How to Make Beer at Home – Almost Easier Than it Looks
How to make beer at home is a lot easier than you would guess. Some people say, “Home made beer sure sounds like a good idea but are you sure?”
“I mean do I have the right equipment, the right frame of mind, the right recipe?”
Let me put a few of your fears to rest. First off, if you can boil water, you can make beer. Boiling is about as complicated as it gets. Keep an eye on your brew kettle to avoid boil over and you’re home free.
The right equipment is another thing people seem to be overly concerned about. You need a large pot, a couple five gallon lidded buckets with a hole for an airlock in them.
This lets CO2 out and keeps airborne bacteria out.
You’ll need a siphoning hose about 3/4″ wide and a straight, clear plastic tube which fits snugly in the hose. That’s about it. Oh, and a thermometer.
Home brew kits come with a few extra items, like a hydrometer, a bottle capper and a funnel. I’ve been making beer for twelve years now, and I’ve really never needed a funnel.
What you don’t already have in your kitchen, you can get at your local hardware store.
Now, to make a batch of beer, put three gallons of water in the refrigerator the night before you brew.
Pour the contents of two cans of malted barley (a little over six pounds worth) into a pot with two gallons of water. Stir to keep the malt from sticking to the bottom and continue stirring until the malt is dissolved in the water.
Bring it to a gentle boil and add 2 ounces of hops. For your first batch, it doesn’t much make a difference what kind of hops. When you begin to emulate certain styles, then the choice of hops will make a big difference in your final brew.
Boil for one hour and add 2 more ounces of the same hops at the last minute of boiling.
While that is cooking, sanitize and rinse a five to seven gallon bucket. And fill your sink with ice and water.
When the hour of boiling is up, place your brew-pot in the ice bath, let it cool to just about 80 degrees. Add the brew to your bucket and fill with your chilled water. You are looking for an end temperature of around 70.
Feel free to pour and stir to aerate the mixture. Sprinkle yeast over the top, seal with the lid and insert the airlock (which should be half full of water).
Tuck your bucket away for a week and you’ll have bucket of beer.
Author: Frank Schmidt
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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