How To Brew Your Own Beer

1. Clean and sterilize all your equipment and rinse well with cold water.

2. Boil one gallon of water in a non-aluminum pot.

3. Turn off heat.

4. Mix malt extract, required amount of dried spray malt or corn sugar (sugar and spray malt may be substituted for one another on a cup for cup basis or blended together, the more spray malt that is added in place of corn sugar, the more full bodied the beer) and the one gallon of boling water in the primary fermenter. Mix ingredients until all the malt extract and corn sugar or dry malt is dissolved. Other additives that might be added at this time are yeast nutrient (I recommend 2 tsp. per 5 gallons), gypsum (2 tsp. per 5 gallons recommended), pellitized hops, etc. Use only glass, plastic (food grade) or stanless steel for primary and secondary fermenters.

5. Cook for time specified in recipe and then pour wort in Primary Fermenter.

6. Fill up with 4 gallons of cold water, and cool until temperature drops below 85 degrees, take a hydrometer reading, add packet of yeast, cover fermenter, insert the airlock (filled half way with water) into the hole in the lid and leave to ferment at room temperature 70 - 72 degrees for 5 to 6 days. Fermentation will comence in 12- 24 hours if the temperature of the fermenter is kept up to 70- 72 degrees.

7. After primary fermentation (about 5 days) take another hydrometer reading. If the specific gravity is 1.010 or less syphon beer into a 5 gallon secondary fermenter, install airlock and let stand in the coolest place available for 7 days.

8. After secondary fermentation, the beer will have clarified greatly. Syphon into a clean open primary fermenter, add bottling sugar (3/4 cup of corn sugar to 5 gallons. Mix bottling sugar with a small amount of hot water so that it blends well with the beer.) Mix gently and immediatly syphon into bottles and cap.

   A Note About Priming

9. Store bottles at room temperature for 7 to 10 days and check for proper carbonation by opening a room temperature bottle. If it's carbonation is to your liking, refrigerate and enjoy.

10. Remember that now you should have another batch brewing.

    Suggested Reading and Viewing:
    

    "Brewing Quality Beers" by Burch

    "New Complete Joy of Homebrewing" by Papazian

     

Hydrometer reading note
*The use of a hydrometer is highly recommended, and should be used before the onset of fermentation. This will tell you what your potential alcohol will be when the beer is totally fermented.
*Wort
The liquid solution is called wort before it is fermented into beer.
Cleanliness Note
*The most important procedure to remember is CLEANLINESS. Keep all utensils clean by using a recommended cleaner, and always use an airlock on both primary and secondary fermenters.