The beer making process is so easy that anyone can do it! Truly anyone can make great beer. The process is simple and the costs affordable. The outcome is highly rewarding and tasty!

There are four basic steps in creating your own beer.

  1. Recipe, Boiling, & Chilling
  2. Primary Fermentation
  3. Secondary Fermentation
  4. Bottling & Conditioning

BOIL

STEP ONE:

  1. Choose Your Recipe.
    -Ingredients could include a pre-packaged and hop-flavored kit, unhopped base malt and your own hops, malt syrup, dry malt extract, or malt extract made from a full mash of grain. It’s up to you!
  2. Steep Grains.
    -Pour clean water into pot. Put crushed grains into cloth bag & tie the end into a knot. Place grain filled bag into brewpot and heat water approximately 150-170F depending on the recipe. Carefully remove bag and allow to drain into pot. Discard bag.
  3. Boil.
    -Heat until boiling. Add malt extract. Stir until it returns to a boil. Add bittering hops. Boil 30-90 minutes depending on the recipe. If included, add flavor or aroma hops and boil for an additional 5-20 minutes.
  4. Chill.
    -Cool the wort rapidly to 70F. Cooling can be done by immersing pot into a tub of cold water and stirring. A simple device called a wort chiller can also be used, saving time at this point of the brewing process.

STEP TWO:

  1. Transfer Into Fermenter.
    -Siphoning from your brewpot helps leave sediment behind. Top up fermenter until level reaches the 5 gallon mark. Be sure to stir well.
  2. Specific Gravity.
    -Take the original gravity reading and record for future reference.
  3. Yeast.
    -Stir the yeast in very well and secure the fermenter with an airlock. Store at room temperature(68-72F). Ferment for 7-10 days.

STEP THREE:

  1. Transfer Into Secondary.
    -Siphoning beer gently into secondary fermenter helps improve clarity. If included in recipe, additional hops or flavorings can be added at this point. Re-attach airlock and allow to finish fermenting for 5-30 days.

STEP FOUR:

  1. Make Simple Syrup
    -In a small saucepan, dissolve priming sugar into 2 cups of water and boil for 5 minutes. Allow to cool, then pour contents into bottling bucket.
  2. Siphon Beer Into Bottling Bucket.
    -The siphoning action should thoroughly blend the beer and sugar solution.
  3. Fill & Cap Bottles.
    -Fill bottles using tubing and bottling wand. Fill approximately once inch from the top and then cap.
  4. Condition Beer.
    -Store in a dark place at room temperature for two weeks.
  5. Drink Beer! Cheers!

*Sanitation is the key to success! Any piece of equipment that comes in contact with your product should be cleaned & sanitized!*

Start the beer brewing process today by getting the right equipment & the right ingredients at the right price! Let Home Brew Shop be your source for great home made beer!