Brewed Slowly: Homebrewing Basics
I was recently asked to write up a post that covers the basics of homebrewing, and I realized that I probably should have done so at the beginning of this blog’s existence. In any case, I’m doing it now. If you’re considering starting to brew your own beer, or if you’re just interested in the process, hopefully this post will give you an idea of how it works and where you need to go to get started.
As I’ve told several friends when they ask me about homebrewing–it’s too easy and too cheap not to do it.
The easiest way to start brewing your own beer is to get a starter homebrew kit. There are tons of websites that sell these kits (starting around $100), and if you have a local homebrew store, they should be available there as well. These kits vary in price and quality and in the amount of equipment you get. I got my kit at Homebrewers.com. This kit is a deal because it includes an all inclusive beer ingredient kit, which will typically cost anywhere from $20 to $50 (and all you have to do is follow directions and you’ve made your first beer). Since I’ve only made extract beers so far, I can only explain how it works making beer from extract. When I get to making beers using all-grain, I’ll definitely do a description of it as well.
Making the beer is about as easy as following a recipe for chili. In the interest of brevity, I’ll keep this description pretty general, otherwise this post will be longer than you want to read–assuming you are still reading now.
If you’re still here, good deal.
Basically, a homebrewer will steep some specialty grains, which contribute several things to the beer (i.e. taste, head retention, color) around 150 Fahrenheit for 30 min to 1 hour in as much water as will safely fit into the pot, then add malt extract (liquid or dry), bittering hops, and boil for an hour. Most people add hops at various times during the boil to get different tastes/aromas. After the boil is done, the wort (what’s in the pot) is cooled to a temperature safe to pitch the yeast at. Usually, I’ll chill the pot in an ice bath and get the temp down to about 110 F, then top it off with enough cold water to make 5 gallons and it’ll drop the temp, usually, to around 80 F or so. This lower temperature is necessary so that the yeast will proof, and not die, when added to the wort. After the yeast is added to the wort, the fermentor is lidded and the airlock is fitted into the lid.
Then it’s time to wait. We all know what they say about the waiting.
After a few days, give or take, the fermentation will be complete (the airlock will stop bubbling). Then the fermented, but uncarbonated, beer is transferred to bottles or a keg system, where it can be carbonated in various ways, and aged anywhere from 2 weeks to several months or even years. I can’t ever wait that long.
I know that was a pretty fast run-through on how to brew at home, but I think that makes the process somewhat clear or at least demystifies it a little. There are myriad other variables that can change the process, such as using grain instead of extract, dry-hopping, throwing in additives (honey, gypsum, salts), wort-chilling, or transferring to secondary fermentors, but we’ll save them for another day.
There are enough books on homebrewing to fill a small library, and these books can be very helpful to not helpful at all. I highly recommend Charlie Papzian’s The Joy of Hombrewing and Homebrewing for Dummies for beginning homebrewers. They both cover the basics and come with lots of good recipes for brewers of all levels.
I’ll do some posts in the future where I tackle some of the separate steps involved in brewing, what their purposes are, and different ways to complete them.
Last, but absolutely not least, to really get the most out homebrewing beer, it is essential to have some beers on hand, preferably homemade, to ease through the process without worry. That and a good stereo system and music. Iron Maiden records work pretty well. As does anything by the Replacements or Paul Westerberg (for obvious reasons).
Now, go get your ass a homebrew kit and make some beer.
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