nger that rapidly cools the liquid. Cooling is
             necessary in order to add the yeast. Yeast is unable to ferment or grow
             at high temperatures, so cooling the wort to about 70°F is needed. Here
             is where hydrometer readings are taken to record the amount of sugar in
             the wort by measuring the density of the liquid. This is called the specific
             gravity. The specific gravity is used in determining the alcohol content of
             the finished beer. The more sugar there is, the more dense the liquid. The
             higher the specific gravity, the more sugars there are available for
             fermentation, producing more alcohol. (Porter)
             It is here in the fermentation tank that the yeast changes the sugars into
             alcohol over a period of days or weeks, depending on the style of beer
             being brewed. Ferment is taken from the Latin "to boil". Watching the
             yeast in active fermentation, one can understand the reason the word is
             ...