How to Brew Your First Batch of Beer
The process of making beer can be as simple or as complex as one makes it. This article is intended to simplify the process and outline the basic elements of homebrewing for beginners. It is recommended that you first purchase an equipment kit from your local supplier or online. These generally cost between $60 and $100 and include everything you need to get started such as a fermentation bin, bottling bucket, racking tube, fermentation lock, and additional accessories.
Now, let's prepare for our first brewing session. Cleanliness is key. Make sure your brewing area is clean, organized, and your equipment is sanitized. For the sake of simplification, we'll brew what I like to call an "in-and-out" kit. One of my favorites that
falls into this category is EDME's Red Devil Ale. This particular kit includes a 4lb. hopped can of malt extract and a pack of dried yeast. The only additional ingredients needed are 2lbs. of dried malt extract and five ounces of corn sugar for priming. Some people may still prefer to add hops for aroma, but this is not absolutely
necessary as our can of malt extract has already been hopped.
We begin by bringinggallon of water to boil in a stainless pot. Then, we add the entire contents of the can of malt extract and the additional 2lbs. of dried malt extract. Continue stirring to avoid scorching. Also, adjust the heat. We're not looking for a rolling boil. Rather, a light boil at about 160 degrees Fahrenheit for between five to ten minutes is perfect.
Once this is complete, remove the pot from the burner. We can now pour three gallons of cold to lukewarm water into the fermenting bin. Be sure to pour from a reasonable height so as to add oxygen to the water. Next, add the mixture (wort) from the pot into the fermenting bin, and top off the bin with additional water until the total volume is at five gallons. Place the lid on the fermenting bin to avoid the introduction of contaminants, and allow the wort to come to a temperature of between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, you may add the yeast, and thoroughly stir with a sanitized, stainless or plastic stirring spoon. Place the lid and fermenting lock on the bin, and stand the bin at room temperature for approximately seven to ten days.
When fermentation appears to have stopped, the beer is ready for priming and bottling. Siphon the beer from the fermenting bin to the bottling bucket making sure to transfer as little of the yeast sediment as possible. Dissolve about five ounces of corn sugar into one cup of boiling water. Add this mixture to the bottling bucket, and stir. Now, siphon the beer from the bottling bucket into individual bottles. Cap each bottle and store at room temperature for about two weeks. You may then transfer your bottles to a cooler temperature for conditioning if you wish. In all, your beer should be ready for consumption in about four weeks from the original date of brewing.
Now, let's prepare for our first brewing session. Cleanliness is key. Make sure your brewing area is clean, organized, and your equipment is sanitized. For the sake of simplification, we'll brew what I like to call an "in-and-out" kit. One of my favorites that
falls into this category is EDME's Red Devil Ale. This particular kit includes a 4lb. hopped can of malt extract and a pack of dried yeast. The only additional ingredients needed are 2lbs. of dried malt extract and five ounces of corn sugar for priming. Some people may still prefer to add hops for aroma, but this is not absolutely
necessary as our can of malt extract has already been hopped.
We begin by bringinggallon of water to boil in a stainless pot. Then, we add the entire contents of the can of malt extract and the additional 2lbs. of dried malt extract. Continue stirring to avoid scorching. Also, adjust the heat. We're not looking for a rolling boil. Rather, a light boil at about 160 degrees Fahrenheit for between five to ten minutes is perfect.
Once this is complete, remove the pot from the burner. We can now pour three gallons of cold to lukewarm water into the fermenting bin. Be sure to pour from a reasonable height so as to add oxygen to the water. Next, add the mixture (wort) from the pot into the fermenting bin, and top off the bin with additional water until the total volume is at five gallons. Place the lid on the fermenting bin to avoid the introduction of contaminants, and allow the wort to come to a temperature of between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, you may add the yeast, and thoroughly stir with a sanitized, stainless or plastic stirring spoon. Place the lid and fermenting lock on the bin, and stand the bin at room temperature for approximately seven to ten days.
When fermentation appears to have stopped, the beer is ready for priming and bottling. Siphon the beer from the fermenting bin to the bottling bucket making sure to transfer as little of the yeast sediment as possible. Dissolve about five ounces of corn sugar into one cup of boiling water. Add this mixture to the bottling bucket, and stir. Now, siphon the beer from the bottling bucket into individual bottles. Cap each bottle and store at room temperature for about two weeks. You may then transfer your bottles to a cooler temperature for conditioning if you wish. In all, your beer should be ready for consumption in about four weeks from the original date of brewing.
