Women brewing team pour hearts and souls into bottles
The only female brewer in eThekwini, and her brewery assistant, develop new recipes and make small batches of unique beers, in a craft brewery overlooking the Valley of a 1000 Hills. Megan Gemmell describes the brewing process and what sets craft beers apart.
WHEN asked what separates craft and commercial beer, brewer Megan Gemmell replies that she pours her heart and soul into her bottles.
“No two batches of craft beer are exactly the same,” she says. “The people who drink our beers understand that we produce a live product through a manual process and that the beer is crafted from the brewer’s blood, sweat and tears.”
What is the difference between craft and commercial beer?
According to the only female craft brewer in eThekwini, the real difference between craft and commercial beers is that the owner is actively involved in the designing of recipes, brewing process and distribution.
She says, “I have an emotional attachment to my business – to me, it’s not just a brand that will generate money; this is something I want to spend my life doing.”
Commercial breweries tend to be automated with every stage of production strictly monitored by technological processes. Gemmell says that her beer is monitored by tongue and not IT.
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How is beer made?
Brewing is, in simple terms, a process whereby complex carbohydrates are turned into sugars, which are eaten by an organism called yeast, thereby producing alcohol.
The first step is to make a ‘porridge’ from the malted barley. The liquid is pulled out from the bottom of the container and the husks remain behind. As Gemmell says, “No one wants bits in their beer.” The liquid is moved into a kettle and boiled, which helps with sterilisation. Hops and additional flavouring are added.
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The husks are bagged and collected by a local farmer. It is high in protein and an excellent food source for animals. He says that his cows have grown taller since this addition to their diet. Gemmell says she is glad to be able to support local farmers in this way and to make her process more waste-free.
The beer is then cooled and sent into the fermenter where yeast is added into the brew.
“One strain of yeast can produce a bubble-gum, banana or cloves character. Usually, there is just one-degree temperature difference between each of these flavours,” says the brewer.
The significant difference between a lager and ale beer is the choice of yeast.
How long is the shelf life of craft beer?
The short longevity of craft beer is a common misconception.
“Craft beer doesn’t go off,” says Gemmell. “Temperature extremes and oxygen are the nemeses of all beer. Our shelf life is longer – our product is a live product. We don’t filter our beer, and we practise secondary fermentation inside the bottle, which naturally carbonates the beer. We find our shelf life can be years, depending on the beer. Our beers will never go off – they will just change in flavour and mellow and become more rounded,” she says.
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