As an alternative to store-bought drinks, home brewing beer can be unique. Some say it tastes better, as the fact that it is organic means that it has much fewer artificial chemicals in it. It can also often have a higher alcohol content, although it can be both alcoholic and non-alcoholic and which it is is, of course, a decision made by the brewer.
These home brewed drinks can be served at your parties or gatherings for free, and they must be for personal use, only. Although the ingredients may be harder to find, any recipe will usually contain hops, malt, water and probably yeast if the drink is alcoholic.
Kits can bought to make the process of buying and measuring the ingredients easier, particularly for the beginner. Equipment is required that may not be found in an ordinary kitchen, such as a racking cane, a brew kettle and an airlock. It will take a couple of hours to begin, so set aside an afternoon so you do not have approaching engagements on your mind.
Of course, sanitation is important so it is a good idea to make sure that your kitchen and the equipment that you are going to be using are spotless before you begin. First, you will boil to malt in water, to create a concoction called wort. Boiling sanitises further as it will kill any bacteria that may contaminate your beer and possibly ruin it. This is because microbes cannot live in high temperatures, and so boiling ensures that you will start with a clean mixture that will eventually be your beer.
After your malt has dissolved, you will add the hops. The hops add the bitter flavour, contributing to that traditional taste. After this, you will need to cool your wort after taking it off the boil. It is best to use the lid on the brew kettle, here, as it will help prevent bacteria from getting into your wort as it becomes no longer too hot for them to live in. The lid, however, will also slow down the cooling process, so it might be advisable to put the kettle into some ice to speed it up. Do not put ice in the wort, however, as the ice may have microbes on its surface.
After the cooling, the wort will need to be transferred to the fermenter, and then the yeast will be added. When it has been mixed in, the wort is almost beer. This is because the malt sugar and the yeast are fermented, eventually becoming alcohol. This can take a few days or a fortnight to be completed.
It will be put into bottles for the next stage, after the wort has been put into a bucket with priming sugar. Leave the dormant yeast and hop residue in the fermenter, which needs to be cleaned as you will be using it again. In the bottles, the small amount of yeast left will start fermenting the priming sugar.
After a couple of days, you will need to siphon your beer, which should be put back into a now clean fermenter. The siphoning keeps the drink sanitised and you will need to siphon the beer into a sanitised bottling container that will have boiling water to rid the liquid of any new bacteria. After this, your beer can be put into bottles, as it is almost done. This home brewing beer will be drinkable in a couple of weeks, after which time the yeast will have fully fermented the priming sugar.
These home brewed drinks can be served at your parties or gatherings for free, and they must be for personal use, only. Although the ingredients may be harder to find, any recipe will usually contain hops, malt, water and probably yeast if the drink is alcoholic.
Kits can bought to make the process of buying and measuring the ingredients easier, particularly for the beginner. Equipment is required that may not be found in an ordinary kitchen, such as a racking cane, a brew kettle and an airlock. It will take a couple of hours to begin, so set aside an afternoon so you do not have approaching engagements on your mind.
Of course, sanitation is important so it is a good idea to make sure that your kitchen and the equipment that you are going to be using are spotless before you begin. First, you will boil to malt in water, to create a concoction called wort. Boiling sanitises further as it will kill any bacteria that may contaminate your beer and possibly ruin it. This is because microbes cannot live in high temperatures, and so boiling ensures that you will start with a clean mixture that will eventually be your beer.
After your malt has dissolved, you will add the hops. The hops add the bitter flavour, contributing to that traditional taste. After this, you will need to cool your wort after taking it off the boil. It is best to use the lid on the brew kettle, here, as it will help prevent bacteria from getting into your wort as it becomes no longer too hot for them to live in. The lid, however, will also slow down the cooling process, so it might be advisable to put the kettle into some ice to speed it up. Do not put ice in the wort, however, as the ice may have microbes on its surface.
After the cooling, the wort will need to be transferred to the fermenter, and then the yeast will be added. When it has been mixed in, the wort is almost beer. This is because the malt sugar and the yeast are fermented, eventually becoming alcohol. This can take a few days or a fortnight to be completed.
It will be put into bottles for the next stage, after the wort has been put into a bucket with priming sugar. Leave the dormant yeast and hop residue in the fermenter, which needs to be cleaned as you will be using it again. In the bottles, the small amount of yeast left will start fermenting the priming sugar.
After a couple of days, you will need to siphon your beer, which should be put back into a now clean fermenter. The siphoning keeps the drink sanitised and you will need to siphon the beer into a sanitised bottling container that will have boiling water to rid the liquid of any new bacteria. After this, your beer can be put into bottles, as it is almost done. This home brewing beer will be drinkable in a couple of weeks, after which time the yeast will have fully fermented the priming sugar.
About the Author:
Watch homebrew videos to learn how to make your own beer. Our free resources show you how to homebrew.
