’, the separation of liquid and solid components, the brewers boil the ‘wort’ in the brewing kettle. This deactivates the enzymes and kills any remaining bacteria and germs. The hops are then added. The quality and quantity of hops has a major influence on the final flavour and also improves the shelf life of the beer.

After boiling in the brewing kettle, the wort must be cooled down to room temperature for further processing. To do this, the hot liquid is distributed on the so-called cooling vessel. Cool outside temperatures are an advantage for this process. Before the spread of electric cooling systems, brewing was therefore mainly done in spring and autumn.

The fermentation process can now begin, in which the sugar is converted into alcohol by yeast. To do this, the brew is filled into fermentation vats or fermentation tanks. For a long time, wooden vats were used, as here in the community brewery. Naturally occurring yeast was added all by itself - today this process is controlled by the use of pure yeasts.

After about a week in the fermentation tank, the almost finished beer is transferred to the storage tanks. The yeast continues to ferment here for several weeks and converts the remaining sugar into alcohol. The desired carbon dioxide is also produced. Our master brewers regularly check the flavour of the beer until it can finally be bottled and enjoyed.

Industrialisation and digitalisation have not stopped at the craft of brewing. Most breweries today look completely different to the community brewery. However, the basic techniques and methods have largely remained the same. In addition to the ingredients prescribed by the Purity Law, our museum beer still contains a whole host of historical craft techniques - perhaps that's why it tastes so good. Cheers!