How is beer production different to wine production?
Many assume that wine and beer-making follow a similar process. The truth is whilst the processes have many similarities, there are a number of core differences that require differing pieces of equipment and follow slightly different processes. We discuss the key differences between beer and wine production below.
What is the main difference between beer and winemaking?
The major difference between beer and wine is that beer is made from fermented grains whilst wine is made from fermented fruits. Beyond this simple difference, the process of crafting the two beverages differs.
As wine is made from natural fruit juice, the juice already contains yeast, which enables for natural fermentation to occur. The process of fermentation is what gives the beverage an alcohol content. The longer the grape juice is fermented for, the higher the alcohol content will become. Additionally, red wines are fermented with their grape skins which is how red wine ends up with colour. White wines are fermented without their grape skins.
This is why there’s a common misconception that all white wines are made from white grapes.
Some white wines are made from red grapes, but they’re fermented not on red skins.
What equipment is needed that is different between the two?
Wine products can be fermented in a regular stainless steel tank, whilst beer is typically created in a charmat tank. This is because C02 (the bubbles in the beverage) are added in tank, whilst the bubbles in carbonated wine products is added during the packaging process, via a carbonator on the bottle, can or keg line.
There is also varying equipment required when packaging beer compared to wine. The main difference is a process called fobbing that occurs when packaging beer. During this process, due to the foaming nature of the product (as it’s created charmat and is carbonated whilst travelling the packaging lines), excess liquid/foam is knocked from the can or bottle so the container can be sealed. This is an additional step and piece of machinery that most wine based companies do not have on their packaging line.
Is the cider making process more similar to beer or wine?
Due to the raw ingredients of cider also being fruit, cider making follows a similar process to winemaking. That is that the fruit is crushed, and the juices fermented in tank. Once fermented and required additions made,if the product requires carbonation, this also occurs during packaging rather than in tank like beer. As such, most wineries that are capable of producing and packaging wine, are also capable of crafting cider. Beer follows a slightly different process wineries aren’t set up to accommodate for.
See also:
Why CO2 is used in beverage packaging,
Canning and Bottling Wine - how do they differ
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