mplest Homemade Beer

what you need how to brew enhancements micro-brewery homebrew kits

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Beermaking demystified!
You can make your own beer with little effort and a fraction of the cost of commercial beer. This simple method uses just one fermenting process, so only one brewing container is needed.

sable 2 liter plastic pop bottles are used to bottle the beer, saving the work of washing, bottling and capping 60 size glass bottles.

very batch, you're sparing the environment the impact of manufacturing 60 - 70 aluminum cans or glass bottles.

u need

pment few items you need to brew your own homemade beer can be found at your nearest beermaking supply shop, or ost hardware stores. e 10-gallon "food grade" plastic pail with lid. Cost: about $12.00 hon hose. You'll need a 74" length of 5/16" "food grade" vinyl tubing. Cost: $2.00 se clamp for siphon. Cost: $1.00 elve 2- liter plastic pop bottles, with lids.

drometer. Cost: $8.00. A thermometer is also useful. ge pot, or turkey roaster.

edients lt Extract. One 40oz. can of any flavor you like ( light, dark, stout), or a 1.5kg "tall" can of same. The 1.5kg can ains more malt extract so you can make a larger batch or use the same method here to make a richer beer. You also buy 'pre-hopped' extract which will impart more of a hop flavor to your beer. ast. 1 tsp brewers' yeast. Note: some malt comes with little packets of yeast included. gar. 6 - 7 cups of regular white sugar, or 8 - 9 cups of corn sugar (preferred).

even better results, consider using two cans of the malt extract and not using any sugar. This adds to the ense, but further enriches the taste of the beer.

se ingredients should cost between $10 - 15 depending on your choice of malt extract. The yield will be about 23 s of beer, which equals 65 - 70 bottles or cans of beer, of the regular 345ml size.

brew

tize s been said that 75% of brewing is good sanitation. First, clean all equipment with warm, lightly soapy water. e well to remove soap residue. Then sanitize using household bleach at a quantity of 1 tbsp/gallon of water. Or can purchase a no-rinse acid sanitizer such as StarSan, which is effective and leaves no aftertaste.

w our 10 liters of fresh, cold water into the 10 gallon plastic pail (carboy). If the pail is new, wash it out first with a ure of water and baking soda to remove the plastic smell. your largest pot, bring 7 liters of water to a boil. dd one can of malt extract. Stir and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. dd the sugar and stir to dissolve. s soon as the sugar is dissolved, pour contents into the carboy. Pour, or 'splash', the contents quickly, which s air to the mixture. The more air the yeast get initially, the better. It allows them to rapidly grow and get things g. op up with bottled drinking water or tapwater until temperature is neutral. (If using tapwater, it is recommended oil first to kill bacteria, or use an ultraviolet light water filter.) Test using a clean, sanitized thermometer. The oy will now be a little more than half full. prinkle in the yeast, and stir well. Cover with lid. (Set lid on loosely; if capped too tightly, a carboy can explode the carbon dioxide gas that is produced.)

p covered and avoid unnecessary opening. The beer will be ready to bottle in 6- 10 days, depending on ambient perature of the room and amount of sugar used in the brewing. Room temperature should be 20-24 Celsius at highest; 16-20 Celsius is better but it will take the beer a day or two longer to ferment.

for readiness with a hydrometer. Set hydrometer into the beer and spin it once to release bubbles which cling and give a false reading. The "ready to bottle" reading should be about 1.008 for dark beers and 1.010-1.015 for beers. If you don't have a hydrometer, you can judge readiness by tasting a sample - it should not be sweet ng. There should be little or no bubbling action in the beer.

le he carboy on a sturdy table and the 12 2-liter bottles on the floor, with newspaper underneath to catch drips or flows. Using a funnel, put 2 level teaspoons of sugar in each bottle.

on the beer into the bottles, trying not to disturb the sediment on the bottom of the carboy. (One method is to a plastic straw alongside the bottom end of the siphon hose with 1" projecting beyond the end. The tip of the w can touch the bottom of the carboy without the siphon drawing up sediment.) Tip the carboy as you near the om. important to not splash or agitate the beer too much when bottling as any oxygen introduced can lead to ation and a cardboard taste.

ou fill the bottles, keep the end of the siphon tube near the bottom of the bottle to avoid frothing. It is essential the bottles ar not completely filled - leave an airspace. Screw the caps on tightly. Invert each bottle and shake to olve sugar on the bottom. Set bottles in a warm area for the first few days, then store in a dark, cool spot. You drink the beer within a few days of bottling, but it will improve with age.

ements

ve made a few batches of your own homemade beer, it's fun to experiment with different 'enhancements'. When ur own personal touch, however, caution is always a good idea; try things in small amounts so as not to over-do

w suggestions:

Molasses. Add a cup or two of molasses to the malt while it's cooking. Cut back a bit on the sugar. This will art a darker, more full-bodied taste to the beer. Blackstrap molasses is darker and richer; Fancy molasses is er.

Licorice. Throw a few sticks of licorice into the malt while it's cooking. Leave in for 5 - 10 minutes, then remove unmelted pieces before pouring the brew into the carboy.

Hops. Put whole hops (dried) or hop flakes into a cheesecloth bag and add to the cooking malt. A handful is ty. This will give a distinctive hop flavor to the beer.

Herb teas. Try adding 3 or 4 teabags of Celestial Seasonings "Bengal Spice" tea, or "Apple Cinnamon Spice" tea. to the cooking malt and remove after 10 minutes. This will add a bit of spice to the taste of the beer, a very esting flavor.

beer carefully to avoid disturbing the sediment. Re-capped partially full bottles will retain their "fizz" for up to so don't feel you have to empty the bottle (unless you're looking for an excuse!). After two weeks, unfinished ould be emptied.

nd that batches of homemade beer can vary in quality. Darker beers will work best with this recipe for the most results. If your beer is a little short on "fizz" or falls a little short of your expectations, try mixing it 50/50 with l beer or your favorite choice from Beer of the Month Club.

y bottles are rinsed out immediately, washing them later will be easy. Simply rinse with warm, lightly soapy se well to remove soap residue. A mild bleach solution can also be used to clean the bottles.

, your beer will continue to improve for months. It's a good idea to start a second batch right away so you can ough ahead to enjoy fully matured beer.

rewery homebrew kits

wery kits are now available from malt extract suppliers to make it easier for people to get started with home g. These kits come with everything you need to brew your own beer.