Barley grains are processed through a number of heat drying and cooking steps to produce barley malt syrup. This syrup has a distinct, smooth, dark brunette hue with a silky and often sticky texture. The malting process produces composite edible sugars like glucose and maltose, and due to this the malt syrup is often used as an alternative sweetener in food.
Malt syrup is used widely in the food and beverage industry. It is an important ingredient in snacks like bagels, sauces, pretzels, and bakery products and accessories like frosting sugar. It is a natural sweetener and is extensively used to reduce yeast and make bread extra delicious.  The pet food industry too uses malt syrup to develop dietary elements for pets.
However the most popular application of the syrup is seen in the beer manufacturing industry where malt sweetener imparts the characteristic malty aroma to beer along with a fine grainy texture and rich, warm color. Malted beer is extremely popular, and huge volumes of beer malt are used for this purpose daily. Besides, malt syrup contains high percentage of proteins, which is another reason to rejoice for malted beer lovers.
Since barley is allowed to germinate through restricted sprouting, the grains develop a balance of nutrients. Barley grains are well protected by a hard husk which shields it from rough weather conditions, like extremes of cold, heat, and drought. A can of barley malt syrup too stays unsullied and usable for a long time when packed in a right, air-lock container. However, any malt syrup that develops flakes or snowy mold on its surface should be considered polluted.
Ideally, canned barley malt syrup remains fresh for around a couple of years. Plastic storage reduces its shelf life. Malt syrup needs to be protected from oxidation, moisture and allergens.

Ales vs. lagers – what’s the difference? That’s something people have been asking for a long time. It is not easy to explain, but I will try to break it down in simple terms.
Yeast
Ales generally use top fermenting yeast (beer yeast that rises to the top of fermentation tank), while lagers use bottom fermenting yeast (beer yeast that sinks to the bottom of fermentation tank). Since it collects at the bottom, it can mostly be reused. Yeast doesn’t really add to the flavor, it’s the hops and malt that do that job. Though this ‘beer yeast rule’ applies in most cases, there are certain exceptions.
Time and Temperature
Ale yeast ferments the best at warm temperatures (generally up to 75F). This is why they ferment and mature quicker than lagers.
Lagers ferment at cold temperatures (between 46F and 59F). In fact, lagers historically come from continental Europe, where the climate is generally cold. The combination of cold fermentation and bottom fermenting beer yeast gives a crisp taste to most lagers.
Extra Ingredients
Ales generally have more of malt, roasted malt, and hops, thus having a bitter and malty taste. Also, ale brewers are generally more experimental than brewers of lager, and they add some extra ingredients to experiment with their brews. So you might find ales with several different flavors.
Flavor
While ales are generally fruity, healthy, and robust; lagers are mostly clean, crisp, smooth, and elegant.
Types
Ales generally have ‘ale’ in their name. For example, amber ale, pale ale etc. They also include stouts and porters. Lagers include dopplebocks, bocks, and pilsners etc.
In the End, Beer for Thought
There is no point thinking about it- what’s important is to enjoy whatever kind of beer you’re drinking. A strange fact is that though lagers take longer to brew than ales, they are not as respected as ales.
Which is your favorite?  Tell us your ale or lager story in the comments below or contact us about other homebrew stuff.

Once you have brewed your beer, it’s ready to be bottled. Though bottling beer might sound really easy, it’s not so. You have to take care that the beer that you made with utmost care is bottled right so that there are no taste-killing bacteria in the bottle.
Here is how to bottle your beer:
Don’t bottle it right away
Beer takes some time to ferment. When there are no more bubbles in the fermentation lock, it means your beer is ready for bottling. Verifying that the fermentation has completed by testing it with a homebrew hydrometer is not a bad idea either.
Choose the right bottles
Your bottles should be made of colored and thick glass. The darker they are the better. Sunlight destroys beer like anything else, so store it in colored bottles; brown bottles are perfect for this. Also, make sure all your bottles are of the same size. This makes storing them easier and provides overall consistency in the batch.
Hygiene
Beer can spoil really easily. You need to make sure that the bottles in which it is being stored are completely clean. Clean your bottles, rinse them, and then soak them in a sanitizer. Also, soak your other equipment (whatever is going to touch your beer- bucket and siphon hose, etc.) in sanitizer as well. It is best to soak them for about 10 minutes. This will make your equipment and bottles nice and clean, before you start bottling beer.
Priming
Carbon dioxide is expelled during fermentation. In fact, there is so much carbon dioxide that you just have to let it break out through air locks. So now you have beer that has alcohol but no fizz. To get fizz in your beer, you need to prime. Put a little corn sugar in the bottles. Before you pour beer in bottles, add about 1 teaspoon corn sugar in each 12 oz bottle.
Siphoning
This is where you actually start bottling beer. You need a siphon hose to carry beer into its destination. Be sure not fill your bottles to the brim- leave some area for carbonation.
After filling the bottles, you just need to cap them. When that’s done, you should store the bottles in a cool and dark place.  What is your favorite homebrew stuff when it comes to bottling beers?