A lot of people are confused about the difference between beer and wine. This is mainly due to the fact that these two beverages have similar ingredients and similar looks. They both come from grapes, ferment in fermentation vessels, and undergo aging processes. However, each one is unique and different from each other. This article will give a walkthrough of these differences.
Summary Table
| Beer | Wine |
| Brewed by fermenting crushed grains with water | Made from fermented must of fruit, usually grapes |
| Aged for 2 – 3 weeks | Aged for 1 year and above |
| Pale then turn to dark color | Dark red color |
Definitions
Beer is mainly made of water, malt, hops, yeast and other ingredients. It is usually brewed by fermenting crushed grains with water to obtain the liquid called beer. The color of beer depends on the type of grain used.
Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented must of fruit, usually grapes. The fermentation process used to make wine involves three phases: crush and fermentation, fermentation, and maturation. Wine is produced by a wide variety of methods, including the traditional method of making wine from grapes or other fruits, such as plums or cherries (grapes), fermented and pressed into grape juice.
Beer vs Wine
Beer and wine are both made from fermented fruit, grain or cereal. However, the fermentation process used to make beer is much more rigorous than that used to make wine.
During the brewing of beer, yeast is added to the mash (grain) mixture in order to begin the fermentation process. The yeast multiplies rapidly and consumes all of the sugar in the mash. During this process, some of the starch is also converted to sugar through hydrolysis (a chemical reaction that occurs when water and a carbohydrate react together).
In wine, sugars are fermented by natural yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other yeasts. The fruit is crushed or fermented into juice and then the juice is fermented over time (usually with the addition of yeast to create a “stew”). Both wine and beer undergo alcoholic fermentation, but this process occurs at different times.
Beer undergoes alcoholic fermentation in the presence of yeast, and then it is aged for at least two to three weeks. Aging allows the beer to mellow out and gives it a smoother taste. Wine is generally aged for at least one year before it can be considered to be “fine wine.” However, wine can be aged for a longer period of time to create a “vintage” or “cuvée” (a blend of several years’ worth of wine).
Beer is pale in color when it is young and turns darker as it ages. This might be due to caramelization of sugars at high temperature which develops during fermentation. Wine, on the other hand, is usually dark red due to the presence of anthocyanins (red pigments) that come from the skin of the grape when it is properly fermented. The color of wine varies depending on how long the grape is fermented.
