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FERMENTATION FRENZY'S HOMEBREWING It is easy to get started brewing today. First, read through the following step-by-step brewing instructions. Then brew. Do not hesitate to email (phil@fermentationfrenzy.com) or call (650.949.BREW) if there are any questions. Also, check out the web site for events and recipes. A few notes on the beer you are about to brew. Your ingredients consist of: (1) Roughly 6.5 lbs. of malt extract -- this constitutes the fermentable sugar. It also provides body, aroma, and a malty flavor. (2) One pound of barley malt -- usually a crystal malt that will provide additional body (mouthfeel), color, sweetness, and aroma. How much color is determined by the 'lovibond' rating. The higher the number the darker the beer. (20L = light, 60L = some red, 90L = reddish hue, etc.) (3) Two ounce of hops -- There are many types of hops. Some one which give the beer a spicy or a citrusy aroma. Some are 'clean' and some are grassy. Hops are added to offset the sweetness of the malt extract to provide balance and are also used for their delightful aromatic qualities. (4) Yeast -- Ah, the mystical, magical world of fermentation. Added to the cooled wort (68-80 F) these critters eat the sugar to produce the alcohol. Its best to keep a constant temperature - ales ferment best at temperatures between 62-70 degrees. Lagers need 45-55 degrees. Let's not worry about lagers just yet. By using these ingredients, you have jumped to what many call 'intermediate brewing'. Fret not. It is very easy and with a little attention to sanitation the brew will be wonderful. Just remember to relax and have a homebrew (or, since this is your first, a local microbrew). PREPARATION Water is a very important part of your homebrew. I suggest using any good tasting water. Tap water is fine, if it tastes good. If yours does not, then pick up some spring water (roughly 7.5 gallons) at the store. Do not use distilled or reverse osmosis (RO) water as they have little to no mineral content. Finally, if you choose to use your tap water, I suggest pre-boiling the top-off water to get rid of the chlorine. Get some ice while you're at the store (2 or 3 bags). This will help in dropping the temperature after the boil. START 1. Fill your kettle with water (2.5 to 6.5 gallons depending on which size of a kettle you have. Just make sure there is at least 1 gallon of room left in the kettle.) Heat the water to 170 F. Turn off the heat. 2. Add the malt extract to the kettle. Stir constantly to dissolve the extract quickly. Try to get as much out of container as possible. 3. Place the grains into the steeping bag and soak in the covered kettle for 15 minutes. Start step 4 while you are waiting. SANITIZE YOUR EQUIPMENT and PREPARE THE YEAST 1. Fill your fermenter with cold water. Add 1/2 ounce BTF Iodophor per 5 gallons. Soak the fermentation lock, small rubber stopper, and a large spoon in the solution for 5 minutes. No rinse is necessary but we like to recommend a light rinse with pre-boiled or store bought water. (TIP) Sanitize a strip of aluminum foil to line your counter. Let the sanitized equipment dry on the foil. 2. Check your yeast package for preparation instructions. Our rule of thumb is to take the yeast out of the fridge and begin to warm it to room temperature. (TRICK) Carry it around with you in your pants pocket. BREW 1. After the 15 minute soak, remove the grains and bring the wort to a boil. Careful of boil-overs! 2. When you have reached a boil, remove the lid and add the hops per instructions on the package. Most recipes call for a 1 hour boil and 2 hop additions. Keep a good, strong boil going for the whole 60 minutes. It's best to keep the kettle uncovered. 3. Cool the wort to 65-80 F. This is where the ice comes in handy. If you leave the wort to cool on its own expect it to take roughly 12 hours. This is no fun. Get the ice and place it around the kettle with a little water. This can be done by placing the covered kettle in a tub, the sink, or the bath, anything that can accommodate the ice water. Stir wort and ice water occasionally with a sanitized spoon. To make it go even faster, ask about "wort chillers" next time you visit the shop. BTW - If you have not done so yet, drain your fermenter of the sanitizing solution (keep a couple pints of the solution in a separate container). 4. Pour the cooled wort into the fermenter. Top up to roughly 5.25 gallons with the pre-boiled or store bought spring water. 5. Pitch the yeast into the wort. Mix the yeast in aggressively. Don't be afraid to splash the wort around. In fact, its encouraged as it helps the yeast begin the fermentation process. 6. Fill the airlock to the middle line with water, or better yet, a little bit of vodka. Done. Now wasn't that easy? FERMENTATION Your wort is finally ready to ferment. Put the fermenter in a cool, dark place - It is best to pick a spot that can be kept between 60-70 F. Fermentation usually starts within 24 hours. Bubbles will perk through the fermentation lock and foam will begin to develop. Although fermentation may take anywhere from 3 to 7 days, I suggest you plan to wait 7-10 days before transferring/bottling. This allows the yeast to settle out a little, and to ensure a complete fermentation (Optional Step) SECONDARY FERMENTATION For those of you with a 5 gallon glass secondary fermenter - after 5 to 7 days, sanitize your racking equipment (auto-siphon and hose), carboy, and stopper using the same procedure as above. Transfer the beer (its now beer) by siphoning it from the primary to the secondary. Let it age for another 7 to 14 days. In the long run this is a good step to do because it gives time for the beer to settle and age. BTW - there will be little to no signs of fermentation after the transfer. BOTTLE YOUR BEER 1. Okay so the fermentation is complete, now what? Time to clean and sanitize 2 cases of bottles, 50 crown caps, your racking equipment, the bottling wand, and a bottling bucket. Use the same rules as above. If you do not have a bottling bucket use your 5 gallon kettle or the primary fermenter if it is open or . . . read on. 2. To create carbonation we add a little bit of extra sugar to each bottle and let the yeast create the CO2. We like to recommend dissolving 1 cup of bottling (corn) sugar in 1 pint of boiling water. Let the mixture cool. 3. If you have a bottling bucket (or like container) then transfer the beer into it. As you transfer gently add the sugar water. If you do not have a bottling container, then gently stir the sugar water into the primary fermenter. In both cases let this stand for 5 minutes and then begin to bottle. 4. You haven't used it yet but this little device called a "bottling wand" is about to make bottling oh-so-much-easier. Attach the wand to the racking cane and tubing. Prime the siphon. (This may take a few tries before you get the hang of it.) Press the wand on the bottom of the bottle and beer flows in. Fill to the very top and lift the wand off the bottom. Presto! The flow is shutoff and the bottle is filled to the perfect level. 5. Attach the crown cap with the aid of that other magical device known as the capper. Try it out on an empty bottle first, just to get the hang of it. CARBONATION Store the bottles in a cool, dark place for 1 to 2 weeks. Keep the bottles at roughly the same temperature as the beer fermented. Try a bottle after a week to test the carbonation. If it has enough carbonation, great. If not, then give it another week. Cool the beer, call the neighbors, alert your loved ones. Relax, enjoy a homebrew! |
