— are commonly added to the liquid to lower
the amount of malt needed, and so the
brewer’s production costs. Unlike malt, they
contribute little or no flavor of their own.
They’re therefore mostly limited to pale, mild
brews like standard American lagers, which
may start with almost as much adjunct grain
as malt.
Water Water is the main ingredient in beer, so
its quality has a definite influence on beer
quality. Though modern brewers can tailor the
mineral content of their water to the kind of
beer they’re making, early brewers tailored
their beers in part to make the best of the local
waters. The sulfate-rich water of Burton-on-
Trent gave English pale ales a bitterness that
limited the use of hops, while the mild water
of Pilsen encouraged Czech brewers to add
large amounts of bitter and aromatic hops.
The alkaline, carbonate-rich waters of
Munich, southern England, and Dublin can