How to Brew Beer at Home

Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza. - Dave Barry

I don't think a man who does not like beer, exists. Seriously, who doesn't like beer? You can drink it cold in summer, in winter it warms you up, it puts a 'spring' in your step in spring, and helps you brood in autumn. Beer invented the drinking game and the beer bong is a compulsory companion for any sporting event, and also great at bringing friends, enemies and strangers together. It is one of the few passions that we share with our European cousins. And as if it needed any more advantages, you can make it at home! So you can have an endless supply, with your own personal and unique blend. The recipe may look long, but it's actually simple and the end product is worth it!

How to Brew Beer at Home

Equipment

• 3 gallon pot
• Siphon hose with clamp
• 5 gallon plastic or glass bucket with lid - also called carboys
• Bottle filler
• 12 oz bottles, avoid twist-off bottles
• Bottle capper - to cap your bottles
• Bottle caps
• Sanitizing solution - starsan or iodosphor

Ingredients

• 6 lbs dry or pale malt extract
• 2.25 oz of hops
• 1 packet of brewer's yeast
• 2/3 cup of priming sugar - corn sugar (preferred) or white sugar

All the above equipment and ingredients are available at brewing supply stores. You can also buy a brewing starter kit which has all the necessary stuff to brew beer. This recipe brews 5 gallons of beer.

Steps of Brewing

Sanitize: The first and most important step is cleaning all the equipment. Beer is highly sensitive to contamination from bacteria, so first use hot, soapy water and then a sanitizing solution on your equipment.

Brew: Put 2-3 gallons of water into your pot and heat it. Once the water has heated up a bit, mix in the extract into the warm water. This combined water and extract mixture is "wort". Keep mixing as you add more extract. Now bring the wort mixture to a boil slowly. At this point, the mixture starts to boil and foam, so use a spray with clean water to reduce foaming. Do not cover the pot while boiling. When the wort is steadily boiling, add the hops. Stir occasionally, else the extract will settle on the bottom and caramelize. Boil mixture for 30- 60 minutes.

Cool and Ferment: Cool the mixture quickly to room temperature. You can add very cold water to make the mixture 5 gallons. Siphon the wort mixture into the carboy. Prepare your yeast according to the pack's instructions and then add it to the carboy. Mix, then close the top, fit airlock (put a little water in it) and store in a dark, cool place, where the temperature remains steady (20-24 C). Within 12-36 hours, bubbles form in airlock and continues to ferment for a week. If there are no bubbles, check the pail and airlock as there may be a leak. Let the mixture ferment for 1½ to 2 weeks before bottling.

Priming: Before bottling, priming is done to carbonate the finished beer. Again sterilize all equipment. Make sure the bottles are clean and free of debris, then sterilize. You can soak them in a weak bleach solution, then rinse well. Washing them in the dishwasher works but wash well with hot water afterwards. Siphon beer into a bucket carefully, do not splash or mix any air. Add 2/3 cup of priming sugar to the beer and very gently mix. Using the bottle filler, siphon into bottles. Leave an inch or more of space at the top of the bottle. Fill one bottle at a time, capping when you finish. Brewing done!

Aging: If you taste the beer now, it will be flat. The best taste comes between 8 to 15 weeks after brewing. Store in a dark, cool place like a basement. Avoid storing in the refrigerator for the first two weeks after brewing. After two weeks, refrigerate the beer (also called lagering) to help it clear. When you are ready to sample your brew, chill the beer well and pour into a glass, leaving any sediment in the bottle. The opened bottle is good for two weeks after opening.

Tips for Easy Brewing

• Add flavors like molasses or herbal teas to give a unique flavor to your brew.
• Use fresh and good quality malt extract and yeast. Freshness affects the fermenting rate and taste.
• Let your beer ferment completely before bottling. Check for bucket leaks. If unfermented beer is bottled, the bottle can explode!
• Check how much you need and weigh the priming sugar.
• Do not store beer bottles in hot or well-lit areas.
• Clean and keep cleaning your equipment.
• Boil your wort for at least 90 minutes to improve taste and stability.
• Cool the wort quickly. You can use an immersion chiller for this.
• Be patient while fermenting, bottling and aging. Most brewers jump the gun in these 3 stages, then wonder why their beer tastes like vinegar.
• Expert brewers recommend glass carboys over plastic. Plastic is more porous than glass and so are more prone to leaks. Also glass is easier to clean.
• Keep a brewing diary, so that you know what mistakes you made and how to improve your techniques.

Home Brewed Beer Features

While brewing beer at home, there are some features that characterize the brewed beer like:

1. Bitterness: Not too sweet, not too sour. Beer shouldn't leave a nasty aftertaste or be too sweet or grainy. Bitterness is usually caused by use of bitter hops, alkaline water or boiling for a long time.
2. Diaceytl Flavor: If your beer has a buttery or oily taste, it's due to incomplete fermentation.
3. Astringency or Phenolic Flavor: a raw or husky flavor or a medicine like taste, caused by over boiling grains or too hot water mixed in your wort.
4. Body: The full, thick beer taste makes up the body of your brew. You can go for a thin, light feel or a heavy, deep flavor.

The trick to brewing beer is to keep trying. No one gets a perfect brew in the first attempt. But with time and patience, your technique and brew will improve dramatically. Now that you know how to brew beer at home, get brewing. With your own stash of beer, there's no need to fight with your friends over the last can!