After a storage time of two to six weeks depending on the process, the beer which has meanwhile clarified is transported to the bright beer tanks'. From there it goes to the filling machines in the bottling departmen t. 9 Fermentation The initial fermentation lasts about one week and converts about three- quarters of the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Most of the carbon dioxide escapes, but the alcohol re mains in the fermenting wort. After the fermentation the brew can already be described as beer. In the brewery they call it 'young beer'. This beer is not yet very appetising; it contains too little car bon dioxide and still too many brewing lees. Young beer has to ferment in full, then mature and clarify and this has to be done in the storage cellars. Storage Depending on the required taste, young beer has to be left to rest for two to six weeks. The temperature in the storage tanks is around freezing point. Some of the yeast has remained behind in the young beer and this ensures a very slow secondary fermentation, which benefits the flavour of the beer. Because of the fermentation the produc tion of carbon dioxide also continues at a slow speed. Carbon dioxide is what creates the collar of foam on the glass and gives beer its tingling taste on the tongue. Filtering lb guarantee perfect clarity the beer is passed through kieselguhr filters as it flows on the final leg of its journey to the bottling department. Kieselguhr is obtained from algae (diatoms) which are found on pebbles on the bed of fresh water lakes. This fine filter powder en sures the removal of all particles which might cloud the beer or activate fermen tation in the bottle. The result is a sparklingly clear beer which is then taken to the thirsty consumer in kegs, bottles or cans. THE WORLD OF HEINEKEN

Jaarverslagen en Personeelsbladen Heineken

World of Heineken | 1989 | | pagina 9