meat tenderizers — that break down proteins
into smaller molecules that are less likely to
cloud the brew. Some companies avoid the
use of preservatives, and usually advertise this
fact on the label.
The Finished Beer In the end, brewing has
transformed the dry, tasteless barley grain
into a bubbly, bitter, acidic liquid (its pH is
about 4) that is 90% water, 1 to 6% alcohol,
and between 2 and 10% carbohydrates, mainly
the long-chain dextrins that provide body.
Storing and Serving Beer
In contrast to wines, with their higher alcohol
and antioxidant contents, most beers do not
improve with age, and are at their best fresh
from the brewery. Oxidation causes the
gradual development of a stale, cardboard
aroma (from nonenal, a fatty-acid fragment)
and harshness on the tongue (from hop