The history of beer dates back to the stone ages and beer was the first drink known to mankind and was discovered accidentally by man. It is said that long ago grain was gathered and the grain was kept in an area where there was water. After a while the grain and warm water mixed and fermented and was tasted and turned out to be a great tasting beverage.

There are many ingredients used in fermenting beer. The main ingredient is water and beer is made up of about 90% water. Many factors in the water used define the beer flavor. The water must be boiled to kill bacteria and remove as mush as the chlorine as possible. The minerals and pH that remain in the water are major factors in the beer final flavor.

Malt extract is made from malted barley or malted wheat. It is used as the basis for most homebrew beers, providing the sugars that yeast consume to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide

Though homebrew beer may be made just with extracts, most homebrew brewer recipes include some form of malted grain. Specialty malts, such as crystal malt, chocolate malt (not the stuff you get at the baseball park), and black malt, can be added to extract brews to create different styles of beers like pale ales, porters, and stouts.

Hops are a flowers used to season beer .There are two types of hops; Bittering hops and aroma hops. Bittering has more bitter flavor that the aroma beer hops. Bittering are added towards the beginning of the boil and aroma towards the end. Another reason hops is used is because it acts as a natural preservative, helping to keep the beer fresh. .

Rice or corn, referred to as adjuncts in brewing terminology, can be used to produce fermentable sugars without adding body or flavor to beer. Adjuncts used in place of malt or malt extract make thinner less flavorful beers.