Basic Homebrew
Instructions
If using pitchable liquid yeast, let the yeast warm up to 72 - 78 degrees F. The longer the yeast sets at this temperature range, up to 24 hours, the faster the beer will start fermenting.
Yeast Starter:
The day before brew day, boil 1 pint of water with 1/4 cup of DME added.
This will produce about 1.040 OG. Cool
to 80F and pour into a quart container fitted with air lock cork. Add room
temp yeast.
Fit airlock.
Brewing:
SANITIZE EVERYTHING FIRST!!!
Make sure everything is clean to the eye. Then clean and sanitize using sanitizers like One-Step, Iodophor, or Cleanitizer. If required by the manufacturer, rinse off the sanitizing solution thoroughly.
In a 20 quart or larger stainless stockpot, bring 3 gallons of water to 160F and turn off heat.
Put the crushed grains in the grain bag.
Soak the grains in the hot water and
maintain approx. 155F for 45 minutes. After soaking the grains, dunk the grain
bag in and out of the water and then completely lift the grain bag out. Place a
strainer over the stockpot and then put the grain bag into the strainer. Allow
the bag to drip (without squeezing) until nearly all of the water has dripped
out, then discard the grains.
Add the malt extract and any additional sugars listed. Stir constantly to
dissolve the malt extract. Return heat to the mixture once dissolved, stirring
occasionally. The mixture now contains a lot of sugar and can burn if not
stirred. Heat the mixture to boiling. When the mixture reaches boiling, it can
rise very rapidly and boil over. At this time, remove from heat to control the
rising foam. Once the boil is under control, adjust the heat to a good rolling
boil without boiling over.
Add bittering, flavor and aroma hops via hops bag as specified.
Once the boil time has elapsed since the bittering hops were added, remove the wort from the heat and cool down quickly to 80F. A sink full of water with ice in it works well. You may need to change the water a couple of times because it will warm up quickly. Ideally the wort should be cooled to 80F within 15-20 minutes. You may want to use a wort chiller to speed up the process. Once the wort has cooled to 80F, pour this mixture into the sanitized primary fermenter and add cool water to make 5 1/4 gallons. Vigorously stir the wort to make sure the sugars are well mixed with the added water and well aerated.
Check the specific gravity of the wort
using a hydrometer. Follow the instructions included with the hydrometer. The
hydrometer readings will determine the alcohol content of the beer and allow you
to troubleshoot if there is a problem.
Pitchable Liquid Yeast: Let
the yeast warm up to 72 - 78
degrees F. The longer the yeast sets at this temperature range, up to 24 hours,
the faster the beer will start fermenting. Shake the yeast container well and
pour into the wort and stir/aerate well.
Dry Yeast: Sprinkle the yeast around the top of the wort and stir well.
Put the lid on the fermenter with the
airlock installed (fill airlock 1/3 with water). After 12-36 hours this mixture
will begin to chum and produce C02. This is the yeast vigorously eating the
sugar in the wort, expelling unwanted proteins and fermenting the mixture into
alcohol. If you do not see any activity after 24 hours, then remove the lid and
vigorously stir the wort with a sanitized spoon. If after another 24 hours you
do not see any fermentation, you have a problem.
Transfer to Secondary:
After 5-7 days since the wort started fermenting, the mixture will calm down and the excess proteins will settle at the bottom of the primary fermenter. Check the specific gravity of the beer using the hydrometer. When specific gravity shows no change from one day to the next it is ready for transfer. specific gravity should be at or near expected FG. At this time, carefully move the fermenter full of beer to a counter top. Be careful not to disturb the sediment on the bottom.
You can move the primary fermenter several hours before you intend to transfer, so the sediment has a chance to resettle to the bottom of the primary fermenter. Carefully siphon the beer into the sanitized secondary fermenter. Move the airlock from the primary fermenter to the secondary fermenter. Make sure the airlock has enough water.
If the recipe calls for dry hopping, add these hops to the sanitized secondary fermenter at this point.
Let the beer clarify in the secondary for 5-7 days. If the beer has not cleared in 7 days, you can add Claro K.C. finings for beer.
The original gravity minus the final
gravity multiplied by 131 will give you the alcohol content of your beer.
Bottling Preparation:
SANITIZE EVERYTHING FIRST!!!
Make sure everything is clean to the
eye and sanitize. Carefully move the secondary fermenter full of beer to a
counter top. Be careful not to disturb the sediment on the bottom. You can move
the carboy or secondary fermenter several hours before you intend to bottle, so the sediment has a
chance to resettle to the bottom of the fermenter.
Priming Sugar:
Next put 2 cups of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then add the priming sugar and boil for another minute. Remove from heat and let cool to 80F or cooler.
Pour the cooled sugar water into the
bottling bucket, and then transfer the beer from the
secondary fermenter into the bucket. Siphon the beer into the bucket trying very
hard not to disturb the sediment on the bottom of the fermenter. This will mix
the sugar water and beer thoroughly. The yeast in the beer will ferment the
priming sugar and carbonate the bottled beer.
Bottling:
Once the beer is in the bucket, place the bucket on the counter top. Attach the bottle filler to the end of the tubing. Siphon the beer and use the filler to put beer in the sanitized bottles. Fill the bottles to the top. When you remove the filler, the level of beer will be appropriate for capping. Proceed to cap the bottles and store in a dark place at room temperature. Chill the beer when you are ready to drink it.