Unlike wine and cider, which are made from fruit, beer’s main ingredients are grain (barley or wheat, but also rice, oats and rye), hops and yeast. These four simple ingredients create a huge range of unique beer styles. Breweries hone their craft by varying these key components in different ways. The result is a drink that’s both delicious and nutritious. Beer is a source of vitamins B12 and folic acid, minerals like magnesium and phosphorous and antioxidants that protect against cell damage. It’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular beverages in the world!

To make beer, brewers screen and crush the grains to create a porridge-like mix called mash. Then they soak the grain in water, which mimics grain germination and metabolizes its starches into sugars that yeast will convert into alcohol. The mash is then strained to separate the sugar-rich liquid, known as wort, from the solids, which are used for animal feed. The type of grain used in a mash will determine the color, body and flavor of the resulting beer.

The final ingredient is hops, which provide bitterness and aroma. Where the hops are grown and how they’re used during brewing can introduce different flavours, from earthy or herbal to citrus and piney. Like the other ingredients, they’re also a natural preservative, meaning beer can last much longer than it would without them.