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Brewing
Your First Beer |
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Homebrewing is an easy, fun,
and rewarding hobby. It's great to be able to brew beer to your own tastes. In fact,
with a little patience, you can not only duplicate your favorite brand, but develop your
own style of beer. |
| As you explore The Home Brew
Experience, you will learn more about ingredients, equipment and methods used in making
beer. |
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Beer is made by extracting the
essence from malted (germinated) grains such as barley. Hops are added to flavor and help
preserve the beer. Then yeast is added. It is the yeast that converts the
sugars from the grains into alcohol. This process must take place in a sealed container to
prevent spoilage of the beer. It takes about 1-2 weeks. The beer is then aged for
another 1-8 weeks before it is ready to drink. |
| Today it is easier than ever to
do this right in your own kitchen. Modern equipment and ingredients make it simple enough
so that anyone can make not just good, but great beer, better than most you can buy. |
| The basic steps are outlined
below. You may have been told of other methods elsewhere, and certainly there are other
methods that will work well for you, but these steps have always worked well for us. |
| 1) The Equipment you need
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| 2) The Ingredients you
need |
| 3) The Method you use |
| Sanitizing
Cooking
Siphoning
Conditioning
Bottling
Kegging
Pouring |
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THE
EQUIPMENT YOU NEED |
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Before
you can brew great beer, you need the right equipment. We suggest that you start
simple. The first thing you need is a brewpot. You may already have a pot that will
do. It should hold at least three gallons. Next, you need a fermenter. For a typical
five gallon batch, your fermenter should hold six gallons or more to allow space for a
foam that forms during the vigorous fermentation. A glass carboy, or food grade plastic
bucket is most commonly used. Your fermenter also needs an airlock to allow the CO2 to
escape while keeping air out. A siphon is needed to transfer beer from the fermenter when
it is ready, without mixing air into it. A bottling bucket, while not absolutely needed,
makes the process much simpler. A bottling bucket is similar to a fermenter except that it
has a spigot at the bottom to allow you to fill the bottles directly, making the process
quicker and less messy. You also need a capper to seal your bottles. Bottles and caps or a
keg are also needed to store and serve your beer. |
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THE
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED |
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Beer is traditionally brewed
from four ingredients: water, barley, hops and yeast. Other ingredients used in some beers
include fruit, honey, wheat, rice and corn. |
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The Homebrewer may choose to
simplify the process by using concentrates such as malt extracts to replace the grains;
this is most likely what you will choose to do for your first batch. You have the
choice of either using pre-determined recipe kits or you can mix and match different
ingredients and be creative. Malt Extract is an essential ingredient in all
homebrewed beers, except those that are brewed entirely from grain. It is made up of
concentrated sugars (and other substances) yielded from mashed malted barley (and/or
wheat). When reconstituted in your brew pot it is essentially the same as if you took the
time to mash the grains yourself. The first decision a brewer must make when
choosing malt extract depends on the type of beer they will be brewing. The types of
extract available are: Light, Extra Light, Amber, Dark, Extra Dark, and Wheat. |
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The simplest
method is to use syrups in the color you intend your final beer to be.
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Brewers of Amber and Dark beers
can choose whether to add color and flavor their beers solely from extracts or through the
addition of flavor grains. After experimenting with a variety of styles and brands you
will notice subtle differences that will allow you to more closely tailor your beer to
your desired results. For instance, certain varieties may offer a fuller body while others
will ferment more cleanly, it really depends on the characteristics you are looking for
when you choose an extract.They include everything you need to make 5 gallons of authentic
beer in the style of your choice. They range from American light to Irish Stout. Each
kit's recipe includes easy to understand instructions written with the beginner in mind.
And now on to your first batch! |
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THE METHODS
YOU SHOULD FOLLOW |
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Once you have assembled the
necessary equipment and ingredients you are ready to begin. I recommend that you set aside
at least a couple of hours for the process |
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The first thing you need to do is to sanitize
everything that will come in contact with your unfermented beer. To do this you need a
sanitizer such as B-Brite or chlorine bleach. Immerse everything in a solution of 2
teaspoons (about 2 caps) of bleach to five gallons of water, or follow the directions that
come with your sanitizer. It takes time for the sanitizer to do its job. For this reason
you should allow you equipment to soak in the sanitizing solution for at least a 1/2 hour.
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Next you must rinse everything to remove
remaining sanitizer. Add 3 1/2 gallons of water to your fermenter and seal it with the
fermenter's lid or a rubber stopper. This should be done as soon as possible before you
begin cooking your wort. |
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COOKING |
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Add two gallons of cold water to your
brew-pot and bring to a boil.
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This picture depicts adding flavor grains
(optional) |
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If you are using any flavor grains in your
recipe, add them to the cold water and remove them at the first sign of boiling. The
grains can be easily removed if they are first placed in a grain bag, alternately they may
be strained out with a colander. If you are using dry malt, it works better if it is added
to cold water and then is brought to a boil. If it is added to boiling water it will
tend to clump up and be difficult to work with. |
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ADDING MALT SYRUP |
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Once the water is boiling (make sure there is
head room to put in all the ingredients), add your malt syrup or extract kit. If you
are adding corn sugar add that too now. Bittering hops are necessary if you are
using unhopped malt extract. They can improve the character of hopped extract and
kits as well and need to boil for a long time in order to reap their full benefits. Hops
act as a flavoring agent, as well as, aid in beer-foam head retention. They too
should also be added now. |
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STIRRING THE WORT |
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Stir well until the extract is thoroughly
dissolved. |
| You should now boil your wort for one
hour, although this is not strictly necessary when using hopped extract or a extract kit,
it will help to stabilize the flavor of your beer. A good rolling boil is considered
ideal, but you must watch your brew pot carefully to prevent a boil over, as this
can seriously affect the quality of your final brew, not to mention making a sticky mess
on the top of your stove. Some brewers will add additional hops during the boil,
particularly if they are making a hoppy brew. |
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A STARTER SHOWING SIGNS OF LIFE |
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To insure a quick starting, healthy
fermentation, you should hydrate your yeast. This is done by adding a few tablespoons of
your boiling wort to 1 cup of cool water, and then adding your yeast packet and covering.
Within a short time, you should see your yeast come back to life. It should look something
like the picture above. |
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ADDING FLAVOR HOPS |
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During the last 5 to 10 minutes of the boil the
homebrewer may choose to add flavor hops. These hops add a different quality to the beer
than the bittering hops you may have added earlier. They impart a flavor that can be spicy
or flowery or herbal in nature, depending on the variety used. Crushed fruit such as
cherries, raspberries or blueberries, etc., etc., etc. may also be added at this point.
Additional hops may be added to brewpot at the end of the boil and steeped for 2 to 3
minutes. Again these hops serve a different purpose from those added earlier. Hops added
at this time contribute to the pleasant aroma that is the mark of a fine brew. |
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After the boil, let the mixture cool a
bit and carefully open your fermenter and add the boiled wort and place the lid or stopper
on top. Make sure there is cool water already in a carboy if that is what you are
using. **NOTE** ADDING ANY HOT LIQUID TO A CARBOY MIGHT
SHATTER THE GLASS IF THAT LIQUID HASN'T BEEN COOLED ADEQUATELY. At
this point you may want to remove a small amount of beer to and take a hydrometer reading,
this will tell you the starting gravity of your beer. By comparing readings taken now and
at bottling time, you can determine the alcohol content of your beer.
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PITCHING THE YEAST
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When the temperature has dropped to about 75
degrees F. add your yeast. Now assemble your airlock, fill with water, and insert it into
the hole at the top of your fermenter. |
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ASSEMBLING AND INSERTING
3-PIECE AIRLOCK |
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In about 12 to 24 hours some signs of life
should be present. Your airlock should be bubbling, and if you sniff the gas coming from
the airlock it should smell yeasty or beerlike. If all is not well you can try
kick-starting your beer by adding yeast nutrient and additional yeast. |
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After a week or so, (longer for strong beers)
your fermentation should subside, this may occur in only one or two days, if so don't be
concerned, your beer should still turn out fine. When the bubbles in your airlock appear
only once a minute or their production seems to have stopped, your beer is ready to
move to the next stage. If these signs are not apparent, a hydrometer may be useful
in helping to determine whether your beer is ready, you do this by checking its specific
gravity. |
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SIPHONING |
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When your beer is finished fermenting it is
time to move it into another vessel, be it a carboy, bottles, or a keg. When transferring
the beer it is important not to mix air into the beer, as this can cause it to have a
stale flavor. Therefore, you must use a siphon to move your brew. |
| STARTING THE SIPHON |
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To start your siphon place the container
holding your beer higher than the container you will be transferring your beer into. |
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Fill the siphon tubing with water hold it in a
"U" shape and place one end in each container (make sure your hands are
clean). As you bring the lower piece of hose down to the siphon bucket, the beer
will be pulled through the tube. |
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Gravity will start the flow, and the beer will
follow the water into the new vessel. If your siphon needs to be restarted, follow the
same procedure. DO NOT use your mouth for suction, as this will most likely ruin your
beer. At the bottom of your original container there may be a layer of sediment.
This is mostly dead yeast. You should try to leave this behind by not allowing the suction
end of the tubing into it, as it can add undesirable flavors to your beer. |
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CONDITIONING |
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You may choose now whether you want to bottle
your beer or move it to a carboy for additional aging. Some beers such as those that are
high in alcohol, very dark, or still cloudy will benefit from extended conditioning. Any
beer that will be aged for more than a couple of weeks before bottling will need to be
moved off of the yeast (called racking) that has settled at the bottom of the
fermenter to prevent your beer from becoming yeast bitten |
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Before moving your beer into a carboy, you must
sanitize the carboy and siphon first. Follow the same procedure you used to sanitize your
fermenter. |
| Now siphon the beer into the sterilized carboy.
Then seal the carboy with a stopper and add the airlock. Place the carboy in a cool, dark
place until you are ready to bottle or keg it. |
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BOTTLING |
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You will need about 55-60 bottles and caps to
bottle a 5 gallon batch. You may not need all of them but having a few extra bottles and
caps is better than having extra home-brew and nothing to put it in. Bar bottles
work well, and some unusually shaped bottles may not work with some capers. |
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SANITIZING BOTTLES |
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As with all stages in the brewing process,
sanitation is extremely important. before using your bottles they, and everything else
that will come in contact with your beer must be thoroughly sanitized (including the
caps). Follow the steps outlined above . |
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In order for your beer to be carbonated you
must use priming sugar, to do this: |
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PREPARING PRIMING SUGAR |
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Dissolve 3/4 cup corn sugar or 1 1/4 cup dry
malt in 1 quart of water and bring it to a boil. Priming your mixture causes the
carbonation and final pressurization needed in the bottles to take place. |
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Siphon your beer into your bottling bucket
following the steps above: |
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While the siphon is flowing, slowly add the
boiling mixture to the bottling bucket.
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| FILLING A BOTTLE |
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Now you are ready to begin bottling. Fill each
bottle, leaving about an inch of headroom. This head room allows room for the carbon
dioxide to expand and create a proper seal. |
| CAPPING |
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When
your bottles are filled, cap them and place them in a cool dark place for
at least 10 days (longer for dark or strong beers) Chill and Enjoy! |
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KEGGING |
| If you prefer, you may keg your beer instead of
bottling it. Kegging does require additional equipment, but it offers added convenience
over bottling. |
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You must, of course sanitize your keg and
anything else that will come in contact with your beer. If you are using a plastic keg,
then follow the sanitizing procedures outlined above. If you are using a metal keg you
need to use iodine to sterilize your keg as bleach and other oxidizing sanitizers may
react with the metal in your keg. |
| Prepare your priming sugar by dissolving it in
water and bringing it to a boil. |
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Siphon your beer into the keg and add the
dissolved sugar as you go. |
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Seal the keg and place it in a cool place for
two weeks.
Tap and Enjoy!
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If you bottled your beer then you will notice
that there is some sediment at the bottom of each bottle. This is mostly spent
yeast, and you should avoid mixing it into your beer as it will cloud it and add a bitter,
yeasty flavor to your beer. Each step in racking reduces the amount of sediment in the
bottles. Sometimes it is possible to virtually remove all the sediment.
However, since sediment is common to homebrewed beverages, it is recommended that
you should pour your beer slowly, in one smooth motion, stopping before you pour the
yeasty dregs into your glass. You should also start pouring slowly, so that you can see
how foamy your beer is and adjust to bring about the proper head. You can pour it
slowly down the side of the glass for bubbly beers or down the middle of the glass if it
is less bubbly. This may take a little practice, but the results are worth it. |
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That's all there is to making great beer at
home. you can get as creative as you want when brewing as long as you remember the basics.
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