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Audi 80

The Audi 80 was an Audi automobile produced from 1972 to 1995. It initially shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat, and was available as a sedan, coupe and convertible, although the coupe and convertible models weren't badged as members of the range.

In North America, the 80 was sold briefly as the Audi Fox and then as the Audi 4000. The Audi 90 was an upmarket version of the Audi 80 sedan.

B1 (1972–1978)

B1 Audi 80

The model debuted in Europe in 1972 as the 80 and in 1973 in the United States as the Fox, and was available as either a 2-door coupe or a 4-door sedan. It effectively took the place of several models that Audi had discontinued (the Audi 60/72/75/80/Super 90 series), and provided the company with a viable rival to the Opel Ascona and the Ford Taunus.

The Audi 80 was first equipped with a SOHC I4 engine rated at 60 hp. It had a MacPherson strut front suspension and a dead rear axle supported by coil springs, trailing arms and a Panhard rod.1 The Fox had a 1.5 L engine rated at 75 hp attached to a 4-speed manual transmission.2

Audi sold a station wagon variant of the vehicle in some countries, although it was virtually identical to the European Passat wagon. The B1 platform was dropped from the European market in 1978, although it was sold into the 1979 model year in North America.

B2 (1978–1987)

B2 Audi 4000S Quattro

Audi redesigned the 80 on the B2 platform in 1978 (as a 1979 model) in Europe and in 1979 (as a 1980 model) in North America. Audi continued to use the 80 nameplate in Europe, but began badging it as the 4000 in North America. The body of the B2 Audi 80 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro.

The B2 platform proved to be both quite versatile and quite profitable; Audi spun Quattro Coupe and Sport Quattro variants off of the B2 platform, which in the process helped to cement the company into the public eye after their four wheel drive Quattro system proved useful in various forms of racing.

The sedans were made until 1987 (as early 1988 models), but the Coupe lasted through 1988 (as an early 1989 model) before being changed.

B3 (1989–1992)

B3 Audi 80

Audi again revised the 80 for the 1989 model year, this time on the B3 platform and introducing a new aerodynamic look and a galvanized bodyshell. In addition, the 80 model name became the worldwide name for the car; it was sold as an "Audi 80" regardless of which country the vehicle was purchased in.

A range of new gasoline and diesel 4-cylinder engines became available to European customers and the 5-cylinder Audi 90 was introduced as an upmarket variant of the standard model. The 2.2 L I5 was the only engine for North America. A 20-valve version of the 2.2 L I5 engine became available in the 90 for the 1990 model year, increasing power output to 164 hp from the 130 hp of the base variant of the engine. However, the 20-valve engine option was dropped from American-spec 90s after the 1993 model year.

The final B3 80s/90s were sold as 1992 models in North America.

B4 (1992–1995)

1992 Audi 80

The B3 got a facelift in 1992, becoming the B4 series for the 1993 model year. In Europe, the 90 name was discontinued and all sedans were badged as 80, regardless of which engine they had. Audi of America went the opposite direction, and began selling the sedan as the 90 and the coupe as the 90 Coupe.

European market cars were now available with a selection of 4-cylinder engines as well as the I5 and a V6, although the V6 was the only engine available in vehicles sold in North America.

80-based Avant and Cabriolet models debuted on the B4 platform, meaning that Audi now had sedan, coupe, cabriolet and wagon variants of the 80 available to European customers, although the B4 platform coupe was never sold in the United States, as the last-generation coupe sold to North American customers was the B3 platform model, in 1990 and 1991.

The Coupe was discontinued in 1996 in Europe, and the Cabriolet model in 1998. Both models were effectively replaced by the TT coupe and roadster, which as of November 2005 have been slated for replacement themselves.

The B4 platform sedans and wagons were replaced by the Audi A4 for 1996.

The S2 and RS2

The B4 platform 80/90 Avant was used between 1994 and 1995 as the basis for Audi's RS2 super-sports wagon, which was modified for them by Porsche.

Audi developed another sports version of the 80/90, this one based on the B3 and B4 platform called the S2. Although it lacked the Porsche-developed components of the RS2, it was still quite powerful, having a similar turbocharged version of the 20-valve, 2.2 L I5 that powered the 1991–4 S4 and the 1995–6 S6. It was standard with Quattro all wheel drive and featured a heavy-duty manual transmission.

The S2 is fitted with a 2.2 litre turbocharged engine wich pushes out 230 bhp. It will do 0-100 km/h in 6,0 seconds, stopping at a top speed of 246 km/h. The S2 avant does it in 6,1 seconds and had a topspeed op 242 km/h.

The RS2 is fitted with a simillar 2.2 litre turbocharged engine, this one pushes out 315 bhp. Doing 0-100 km/h in just 5.4, it has a topspeed of 262 km/h. The Audi RS2 was only made as an avant.

Type numbers

Audi gave its models Type numbers in addition to the B platform codes:

  • B1 Type 80: Audi 80 (1973–1976)
  • B1 Type 82/33: Audi 80 (1977–1978)
  • B2 Type 81: Audi 80 and 90 (1979–1987); Audi Coupé (1981–1984)
  • B2 Type 85: Audi Coupé (1985–1988); Audi Quattro (1981–1991); Audi Sport Quattro (1984–1987)
  • B3 Type 89/8A: Audi 80/90 (1987–1992)
  • B3 Type 8B: Audi Coupé (1989–1996); Audi S2 (1991–1996)
  • B4 Type 8C: Audi 80 (1992–1995)
  • B4 Type 8G: Audi Cabriolet (1991–2000)

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Audi gave its models Type numbers in addition to the B platform codes:. [2]. The Audi RS2 was only made as an avant. Another study found non-alcoholic beer to mirror the cardiovascular benefits associated with moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages. Doing 0-100 km/h in just 5.4, it has a topspeed of 262 km/h. [1]. The RS2 is fitted with a simillar 2.2 litre turbocharged engine, this one pushes out 315 bhp. A 2005 Japanese study found that non-alcoholic beer may possess strong anti-cancer properties.

The S2 avant does it in 6,1 seconds and had a topspeed op 242 km/h. Typically, the darker the brew, the more nutrient dense. It will do 0-100 km/h in 6,0 seconds, stopping at a top speed of 246 km/h. Nutritionally, beer can contain significant amounts of magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, biotin, and B vitamins. The S2 is fitted with a 2.2 litre turbocharged engine wich pushes out 230 bhp. However, beer includes a wide variety of other agents that are currently undergoing scientific evaluation. It was standard with Quattro all wheel drive and featured a heavy-duty manual transmission. Beer contains alcohol and inherits that substance's health risks and benefits.

Although it lacked the Porsche-developed components of the RS2, it was still quite powerful, having a similar turbocharged version of the 20-valve, 2.2 L I5 that powered the 1991–4 S4 and the 1995–6 S6. People's scores are then tallied together to create lists of the best or most popular beers in each country as well as the most highly rated beers in the world. Audi developed another sports version of the 80/90, this one based on the B3 and B4 platform called the S2. This is a worldwide activity and people in the USA will swap bottles of beer with people living in New Zealand and Russia. The B4 platform 80/90 Avant was used between 1994 and 1995 as the basis for Audi's RS2 super-sports wagon, which was modified for them by Porsche. People drink beer and then record their scores and comments on various internet websites. The B4 platform sedans and wagons were replaced by the Audi A4 for 1996. Rating Beer is a recent craze that combines the enjoyment of beer drinking with the hobby of collecting.

Both models were effectively replaced by the TT coupe and roadster, which as of November 2005 have been slated for replacement themselves. For more details see:-. The Coupe was discontinued in 1996 in Europe, and the Cabriolet model in 1998. There are breweries in Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq and Syria as well as African countries and remote countries such as Mongolia. 80-based Avant and Cabriolet models debuted on the B4 platform, meaning that Audi now had sedan, coupe, cabriolet and wagon variants of the 80 available to European customers, although the B4 platform coupe was never sold in the United States, as the last-generation coupe sold to North American customers was the B3 platform model, in 1990 and 1991. Beer is consumed in countries all over the world. European market cars were now available with a selection of 4-cylinder engines as well as the I5 and a V6, although the V6 was the only engine available in vehicles sold in North America. Consumption in isolation and excess may be associated with people "drowning their sorrows", while drinking in excess in company may be associated with binge drinking.

Audi of America went the opposite direction, and began selling the sedan as the 90 and the coupe as the 90 Coupe. Various social traditions and activities are associated with beer drinking, such as buying a round, pub crawling, rating beer, or drinking a yard of ale. In Europe, the 90 name was discontinued and all sedans were badged as 80, regardless of which engine they had. Beer is considered to be a social lubricant in many societies. The B3 got a facelift in 1992, becoming the B4 series for the 1993 model year. While beer is defined as an alcoholic beverage, a drink originated in the Western world, which undergoes a process to remove most of the alcohol, producing what is called low alcohol or non-alcoholic beer. The final B3 80s/90s were sold as 1992 models in North America. Although there is some variation among sources, mixed beers generally fall into the following categories:.

However, the 20-valve engine option was dropped from American-spec 90s after the 1993 model year. Hybrid or mixed style beers use modern techniques and materials instead of, or in addition to, traditional aspects of brewing. A 20-valve version of the 2.2 L I5 engine became available in the 90 for the 1990 model year, increasing power output to 164 hp from the 130 hp of the base variant of the engine. All beer before the cultivation of yeast in the 19th century were closer to this style, characterised by their sour flavours. The 2.2 L I5 was the only engine for North America. These are beers which use wild yeasts, rather than cultivated ones. A range of new gasoline and diesel 4-cylinder engines became available to European customers and the 5-cylinder Audi 90 was introduced as an upmarket variant of the standard model. The Pilsner Urquell or Heineken brands of beer are typical examples of pilsner beer.

In addition, the 80 model name became the worldwide name for the car; it was sold as an "Audi 80" regardless of which country the vehicle was purchased in. The modern Pilsner lager is light in colour and high in carbonation, with a strong hop flavour and an alcohol content of 3–6% by volume. Audi again revised the 80 for the 1989 model year, this time on the B3 platform and introducing a new aerodynamic look and a galvanized bodyshell. In terms of volume, most of today's lager is based on the Pilsner style, pioneered in 1842 in the town of Plzeň, in the Czech Republic. The sedans were made until 1987 (as early 1988 models), but the Coupe lasted through 1988 (as an early 1989 model) before being changed. With modern improved fermentation control, most lager breweries use only short periods of cold storage, typically 1–3 weeks. The B2 platform proved to be both quite versatile and quite profitable; Audi spun Quattro Coupe and Sport Quattro variants off of the B2 platform, which in the process helped to cement the company into the public eye after their four wheel drive Quattro system proved useful in various forms of racing. Modern methods of producing lager were pioneered by Gabriel Sedlmayr the Younger, who perfected dark brown lagers at the Spaten Brewery in Bavaria, and Anton Dreher, who began brewing a lager, probably of amber-red color, in Vienna in 1840–1841.

The body of the B2 Audi 80 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. The cooler conditions also inhibit the natural production of esters and other byproducts, resulting in a "crisper" tasting beer. Audi continued to use the 80 nameplate in Europe, but began badging it as the 4000 in North America. During the secondary stage, the lager clears and mellows. Audi redesigned the 80 on the B2 platform in 1978 (as a 1979 model) in Europe and in 1979 (as a 1980 model) in North America. Lager yeast is a bottom-fermenting yeast, and typically undergoes primary fermentation at 7-12°C (45-55°F) (the "fermentation phase"), and then is given a long secondary fermentation at 0-4°C (30-40°F) (the "lagering phase"). The B1 platform was dropped from the European market in 1978, although it was sold into the 1979 model year in North America. They are of Central European origin, taking their name from the German lagern ("to store").

Audi sold a station wagon variant of the vehicle in some countries, although it was virtually identical to the European Passat wagon. Lagers are the most commonly-consumed category of beer in the world. It had a MacPherson strut front suspension and a dead rear axle supported by coil springs, trailing arms and a Panhard rod.1 The Fox had a 1.5 L engine rated at 75 hp attached to a 4-speed manual transmission.2. However, commonly, lager is perceived to be cleaner tasting, dryer and lighter in the mouth than ale. The Audi 80 was first equipped with a SOHC I4 engine rated at 60 hp. While Baltic Porter and Bière de Garde may be produced by either lager or ale methods or a combination of both. It effectively took the place of several models that Audi had discontinued (the Audi 60/72/75/80/Super 90 series), and provided the company with a viable rival to the Opel Ascona and the Ford Taunus. Steam beer, Kölsch and some modern British Golden Summer Beers are seen as hybrids, using elements of both lager and ale production.

The model debuted in Europe in 1972 as the 80 and in 1973 in the United States as the Fox, and was available as either a 2-door coupe or a 4-door sedan. Stylistic differences between some ales and lagers can be difficult to categorize. . Ale yeasts at these temperatures produce significant amounts of esters and other secondary flavor and aroma products, and the result is a beer with slightly "fruity" compounds resembling but not limited to apple, pear, pineapple, banana, plum or prune. The Audi 90 was an upmarket version of the Audi 80 sedan. Ale is typically fermented at higher temperatures than lager beer (15–23°C, 60–75°F). In North America, the 80 was sold briefly as the Audi Fox and then as the Audi 4000. Common features of ale yeasts regardless of top or bottom fermentation is that they ferment quicker than lager yeasts, they convert less of the sugar into alcohol (giving a sweeter, fuller body) and they produce more esters (which give a fruity taste) and diacetyl (which gives a buttery taste).

It initially shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat, and was available as a sedan, coupe and convertible, although the coupe and convertible models weren't badged as members of the range. An ale yeast is normally considered to be a top-fermenting yeast, though a number of British brewers, such as Fullers and Weltons, use ale yeast strains that settle at the bottom. The Audi 80 was an Audi automobile produced from 1972 to 1995. A modern ale is commonly defined by the strain of yeast used and the fermenting temperature. B4 Type 8G: Audi Cabriolet (1991–2000). Fermented honey is called mead, fermented apple juice is called cider, fermented pear juice is called perry, and fermented grape juice is called wine. B4 Type 8C: Audi 80 (1992–1995). Alcoholic beverages made from the fermentation of sugars derived from non-grain sources are generally not called "beer," despite being produced by the same yeast-based biochemical reaction.

B3 Type 8B: Audi Coupé (1989–1996); Audi S2 (1991–1996). Beers that blend the characteristics of ales and lagers are referred to as hybrids. B3 Type 89/8A: Audi 80/90 (1987–1992). Most beer styles fall into one of two large families: ale, using top-fermenting yeast, or lager, using bottom-fermenting yeast. B2 Type 85: Audi Coupé (1985–1988); Audi Quattro (1981–1991); Audi Sport Quattro (1984–1987). A major component of determining the type of beer is the yeast used in the fermentation process. B2 Type 81: Audi 80 and 90 (1979–1987); Audi Coupé (1981–1984). A beer's style is a label that describes the overall flavour and often the origin of a beer, according to a system that has evolved by trial and error over many centuries.

B1 Type 82/33: Audi 80 (1977–1978). There are many different types of beer, each of which is said to belong to a particular style. B1 Type 80: Audi 80 (1973–1976). Typically when serving a hefeweizen 90% of the contents is poured and the remainder swirled to dissolve the sediment before pouring it into the glass. There are certain styles (notably hefeweizen) where it is usual to add the yeast back in, for the considerable flavor and mouthfeel it imparts. For most bottle-conditioned beer styles, it is recommended that you pour slowly at a low angle, without glugging, leaving behind the undesirable yeast sediment at the bottom of the bottle.

But if the cask is in the cellar, the beer needs to travel via tubes, or beer lines, up to the bar area using a beer engine. The beer will then be served simply under gravity pressure: turn on the tap, and the beer comes out. This might simply be a tap if the cask is stored behind the bar. He will also knock a tap into the end of the cask.

When the beer is judged to be ready, the landlord will replace the soft spile with a hard one (which doesn’t allow air in or gas out) and let the beer settle for 24 hours. There still has to be some life in the beer otherwise it really will taste flat, but too much life and the beer will taste hard or fizzy. The landlord will periodically check the bubbles by wiping the spile clean and then watching to see how fast the bubbles reform. This can be seen by the bubbles foaming around the spile.

The soft spile in the bung hole allows gas to vent off. A keg does not have a bung hole on the side. The major difference in appearance between a keg and a cask is that bung hole. When the landlord feels the beer has settled, and he is ready to serve it, he will knock a soft spile into a bung hole on the side of the cask.

Cask ales have their own packaging requirements: These beers are unfiltered and unpasteurised. In an attempt to simulate this process at home, Guinness introduced the widget can in 1991; recently, Guinness has expanded the concept with the "draft in a bottle" system. These beers will be poured in two stages, with a pause to allow settling. This tap uses a nitrogen/carbon dioxide mixture, rather than standard carbon dioxide, in order to obtain a creamier mouthfeel.

Some stouts and British ales, most famously Guinness, are served from a "nitrogen tap". Heavily carbonated beers such as German pilsners or weissbiers may need settling time before serving. The rate of flow from the tap or other serving vessel, tilt of the glass, and position of the pour (in the center or down the side) into the glass all influence the end result, such as the size and longevity of the head, lacing (the pattern left by the head as it moves down the glass as the beer is drunk), and turbulence of the beer and its release of carbonation. Lastly, the pouring process is important to a beer's presentation.

When these oils come in contact with beer there is a significant reduction in the amount of head (foam) that is found on the beer, and the bubbles will tend to stick to the side of the glass rather than rising to the surface as normal. While glass is completely non-porous, its surface can retain oil from the skin, aerosolized oil from nearby cooking, and traces of fat from food. Some drinkers in Britain prefer their ale to be served in pewter tankards, while in Europe it is common for glasses to be rinsed just before beer is poured into them. Some aficionados claim that the shape and material of the vessel influences the perception of the aroma and the way in which the beer settles, similar to claims by drinkers of brandy or cognac.

As with wine, there are specialized styles of glassware for some styles of beer, and some breweries even produce glassware intended for their own beers. Drinking out of a bottle inhibits aromas picked up by the nose, so if a drinker wishes to appreciate a beer's aroma, the beer is first poured into a glass, mug, tankard or stein. Some drinkers of beer may sometimes drink straight from the bottle or can, while others may pour their beer into a vessel before imbibing. Besides temperature, choosing an appropriate container is also important.

And beers between these two extremes should be served at temperatures between these extremes. While there are no firmly agreed principles for all cases, a general approach is that lighter coloured beers, such as Pale lagers, are best served cold (40-45F/4-7C), while dark, strong beers such as Imperial Stouts should be served at cellar temperature (54-60F/12-16C) and then allowed to warm up in the room to individual taste. An important factor is temperature: colder temperatures start to inhibit the chemical senses of the tongue and throat, which narrow down the flavour profile of a beer, allowing delicate, fully attenuated beers such as Pilsners and Pale lagers to be appreciated for their crispness, but preventing the more rounded flavours of an ale or a stout to be perceived. The conditions of serving have an influence on a drinker's experience.

Major American breweries use relatively high percentages of adjuncts in order to produce very light-bodied beer at 4-5% alcohol by volume. These starches convert in the mashing process to easily fermentable sugars that serve to increase the alcohol content of beer while adding little body or flavor. Other ingredients, such as flavouring or sources of sugar, are called adjuncts and are commonly used; common adjuncts are corn and rice. The main ingredients of beer are water, malted barley, hops and yeast.

It is not uncommon for strong beers to be aged a year or more. And a long conditioning period is considered desirable for some bottle conditioned beers such as Belgian ales and Barley wines. Unfiltered beers may be stored much like wine for further conditioning in aging barrels to allow further fermentation and development of secondary flavors. At this point the beer is kegged, casked, bottled, or canned.

After brewing, the beer is usually a finished product. There may be additional filtration steps between stages. Though the process of brewing beer is complex and varies considerably, the basic stages that are consistent are outlined below. Today, the brewing industry is a huge global business, consisting of several multinational companies, and many thousands of smaller producers ranging from brewpubs to regional breweries.

By the 14th and 15th centuries, beermaking was gradually changing from a family-oriented activity to an artisan one, with pubs and monasteries brewing their own beer for mass consumption. Beer largely remained a homemaker's activity, made in the home in medieval times. from Vindolanda) shows that Roman troops serving in northern and central Europe customarily drank local types of beer. Tacitus wrote disparagingly of the beer brewed by the Germanic peoples of his day, but documentary evidence (e.g.

In Classical Greece and Rome wine was the usual alcoholic beverage and beer was little known, except as a drink favoured by foreigners (barbarians) of the Middle East and northern Europe. Beer is one of the oldest beverages humans have produced, dating back to at least the 5th millennium BC and recorded in the written history of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. . Because the ingredients used to make beer differ from place to place, beer characteristics such as taste and color vary widely, and consequently its style or classification.

The process of beer production is called brewing. Alcoholic beverages made from the fermentation of sugars derived from non-grain sources — fruit juices or honey, for example — are generally not called "beer," despite being produced by the same yeast-based biochemical reaction. The unfermented sugar solution, called wort, is obtained from steeping, or "mashing," malted grains, usually barley. Beer, generally, is an alcoholic beverage produced through the fermentation of sugars suspended in an aqueous medium, and which is not distilled after fermentation.

Various regions: Rye beer, mead (made from water and honey), cider (made from apple juice). Russia/Ukraine: Kvass, a fermented non-alcoholic or mildly alcoholic beverage. Mexico: Pulque, an indigenous beer made from the fermented sap of the agave plant. Korea: Soju.

Japan: Sake, a primarily rice-based fermented drink, similar in many respects to Chinese jiǔ. Finland: Sahti, a traditional Finnish beer. China: Jiǔ, primarily grain-based fermented drinks. Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet and Sikkim: Chhaang, a popular semi-fermented rice/millet drink in the eastern Himalaya.

Armenia: Kotayk is brewed as lager, special, dark, light and non-alcoholic beers. Andes, South America: Chicha, an Andean beverage made from germinated maize. Africa: Hundreds of local drinks made from millet, sorghum, and other available starch crops. Specialty beers are a catch-all category used to describe any beers brewed using unusual fermentable sugars, grains and starches.

However, many brewers outside of Germany--most notably American craft brewers--have been adding smoked malt to porters, Scotch ale and a variety of other styles. The most traditional examples of this style are the Rauchbiers of Bamberg, Germany. A smoky aroma and flavour is usually present. Smoked beers are any beer whose malt has been smoked.

Oftentimes, the barrel or wood will be treated first with some variety of spirit or other alcoholic beverage--usage of bourbon, scotch and sherry are common. Wood-aged beers are any traditional or experimental beer that has been aged in a wooden barrel or have been in contact with wood (in the form of chips, cubes or "beans") for a period of time (Oak is the most common). Herb and spiced beers add herbs or spices derived from roots, seeds, fruits, vegetables or flowers instead of, or in addition to hops. Fruit beers and vegetable beers are mixed with some kind of fermentable fruit or vegetable adjunct during the fermentation process, providing obvious yet harmonious qualities.

Since these ingredients may be derived from animals, those concerned with the use or consumption of animal products should obtain specific details of the filtration process from the brewer. Common examples of these include Isinglass finings, obtained from swimbladders of fish; kappa carrageenan, derived from seaweed; Irish moss, a type of red alga; and gelatin. Clarifying agent: Some brewers add one or more clarifying agents to beer that are not required to be published as ingredients. On average, beer's alcohol content is between 4% and 6% alcohol by volume, although it can be as low as 2% and as high as 14% under ordinary circumstances and several brewers claim to make beers that are upwards of 20%.

Before yeast's functions were understood, all fermentations were conducted using wild yeast; although a few styles such as lambics still rely on this ancient method, most modern fermentations are conducted using pure yeast cultures. Yeast will metabolise the sugars extracted from the grains, and produce alcohol and carbon dioxide as a result. A specific strain of yeast is chosen depending on which type of beer is being produced, the two main strains being ale yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and lager yeast (Saccharomyces uvarum), with many other variations available depending on the style of beer being brewed. Yeast: is a microorganism that is responsible for fermentation.

While hops plants are grown by farmers all around the world in many different varieties, there is no major commercial use for hops other than in beer. The bitterness of commercially-brewed beers is measured on the International Bitterness Units scale. Hops contain several characteristics very favorable to beer: (a) hops contribute a bitterness that balances the sweetness of the malt, (b) hops also contribute aromas which range from flowery to citrus to herbal, (c) hops have an antibiotic effect that favours the activity of brewer's yeast over less desirable microorganisms and (d) the use of hops aids in "head retention", the length of time that foamy head created by the beer's carbonation agent will last. Hops: Hops have commonly been used as a bittering agent in beer since the seventeenth century.

In most cases, two or more types of malt are combined when making modern beers. Crushed hops used for lambic brewing . Darker malts will produce darker beers. Different roasting times and temperatures are used to produce different colors of malt from the same grain. Malting the grain produces the enzymes that will eventually convert the starches in the grain into fermentable sugars.

Malt is formed from grain by soaking it in water, allowing it to start to germinate, and then drying the germinated grain in a kiln. However, depending on what can be cultivated locally, other malted and unmalted grains are also commonly used, including wheat, rice, oats, and rye, and less frequently, maize and sorghum. Malt: Among malts, barley malt is the most widely used owing to its high amylase content, a digestive enzyme which facilitates the breakdown of the starch into sugars. Although the effect of, and interactions between, various dissolved minerals in brewing water is complex, as a general rule, hard water is more suited to dark styles such as stouts or porters, while very soft water is more suited for brewing light-colored beers, such as pilsners.

Many beer styles were influenced or even determined by the characteristics of the water in the region. Water: Because beer is composed mainly of water, the source of the water and its characteristics have an important effect on the character of the beer. Smaller-scale or more classically-minded brewers will add extra ("priming") sugar or a small amount of newly fermenting wort ("kräusen") to the final vessel, resulting in a short refermentation known as "cask-" or "bottle conditioning". The most common approach by large-scale brewers is force carbonation, via the direct addition of CO2 gas to the keg or bottle.

The brewer has a few options to increase carbon dioxide levels. Packaging: At this point, the beer contains alcohol, but not much carbon dioxide. Some brewers may skip the secondary fermentation and simply filter off the yeast. After primary fermentation, the beer may be allowed a second fermentation, which allows further settling of yeast and other particulate matter "trub" which may have been introduced earlier in the process.

Fermentation: The yeast is added (or "pitched") and the beer is left to ferment. The hops (whole or pelleted) are added, or a hop extract is used. Boiling: The wort is boiled along with any remaining ingredients (excluding yeast), to remove excess water and kill any bacteria. The darker, sugar-heavy liquid is called the wort.

Sparging: Water is filtered through the mash to dissolve the sugars. The mash is held at constant temperature long enough for enzymes to convert starches into fermentable sugars. Mashing: The first phase of brewing, in which the malted grains are crushed and soaked in warm water in order to create a malt extract.