

Other flavouring agents such as gruit, herbs, or fruits may be included or used instead of hops.

Most modern beer is brewed with hops, which add bitterness and other flavours and act as a natural preservative and stabilizing agent. During the brewing process, fermentation of the starch sugars in the wort produces ethanol and carbonation in the resulting beer.

It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal grains-most commonly from malted barley, though wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. Beer is the oldest and most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after potable water and tea.
