Guinness 0.0 is crafted using the same time-honored brewing process that has been perfected over centuries at the iconic St James's Gate brewery. To create this alcohol-free version, the skilled brewers start by selecting the finest natural ingredients that have always been synonymous with Guinness – water, barley, hops, and yeast. These ingredients are the foundation of the renowned Guinness flavor profile.
The brewing process begins with the careful selection and treatment of water, which plays a crucial role in the creation of Guinness 0.0. Water is sourced from pristine local sources, ensuring its purity and quality. It is then treated to meet the exact specifications required for brewing Guinness, providing the ideal base for the rest of the ingredients.
Next comes the barley, a staple ingredient in beer production. The brewers at St James's Gate meticulously select the finest barley, ensuring it meets their high standards. The barley is then malted, a process that involves soaking the grains in water to initiate germination before halting it through drying. This malting process develops the enzymes necessary for the conversion of starches in the barley into fermentable sugars during brewing.
Once the barley has been malted, it is milled to break down the grains and expose the starches within. The milled barley, known as grist, is mixed with hot water in a process called mashing. During mashing, the enzymes in the barley convert the starches into sugars, creating a sweet liquid known as wort.
The wort is then separated from the spent grain through a process called lautering. This involves transferring the liquid to a vessel with a false bottom, allowing the liquid to drain while leaving behind the grain solids. The wort is then transferred to the brew kettle.
In the brew kettle, the wort is brought to a boil, and hops are added. Hops contribute bitterness, flavor, and aroma to the beer. The specific hop varieties used in Guinness 0.0 are carefully chosen to complement and enhance the unique flavor profile of Guinness.
After boiling, the wort is cooled and transferred to fermentation vessels. Here, yeast is added to kickstart the fermentation process. The yeast consumes the sugars in the wort and converts them into alcohol and carbon dioxide, creating the characteristic flavors and aromas associated with Guinness.
Once fermentation is complete, the brewers employ a cold filtration method to gently remove the alcohol from the beer. This process involves subjecting the beer to low temperatures, which allows the alcohol to be separated from the liquid without compromising its flavor and quality. The result is a full-flavored, alcohol-free Guinness that retains the distinctive characteristics of the original brew.
Guinness 0.0 is made with the same natural ingredients as traditional Guinness – water, barley, hops, and yeast. The brewing process involves malting the barley, mashing to convert starches into sugars, boiling with hops, fermenting with yeast, and finally, removing the alcohol through a cold filtration method. The end result is a non-alcoholic beer that captures the essence of Guinness while providing a satisfying drinking experience for those who choose to abstain from alcohol.