Have you ever entertained the idea of making beer at home? Homebrewing is fun, easy. What starts as a hobby turns into an obsession and soon becomes a way of life. Welcome to your adventures in home brewing.
If you can make a lip-smacking mac and cheese or can create splendid omelettes, then you can brew your own beer. It isn’t as difficult as you imagine it to be. All you need is the passion and some basic knowledge of the science behind beer making.
In this article, we’re going to show you how to brew your first beer. Let’s first gather the supplies you’ll need.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
- A large kettle to boil beer
- A large jug to ferment it
- Hose/siphon
- Dishwashing liquid and Sanitizer
- Bottles with caps to store your beer
- Ingredients for your beer like malt, yeast, hops, water and other additional flavours you want to include in your beer like priming sugar, honey
Apart from these, you’ll require other few supplies like a wooden spatula, spoon, thermometer, and ice that you can easily pick around the house.
Have you gathered your supplies? Let’s begin.
CLEAN AND SANITIZE YOUR EQUIPMENTS
This is the most important step in brewing your homemade beer. An unclean or contaminated vessel can make your beer murky. Wash all the equipment you’ll be using and sanitize it to remove any germs.
BREWING THE BEER
Alright, it’s time to start the actual brewing process. In fact, beer making is as easy as cooking mashed potatoes or brewing tea.
Heat around 1.25 gallons of mineral water. Once the water begins to boil add the crushed grains (you can use malted barley, rye or wheat) into it and let it steep for ten minutes. The liquid mixture is now called as wort or unfermented beer.
Boil the wort for around forty-five minutes. During the initial stages of boiling, add the malt extract and hops. At the end of the 45-minute mark, finish off with the flavouring agents like honey.
The next step is to cool the wort. Place the kettle in a sink filled with ice to cool it down quickly.
FERMENTING THE BEER
This is the step where the magic begins to happen. Siphon a gallon of the cooled wort from the kettle to a jug for fermentation. Close the jar and shake to mix the liquid well. The next step is to add in yeast and to place a small device called fermentation lock on top of the jug.
Place your jug in a cool, dark space for around two weeks. As the beer begins to ferment, you can see frothy foam and bubbles forming in the liquid. This signals that your beer is ready to be used.
IT’S TIME TO SAMPLE YOUR HOMEBREWED BEER
The time required for fermentation depends on the ingredients, the recipe, and temperature. Once the beer is fermented pop open the jug and filter it into bottles or clean jars. Then add a few fizzing tablets into each container. These tablets carbonate your regular beer.
Now, store the beer at room temperature for a couple of weeks, after which you can refrigerate it.
Yes, we know that you can’t wait to taste the fruits of your labour. But, have patience and let the beer settle for a few weeks. The more you hold on, the tastier your beer will be.
SOME TIPS FOR BEGINNER HOMEBREWERS TO HELP YOU GET STARTED
Clean and Sanitize – We can’t stress this enough. Remember that even the slightest contamination can wreck the entire process. It’s better to err on the side of caution and ensure that you clean and sanitize all your equipment and vessels thoroughly.
Check out a Home brewing supply kit – Several brewers sell home brewing kits to help beginners get started. These kits contain all the ingredients that you require in the right amounts. A kit is an easy way to begin your home brewing adventure.
Approach your local craft brewer – The brewing community is one of the friendliest groups of people you’ll ever meet. The love for the drink is so evident that they will help you with valuable insights and tips.
Choose a recipe that you like – Don’t start with an exotic beer that you haven’t ever tasted. Instead, choose something simple that you enjoy. Once you get the hang of home brewing, you can experiment with new flavours.
Don’t bite more than you can chew – While the thought of brewing your annual supply of beer is enticing; start with small amounts like a couple of bottles. You can increase the amount as you gain confidence.
HOME BREWING IS AN ADVENTURE
While it may appear daunting, brewing a single batch of beer at home is pretty easy. Gather up a few beer aficionados over the weekend and try your hand in brewing your own beer. Once you have tasted the fruits of your labour, we’re pretty sure that you’ll regularly brew at home.
Enjoy the drink!
To start a Home Brewery you need to get right consultation on Microbrewery setup. We at Rohit Jafa Brewing solutions helps you in that regards. We can be checked on www.microbreweryindia.com | Talk to us @ (+91)9811233358.