Kit Brewing
BASIC BREW: YOUR FIRST BATCH (taken
from DeFalcos Home Brew Shop Site)
INGREDIENTS:
5 - 7 lbs. hopped malt extract*
1/3 - 1/2 oz. (9 -14 g.) finishing hops*
1 pkg. water salts**
3/4 cup corn sugar*** (for priming)
7-14 g. (1-2 pkgs.) ale yeast****
1 pkg. Bru-Vigor (yeast food)
* generally 2 cans or 1 can & 1 - 3 lbs. hopped dried malt (see "Variations" below).
You may substitute unhopped malt extract (dried or syrup & 1 - 2 oz. hop
pellets for the hopped extract. You will need to boil a least half of the hops
with the malt extract for a minimum of 30 minutes. Add half of the remaining
hops during the last 10 minutes of the boil & the rest, as finishing hops,
immediately after the boil.
** omit with pilsners, porters, and stouts
*** you may substitute 1 1/4 cup dried malt for the corn sugar - a little more
body, but no dramatic improvement in flavor
****good quality-generally NOT the one on top of the can!
PROCEDURE (Single Stage Method):
To avoid disasters, ignore the directions on the can of malt extract!!! These
are invariably poor directions, at best, and atrocious, at worst!
1. SANITIZE YOUR EQUIPMENT! This will save you the
heartache of dumping out a contaminated batch of beer. Use Iodophor iodine
sanitizer [1 Tbs. (2 capfuls)/5 gal. COLD water]. An alternative is unscented
chlorine bleach [1 oz. (2 Tbs)/gal. COLD water] on equipment directly before
use (and after), rinsing with hot tap water. Don't leave plastic in contact
with bleach solutions for long periods of time or you will have bleach beer.
Not very tasty.
2. Immerse the can(s) of malt in a hot water bath in your sink to soften up
the contents. (You may wish to remove the label first)
3. Bring two gallons of water to boil in an enameled or stainless steel kettle.
Avoid aluminum, as it leaves a bad metallic taste.
4. Turn off heat, open the can(s) of malt, and pour into the kettle. This is
also the time to add dried malt extract,(Brewery grade corn syrup, or rice
syrup/powder may also be added at this time in lieu of some - no more than
35%, of the hopped malt extract). Now add the water salts . Stir thoroughly,
as undissolved malt has a nice habit of sinking to the bottom and burning.
What a mess!
5. Bring the mixture (now known as "wort") back to a boil. It will foam up
at first, so be careful and reduce the heat when it rises up. This will save
you major stovetop cleaning.
6. Maintain a rolling boil for 10 - 15 minutes.
7. Turn off heat. Add finishing hops now.
8. Cool the wort by placing the kettle in your sink with 6-8 inches of cold
water. Let sit about 20 - 30 minutes, if necessary change out the cooling bath
after 10 to 15 minutes. If available, add a few trays of ice cubes to the cooling
bath.
9. While the wort is cooling, sprinkle the dried yeast into 1/2 cup of body-
temperature water (94°-100°). Cover with Saran Wrap or aluminum foil.
Yeast should absorb water and foam up.
10. Pour the cooled wort into the primary fermenter and add cold water to bring
the volume up to 5 gallons. If your local tap water is good and not too "chlorine-y," use
it. If it's nasty consider using bottled water (expensive!), vending machine
water (much more reasonable), or simply pre-boiling the water and allowing
it to cool (even more reasonable!). An activated charcoal filter will remove
chlorine and some of the minor problems. After you have re-constituted the
wort up to the five gallon level, stir well and take a hydrometer reading.
Either sanitize a plastic or glass gravy baster and remove a sample of the
wort. Squirt it into a test stand (the plastic tube the hydrometer is stored
in will suffice). Make sure that the tube is at least 3/4 full (at least full
enough to float the hydrometer in the tube). Where the liquid touches the glass,
the scale can be read. The initial gravity should be about 1.035 - 1.050. To
correct for temperature, add .001 for every 7° above 60°F. Write this
down.
11. When the wort is cool, (under 90° F), add the yeast solution. Sprinkle
Bru-Vigor onto the wort. Snap on the airtight lid. Press around the outer edge
until it is completely sealed. Fill the airlock half full of water and fit
into #2 rubber stopper or rubber grommet. Fit this into the hole in the lid.
12. WAIT SEVEN DAYS! Do not remove the lid during
this period. Room temperature should be 60° - 80° (ideal is 65°-70°).
Fermenting outside or in the garage is generally to be avoided, because the
ambient temperature flucuates tremendously. Hmmm! Not good! Within a few hours,
you should notice the fermentation has begun. This will be apparent, because
the fermentation lock on your fermenter will be merrily bubbling away. A thick
layer of foam should cover the beer and it will be releasing large amounts
of carbon dioxide bubbles. The fermentation is usually noticeably active for
only 2 - 4 days, and you should notice that there should now be a "scuz" line
about an inch above the beer. Visible action will probably cease after 2 or
3 days, but allow to ferment and settle for the entire week!
13. After the week is up, check the final specific gravity with your hydrometer.
It should be 1.013 or less (write this down). If the gravity is
greater than 1.015, DO NOT BOTTLE! CALL FOR ASSISTANCE!
14. Pour the 3/4 cup of priming sugar into a small saucepan with a cup of water,
and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, sanitize your priming vessel.
15. Syphon the beer into the vessel while slowly mixing in the sugar syrup.
Stir well without excessive splashing.
16. Syphon the beer into bottles and cap immediately. Use a bottle filler for
ease in filling.
17. Allow to age upright at room temperature (above 60°F) for at least
15 days. Peak flavor is reached after 4 - 8 weeks, if you can wait that long.
18. Chill (upright) and serve. Pour carefully so as not to disturb the small
amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottles. Enjoy!
ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURE (Double Stage Method):
Proceed as above on steps #1 through #11, Then proceed as outlined
below:
12. Allow to ferment 3 - 4 days. Do not remove the lid during this period.
Room temperature should be 60° - 80° (ideal is 65° - 70°).
During initial fermentation a dense, rocky head will form, leaving a "scuz" line
about an inch above the beer when it subsides.
13. After the 3 - 4 days, if the rocky head has subsided, the beer is ready
to be racked (syphoned) into the secondary fermenter. Check the S.G. with your
hydrometer. It should read less than 1.020. Attach the fermentation lock (filled
halfway with water). Allow to ferment and settle until the action has (virtually)
ceased and the beer has clarified (usually 1 to 2 weeks). Check the S.G. again:
it should be 1.013 or less (write this down as well). If the gravity
is greater than 1.016, DO NOT BOTTLE! CALL FOR ASSISTANCE!
14. Pour the 3/4 of priming sugar into a small saucepan with a cup of water,
and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, sanitize your primary fermenter.
15. Syphon the beer into the primary while slowly mixing in the sugar syrup.
Stir well without excessive splashing.
16. Syphon the beer into bottles and cap immediately. Use a bottle filler for
ease in filling.
17. Allow to age upright at room temperature for at least 15 days. Peak flavor
is reached after 4 - 8 weeks, if you can wait that long.
18. Chill (upright) and serve. Pour carefully so as not to disturb the small
amount of sediment at the bottom of the bottles. Enjoy!
VARIATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS ON BASIC RECIPES
1. Replace hopped malt extract with plain, unhopped malt and use an ounce to
two ounces of hop pellets. Boil 2/3 - 1.5 oz. for 30 minutes with wort and
then add 1/3 - 1/2 oz. and turn off heat. Hops contribute tartness, dryness,
and herbal fragrance to beer. If these are the characteristics you like in
beer, use more or alternately use a stronger variety of hops.
2. Malt contributes body (thickness) and a sweet-ish smoothness to beer. If
you wish to increase these traits in your beer, add 1/2 lb. crystal malt grain
to two quarts water. Heat water (ideal temperature 150° - 160°). Steep
15 - 20 minutes.
Strain out grains and rinse with several quarts hot tap water. Bring grain
tea to a boil and add malt extract, resuming basic procedure.
3. If you prefer a lighter-bodied, more domestic style beer substitute 1 -
2 lbs. of either brewery grade corn syrup or rice syrup/powder for the malt
extract in the basic recipe. The resulting beverage should be a lighter tasting
and paler colored beer. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND SUBSTITUTING CORN
OR CANE SUGAR FOR MALT IN THE RECIPE!!! Sugar, in quantities
even as small as one pound per five gallons, tends to produce winey, cidery
off-flavors.