Home Brew Bloggers on February 21, 2020 0 Comments Have you been thinking about making your own beer at home, but don’t know where to begin? The beer making process can seem intimidating to an amateur brewer, but there are many people who are producing their own beer at home and you can too! You have to start somewhere, and now is the perfect time to discover what you need to take the next step. Once you learn the fundamentals, you’ll be well on your way to making the brews you’ve always wanted from the comfort of your home. Step 1: The Recipes The four main ingredients in beer are yeast, hops, water, and grains. Every beer that you have ever tried contains these four basic ingredients. However, other beers will have different varieties and measurements of these ingredients that give them their unique taste. For example, IPA’s have more hops in them than other beers on the market. Extra hops give an IPA its unique and bitter taste and put it higher on the IBU scale (international bitterness unit). However, you can begin to experiment with other types of ingredients once you get your foundation set. Other ingredients that you could put into your beer include cocoa nibs, coffee grounds, spices, and fruit extracts. The sky’s the limit once you get your fundamentals down. You will be able to make the beer of your dreams using the ingredients that grab your interests. Be sure to experiment with different ingredients to find your perfect beer recipe! Step 2: Equipment The next step that you need to look into is to find the right brewing equipment. For basic brew making, you will need to get your hands on these pieces of equipment: Five-gallon bucket and a five-gallon pot Carboy Clear tubing Three-piece airlock Auto-siphon Thermometer Sterilizing cleanser Hydrometer Bottles and caps Kegerator Don’t be alarmed if this seems like a lot! Many of these home brew supplies are more affordable than you realize. Keep an eye out for specials and other kinds of deals out there that you can benefit from. Step 3: Brewing Process Finally, on to the brewing process! It is very important that you keep the importance of sterilization in your mind at all times. Outside bacteria can make your beer toxic and unsafe to drink! This means that you need to keep the area that you are working in clean at all times. Sterilize your equipment and wash your hands every time you come into contact with your beer. You will first begin by steeping your grains in hot water in your brewing pot. The water needs to be at 170 degrees. Remove the grains and bring the kettle of water to a boil. Add hops to your recipe to begin adding flavor to it. At this point, the concoction that you have created is called a wort. The wort needs to be chilled in an ice-water bath or by using a designated wort chiller. The next step consists of fermenting the wort. Place the wort into your sanitized carboy and fill it up to the five-gallon mark. Add oxygen to the wort by gently moving swirling it around. Sanitize your yeast packet before placing it into the carboy: this step is very important so that you don’t contaminate your brew! Pour the yeast packet into the carboy, seal the fermenter with a cork and then add your airlock. Store your concoction into a cool and dark place that can be easily cleaned such as an extra bathroom, a storage closet, or a temperature-controlled garage. Step 4: Bottling Make sure to sanitize all bottles and caps before beginning the bottling process. Prepare your priming sugar so that it can be activated by the yeast that is inside of your concoction. Put your priming sugar into the bottom of your bottling bucket and then transfer your beer from the carboy to your bucket. Fill each bottle to the neck and then cap them. Store your bottles in the same cool and dark place for about two weeks to give them time to carbonate. Finally, open up your fresh batch of beer and enjoy it! The Magic of Homebrew Making beer is a passion for many. Fortunately, you can make your own beer in the comfort of your home. Be sure to follow our steps closely and make sure that you practice sterilization safely. Once you make your first batch of beer you will find that your next one will get easier. Keep at it until you can call yourself a brewmaster of your own creations! Now it’s time to enjoy your very own beer inside your man cave or another place of choice!
