http://brewwiki.com/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Jpkole&feedformat=atomBrewWiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T00:16:17ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.24.2http://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Suppliers&diff=2898Suppliers2006-09-20T06:10:09Z<p>Jpkole: /* Colorado */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Portal|name=Suppliers}}<br />
A variety of shops, online stores, and wholesale suppliers are available to help you create your favorite homebrew or craftbrew. This article includes just a few of the thousands available.<br />
<br />
==Online Suppliers==<br />
A listing of suppliers with online catalogs and order forms. Listed alphabetically. <br />
* [http://www.austinhomebrew.com/ Austin Homebrew Supply]<br />
* [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith Recipe Software]<br />
* [http://www.freshops.com/ Freshhops.com]<br />
* [http://www.homebrewheaven.com/ Homebrew Heaven]<br />
* [http://www.thehomebrewstore.com/ Home Brew Supply, LLC]<br />
* [http://www.hopsandberries.com/ Hops & Berries]<br />
* [http://www.leeners.com/ Leeners Homebrew Supply]<br />
* [http://www.midwestsupplies.com/ Midwest Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies]<br />
* [http://www.northernbrewer.com/ Northern Brewer]<br />
* [http://www.paddockwood.com/ Paddock Wood Brewing Supplies]<br />
* [http://www.thebrewhut.com The Brew Hut]<br />
* [http://www.williamsbrewing.com/ Williams Brewing]<br />
<br />
==Brewing Software Suppliers==<br />
Software for formulating recipes and performing brewing calculations.<br />
* [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith Brewing Software]<br />
* [http://www.promash.com ProMash Brewing Software]<br />
* [http://www.strangebrew.ca StrangeBrew Brewing Software]<br />
* [http://www.usermode.org/code.html Qbrew] - Cross-Platform, Open Source Brewing Software<br />
<br />
== Local Brewing Suppliers by State & Country==<br />
Listed by state and city or country if appropriate.<br />
===California===<br />
* [http://www.brewsupply.com/ Culver City Home Brewing Supply] - Culver City, CA<br />
* [http://www.williamsbrewing.com/ Williams Brewing] - San Leandro, CA<br />
<br />
===Colorado===<br />
* [http://www.hopsandberries.com/ Hops & Berries] - Fort Collins, CO<br />
* [http://www.whatsbrewin.biz/ What's Brewin'] - Boulder, Co<br />
* [http://www.beerathome.com/ Beer and Wine at Home] - Englewood, CO<br />
* [http://www.beerathome.com/ Beer and Wine at Home] - Westminster, CO<br />
* [http://www.thebrewhut.com/ The Brew Hut] - Aurora, CO<br />
* [http://store.thebrewhut.com/ The Brew Hut] - Aurora, CO<br />
<br />
===Florida===<br />
* [http://www.flagala.net/ Flagala Hardware] - Panama City Beach, FL<br />
<br />
===Minnesota===<br />
* [http://www.northernbrewer.com/ Northern Brewer] - St Paul, MN<br />
<br />
===Ohio===<br />
* [http://www.thegrape.net/ The Grape and Granary] - Akron, OH<br />
* [http://www.leeners.com/ Leeners Homebrew Supply] - Cleveland, OH<br />
<br />
===Pennsylvania===<br />
* [http://www.benshomebrew.com/ Ben's Homebrew] - Tarentum, PA<br />
<br />
===Texas===<br />
* [http://www.austinhomebrew.com Austin Homebrew Supply] - Austin, TX<br />
===Washington===<br />
* [http://www.homebrewheaven.com/ Homebrew Heaven] - Everett, WA<br />
<br />
==Commercial and Wholesale Suppliers==<br />
Listed alphabetically:<br />
* [http://www.brewerssupplygroup.com/ Brewers Supply Group]<br />
* [http://www.briess.com/ Briess Malt & Ingredients Company]<br />
* [http://www.schreiermalt.com/home.html Cargill Malt]<br />
* [http://www.coopers.com.au/ Coopers]<br />
* [http://www.hopsdirect.com/ Hops Direct]<br />
* [http://www.hopsteiner.com/ Hopsteiner Hops]<br />
* [http://www.hopunion.com/ Hop Union]<br />
* [http://www.muntons.com/ Muntons PLC]<br />
* [http://www.polarware.com/ PolarWare Brewpots]<br />
* [http://www.weyermann.de/usa/index.asp?sprache=10 Weyermann Malts]<br />
* [http://www.whitelabs.com/ White Labs Yeast]<br />
* [http://www.wyeastlab.com/ Wyeast Labs Yeast]<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[References]]<br />
* [[Equipment]]<br />
* [[Ingredients]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Suppliers]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Suppliers&diff=2897Suppliers2006-09-20T06:09:16Z<p>Jpkole: /* Local Brewing Suppliers by State & Country */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Portal|name=Suppliers}}<br />
A variety of shops, online stores, and wholesale suppliers are available to help you create your favorite homebrew or craftbrew. This article includes just a few of the thousands available.<br />
<br />
==Online Suppliers==<br />
A listing of suppliers with online catalogs and order forms. Listed alphabetically. <br />
* [http://www.austinhomebrew.com/ Austin Homebrew Supply]<br />
* [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith Recipe Software]<br />
* [http://www.freshops.com/ Freshhops.com]<br />
* [http://www.homebrewheaven.com/ Homebrew Heaven]<br />
* [http://www.thehomebrewstore.com/ Home Brew Supply, LLC]<br />
* [http://www.hopsandberries.com/ Hops & Berries]<br />
* [http://www.leeners.com/ Leeners Homebrew Supply]<br />
* [http://www.midwestsupplies.com/ Midwest Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies]<br />
* [http://www.northernbrewer.com/ Northern Brewer]<br />
* [http://www.paddockwood.com/ Paddock Wood Brewing Supplies]<br />
* [http://www.thebrewhut.com The Brew Hut]<br />
* [http://www.williamsbrewing.com/ Williams Brewing]<br />
<br />
==Brewing Software Suppliers==<br />
Software for formulating recipes and performing brewing calculations.<br />
* [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith Brewing Software]<br />
* [http://www.promash.com ProMash Brewing Software]<br />
* [http://www.strangebrew.ca StrangeBrew Brewing Software]<br />
* [http://www.usermode.org/code.html Qbrew] - Cross-Platform, Open Source Brewing Software<br />
<br />
== Local Brewing Suppliers by State & Country==<br />
Listed by state and city or country if appropriate.<br />
===California===<br />
* [http://www.brewsupply.com/ Culver City Home Brewing Supply] - Culver City, CA<br />
* [http://www.williamsbrewing.com/ Williams Brewing] - San Leandro, CA<br />
<br />
===Colorado===<br />
* [http://www.hopsandberries.com/ Hops & Berries] - Fort Collins, CO<br />
* [http://www.whatsbrewin.biz/ What's Brewin' - Boulder, Co<br />
* [http://www.beerathome.com/ Beer and Wine at Home - Englewood, CO<br />
* [http://www.beerathome.com/ Beer and Wine at Home - Westminster, CO<br />
* [http://www.thebrewhut.com/ The Brew Hut - Aurora, CO<br />
* [http://store.thebrewhut.com/ The Brew Hut - Aurora, CO<br />
<br />
===Florida===<br />
* [http://www.flagala.net/ Flagala Hardware] - Panama City Beach, FL<br />
<br />
===Minnesota===<br />
* [http://www.northernbrewer.com/ Northern Brewer] - St Paul, MN<br />
<br />
===Ohio===<br />
* [http://www.thegrape.net/ The Grape and Granary] - Akron, OH<br />
* [http://www.leeners.com/ Leeners Homebrew Supply] - Cleveland, OH<br />
<br />
===Pennsylvania===<br />
* [http://www.benshomebrew.com/ Ben's Homebrew] - Tarentum, PA<br />
<br />
===Texas===<br />
* [http://www.austinhomebrew.com Austin Homebrew Supply] - Austin, TX<br />
===Washington===<br />
* [http://www.homebrewheaven.com/ Homebrew Heaven] - Everett, WA<br />
<br />
==Commercial and Wholesale Suppliers==<br />
Listed alphabetically:<br />
* [http://www.brewerssupplygroup.com/ Brewers Supply Group]<br />
* [http://www.briess.com/ Briess Malt & Ingredients Company]<br />
* [http://www.schreiermalt.com/home.html Cargill Malt]<br />
* [http://www.coopers.com.au/ Coopers]<br />
* [http://www.hopsdirect.com/ Hops Direct]<br />
* [http://www.hopsteiner.com/ Hopsteiner Hops]<br />
* [http://www.hopunion.com/ Hop Union]<br />
* [http://www.muntons.com/ Muntons PLC]<br />
* [http://www.polarware.com/ PolarWare Brewpots]<br />
* [http://www.weyermann.de/usa/index.asp?sprache=10 Weyermann Malts]<br />
* [http://www.whitelabs.com/ White Labs Yeast]<br />
* [http://www.wyeastlab.com/ Wyeast Labs Yeast]<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[References]]<br />
* [[Equipment]]<br />
* [[Ingredients]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Suppliers]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Web_Sites&diff=2892Web Sites2006-09-19T06:46:09Z<p>Jpkole: /* Brewing Web Sites */</p>
<hr />
<div>==Web Sites==<br />
Thousands of web sites are available for brewers and homebrewers that include hundreds of thousands of pages of content on brewing at home. See the links below.<br />
<br />
'''Editors Note:''' This page is not intended for listing brewing suppliers - include them on the [[Suppliers]] portal instead.<br />
<br />
==Brewing Web Sites==<br />
Listed alphabetically.<br />
* [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith Brewing Community] - Brewing software, references, forum and BrewWiki sponsor<br />
* [http://www.bodensatz.com/ Bodensatz Brewing Site]<br />
* [http://www.brew365.com/ Brew 365]<br />
* [http://www.brew-monkey.com/ Brew-Monkey]<br />
* [http://www.fattymattybrewing.com/ Fatty Matty Brewing] The art of fermented beverages & homebrewing dreams<br />
* [http://www.fortunecity.com/boozers/brewerytap/555/gfbeer/gfbeer.htm The Gluten Free Brewing Project]<br />
* [http://www.thehomebrewer.com/ The Homebrewer.com]<br />
* [http://www.homebrew-exchange.com/ Homebrew Exchange] A place to trade, talk, and live amateur-made beer and wine<br />
* [http://www.homebrewzone.com/ HomebrewZone.com]<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
* [http://www.liquidpoets.com/ Liquid Poets] Homebrewing in Northern Colorado<br />
* [http://www.brewingkb.com/ Brewing KB] Your Home Brewing Knowledgebase<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[References]]<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:References]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Suppliers&diff=2891Suppliers2006-09-19T06:34:11Z<p>Jpkole: /* Local Brewing Suppliers by State & Country */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Portal|name=Suppliers}}<br />
A variety of shops, online stores, and wholesale suppliers are available to help you create your favorite homebrew or craftbrew. This article includes just a few of the thousands available.<br />
<br />
==Online Suppliers==<br />
A listing of suppliers with online catalogs and order forms. Listed alphabetically. <br />
* [http://www.austinhomebrew.com/ Austin Homebrew Supply]<br />
* [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith Recipe Software]<br />
* [http://www.freshops.com/ Freshhops.com]<br />
* [http://www.homebrewheaven.com/ Homebrew Heaven]<br />
* [http://www.thehomebrewstore.com/ Home Brew Supply, LLC]<br />
* [http://www.hopsandberries.com/ Hops & Berries]<br />
* [http://www.leeners.com/ Leeners Homebrew Supply]<br />
* [http://www.midwestsupplies.com/ Midwest Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies]<br />
* [http://www.northernbrewer.com/ Northern Brewer]<br />
* [http://www.paddockwood.com/ Paddock Wood Brewing Supplies]<br />
* [http://www.thebrewhut.com The Brew Hut]<br />
* [http://www.williamsbrewing.com/ Williams Brewing]<br />
<br />
==Brewing Software Suppliers==<br />
Software for formulating recipes and performing brewing calculations.<br />
* [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith Brewing Software]<br />
* [http://www.promash.com ProMash Brewing Software]<br />
* [http://www.strangebrew.ca StrangeBrew Brewing Software]<br />
* [http://www.usermode.org/code.html Qbrew] - Cross-Platform, Open Source Brewing Software<br />
<br />
== Local Brewing Suppliers by State & Country==<br />
Listed by state and city or country if appropriate.<br />
===California===<br />
* [http://www.brewsupply.com/ Culver City Home Brewing Supply] - Culver City, CA<br />
* [http://www.williamsbrewing.com/ Williams Brewing] - San Leandro, CA<br />
<br />
===Colorado===<br />
* [http://www.hopsandberries.com/ Hops & Berries] - Fort Collins, CO<br />
<br />
===Florida===<br />
* [http://www.flagala.net/ Flagala Hardware] - Panama City Beach, FL<br />
<br />
===Minnesota===<br />
* [http://www.northernbrewer.com/ Northern Brewer] - St Paul, MN<br />
<br />
===Ohio===<br />
* [http://www.thegrape.net/ The Grape and Granary] - Akron, OH<br />
* [http://www.leeners.com/ Leeners Homebrew Supply] - Cleveland, OH<br />
<br />
===Pennsylvania===<br />
* [http://www.benshomebrew.com/ Ben's Homebrew] - Tarentum, PA<br />
<br />
===Texas===<br />
* [http://www.austinhomebrew.com Austin Homebrew Supply] - Austin, TX<br />
===Washington===<br />
* [http://www.homebrewheaven.com/ Homebrew Heaven] - Everett, WA<br />
<br />
==Commercial and Wholesale Suppliers==<br />
Listed alphabetically:<br />
* [http://www.brewerssupplygroup.com/ Brewers Supply Group]<br />
* [http://www.briess.com/ Briess Malt & Ingredients Company]<br />
* [http://www.schreiermalt.com/home.html Cargill Malt]<br />
* [http://www.coopers.com.au/ Coopers]<br />
* [http://www.hopsdirect.com/ Hops Direct]<br />
* [http://www.hopsteiner.com/ Hopsteiner Hops]<br />
* [http://www.hopunion.com/ Hop Union]<br />
* [http://www.muntons.com/ Muntons PLC]<br />
* [http://www.polarware.com/ PolarWare Brewpots]<br />
* [http://www.weyermann.de/usa/index.asp?sprache=10 Weyermann Malts]<br />
* [http://www.whitelabs.com/ White Labs Yeast]<br />
* [http://www.wyeastlab.com/ Wyeast Labs Yeast]<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[References]]<br />
* [[Equipment]]<br />
* [[Ingredients]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Suppliers]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Fermentation&diff=2888Fermentation2006-09-12T07:06:12Z<p>Jpkole: /* Secondary Fermentation */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
'''Fermentation''' is a natural process where [[yeast]] converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). In the [[Processes|brewing process]], fermentation converts the sugars produced in the earlier [[mashing]] step into alcohol. Since CO2 is a byproduct of fermentation, it is also used for the natural carbonation of many homebrewed beers. After fermentation, beer is bottled or kegged for consumption. The study of the chemistry of fermentation is called [[Zymurgy]]. Human controlled fermentation dates back to the dawn of civilization - evidence dating back to 5400 B.C. has been found of people creating wine.<br />
<br />
===Primary Fermentation===<br />
Primary fermentation starts when yeast is added to the [[wort]] right after the [[boiling]] and [[cooling]] steps. Once the yeast is added, we call the mixture beer as opposed to wort. The primary, or active fermentation process typically takes 3-5 days during which the bulk of fermentable sugars are converted into alcohol and CO2. During this phase, CO2 production is strong, often producing a foamy head on the top of the beer called [[kraeusen]].<br />
<br />
===Secondary Fermentation===<br />
Brewers often transfer the beer to a secondary fermentor to separate the beer from inactive yeast, proteins, tannins, hops and other products that precipitate out of the beer and form a sediment at the bottom of the primary fermentor. A secondary fermentation of 5-14 days allows fermentation to complete and also lets additional tannins, proteins and yeast to fall out of the beer. This aids in clarifying the beer and reducing sediment in the final keg or bottle.<br />
<br />
===Conditioning and Filtering===<br />
Commercial brewers will often move the beer to a third vessel at this point and cool the beer to near freezing, which encourages more yeast and sediment to precipitate from the beer, improving flavor and aroma. Many homebrewers making lager will also condition their beer by lagering (aging) it at various cold temperatures for several weeks before bottling. Commercial beers are then filtered to remove all remaining yeast and sediment before bottling. Most homebrewers do not filter their beer, as some yeast is needed for natural carbonation of the beer.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes]]<br />
* [[Yeast]]<br />
* [[Zymurgy]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation Wikipedia - Fermentation]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Processes]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Fermentation&diff=2887Fermentation2006-09-12T07:05:42Z<p>Jpkole: /* Secondary Fermentation */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
'''Fermentation''' is a natural process where [[yeast]] converts sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). In the [[Processes|brewing process]], fermentation converts the sugars produced in the earlier [[mashing]] step into alcohol. Since CO2 is a byproduct of fermentation, it is also used for the natural carbonation of many homebrewed beers. After fermentation, beer is bottled or kegged for consumption. The study of the chemistry of fermentation is called [[Zymurgy]]. Human controlled fermentation dates back to the dawn of civilization - evidence dating back to 5400 B.C. has been found of people creating wine.<br />
<br />
===Primary Fermentation===<br />
Primary fermentation starts when yeast is added to the [[wort]] right after the [[boiling]] and [[cooling]] steps. Once the yeast is added, we call the mixture beer as opposed to wort. The primary, or active fermentation process typically takes 3-5 days during which the bulk of fermentable sugars are converted into alcohol and CO2. During this phase, CO2 production is strong, often producing a foamy head on the top of the beer called [[kraeusen]].<br />
<br />
===Secondary Fermentation===<br />
Brewers often transfer the beer to a secondary fermentor to separate the beer from inactive yeast, proteins, tannins, hops and other products that precipitate out of the beer and form a sediment at the bottom of the primary fermenter. A secondary fermentation of 5-14 days allows fermentation to complete and also lets additional tannins, proteins and yeast to fall out of the beer. This aids in clarifying the beer and reducing sediment in the final keg or bottle.<br />
<br />
===Conditioning and Filtering===<br />
Commercial brewers will often move the beer to a third vessel at this point and cool the beer to near freezing, which encourages more yeast and sediment to precipitate from the beer, improving flavor and aroma. Many homebrewers making lager will also condition their beer by lagering (aging) it at various cold temperatures for several weeks before bottling. Commercial beers are then filtered to remove all remaining yeast and sediment before bottling. Most homebrewers do not filter their beer, as some yeast is needed for natural carbonation of the beer.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes]]<br />
* [[Yeast]]<br />
* [[Zymurgy]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation Wikipedia - Fermentation]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Processes]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Cooling&diff=2886Cooling2006-09-12T07:05:00Z<p>Jpkole: /* Methods for Cooling */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[image:Cooler.jpg|right|thumb|An Immersion Chiller]]<br />
'''Cooling''' is a critical step in the [[Processes|brewing process]]. After the [[Boiling|boil]] it is best to cool your [[wort]] as quickly as possible to a proper fermentation temperature. Cooling quickly helps to reduce the chance of infection by bacteria, and also helps to precipitate out coagulated proteins, hops and other debris leftover from the boil. After cooling, the wort is transferred to a fermentor where [[yeast]] is added and the brew is fermented into beer.<br />
<br />
==Methods for Cooling==<br />
Here are some methods accessible to the homebrewer for cooling your wort quickly:<br />
* '''Immersion Chiller''' - The most popular method for intermediate to advanced homebrewers - an immersion chiller is nothing more than a copper coil that can be immersed directly into the brew pot. Cold water from a hose or faucet is then run through the copper tubing to draw away the heat. A properly built immersion chiller can cool 5 gallons of beer from a boil in 10-15 minutes. The picture shown is a two stage immersion chiller that has one coil for the main brewpot and a second coil that is immersed in ice water to prechill the water going into the main coil. This secondary coil increases the temperature difference between the [[wort]] and the cooled water flowing through it, which will cool the wort more quickly.<br />
* '''An Ice Bath''' - [[Extract Brewing|Extract Brewers]] that boil only a portion of their full beer volume can immerse their pot in an ice bath to cool it. While not nearly as effective as an immersion chiller, an ice bath can be used to cool small volumes of wort to room temperature if one lacks other means.<br />
* '''Mixing in Cold Water or Ice''' - Another method used by extract brewers - who typically boil only a portion of their final volume. Here cold water is mixed with the boiled extract to achieve the final volume (usually 5 gallons or 19-20 liters). The obvious disadvantage of mixing in cold water is the possiblity of introducing bacteria from the cold water into the sterile boiled wort.<br />
* '''Counterflow Chillers''' - A device used commercially and by more advanced brewers. Here a coil of copper tubing is set within another tube of larger diameter. Cold water is pumped through the outer tube, while the wort is pumped through the inner tube in the opposite direction. These are extremely effective, and allow one to pump directly from the boil tank, through the cooler and into the fermentor in one shot. Some care is needed to properly clean them to avoid buildup of material or bacteria in the tubes.<br />
[[Category:Processes]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Cooling&diff=2885Cooling2006-09-12T07:02:21Z<p>Jpkole: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[image:Cooler.jpg|right|thumb|An Immersion Chiller]]<br />
'''Cooling''' is a critical step in the [[Processes|brewing process]]. After the [[Boiling|boil]] it is best to cool your [[wort]] as quickly as possible to a proper fermentation temperature. Cooling quickly helps to reduce the chance of infection by bacteria, and also helps to precipitate out coagulated proteins, hops and other debris leftover from the boil. After cooling, the wort is transferred to a fermentor where [[yeast]] is added and the brew is fermented into beer.<br />
<br />
==Methods for Cooling==<br />
Here are some methods accessible to the homebrewer for cooling your wort quickly:<br />
* '''Immersion Chiller''' - The most popular method for intermediate to advanced homebrewers - an immersion chiller is nothing more than a copper coil that can be immersed directly into the brew pot. Cold water from a hose or faucet is then run through the copper tubing to draw away the heat. A properly built immersion chiller can cool 5 gallons of beer from a boil in 10-15 minutes. The picture shown is a two stage immersion chiller that has one coil for the main brewpot and a second coil that is immersed in ice water to prechill the water going into the main coil. This secondary coil increases the temperature difference between the [[wort]] and the cooled water flowing through it, which will cool the wort more quickly.<br />
* '''An Ice Bath''' - [[Extract Brewing|Extract Brewers]] that boil only a portion of their full beer volume can immerse their pot in an ice bath to cool it. While not nearly as effective as an immersion chiller, an ice bath can be used to cool small volumes of wort to room temperature if one lacks other means.<br />
* '''Mixing in Cold Water or Ice''' - Another method used by extract brewers - who typically boil only a portion of their final volume. Here cold water is mixed with the boiled extract to achieve the final volume (usually 5 gallons or 19-20 liters). The obvious disadvantage of mixing in cold water is the possiblity of introducing bacteria from the cold water into the sterile boiled wort.<br />
* '''Counterflow Chillers''' - A device used commercially and by more advanced brewers. Here a coil of copper tubing is set within another tube of larger diameter. Cold water is pumped through the outer tube, while the wort is pumped through the inner tube in the opposite direction. These are extremely effective, and allow one to pump directly from the boil tank, through the cooler and into the fermenter in one shot. Some care is needed to properly clean them to avoid buildup of material or bacteria in the tubes.<br />
[[Category:Processes]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Partial_Mash&diff=2884Partial Mash2006-09-12T06:57:13Z<p>Jpkole: /* Partial Mash Brewing Steps */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
'''Partial mash brewing''' is used by intermediate brewers who want the extra flexibility of being able to include certain malts and other ingredients, but lack the equipment or time needed for [[All Grain|all grain]] brewing. Partial mash offers some of the simplicity of [[Extract Brewing]] while offering some of the flexibility of all grain brewing. Partial mash brewing follows the same steps as all grain brewing, but only specialty grains are [[Mashing|mashed]] with a small amount of pale malt to provide enzymes. After mashing, [[Extracts|extract malts]] are added to provide the bulk of the fermentable sugars.<br />
<br />
===Partial Mash Brewing Steps===<br />
Partial mash brewing includes the following steps:<br />
* Selected crushed [[Malt|malts]] are [[Mashing|mashed]] in either the brewpot or a separate [[Mash Tun|mash tun]] by heating them with either hot water or an external source. The grains are held at a temperature of 148-158 F for 45-90 minutes to allow sugars to be converted.<br />
* The heated grains are ''[[lautering|lautered]]'' by running hot water through them and using a screen filter to extract the hot liquid called ''[[wort]]''<br />
* Syrup [[Extracts|malt extract]] or dry extract is added to the wort<br />
* [[Hops]] are added, and the wort is [[Boiling|boiled]] for 45-90 minutes<br />
* Cold water is added to bring the volume up and the wort is cooled to room temperature as quickly as possible<br />
* Yeast is added, and the beer ferments for 7-14 days<br />
* Priming sugar is added to the finished beer and it is [[Bottling|bottled]] or [[Kegging|kegged]] for consumption<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes|Brewing Processes]]<br />
* [[All Grain]] - The next step for partial mash brewers<br />
* [[Malt]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
<br />
[[Category: processes]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Partial_Mash&diff=2883Partial Mash2006-09-12T06:56:54Z<p>Jpkole: /* Partial Mash Brewing Steps */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
'''Partial mash brewing''' is used by intermediate brewers who want the extra flexibility of being able to include certain malts and other ingredients, but lack the equipment or time needed for [[All Grain|all grain]] brewing. Partial mash offers some of the simplicity of [[Extract Brewing]] while offering some of the flexibility of all grain brewing. Partial mash brewing follows the same steps as all grain brewing, but only specialty grains are [[Mashing|mashed]] with a small amount of pale malt to provide enzymes. After mashing, [[Extracts|extract malts]] are added to provide the bulk of the fermentable sugars.<br />
<br />
===Partial Mash Brewing Steps===<br />
Partial mash brewing includes the following steps:<br />
* Selected crushed [[Malt|malts]] are [[Mashing|mashed]] in either the brewpot or a separate [[Mash Tun|mash tun]] by heating them with either hot water or an external source. The grains are held at a temperature of 148-158 F for 45-90 minutes to allow sugars to be converted.<br />
* The heated grains are ''[[lautered|lautering]]'' by running hot water through them and using a screen filter to extract the hot liquid called ''[[wort]]''<br />
* Syrup [[Extracts|malt extract]] or dry extract is added to the wort<br />
* [[Hops]] are added, and the wort is [[Boiling|boiled]] for 45-90 minutes<br />
* Cold water is added to bring the volume up and the wort is cooled to room temperature as quickly as possible<br />
* Yeast is added, and the beer ferments for 7-14 days<br />
* Priming sugar is added to the finished beer and it is [[Bottling|bottled]] or [[Kegging|kegged]] for consumption<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes|Brewing Processes]]<br />
* [[All Grain]] - The next step for partial mash brewers<br />
* [[Malt]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
<br />
[[Category: processes]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=All_Grain&diff=2882All Grain2006-09-12T06:55:48Z<p>Jpkole: /* All Grain Brewing Steps */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
==All Grain==<br />
All grain brewing is the advanced process used by commercial and [[Craft Beer|Craft Brewers]] to create commercial beers. With a little bit of equipment and time, the homebrewer can create all-grain brews as well. The main difference between all-grain and [[Extract Brewing]] or [[Partial Mash]] brewing is that in an all-grain brew, the entire volume of unfermented beer (called ''[[wort]]'') is created by mashing crushed [[Malt]] and running hot water through the grain bed in a process called ''[[lautering]]''. <br />
<br />
===All Grain Brewing Steps===<br />
All grain brewing includes the following steps:<br />
* Crushed [[Malt|malts]] are mashed in a separate ''mash tun'' by heating them with either hot water (an ''infusion'' mash) or an external heat source. The grains are held at a temperature of 148-158 F for 45-90 minutes to allow sugars to be converted.<br />
* The heated grains are [[lautering|lautered]] by running hot water through them and using a screen filter to extract the hot liquid called ''[[wort]]''<br />
* [[Hops]] are added, and the wort is [[Boiling|boiled]] for 60-90 minutes<br />
* The wort is rapidly cooled and siphoned into another vessel for fermentation<br />
* Yeast is added, and the beer ferments for 7-14 days<br />
* Priming sugar is added to the finished beer and it is [[Bottling|bottled]] or [[Kegging|kegged]] for consumption<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes|Brewing Processes]]<br />
* [[Malt]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Processes]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=All_Grain&diff=2881All Grain2006-09-12T06:55:30Z<p>Jpkole: /* All Grain Brewing Steps */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
==All Grain==<br />
All grain brewing is the advanced process used by commercial and [[Craft Beer|Craft Brewers]] to create commercial beers. With a little bit of equipment and time, the homebrewer can create all-grain brews as well. The main difference between all-grain and [[Extract Brewing]] or [[Partial Mash]] brewing is that in an all-grain brew, the entire volume of unfermented beer (called ''[[wort]]'') is created by mashing crushed [[Malt]] and running hot water through the grain bed in a process called ''[[lautering]]''. <br />
<br />
===All Grain Brewing Steps===<br />
All grain brewing includes the following steps:<br />
* Crushed [[Malt|malts]] are mashed in a separate ''mash tun'' by heating them with either hot water (an ''infusion'' mash) or an external heat source. The grains are held at a temperature of 148-158 F for 45-90 minutes to allow sugars to be converted.<br />
* The heated grains are [[lautered|lautering]] by running hot water through them and using a screen filter to extract the hot liquid called ''[[wort]]''<br />
* [[Hops]] are added, and the wort is [[Boiling|boiled]] for 60-90 minutes<br />
* The wort is rapidly cooled and siphoned into another vessel for fermentation<br />
* Yeast is added, and the beer ferments for 7-14 days<br />
* Priming sugar is added to the finished beer and it is [[Bottling|bottled]] or [[Kegging|kegged]] for consumption<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes|Brewing Processes]]<br />
* [[Malt]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Processes]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=All_Grain&diff=2880All Grain2006-09-12T06:54:55Z<p>Jpkole: /* All Grain */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
==All Grain==<br />
All grain brewing is the advanced process used by commercial and [[Craft Beer|Craft Brewers]] to create commercial beers. With a little bit of equipment and time, the homebrewer can create all-grain brews as well. The main difference between all-grain and [[Extract Brewing]] or [[Partial Mash]] brewing is that in an all-grain brew, the entire volume of unfermented beer (called ''[[wort]]'') is created by mashing crushed [[Malt]] and running hot water through the grain bed in a process called ''[[lautering]]''. <br />
<br />
===All Grain Brewing Steps===<br />
All grain brewing includes the following steps:<br />
* Crushed [[Malt|malts]] are mashed in a separate ''mash tun'' by heating them with either hot water (an ''infusion'' mash) or an external heat source. The grains are held at a temperature of 148-158 F for 45-90 minutes to allow sugars to be converted.<br />
* The heated grains are lautered by running hot water through them and using a screen filter to extract the hot liquid called ''[[wort]]''<br />
* [[Hops]] are added, and the wort is [[Boiling|boiled]] for 60-90 minutes<br />
* The wort is rapidly cooled and siphoned into another vessel for fermentation<br />
* Yeast is added, and the beer ferments for 7-14 days<br />
* Priming sugar is added to the finished beer and it is [[Bottling|bottled]] or [[Kegging|kegged]] for consumption<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes|Brewing Processes]]<br />
* [[Malt]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Processes]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Extract_Brewing&diff=2878Extract Brewing2006-09-12T06:41:09Z<p>Jpkole: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
'''Extract brewing''' is the form of brewing used by most new brewers. Extract brewing involves the use of concentrated [[Extracts|Malt Extract]] in the brewing process. The use of malt extract lets the brewer skip the mashing process, and move directly to the boil and fermentation steps. Extract brewing takes considerably less time and equipment than [[All Grain]] brewing. In extract brewing, [[Extracts|Malt Extract]] is added directly to the brew pot and boiled together with [[Hops]] to create a sweet liquid called ''[[wort]]'' for fermenting. You can make very high quality beer using extract brewing, but it does not offer the full range of ingredient and process variations that are possible with [[All Grain]] brewing.<br />
<br />
===Extract Brewing Steps===<br />
The extract brew process includes the following steps:<br />
* Water is added to a brew pot and heated<br />
* Specialty whole grains may be steeped in the brew pot while heating to add color, flavor and body. See the heading on steeping grains below.<br />
* Syrup [[Extracts|malt extract]] or dry extract is added to the water to form a sweet ''[[wort]]''<br />
* [[Hops]] are added, and the wort is [[Boiling|boiled]] for 45-90 minutes<br />
* Cold water is added to bring the volume up and the wort is cooled to room temperature as quickly as possible<br />
* [[Yeast]] is added, and the beer ferments for 7-14 days<br />
* Priming sugar is added to the finished beer and it is [[Bottling|bottled]] or [[Kegging|kegged]] for consumption<br />
<br />
===Steeping Grains===<br />
Extract brewers often steep grains before the boil to add color, flavor and body to the beer. Unlike [[Mashing|mashing]], steeping does not add any fermentable sugars to the brew, but the addition of steeped grains can provide a large variety of flavors and colors to your extract brew. The steeping process is done before the boil. Grains are typically put in a steeping bag and immersed in the brewing water. The water is raised to 150-170 F and held for 30 minutes. The grain bag is then removed, and malt extract and hops added to the resulting tea to continue with the normal extract boiling process. Be aware that not all grains are suitable for steeping. Many malts like pale malt, munich malt, wheat malts, some specialty malts as well as most flaked ingredients must be mashed to impart their full body and flavor.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes|Brewing Processes]]<br />
* [[Brewing Your First Beer]] - A more detailed guide to extract brewing and equipment needed<br />
* [[Extracts]]<br />
* [[Partial Mash]] - The next step for extract brewers<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
<br />
[[Category: processes]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Extract_Brewing&diff=2877Extract Brewing2006-09-12T06:39:05Z<p>Jpkole: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
'''Extract brewing''' is the form of brewing used by most new brewers. Extract brewing involves the use of concentrated [[Extracts|Malt Extract]] in the brewing process. The use of malt extract lets the brewer skip the mashing process, and move directly to the boil and fermentation steps. Extract brewing takes considerably less time and equipment than [[All Grain]] brewing. In extract brewing, [[Malt Extract]] is added directly to the brew pot and boiled together with [[Hops]] to create a sweet liquid called ''[[wort]]'' for fermenting. You can make very high quality beer using extract brewing, but it does not offer the full range of ingredient and process variations that are possible with [[All Grain]] brewing.<br />
<br />
===Extract Brewing Steps===<br />
The extract brew process includes the following steps:<br />
* Water is added to a brew pot and heated<br />
* Specialty whole grains may be steeped in the brew pot while heating to add color, flavor and body. See the heading on steeping grains below.<br />
* Syrup [[Extracts|malt extract]] or dry extract is added to the water to form a sweet ''[[wort]]''<br />
* [[Hops]] are added, and the wort is [[Boiling|boiled]] for 45-90 minutes<br />
* Cold water is added to bring the volume up and the wort is cooled to room temperature as quickly as possible<br />
* [[Yeast]] is added, and the beer ferments for 7-14 days<br />
* Priming sugar is added to the finished beer and it is [[Bottling|bottled]] or [[Kegging|kegged]] for consumption<br />
<br />
===Steeping Grains===<br />
Extract brewers often steep grains before the boil to add color, flavor and body to the beer. Unlike [[Mashing|mashing]], steeping does not add any fermentable sugars to the brew, but the addition of steeped grains can provide a large variety of flavors and colors to your extract brew. The steeping process is done before the boil. Grains are typically put in a steeping bag and immersed in the brewing water. The water is raised to 150-170 F and held for 30 minutes. The grain bag is then removed, and malt extract and hops added to the resulting tea to continue with the normal extract boiling process. Be aware that not all grains are suitable for steeping. Many malts like pale malt, munich malt, wheat malts, some specialty malts as well as most flaked ingredients must be mashed to impart their full body and flavor.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes|Brewing Processes]]<br />
* [[Brewing Your First Beer]] - A more detailed guide to extract brewing and equipment needed<br />
* [[Extracts]]<br />
* [[Partial Mash]] - The next step for extract brewers<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
<br />
[[Category: processes]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Tips_for_Better_Beer&diff=2876Tips for Better Beer2006-09-12T06:35:34Z<p>Jpkole: /* 7. Don't Use Plastic Fermenters */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
This is a summary of some of the better tips I've collected over the years for making better beer. - [[User:BrewWiki|BrewWiki]]<br />
<br />
==1. Keep it Sterile==<br />
Anything that touches your beer after it has started cooling must be sterilized using any of the popular sterilizing solutions (bleach, iodophor, etc). The period immediately after you cool your beer is particularly critical as bacteria and other infections are most likely to take hold before the yeast has started fermentation.<br />
<br />
==2. Use High Quality, Fresh Ingredients==<br />
The quality and freshness of ingredients is very important. If you started with dry yeast, move up to liquid yeast and your quality will improve. If you are an extract brewer, try to get fresh extract rather than a can that is several years old. Store liquid yeast in the refrigerator and hops in the freezer. Hops, dry malt, yeast, liquid malt and crushed grains all have a limited shelf life and must be used quickly. Crushed grains, dry malt and liquid malt will oxidize over time. Hops bittering power declines both with oxygen (purchase it in sealed foil bags if possible) and temperature. Whole, uncrushed grains have a long shelf life, but must be kept in a cool place with low humidity.<br />
<br />
==3. Cool the Wort Quickly==<br />
[[Cooling]] your beer quickly will increase the fallout of proteins and tannins that are bad for your beer and will also reduce the chance of infection. An immersion chiller is a relatively inexpensive early investment that will improve the clarity and quality of your beer. Cooling is particularly important for full batch boils.<br />
<br />
==4. Boil for 60-90 Minutes==<br />
[[Boiling]] your [[wort]] performs several important functions. It sterilizes your wort, vaporizes many undesirable compounds, releases bittering oils from the hops and coagulates proteins and tannins from the grains so they can fall out during cooling. To achieve all of these noble goals you need to boil for at least 60 minutes, and for lighter styles of beers a longer boil of 90 minutes is desirable.<br />
<br />
==5. Control Fermentation Temperature==<br />
Though relatively few brewers have dedicated fermentation refrigerators, there are simple methods you can use to maintain a constant temperature for ales during fermentation. The best technique I've seen is to pick a cool, dry area in your home and then wrap the fermentor in wet towels and place a fan in front of it. Wet the towels every 12 hours or so, and you should get a steady fermentation temperature in the 66-68F range. Most brewing shops sell stick-on thermometers that can be attached to your fermentation vessel to monitor the temperature.<br />
<br />
==6. Switch to a Full Batch Boil==<br />
As mentioned above, [[Boiling]] your [[wort]] provides a large number of benefits to your beer. However if you are only boiling 2-3 gallons of a 5 gallon batch, then you are not getting the full benefits of a 60-90 minute boil. The purchase of a 7-12 gallon brew pot and (highly recommended) outdoor propane burner (which will make the spouse happy as you now brew outside) are great intermediate steps for moving to [[All Grain]] brewing and the full boils will improve your beer.<br />
<br />
==7. Don't Use Plastic Fermentors==<br />
Glass carboys (or stainless) fermentors offer significant advantages over the typical plastic bucket. First they are much easier to clean and sterilize. Second, glass (or stainless) provides a 100% oxygen barrier, where plastic buckets are porous and can leak oxygen if stored for long periods. Third, plastic fermentors often have very poor seals around the top of the bucket and can leak in both directions making it difficult to determine when fermentation has actually completed. A 5 gallon glass carboy will do the job better, and is available at a very reasonable price from most stores.<br />
<br />
==8. Make Long Term Purchases==<br />
You may have started brewing with something really simple, but if you enjoy brewing and think you might stay with it, then you are best off making long term purchases rather than a series of short term purchases. For example, early on I bought a 3 gallon pot, then a 5 gallon pot, then an 8 gallon enamel pot and finally a 9 gallon stainless. It would have been much cheaper to jump to the 9 gallon stainless after the 3 gallon pot. Similarly I've had several sizes of immersion chillers, finally settling on a two stage 3/8" diameter copper coil. If you instead make long term purchases (a good pot, a good chiller, glass carboys, a nice mash tun/cooler) you will save a lot of money in the long run.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]<br />
[[Category:Processes]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Tips_for_Better_Beer&diff=2875Tips for Better Beer2006-09-12T06:33:43Z<p>Jpkole: /* 5. Control Fermentation Temperature */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
This is a summary of some of the better tips I've collected over the years for making better beer. - [[User:BrewWiki|BrewWiki]]<br />
<br />
==1. Keep it Sterile==<br />
Anything that touches your beer after it has started cooling must be sterilized using any of the popular sterilizing solutions (bleach, iodophor, etc). The period immediately after you cool your beer is particularly critical as bacteria and other infections are most likely to take hold before the yeast has started fermentation.<br />
<br />
==2. Use High Quality, Fresh Ingredients==<br />
The quality and freshness of ingredients is very important. If you started with dry yeast, move up to liquid yeast and your quality will improve. If you are an extract brewer, try to get fresh extract rather than a can that is several years old. Store liquid yeast in the refrigerator and hops in the freezer. Hops, dry malt, yeast, liquid malt and crushed grains all have a limited shelf life and must be used quickly. Crushed grains, dry malt and liquid malt will oxidize over time. Hops bittering power declines both with oxygen (purchase it in sealed foil bags if possible) and temperature. Whole, uncrushed grains have a long shelf life, but must be kept in a cool place with low humidity.<br />
<br />
==3. Cool the Wort Quickly==<br />
[[Cooling]] your beer quickly will increase the fallout of proteins and tannins that are bad for your beer and will also reduce the chance of infection. An immersion chiller is a relatively inexpensive early investment that will improve the clarity and quality of your beer. Cooling is particularly important for full batch boils.<br />
<br />
==4. Boil for 60-90 Minutes==<br />
[[Boiling]] your [[wort]] performs several important functions. It sterilizes your wort, vaporizes many undesirable compounds, releases bittering oils from the hops and coagulates proteins and tannins from the grains so they can fall out during cooling. To achieve all of these noble goals you need to boil for at least 60 minutes, and for lighter styles of beers a longer boil of 90 minutes is desirable.<br />
<br />
==5. Control Fermentation Temperature==<br />
Though relatively few brewers have dedicated fermentation refrigerators, there are simple methods you can use to maintain a constant temperature for ales during fermentation. The best technique I've seen is to pick a cool, dry area in your home and then wrap the fermentor in wet towels and place a fan in front of it. Wet the towels every 12 hours or so, and you should get a steady fermentation temperature in the 66-68F range. Most brewing shops sell stick-on thermometers that can be attached to your fermentation vessel to monitor the temperature.<br />
<br />
==6. Switch to a Full Batch Boil==<br />
As mentioned above, [[Boiling]] your [[wort]] provides a large number of benefits to your beer. However if you are only boiling 2-3 gallons of a 5 gallon batch, then you are not getting the full benefits of a 60-90 minute boil. The purchase of a 7-12 gallon brew pot and (highly recommended) outdoor propane burner (which will make the spouse happy as you now brew outside) are great intermediate steps for moving to [[All Grain]] brewing and the full boils will improve your beer.<br />
<br />
==7. Don't Use Plastic Fermenters==<br />
Glass carboys (or stainless) fermenters offer significant advantages over the typical plastic bucket. First they are much easier to clean and sterilize. Second, glass (or stainless) provides a 100% oxygen barrier, where plastic buckets are porous and can leak oxygen if stored for long periods. Third, plastic fermenters often have very poor seals around the top of the bucket and can leak in both directions making it difficult to determine when fermentation has actually completed. A 5 gallon glass carboy will do the job better, and is available at a very reasonable price from most stores.<br />
<br />
==8. Make Long Term Purchases==<br />
You may have started brewing with something really simple, but if you enjoy brewing and think you might stay with it, then you are best off making long term purchases rather than a series of short term purchases. For example, early on I bought a 3 gallon pot, then a 5 gallon pot, then an 8 gallon enamel pot and finally a 9 gallon stainless. It would have been much cheaper to jump to the 9 gallon stainless after the 3 gallon pot. Similarly I've had several sizes of immersion chillers, finally settling on a two stage 3/8" diameter copper coil. If you instead make long term purchases (a good pot, a good chiller, glass carboys, a nice mash tun/cooler) you will save a lot of money in the long run.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]<br />
[[Category:Processes]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Tips_for_Better_Beer&diff=2874Tips for Better Beer2006-09-12T06:32:55Z<p>Jpkole: /* 5. Control Fermentation Temperature */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
This is a summary of some of the better tips I've collected over the years for making better beer. - [[User:BrewWiki|BrewWiki]]<br />
<br />
==1. Keep it Sterile==<br />
Anything that touches your beer after it has started cooling must be sterilized using any of the popular sterilizing solutions (bleach, iodophor, etc). The period immediately after you cool your beer is particularly critical as bacteria and other infections are most likely to take hold before the yeast has started fermentation.<br />
<br />
==2. Use High Quality, Fresh Ingredients==<br />
The quality and freshness of ingredients is very important. If you started with dry yeast, move up to liquid yeast and your quality will improve. If you are an extract brewer, try to get fresh extract rather than a can that is several years old. Store liquid yeast in the refrigerator and hops in the freezer. Hops, dry malt, yeast, liquid malt and crushed grains all have a limited shelf life and must be used quickly. Crushed grains, dry malt and liquid malt will oxidize over time. Hops bittering power declines both with oxygen (purchase it in sealed foil bags if possible) and temperature. Whole, uncrushed grains have a long shelf life, but must be kept in a cool place with low humidity.<br />
<br />
==3. Cool the Wort Quickly==<br />
[[Cooling]] your beer quickly will increase the fallout of proteins and tannins that are bad for your beer and will also reduce the chance of infection. An immersion chiller is a relatively inexpensive early investment that will improve the clarity and quality of your beer. Cooling is particularly important for full batch boils.<br />
<br />
==4. Boil for 60-90 Minutes==<br />
[[Boiling]] your [[wort]] performs several important functions. It sterilizes your wort, vaporizes many undesirable compounds, releases bittering oils from the hops and coagulates proteins and tannins from the grains so they can fall out during cooling. To achieve all of these noble goals you need to boil for at least 60 minutes, and for lighter styles of beers a longer boil of 90 minutes is desirable.<br />
<br />
==5. Control Fermentation Temperature==<br />
Though relatively few brewers have dedicated fermentation refrigerators, there are simple methods you can use to maintain a constant temperature for ales during fermentation. The best technique I've seen is to pick a cool, dry area in your home and then wrap the fermenter in wet towels and place a fan in front of it. Wet the towels every 12 hours or so, and you should get a steady fermentation temperature in the 66-68F range. Most brewing shops sell stick-on thermometers that can be attached to your fermentation vessel to monitor the temperature.<br />
<br />
==6. Switch to a Full Batch Boil==<br />
As mentioned above, [[Boiling]] your [[wort]] provides a large number of benefits to your beer. However if you are only boiling 2-3 gallons of a 5 gallon batch, then you are not getting the full benefits of a 60-90 minute boil. The purchase of a 7-12 gallon brew pot and (highly recommended) outdoor propane burner (which will make the spouse happy as you now brew outside) are great intermediate steps for moving to [[All Grain]] brewing and the full boils will improve your beer.<br />
<br />
==7. Don't Use Plastic Fermenters==<br />
Glass carboys (or stainless) fermenters offer significant advantages over the typical plastic bucket. First they are much easier to clean and sterilize. Second, glass (or stainless) provides a 100% oxygen barrier, where plastic buckets are porous and can leak oxygen if stored for long periods. Third, plastic fermenters often have very poor seals around the top of the bucket and can leak in both directions making it difficult to determine when fermentation has actually completed. A 5 gallon glass carboy will do the job better, and is available at a very reasonable price from most stores.<br />
<br />
==8. Make Long Term Purchases==<br />
You may have started brewing with something really simple, but if you enjoy brewing and think you might stay with it, then you are best off making long term purchases rather than a series of short term purchases. For example, early on I bought a 3 gallon pot, then a 5 gallon pot, then an 8 gallon enamel pot and finally a 9 gallon stainless. It would have been much cheaper to jump to the 9 gallon stainless after the 3 gallon pot. Similarly I've had several sizes of immersion chillers, finally settling on a two stage 3/8" diameter copper coil. If you instead make long term purchases (a good pot, a good chiller, glass carboys, a nice mash tun/cooler) you will save a lot of money in the long run.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
* [[Processes]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]<br />
[[Category:Processes]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Brewing_Your_First_Beer&diff=2873Brewing Your First Beer2006-09-12T06:20:26Z<p>Jpkole: /* The Extract Brewing Process */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{BrewWiki Title|name=Brewing Your First Beer}}<br />
Brewing at home for the first time? This simple guide takes you through your first batch of beer including what's needed, how to brew and how to bottle. A short guide for the new homebrewer on how to brew your first [Extracts|extract] beer!<br />
<table align=right><td>[[image:Beer_mug.png]]</td></table><br />
<br />
===Equipment Needed===<br />
You don't need a large set of fancy and expensive equipment to brew your first batch of beer. Many brewing supply stores sell starter kits for $75 or less. It can cost much less if you can borrow some or all the equipment from a friend. Here's a quick summary of what is needed:<br />
<br />
* '''A Large Pot''' - at least 3 gallons in size, though a larger one will generally result in fewer spills<br />
* '''Tubing & Clamp''' - to siphon the beer - most common is 3/8" ID food grade plastic tubing. Clamps are available at your brew store.<br />
* '''An Airtight Fermentor''' - a 5 gal plastic bucket with lid, or a glass carboy. If you can afford it, purchase a glass carboy as they are easier to clean and don't leak. If you get a carboy you may need a large brush to clean it<br />
* '''An Air Lock and Stopper''' - sized to fit your fermentor<br />
* '''A Bottle Filler''' - available from your homebrew supplier - should be sized to fit your tubing<br />
* '''A Thermometer''' - with a range of 0-100 C or up from 32-220 F<br />
* '''Bottles''' - You need just over 2 cases in 12 oz bottles to bottle your beer. Do not use twist off bottles - get the bottles that you have to pry the lid off.<br />
* '''Bottle Brush''' - While not absolutely required, you usually need a good brush to get your bottles clean<br />
* '''A Bottle Capper''' - a hand driven device to cap your bottles<br />
* '''Bottle Caps''' - New bottle caps sold at your brewing supplier - you need about 50 caps for a 5 gal batch<br />
* '''A Sterilizing solution''' - Household bleach can be used, but it must be thoroughly rinsed to prevent contamination. Your brew store may also have other alternatives such as iodophor and starsan that also sterilize well.<br />
<br />
===Ingredients Needed===<br />
The list below assumes you want to brew 5 gallons of a simple ale. You can use [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith] to formulate your own recipe or download recipes from our recipe page if you are looking for a different style.<br />
<br />
* '''6-7 lbs of Unhopped Pale Malt Extract''' - Usually this comes in cans that are 3-3.3 lbs each. Malt provides the sweet base that the yeast will feed on to make alcohol. Available from various manufacturers.<br />
* '''2 Oz of East Kent Goldings Hops''' - Hops add bitterness to your beer. Pellets are most common and easy to store.<br />
* '''1 Package of Wyeast American Ale liquid Yeast (#1056)''' [ or White Labs California Ale #WLP001 or Safbrew US-56 dry yeast]<br />
* '''2/3 cup Priming Sugar''' - such as corn sugar. Also available from your brew store or grocer.<br />
<br />
==The Extract Brewing Process==<br />
[[Extract Brewing|Extract brewing]] consists of five stages:<br />
<br />
# Brewing the Beer - The pale malt [[Extract|extract]] and [[Hops|hops]] are boiled together with water for about an hour to sterilize the extract and release the bittering qualities of the hops. Frequently grains are steeped in the mixture prior to the boil to add additional color and flavor complexity.<br />
# Cooling and Fermenting - The hot mixture (called [[wort]]) is cooled to room temperature and siphoned or transferred to a fermentor where it is combined with additional water to achieve the desired 5 gallon batch size. Once the mixture drops to room temperature, yeast is added to start the fermentation process. Cleanliness and sterilization are very important since the wort can be easily infected by bacteria while in this state. An airlock is used to keep the fermentor sealed during fermentation. Your beer will ferment for 1-2 weeks.<br />
# Priming and Bottling - Once the beer is fully fermented, it is usually siphoned to another container to prepare for bottling. Here priming sugars such as corn sugar sugar are mixed with the beer, and then it is siphoned into bottles and each bottle is capped with a bottle capping device.<br />
# Aging - Once the beer has been bottled it needs to age for 2-6 weeks. During aging the yeast will ferment the remaining sugar you added and create carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide will naturally carbonate your beer so it is nice and bubbly. In addition, undesirable sediments such as excess yeast and proteins will drop out of the beer during aging and this will enhance the flavor of your beer. In some cases it may take several months to reach peak flavor, though it is usually drinkable after a month.<br />
# Drinking - When the beer is properly aged - just put the bottles in the fridge and enjoy! There's nothing quite like a great beer that you made yourself.<br />
<br />
==Extract Brewing==<br />
Brew day is my favorite part of the process. The smell of sweet wort bubbling away stirs something primeval in the human psyche. Since we are brewing a relatively simple extract beer, there is not much to set up. You need a clean pot large enough to hold 2 gallons of water plus the two cans (6 lbs of extract) and boil it (I recommend a 4-5 gallon pot if you can find one). Put 2 gallons of water into your pot and begin to heat it over your stove. Once the water has heated up a bit, open your cans of extract and slowly start mixing them into the warm water. The malt extract will have the consistency of heavy syrup, and you may need some hot water to get it all out of the sides of the can. The combined water and extract mixture is called "wort."<br />
<br />
As you are adding the malt extract to your wort, you need to continuously mix it. If you do not mix it, the extract syrup will have a tendency to settle at the bottom of your pot where it will heat and caramelize, leaving a hardened caramel mess at the bottom of your pot. This carmelization can also alter the color and flavor of your beer, so it is important to mix well while heating.<br />
Once you have all of your extract mixed in, the next step is to bring your wort to a boil. This is best done slowly, as your wort will tend to bubble up a lot when it first starts to boil. The water you used for your brew has a lot of air in it, and these small air bubbles will be released as it comes to a boil creating foaming and a high potential for a boil-over. The best way to avoid a boil-over it to turn the heat down a bit as the wort just begins to boil, and then very carefully manage the heat during the first 15 minutes of the boil until you have a steady boil with minimal foaming. Also, do NOT use a cover on your pot! While a covered pot will come to a boil quicker, the first time you open the pot it will boil over immediately - making a huge mess of your stove. <br />
<br />
Once you achieve a steady boil it is time to add the hops. Weigh the proper amount and drop it in the hot wort. Some brewers use a mesh hops bag to reduce the mess later, but if you can cool your beer quickly most of the hops will drop out after the boil. Stir occasionally during the boil to reduce the chance of extract settling to the bottom and carmelizing. I recommend you boil for 60 minutes. Boil time will affect your hop utilization and beer bitterness, but this particular batch is sized for a 60 minute boil time.<br />
<br />
==Cool and Ferment==<br />
Once your boil has finished, you want to cool the hot wort to room temperature as quickly as possible to reduce the chance of infection. Many beginning brewers immerse their pot in a cold ice bath. Adding very cold water to the wort to bring it up to your target batch size (usually 5 gallons) will also help. More advanced brewers will use a chiller such as an immersion coil that runs cold water through a coil of copper tubing to quickly cool the beer. If needed, add water to the wort when you transfer it to your fermentor to achieve the target volume of 5 gallons.<br />
<br />
The wort at this stage is very vulnerable to infection so you need to make sure that your fermentor, airlock, siphon tubes and anything else that touches the wort or yeast are thoroughly sterilized. I use a solution of 5 gallons of water and small amount of household bleach to sterilize my equipment. However if you use bleach you must carefully rinse everything with hot water or you risk leaving your beer with a chlorine taste.<br />
<br />
Your wort must be fully cooled to room temperature (72 F or so) and siphoned or dumped into your fermentor before you add (pitch) your yeast. Don't worry too much about all of the gunk (hops and proteins) in the wort - most of it will fall to the bottom during fermentation. Pitching yeast in hot wort will probably kill it off, so wait until your wort has fully cooled before adding yeast. I highly recommend the use of liquid yeast as it is far superior in quality to dry yeast. Liquid yeast comes in either a plastic tube or smack pack. The plastic tube type can be added directly to the wort. The foil smack-packs require you to pop an internal pouch containing the yeast several hours before pitching it to allow the yeast to grow in a self contained starter. Follow the instructions on your yeast pack to prepare it and then carefully add it to your fermentor. Once the yeast has been added and mixed in, close the top, fit your airlock (which needs a little water in it) and set your beer in a dark cool place where the temperature is steady.<br />
<br />
Your airlock should begin bubbling within 12-36 hours, and continue fermenting for about a week. If you see no bubbles from the airlock, check the fit on your plastic pail and airlock. Often plastic fermentors have a poor seal on the lid that leaks. The bubbles in the airlock are CO2 produced by the fermentation, and will slowly tail off as fermentation nears completion. Assuming you have a good seal, the bubbles should slow to one every minute or two before you consider bottling. As a minimum I would ferment for a week before considering bottling a beer.<br />
<br />
==Priming and Bottling==<br />
The final step before bottling your beer is called priming. Priming consists of mixing sugar in with the beer to promote fermentation after bottling. A small amount of priming sugar will ferment and carbonate your beer.<br />
<br />
Before you can prime and bottle, you again need to sterilize everything the beer will touch. Though your beer has fermented out, it still can be ruined by bacteria or by adding too much oxygen to it (i.e. don't splash it around). Most brewers use a large plastic bucket or carboy to make it easy to mix the priming sugar in evenly. Sterilize the bucket thoroughly, and also sterilize your siphoning equipment, tools and of course your bottles. Make sure your bottles are clean of debris before sterilizing - use a bottle brush to remove any deposits. Some people sterilize bottles by soaking them in a weak bleach solution and then rinsing well. I've also had some success with sterilizing my bottles in the dishwasher, but you need to run it several times with no soap and hot water to avoid leaving a soap residue that will ruin the head retention on your beer.<br />
<br />
Siphon the finished beer into your priming bucket, trying very hard not to splash it around or mix any air in with it. Add 2/3 cup of priming sugar (I recommend corn sugar) to your beer and very gently mix it in. Next siphon the beer into your bottles using your bottle filler. Be sure to leave at least an inch or more of empty space at the top of your bottle to aid in fermentation. Put the caps on each bottle as you go and use your bottle capper to secure them.<br />
<br />
==Aging==<br />
The most difficult part by far is waiting for your beer to come of age. While most beers are drinkable after a few weeks, the average homebrew reaches peak flavor anywhere from 8 weeks to 15 weeks after brewing. Most homebrewers simply can't wait this long. During the aging process your beer will carbonate and excess yeast, tannins and proteins that create off flavors will fall out of your beer and settle to the bottom of the bottle. This will substantially improve your beer. I personally recommend waiting about 3-4 weeks after bottling before sampling your first brew.<br />
<br />
Store your bottles in a cool, dark place. Unless you are brewing a lager under temperature controlled conditions, do not store your beer in the refrigerator for the first two weeks. Give it two weeks to fully carbonate at room temperature. After the first two weeks, refrigerating the beer will help it improve more quickly because the tannins, yeast and protein will sediment faster at cold temperature.<br />
<br />
==Drinking==<br />
The blessed day has finally arrived to sample your creation. During the aging process excess yeast, tannins and proteins will settle to the bottom of your bottle. Get a clean glass, open your brew, and gently poor most of your beer into the glass leaving only the sediment and a small amount of beer in your bottle. Don't worry if you take a little sediment into the glass - it won't hurt you though it may not improve the taste of your brew. Smell the fresh beer, admire the frothy head, and then sip (don't guzzle) your first homebrew and enjoy! As always, please drink responsibly.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
*[[Processes|More on the Brewing Process]]<br />
* [[Extract Brewing]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
* [http://breworganic.com/tips/virtual_class.htm Virtual Introduction to Brewing Class]<br />
<br />
[[Category: processes]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Brewing_Your_First_Beer&diff=2872Brewing Your First Beer2006-09-12T06:19:45Z<p>Jpkole: /* The Extract Brewing Process */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{BrewWiki Title|name=Brewing Your First Beer}}<br />
Brewing at home for the first time? This simple guide takes you through your first batch of beer including what's needed, how to brew and how to bottle. A short guide for the new homebrewer on how to brew your first [Extracts|extract] beer!<br />
<table align=right><td>[[image:Beer_mug.png]]</td></table><br />
<br />
===Equipment Needed===<br />
You don't need a large set of fancy and expensive equipment to brew your first batch of beer. Many brewing supply stores sell starter kits for $75 or less. It can cost much less if you can borrow some or all the equipment from a friend. Here's a quick summary of what is needed:<br />
<br />
* '''A Large Pot''' - at least 3 gallons in size, though a larger one will generally result in fewer spills<br />
* '''Tubing & Clamp''' - to siphon the beer - most common is 3/8" ID food grade plastic tubing. Clamps are available at your brew store.<br />
* '''An Airtight Fermentor''' - a 5 gal plastic bucket with lid, or a glass carboy. If you can afford it, purchase a glass carboy as they are easier to clean and don't leak. If you get a carboy you may need a large brush to clean it<br />
* '''An Air Lock and Stopper''' - sized to fit your fermentor<br />
* '''A Bottle Filler''' - available from your homebrew supplier - should be sized to fit your tubing<br />
* '''A Thermometer''' - with a range of 0-100 C or up from 32-220 F<br />
* '''Bottles''' - You need just over 2 cases in 12 oz bottles to bottle your beer. Do not use twist off bottles - get the bottles that you have to pry the lid off.<br />
* '''Bottle Brush''' - While not absolutely required, you usually need a good brush to get your bottles clean<br />
* '''A Bottle Capper''' - a hand driven device to cap your bottles<br />
* '''Bottle Caps''' - New bottle caps sold at your brewing supplier - you need about 50 caps for a 5 gal batch<br />
* '''A Sterilizing solution''' - Household bleach can be used, but it must be thoroughly rinsed to prevent contamination. Your brew store may also have other alternatives such as iodophor and starsan that also sterilize well.<br />
<br />
===Ingredients Needed===<br />
The list below assumes you want to brew 5 gallons of a simple ale. You can use [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith] to formulate your own recipe or download recipes from our recipe page if you are looking for a different style.<br />
<br />
* '''6-7 lbs of Unhopped Pale Malt Extract''' - Usually this comes in cans that are 3-3.3 lbs each. Malt provides the sweet base that the yeast will feed on to make alcohol. Available from various manufacturers.<br />
* '''2 Oz of East Kent Goldings Hops''' - Hops add bitterness to your beer. Pellets are most common and easy to store.<br />
* '''1 Package of Wyeast American Ale liquid Yeast (#1056)''' [ or White Labs California Ale #WLP001 or Safbrew US-56 dry yeast]<br />
* '''2/3 cup Priming Sugar''' - such as corn sugar. Also available from your brew store or grocer.<br />
<br />
==The Extract Brewing Process==<br />
[[Extract Brewing|Extract brewing]] consists of five stages:<br />
<br />
# Brewing the Beer - The pale malt [[Extract|extract]] and [[Hops|hops]] are boiled together with water for about an hour to sterilize the extract and release the bittering qualities of the hops. Frequently grains are steeped in the mixture prior to the boil to add additional color and flavor complexity.<br />
# Cooling and Fermenting - The hot mixture (called [[wort]]) is cooled to room temperature and siphoned or transferred to a fermentor where it is combined with additional water to achieve the desired 5 gallon batch size. Once the mixture drops to room temperature, yeast is added to start the fermentation process. Cleanliness and sterilization are very important since the wort can be easily infected by bacteria while in this state. An airlock is used to keep the fermenter sealed during fermentation. Your beer will ferment for 1-2 weeks.<br />
# Priming and Bottling - Once the beer is fully fermented, it is usually siphoned to another container to prepare for bottling. Here priming sugars such as corn sugar sugar are mixed with the beer, and then it is siphoned into bottles and each bottle is capped with a bottle capping device.<br />
# Aging - Once the beer has been bottled it needs to age for 2-6 weeks. During aging the yeast will ferment the remaining sugar you added and create carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide will naturally carbonate your beer so it is nice and bubbly. In addition, undesirable sediments such as excess yeast and proteins will drop out of the beer during aging and this will enhance the flavor of your beer. In some cases it may take several months to reach peak flavor, though it is usually drinkable after a month.<br />
# Drinking - When the beer is properly aged - just put the bottles in the fridge and enjoy! There's nothing quite like a great beer that you made yourself.<br />
<br />
==Extract Brewing==<br />
Brew day is my favorite part of the process. The smell of sweet wort bubbling away stirs something primeval in the human psyche. Since we are brewing a relatively simple extract beer, there is not much to set up. You need a clean pot large enough to hold 2 gallons of water plus the two cans (6 lbs of extract) and boil it (I recommend a 4-5 gallon pot if you can find one). Put 2 gallons of water into your pot and begin to heat it over your stove. Once the water has heated up a bit, open your cans of extract and slowly start mixing them into the warm water. The malt extract will have the consistency of heavy syrup, and you may need some hot water to get it all out of the sides of the can. The combined water and extract mixture is called "wort."<br />
<br />
As you are adding the malt extract to your wort, you need to continuously mix it. If you do not mix it, the extract syrup will have a tendency to settle at the bottom of your pot where it will heat and caramelize, leaving a hardened caramel mess at the bottom of your pot. This carmelization can also alter the color and flavor of your beer, so it is important to mix well while heating.<br />
Once you have all of your extract mixed in, the next step is to bring your wort to a boil. This is best done slowly, as your wort will tend to bubble up a lot when it first starts to boil. The water you used for your brew has a lot of air in it, and these small air bubbles will be released as it comes to a boil creating foaming and a high potential for a boil-over. The best way to avoid a boil-over it to turn the heat down a bit as the wort just begins to boil, and then very carefully manage the heat during the first 15 minutes of the boil until you have a steady boil with minimal foaming. Also, do NOT use a cover on your pot! While a covered pot will come to a boil quicker, the first time you open the pot it will boil over immediately - making a huge mess of your stove. <br />
<br />
Once you achieve a steady boil it is time to add the hops. Weigh the proper amount and drop it in the hot wort. Some brewers use a mesh hops bag to reduce the mess later, but if you can cool your beer quickly most of the hops will drop out after the boil. Stir occasionally during the boil to reduce the chance of extract settling to the bottom and carmelizing. I recommend you boil for 60 minutes. Boil time will affect your hop utilization and beer bitterness, but this particular batch is sized for a 60 minute boil time.<br />
<br />
==Cool and Ferment==<br />
Once your boil has finished, you want to cool the hot wort to room temperature as quickly as possible to reduce the chance of infection. Many beginning brewers immerse their pot in a cold ice bath. Adding very cold water to the wort to bring it up to your target batch size (usually 5 gallons) will also help. More advanced brewers will use a chiller such as an immersion coil that runs cold water through a coil of copper tubing to quickly cool the beer. If needed, add water to the wort when you transfer it to your fermentor to achieve the target volume of 5 gallons.<br />
<br />
The wort at this stage is very vulnerable to infection so you need to make sure that your fermentor, airlock, siphon tubes and anything else that touches the wort or yeast are thoroughly sterilized. I use a solution of 5 gallons of water and small amount of household bleach to sterilize my equipment. However if you use bleach you must carefully rinse everything with hot water or you risk leaving your beer with a chlorine taste.<br />
<br />
Your wort must be fully cooled to room temperature (72 F or so) and siphoned or dumped into your fermentor before you add (pitch) your yeast. Don't worry too much about all of the gunk (hops and proteins) in the wort - most of it will fall to the bottom during fermentation. Pitching yeast in hot wort will probably kill it off, so wait until your wort has fully cooled before adding yeast. I highly recommend the use of liquid yeast as it is far superior in quality to dry yeast. Liquid yeast comes in either a plastic tube or smack pack. The plastic tube type can be added directly to the wort. The foil smack-packs require you to pop an internal pouch containing the yeast several hours before pitching it to allow the yeast to grow in a self contained starter. Follow the instructions on your yeast pack to prepare it and then carefully add it to your fermentor. Once the yeast has been added and mixed in, close the top, fit your airlock (which needs a little water in it) and set your beer in a dark cool place where the temperature is steady.<br />
<br />
Your airlock should begin bubbling within 12-36 hours, and continue fermenting for about a week. If you see no bubbles from the airlock, check the fit on your plastic pail and airlock. Often plastic fermentors have a poor seal on the lid that leaks. The bubbles in the airlock are CO2 produced by the fermentation, and will slowly tail off as fermentation nears completion. Assuming you have a good seal, the bubbles should slow to one every minute or two before you consider bottling. As a minimum I would ferment for a week before considering bottling a beer.<br />
<br />
==Priming and Bottling==<br />
The final step before bottling your beer is called priming. Priming consists of mixing sugar in with the beer to promote fermentation after bottling. A small amount of priming sugar will ferment and carbonate your beer.<br />
<br />
Before you can prime and bottle, you again need to sterilize everything the beer will touch. Though your beer has fermented out, it still can be ruined by bacteria or by adding too much oxygen to it (i.e. don't splash it around). Most brewers use a large plastic bucket or carboy to make it easy to mix the priming sugar in evenly. Sterilize the bucket thoroughly, and also sterilize your siphoning equipment, tools and of course your bottles. Make sure your bottles are clean of debris before sterilizing - use a bottle brush to remove any deposits. Some people sterilize bottles by soaking them in a weak bleach solution and then rinsing well. I've also had some success with sterilizing my bottles in the dishwasher, but you need to run it several times with no soap and hot water to avoid leaving a soap residue that will ruin the head retention on your beer.<br />
<br />
Siphon the finished beer into your priming bucket, trying very hard not to splash it around or mix any air in with it. Add 2/3 cup of priming sugar (I recommend corn sugar) to your beer and very gently mix it in. Next siphon the beer into your bottles using your bottle filler. Be sure to leave at least an inch or more of empty space at the top of your bottle to aid in fermentation. Put the caps on each bottle as you go and use your bottle capper to secure them.<br />
<br />
==Aging==<br />
The most difficult part by far is waiting for your beer to come of age. While most beers are drinkable after a few weeks, the average homebrew reaches peak flavor anywhere from 8 weeks to 15 weeks after brewing. Most homebrewers simply can't wait this long. During the aging process your beer will carbonate and excess yeast, tannins and proteins that create off flavors will fall out of your beer and settle to the bottom of the bottle. This will substantially improve your beer. I personally recommend waiting about 3-4 weeks after bottling before sampling your first brew.<br />
<br />
Store your bottles in a cool, dark place. Unless you are brewing a lager under temperature controlled conditions, do not store your beer in the refrigerator for the first two weeks. Give it two weeks to fully carbonate at room temperature. After the first two weeks, refrigerating the beer will help it improve more quickly because the tannins, yeast and protein will sediment faster at cold temperature.<br />
<br />
==Drinking==<br />
The blessed day has finally arrived to sample your creation. During the aging process excess yeast, tannins and proteins will settle to the bottom of your bottle. Get a clean glass, open your brew, and gently poor most of your beer into the glass leaving only the sediment and a small amount of beer in your bottle. Don't worry if you take a little sediment into the glass - it won't hurt you though it may not improve the taste of your brew. Smell the fresh beer, admire the frothy head, and then sip (don't guzzle) your first homebrew and enjoy! As always, please drink responsibly.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
*[[Processes|More on the Brewing Process]]<br />
* [[Extract Brewing]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
* [http://breworganic.com/tips/virtual_class.htm Virtual Introduction to Brewing Class]<br />
<br />
[[Category: processes]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Brewing_Your_First_Beer&diff=2871Brewing Your First Beer2006-09-12T06:19:00Z<p>Jpkole: /* Equipment Needed */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{BrewWiki Title|name=Brewing Your First Beer}}<br />
Brewing at home for the first time? This simple guide takes you through your first batch of beer including what's needed, how to brew and how to bottle. A short guide for the new homebrewer on how to brew your first [Extracts|extract] beer!<br />
<table align=right><td>[[image:Beer_mug.png]]</td></table><br />
<br />
===Equipment Needed===<br />
You don't need a large set of fancy and expensive equipment to brew your first batch of beer. Many brewing supply stores sell starter kits for $75 or less. It can cost much less if you can borrow some or all the equipment from a friend. Here's a quick summary of what is needed:<br />
<br />
* '''A Large Pot''' - at least 3 gallons in size, though a larger one will generally result in fewer spills<br />
* '''Tubing & Clamp''' - to siphon the beer - most common is 3/8" ID food grade plastic tubing. Clamps are available at your brew store.<br />
* '''An Airtight Fermentor''' - a 5 gal plastic bucket with lid, or a glass carboy. If you can afford it, purchase a glass carboy as they are easier to clean and don't leak. If you get a carboy you may need a large brush to clean it<br />
* '''An Air Lock and Stopper''' - sized to fit your fermentor<br />
* '''A Bottle Filler''' - available from your homebrew supplier - should be sized to fit your tubing<br />
* '''A Thermometer''' - with a range of 0-100 C or up from 32-220 F<br />
* '''Bottles''' - You need just over 2 cases in 12 oz bottles to bottle your beer. Do not use twist off bottles - get the bottles that you have to pry the lid off.<br />
* '''Bottle Brush''' - While not absolutely required, you usually need a good brush to get your bottles clean<br />
* '''A Bottle Capper''' - a hand driven device to cap your bottles<br />
* '''Bottle Caps''' - New bottle caps sold at your brewing supplier - you need about 50 caps for a 5 gal batch<br />
* '''A Sterilizing solution''' - Household bleach can be used, but it must be thoroughly rinsed to prevent contamination. Your brew store may also have other alternatives such as iodophor and starsan that also sterilize well.<br />
<br />
===Ingredients Needed===<br />
The list below assumes you want to brew 5 gallons of a simple ale. You can use [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith] to formulate your own recipe or download recipes from our recipe page if you are looking for a different style.<br />
<br />
* '''6-7 lbs of Unhopped Pale Malt Extract''' - Usually this comes in cans that are 3-3.3 lbs each. Malt provides the sweet base that the yeast will feed on to make alcohol. Available from various manufacturers.<br />
* '''2 Oz of East Kent Goldings Hops''' - Hops add bitterness to your beer. Pellets are most common and easy to store.<br />
* '''1 Package of Wyeast American Ale liquid Yeast (#1056)''' [ or White Labs California Ale #WLP001 or Safbrew US-56 dry yeast]<br />
* '''2/3 cup Priming Sugar''' - such as corn sugar. Also available from your brew store or grocer.<br />
<br />
==The Extract Brewing Process==<br />
[[Extract Brewing|Extract brewing]] consists of five stages:<br />
<br />
# Brewing the Beer - The pale malt [[Extract|extract]] and [[Hops|hops]] are boiled together with water for about an hour to sterilize the extract and release the bittering qualities of the hops. Frequently grains are steeped in the mixture prior to the boil to add additional color and flavor complexity.<br />
# Cooling and Fermenting - The hot mixture (called [[wort]]) is cooled to room temperature and siphoned or transferred to a fermenter where it is combined with additional water to achieve the desired 5 gallon batch size. Once the mixture drops to room temperature, yeast is added to start the fermentation process. Cleanliness and sterilization are very important since the wort can be easily infected by bacteria while in this state. An airlock is used to keep the fermenter sealed during fermentation. Your beer will ferment for 1-2 weeks.<br />
# Priming and Bottling - Once the beer is fully fermented, it is usually siphoned to another container to prepare for bottling. Here priming sugars such as corn sugar sugar are mixed with the beer, and then it is siphoned into bottles and each bottle is capped with a bottle capping device.<br />
# Aging - Once the beer has been bottled it needs to age for 2-6 weeks. During aging the yeast will ferment the remaining sugar you added and create carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide will naturally carbonate your beer so it is nice and bubbly. In addition, undesirable sediments such as excess yeast and proteins will drop out of the beer during aging and this will enhance the flavor of your beer. In some cases it may take several months to reach peak flavor, though it is usually drinkable after a month.<br />
# Drinking - When the beer is properly aged - just put the bottles in the fridge and enjoy! There's nothing quite like a great beer that you made yourself.<br />
<br />
==Extract Brewing==<br />
Brew day is my favorite part of the process. The smell of sweet wort bubbling away stirs something primeval in the human psyche. Since we are brewing a relatively simple extract beer, there is not much to set up. You need a clean pot large enough to hold 2 gallons of water plus the two cans (6 lbs of extract) and boil it (I recommend a 4-5 gallon pot if you can find one). Put 2 gallons of water into your pot and begin to heat it over your stove. Once the water has heated up a bit, open your cans of extract and slowly start mixing them into the warm water. The malt extract will have the consistency of heavy syrup, and you may need some hot water to get it all out of the sides of the can. The combined water and extract mixture is called "wort."<br />
<br />
As you are adding the malt extract to your wort, you need to continuously mix it. If you do not mix it, the extract syrup will have a tendency to settle at the bottom of your pot where it will heat and caramelize, leaving a hardened caramel mess at the bottom of your pot. This carmelization can also alter the color and flavor of your beer, so it is important to mix well while heating.<br />
Once you have all of your extract mixed in, the next step is to bring your wort to a boil. This is best done slowly, as your wort will tend to bubble up a lot when it first starts to boil. The water you used for your brew has a lot of air in it, and these small air bubbles will be released as it comes to a boil creating foaming and a high potential for a boil-over. The best way to avoid a boil-over it to turn the heat down a bit as the wort just begins to boil, and then very carefully manage the heat during the first 15 minutes of the boil until you have a steady boil with minimal foaming. Also, do NOT use a cover on your pot! While a covered pot will come to a boil quicker, the first time you open the pot it will boil over immediately - making a huge mess of your stove. <br />
<br />
Once you achieve a steady boil it is time to add the hops. Weigh the proper amount and drop it in the hot wort. Some brewers use a mesh hops bag to reduce the mess later, but if you can cool your beer quickly most of the hops will drop out after the boil. Stir occasionally during the boil to reduce the chance of extract settling to the bottom and carmelizing. I recommend you boil for 60 minutes. Boil time will affect your hop utilization and beer bitterness, but this particular batch is sized for a 60 minute boil time.<br />
<br />
==Cool and Ferment==<br />
Once your boil has finished, you want to cool the hot wort to room temperature as quickly as possible to reduce the chance of infection. Many beginning brewers immerse their pot in a cold ice bath. Adding very cold water to the wort to bring it up to your target batch size (usually 5 gallons) will also help. More advanced brewers will use a chiller such as an immersion coil that runs cold water through a coil of copper tubing to quickly cool the beer. If needed, add water to the wort when you transfer it to your fermentor to achieve the target volume of 5 gallons.<br />
<br />
The wort at this stage is very vulnerable to infection so you need to make sure that your fermentor, airlock, siphon tubes and anything else that touches the wort or yeast are thoroughly sterilized. I use a solution of 5 gallons of water and small amount of household bleach to sterilize my equipment. However if you use bleach you must carefully rinse everything with hot water or you risk leaving your beer with a chlorine taste.<br />
<br />
Your wort must be fully cooled to room temperature (72 F or so) and siphoned or dumped into your fermentor before you add (pitch) your yeast. Don't worry too much about all of the gunk (hops and proteins) in the wort - most of it will fall to the bottom during fermentation. Pitching yeast in hot wort will probably kill it off, so wait until your wort has fully cooled before adding yeast. I highly recommend the use of liquid yeast as it is far superior in quality to dry yeast. Liquid yeast comes in either a plastic tube or smack pack. The plastic tube type can be added directly to the wort. The foil smack-packs require you to pop an internal pouch containing the yeast several hours before pitching it to allow the yeast to grow in a self contained starter. Follow the instructions on your yeast pack to prepare it and then carefully add it to your fermentor. Once the yeast has been added and mixed in, close the top, fit your airlock (which needs a little water in it) and set your beer in a dark cool place where the temperature is steady.<br />
<br />
Your airlock should begin bubbling within 12-36 hours, and continue fermenting for about a week. If you see no bubbles from the airlock, check the fit on your plastic pail and airlock. Often plastic fermentors have a poor seal on the lid that leaks. The bubbles in the airlock are CO2 produced by the fermentation, and will slowly tail off as fermentation nears completion. Assuming you have a good seal, the bubbles should slow to one every minute or two before you consider bottling. As a minimum I would ferment for a week before considering bottling a beer.<br />
<br />
==Priming and Bottling==<br />
The final step before bottling your beer is called priming. Priming consists of mixing sugar in with the beer to promote fermentation after bottling. A small amount of priming sugar will ferment and carbonate your beer.<br />
<br />
Before you can prime and bottle, you again need to sterilize everything the beer will touch. Though your beer has fermented out, it still can be ruined by bacteria or by adding too much oxygen to it (i.e. don't splash it around). Most brewers use a large plastic bucket or carboy to make it easy to mix the priming sugar in evenly. Sterilize the bucket thoroughly, and also sterilize your siphoning equipment, tools and of course your bottles. Make sure your bottles are clean of debris before sterilizing - use a bottle brush to remove any deposits. Some people sterilize bottles by soaking them in a weak bleach solution and then rinsing well. I've also had some success with sterilizing my bottles in the dishwasher, but you need to run it several times with no soap and hot water to avoid leaving a soap residue that will ruin the head retention on your beer.<br />
<br />
Siphon the finished beer into your priming bucket, trying very hard not to splash it around or mix any air in with it. Add 2/3 cup of priming sugar (I recommend corn sugar) to your beer and very gently mix it in. Next siphon the beer into your bottles using your bottle filler. Be sure to leave at least an inch or more of empty space at the top of your bottle to aid in fermentation. Put the caps on each bottle as you go and use your bottle capper to secure them.<br />
<br />
==Aging==<br />
The most difficult part by far is waiting for your beer to come of age. While most beers are drinkable after a few weeks, the average homebrew reaches peak flavor anywhere from 8 weeks to 15 weeks after brewing. Most homebrewers simply can't wait this long. During the aging process your beer will carbonate and excess yeast, tannins and proteins that create off flavors will fall out of your beer and settle to the bottom of the bottle. This will substantially improve your beer. I personally recommend waiting about 3-4 weeks after bottling before sampling your first brew.<br />
<br />
Store your bottles in a cool, dark place. Unless you are brewing a lager under temperature controlled conditions, do not store your beer in the refrigerator for the first two weeks. Give it two weeks to fully carbonate at room temperature. After the first two weeks, refrigerating the beer will help it improve more quickly because the tannins, yeast and protein will sediment faster at cold temperature.<br />
<br />
==Drinking==<br />
The blessed day has finally arrived to sample your creation. During the aging process excess yeast, tannins and proteins will settle to the bottom of your bottle. Get a clean glass, open your brew, and gently poor most of your beer into the glass leaving only the sediment and a small amount of beer in your bottle. Don't worry if you take a little sediment into the glass - it won't hurt you though it may not improve the taste of your brew. Smell the fresh beer, admire the frothy head, and then sip (don't guzzle) your first homebrew and enjoy! As always, please drink responsibly.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
*[[Processes|More on the Brewing Process]]<br />
* [[Extract Brewing]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
* [http://breworganic.com/tips/virtual_class.htm Virtual Introduction to Brewing Class]<br />
<br />
[[Category: processes]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Brewing_Your_First_Beer&diff=2870Brewing Your First Beer2006-09-12T06:18:39Z<p>Jpkole: /* Equipment Needed */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{BrewWiki Title|name=Brewing Your First Beer}}<br />
Brewing at home for the first time? This simple guide takes you through your first batch of beer including what's needed, how to brew and how to bottle. A short guide for the new homebrewer on how to brew your first [Extracts|extract] beer!<br />
<table align=right><td>[[image:Beer_mug.png]]</td></table><br />
<br />
===Equipment Needed===<br />
You don't need a large set of fancy and expensive equipment to brew your first batch of beer. Many brewing supply stores sell starter kits for $75 or less. It can cost much less if you can borrow some or all the equipment from a friend. Here's a quick summary of what is needed:<br />
<br />
* '''A Large Pot''' - at least 3 gallons in size, though a larger one will generally result in fewer spills<br />
* '''Tubing & Clamp''' - to siphon the beer - most common is 3/8" ID food grade plastic tubing. Clamps are available at your brew store.<br />
* '''An Airtight Fermentor''' - a 5 gal plastic bucket with lid, or a glass carboy. If you can afford it, purchase a glass carboy as they are easier to clean and don't leak. If you get a carboy you may need a large brush to clean it<br />
* '''An Air Lock and Stopper''' - sized to fit your fermenter<br />
* '''A Bottle Filler''' - available from your homebrew supplier - should be sized to fit your tubing<br />
* '''A Thermometer''' - with a range of 0-100 C or up from 32-220 F<br />
* '''Bottles''' - You need just over 2 cases in 12 oz bottles to bottle your beer. Do not use twist off bottles - get the bottles that you have to pry the lid off.<br />
* '''Bottle Brush''' - While not absolutely required, you usually need a good brush to get your bottles clean<br />
* '''A Bottle Capper''' - a hand driven device to cap your bottles<br />
* '''Bottle Caps''' - New bottle caps sold at your brewing supplier - you need about 50 caps for a 5 gal batch<br />
* '''A Sterilizing solution''' - Household bleach can be used, but it must be thoroughly rinsed to prevent contamination. Your brew store may also have other alternatives such as iodophor and starsan that also sterilize well.<br />
<br />
===Ingredients Needed===<br />
The list below assumes you want to brew 5 gallons of a simple ale. You can use [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith] to formulate your own recipe or download recipes from our recipe page if you are looking for a different style.<br />
<br />
* '''6-7 lbs of Unhopped Pale Malt Extract''' - Usually this comes in cans that are 3-3.3 lbs each. Malt provides the sweet base that the yeast will feed on to make alcohol. Available from various manufacturers.<br />
* '''2 Oz of East Kent Goldings Hops''' - Hops add bitterness to your beer. Pellets are most common and easy to store.<br />
* '''1 Package of Wyeast American Ale liquid Yeast (#1056)''' [ or White Labs California Ale #WLP001 or Safbrew US-56 dry yeast]<br />
* '''2/3 cup Priming Sugar''' - such as corn sugar. Also available from your brew store or grocer.<br />
<br />
==The Extract Brewing Process==<br />
[[Extract Brewing|Extract brewing]] consists of five stages:<br />
<br />
# Brewing the Beer - The pale malt [[Extract|extract]] and [[Hops|hops]] are boiled together with water for about an hour to sterilize the extract and release the bittering qualities of the hops. Frequently grains are steeped in the mixture prior to the boil to add additional color and flavor complexity.<br />
# Cooling and Fermenting - The hot mixture (called [[wort]]) is cooled to room temperature and siphoned or transferred to a fermenter where it is combined with additional water to achieve the desired 5 gallon batch size. Once the mixture drops to room temperature, yeast is added to start the fermentation process. Cleanliness and sterilization are very important since the wort can be easily infected by bacteria while in this state. An airlock is used to keep the fermenter sealed during fermentation. Your beer will ferment for 1-2 weeks.<br />
# Priming and Bottling - Once the beer is fully fermented, it is usually siphoned to another container to prepare for bottling. Here priming sugars such as corn sugar sugar are mixed with the beer, and then it is siphoned into bottles and each bottle is capped with a bottle capping device.<br />
# Aging - Once the beer has been bottled it needs to age for 2-6 weeks. During aging the yeast will ferment the remaining sugar you added and create carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide will naturally carbonate your beer so it is nice and bubbly. In addition, undesirable sediments such as excess yeast and proteins will drop out of the beer during aging and this will enhance the flavor of your beer. In some cases it may take several months to reach peak flavor, though it is usually drinkable after a month.<br />
# Drinking - When the beer is properly aged - just put the bottles in the fridge and enjoy! There's nothing quite like a great beer that you made yourself.<br />
<br />
==Extract Brewing==<br />
Brew day is my favorite part of the process. The smell of sweet wort bubbling away stirs something primeval in the human psyche. Since we are brewing a relatively simple extract beer, there is not much to set up. You need a clean pot large enough to hold 2 gallons of water plus the two cans (6 lbs of extract) and boil it (I recommend a 4-5 gallon pot if you can find one). Put 2 gallons of water into your pot and begin to heat it over your stove. Once the water has heated up a bit, open your cans of extract and slowly start mixing them into the warm water. The malt extract will have the consistency of heavy syrup, and you may need some hot water to get it all out of the sides of the can. The combined water and extract mixture is called "wort."<br />
<br />
As you are adding the malt extract to your wort, you need to continuously mix it. If you do not mix it, the extract syrup will have a tendency to settle at the bottom of your pot where it will heat and caramelize, leaving a hardened caramel mess at the bottom of your pot. This carmelization can also alter the color and flavor of your beer, so it is important to mix well while heating.<br />
Once you have all of your extract mixed in, the next step is to bring your wort to a boil. This is best done slowly, as your wort will tend to bubble up a lot when it first starts to boil. The water you used for your brew has a lot of air in it, and these small air bubbles will be released as it comes to a boil creating foaming and a high potential for a boil-over. The best way to avoid a boil-over it to turn the heat down a bit as the wort just begins to boil, and then very carefully manage the heat during the first 15 minutes of the boil until you have a steady boil with minimal foaming. Also, do NOT use a cover on your pot! While a covered pot will come to a boil quicker, the first time you open the pot it will boil over immediately - making a huge mess of your stove. <br />
<br />
Once you achieve a steady boil it is time to add the hops. Weigh the proper amount and drop it in the hot wort. Some brewers use a mesh hops bag to reduce the mess later, but if you can cool your beer quickly most of the hops will drop out after the boil. Stir occasionally during the boil to reduce the chance of extract settling to the bottom and carmelizing. I recommend you boil for 60 minutes. Boil time will affect your hop utilization and beer bitterness, but this particular batch is sized for a 60 minute boil time.<br />
<br />
==Cool and Ferment==<br />
Once your boil has finished, you want to cool the hot wort to room temperature as quickly as possible to reduce the chance of infection. Many beginning brewers immerse their pot in a cold ice bath. Adding very cold water to the wort to bring it up to your target batch size (usually 5 gallons) will also help. More advanced brewers will use a chiller such as an immersion coil that runs cold water through a coil of copper tubing to quickly cool the beer. If needed, add water to the wort when you transfer it to your fermentor to achieve the target volume of 5 gallons.<br />
<br />
The wort at this stage is very vulnerable to infection so you need to make sure that your fermentor, airlock, siphon tubes and anything else that touches the wort or yeast are thoroughly sterilized. I use a solution of 5 gallons of water and small amount of household bleach to sterilize my equipment. However if you use bleach you must carefully rinse everything with hot water or you risk leaving your beer with a chlorine taste.<br />
<br />
Your wort must be fully cooled to room temperature (72 F or so) and siphoned or dumped into your fermentor before you add (pitch) your yeast. Don't worry too much about all of the gunk (hops and proteins) in the wort - most of it will fall to the bottom during fermentation. Pitching yeast in hot wort will probably kill it off, so wait until your wort has fully cooled before adding yeast. I highly recommend the use of liquid yeast as it is far superior in quality to dry yeast. Liquid yeast comes in either a plastic tube or smack pack. The plastic tube type can be added directly to the wort. The foil smack-packs require you to pop an internal pouch containing the yeast several hours before pitching it to allow the yeast to grow in a self contained starter. Follow the instructions on your yeast pack to prepare it and then carefully add it to your fermentor. Once the yeast has been added and mixed in, close the top, fit your airlock (which needs a little water in it) and set your beer in a dark cool place where the temperature is steady.<br />
<br />
Your airlock should begin bubbling within 12-36 hours, and continue fermenting for about a week. If you see no bubbles from the airlock, check the fit on your plastic pail and airlock. Often plastic fermentors have a poor seal on the lid that leaks. The bubbles in the airlock are CO2 produced by the fermentation, and will slowly tail off as fermentation nears completion. Assuming you have a good seal, the bubbles should slow to one every minute or two before you consider bottling. As a minimum I would ferment for a week before considering bottling a beer.<br />
<br />
==Priming and Bottling==<br />
The final step before bottling your beer is called priming. Priming consists of mixing sugar in with the beer to promote fermentation after bottling. A small amount of priming sugar will ferment and carbonate your beer.<br />
<br />
Before you can prime and bottle, you again need to sterilize everything the beer will touch. Though your beer has fermented out, it still can be ruined by bacteria or by adding too much oxygen to it (i.e. don't splash it around). Most brewers use a large plastic bucket or carboy to make it easy to mix the priming sugar in evenly. Sterilize the bucket thoroughly, and also sterilize your siphoning equipment, tools and of course your bottles. Make sure your bottles are clean of debris before sterilizing - use a bottle brush to remove any deposits. Some people sterilize bottles by soaking them in a weak bleach solution and then rinsing well. I've also had some success with sterilizing my bottles in the dishwasher, but you need to run it several times with no soap and hot water to avoid leaving a soap residue that will ruin the head retention on your beer.<br />
<br />
Siphon the finished beer into your priming bucket, trying very hard not to splash it around or mix any air in with it. Add 2/3 cup of priming sugar (I recommend corn sugar) to your beer and very gently mix it in. Next siphon the beer into your bottles using your bottle filler. Be sure to leave at least an inch or more of empty space at the top of your bottle to aid in fermentation. Put the caps on each bottle as you go and use your bottle capper to secure them.<br />
<br />
==Aging==<br />
The most difficult part by far is waiting for your beer to come of age. While most beers are drinkable after a few weeks, the average homebrew reaches peak flavor anywhere from 8 weeks to 15 weeks after brewing. Most homebrewers simply can't wait this long. During the aging process your beer will carbonate and excess yeast, tannins and proteins that create off flavors will fall out of your beer and settle to the bottom of the bottle. This will substantially improve your beer. I personally recommend waiting about 3-4 weeks after bottling before sampling your first brew.<br />
<br />
Store your bottles in a cool, dark place. Unless you are brewing a lager under temperature controlled conditions, do not store your beer in the refrigerator for the first two weeks. Give it two weeks to fully carbonate at room temperature. After the first two weeks, refrigerating the beer will help it improve more quickly because the tannins, yeast and protein will sediment faster at cold temperature.<br />
<br />
==Drinking==<br />
The blessed day has finally arrived to sample your creation. During the aging process excess yeast, tannins and proteins will settle to the bottom of your bottle. Get a clean glass, open your brew, and gently poor most of your beer into the glass leaving only the sediment and a small amount of beer in your bottle. Don't worry if you take a little sediment into the glass - it won't hurt you though it may not improve the taste of your brew. Smell the fresh beer, admire the frothy head, and then sip (don't guzzle) your first homebrew and enjoy! As always, please drink responsibly.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
*[[Processes|More on the Brewing Process]]<br />
* [[Extract Brewing]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
* [http://breworganic.com/tips/virtual_class.htm Virtual Introduction to Brewing Class]<br />
<br />
[[Category: processes]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Brewing_Your_First_Beer&diff=2869Brewing Your First Beer2006-09-12T06:18:04Z<p>Jpkole: /* Cool and Ferment */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{BrewWiki Title|name=Brewing Your First Beer}}<br />
Brewing at home for the first time? This simple guide takes you through your first batch of beer including what's needed, how to brew and how to bottle. A short guide for the new homebrewer on how to brew your first [Extracts|extract] beer!<br />
<table align=right><td>[[image:Beer_mug.png]]</td></table><br />
<br />
===Equipment Needed===<br />
You don't need a large set of fancy and expensive equipment to brew your first batch of beer. Many brewing supply stores sell starter kits for $75 or less. It can cost much less if you can borrow some or all the equipment from a friend. Here's a quick summary of what is needed:<br />
<br />
* '''A Large Pot''' - at least 3 gallons in size, though a larger one will generally result in fewer spills<br />
* '''Tubing & Clamp''' - to siphon the beer - most common is 3/8" ID food grade plastic tubing. Clamps are available at your brew store.<br />
* '''An Airtight Fermenter''' - a 5 gal plastic bucket with lid, or a glass carboy. If you can afford it, purchase a glass carboy as they are easier to clean and don't leak. If you get a carboy you may need a large brush to clean it<br />
* '''An Air Lock and Stopper''' - sized to fit your fermenter<br />
* '''A Bottle Filler''' - available from your homebrew supplier - should be sized to fit your tubing<br />
* '''A Thermometer''' - with a range of 0-100 C or up from 32-220 F<br />
* '''Bottles''' - You need just over 2 cases in 12 oz bottles to bottle your beer. Do not use twist off bottles - get the bottles that you have to pry the lid off.<br />
* '''Bottle Brush''' - While not absolutely required, you usually need a good brush to get your bottles clean<br />
* '''A Bottle Capper''' - a hand driven device to cap your bottles<br />
* '''Bottle Caps''' - New bottle caps sold at your brewing supplier - you need about 50 caps for a 5 gal batch<br />
* '''A Sterilizing solution''' - Household bleach can be used, but it must be thoroughly rinsed to prevent contamination. Your brew store may also have other alternatives such as iodophor and starsan that also sterilize well.<br />
<br />
===Ingredients Needed===<br />
The list below assumes you want to brew 5 gallons of a simple ale. You can use [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith] to formulate your own recipe or download recipes from our recipe page if you are looking for a different style.<br />
<br />
* '''6-7 lbs of Unhopped Pale Malt Extract''' - Usually this comes in cans that are 3-3.3 lbs each. Malt provides the sweet base that the yeast will feed on to make alcohol. Available from various manufacturers.<br />
* '''2 Oz of East Kent Goldings Hops''' - Hops add bitterness to your beer. Pellets are most common and easy to store.<br />
* '''1 Package of Wyeast American Ale liquid Yeast (#1056)''' [ or White Labs California Ale #WLP001 or Safbrew US-56 dry yeast]<br />
* '''2/3 cup Priming Sugar''' - such as corn sugar. Also available from your brew store or grocer.<br />
<br />
==The Extract Brewing Process==<br />
[[Extract Brewing|Extract brewing]] consists of five stages:<br />
<br />
# Brewing the Beer - The pale malt [[Extract|extract]] and [[Hops|hops]] are boiled together with water for about an hour to sterilize the extract and release the bittering qualities of the hops. Frequently grains are steeped in the mixture prior to the boil to add additional color and flavor complexity.<br />
# Cooling and Fermenting - The hot mixture (called [[wort]]) is cooled to room temperature and siphoned or transferred to a fermenter where it is combined with additional water to achieve the desired 5 gallon batch size. Once the mixture drops to room temperature, yeast is added to start the fermentation process. Cleanliness and sterilization are very important since the wort can be easily infected by bacteria while in this state. An airlock is used to keep the fermenter sealed during fermentation. Your beer will ferment for 1-2 weeks.<br />
# Priming and Bottling - Once the beer is fully fermented, it is usually siphoned to another container to prepare for bottling. Here priming sugars such as corn sugar sugar are mixed with the beer, and then it is siphoned into bottles and each bottle is capped with a bottle capping device.<br />
# Aging - Once the beer has been bottled it needs to age for 2-6 weeks. During aging the yeast will ferment the remaining sugar you added and create carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide will naturally carbonate your beer so it is nice and bubbly. In addition, undesirable sediments such as excess yeast and proteins will drop out of the beer during aging and this will enhance the flavor of your beer. In some cases it may take several months to reach peak flavor, though it is usually drinkable after a month.<br />
# Drinking - When the beer is properly aged - just put the bottles in the fridge and enjoy! There's nothing quite like a great beer that you made yourself.<br />
<br />
==Extract Brewing==<br />
Brew day is my favorite part of the process. The smell of sweet wort bubbling away stirs something primeval in the human psyche. Since we are brewing a relatively simple extract beer, there is not much to set up. You need a clean pot large enough to hold 2 gallons of water plus the two cans (6 lbs of extract) and boil it (I recommend a 4-5 gallon pot if you can find one). Put 2 gallons of water into your pot and begin to heat it over your stove. Once the water has heated up a bit, open your cans of extract and slowly start mixing them into the warm water. The malt extract will have the consistency of heavy syrup, and you may need some hot water to get it all out of the sides of the can. The combined water and extract mixture is called "wort."<br />
<br />
As you are adding the malt extract to your wort, you need to continuously mix it. If you do not mix it, the extract syrup will have a tendency to settle at the bottom of your pot where it will heat and caramelize, leaving a hardened caramel mess at the bottom of your pot. This carmelization can also alter the color and flavor of your beer, so it is important to mix well while heating.<br />
Once you have all of your extract mixed in, the next step is to bring your wort to a boil. This is best done slowly, as your wort will tend to bubble up a lot when it first starts to boil. The water you used for your brew has a lot of air in it, and these small air bubbles will be released as it comes to a boil creating foaming and a high potential for a boil-over. The best way to avoid a boil-over it to turn the heat down a bit as the wort just begins to boil, and then very carefully manage the heat during the first 15 minutes of the boil until you have a steady boil with minimal foaming. Also, do NOT use a cover on your pot! While a covered pot will come to a boil quicker, the first time you open the pot it will boil over immediately - making a huge mess of your stove. <br />
<br />
Once you achieve a steady boil it is time to add the hops. Weigh the proper amount and drop it in the hot wort. Some brewers use a mesh hops bag to reduce the mess later, but if you can cool your beer quickly most of the hops will drop out after the boil. Stir occasionally during the boil to reduce the chance of extract settling to the bottom and carmelizing. I recommend you boil for 60 minutes. Boil time will affect your hop utilization and beer bitterness, but this particular batch is sized for a 60 minute boil time.<br />
<br />
==Cool and Ferment==<br />
Once your boil has finished, you want to cool the hot wort to room temperature as quickly as possible to reduce the chance of infection. Many beginning brewers immerse their pot in a cold ice bath. Adding very cold water to the wort to bring it up to your target batch size (usually 5 gallons) will also help. More advanced brewers will use a chiller such as an immersion coil that runs cold water through a coil of copper tubing to quickly cool the beer. If needed, add water to the wort when you transfer it to your fermentor to achieve the target volume of 5 gallons.<br />
<br />
The wort at this stage is very vulnerable to infection so you need to make sure that your fermentor, airlock, siphon tubes and anything else that touches the wort or yeast are thoroughly sterilized. I use a solution of 5 gallons of water and small amount of household bleach to sterilize my equipment. However if you use bleach you must carefully rinse everything with hot water or you risk leaving your beer with a chlorine taste.<br />
<br />
Your wort must be fully cooled to room temperature (72 F or so) and siphoned or dumped into your fermentor before you add (pitch) your yeast. Don't worry too much about all of the gunk (hops and proteins) in the wort - most of it will fall to the bottom during fermentation. Pitching yeast in hot wort will probably kill it off, so wait until your wort has fully cooled before adding yeast. I highly recommend the use of liquid yeast as it is far superior in quality to dry yeast. Liquid yeast comes in either a plastic tube or smack pack. The plastic tube type can be added directly to the wort. The foil smack-packs require you to pop an internal pouch containing the yeast several hours before pitching it to allow the yeast to grow in a self contained starter. Follow the instructions on your yeast pack to prepare it and then carefully add it to your fermentor. Once the yeast has been added and mixed in, close the top, fit your airlock (which needs a little water in it) and set your beer in a dark cool place where the temperature is steady.<br />
<br />
Your airlock should begin bubbling within 12-36 hours, and continue fermenting for about a week. If you see no bubbles from the airlock, check the fit on your plastic pail and airlock. Often plastic fermentors have a poor seal on the lid that leaks. The bubbles in the airlock are CO2 produced by the fermentation, and will slowly tail off as fermentation nears completion. Assuming you have a good seal, the bubbles should slow to one every minute or two before you consider bottling. As a minimum I would ferment for a week before considering bottling a beer.<br />
<br />
==Priming and Bottling==<br />
The final step before bottling your beer is called priming. Priming consists of mixing sugar in with the beer to promote fermentation after bottling. A small amount of priming sugar will ferment and carbonate your beer.<br />
<br />
Before you can prime and bottle, you again need to sterilize everything the beer will touch. Though your beer has fermented out, it still can be ruined by bacteria or by adding too much oxygen to it (i.e. don't splash it around). Most brewers use a large plastic bucket or carboy to make it easy to mix the priming sugar in evenly. Sterilize the bucket thoroughly, and also sterilize your siphoning equipment, tools and of course your bottles. Make sure your bottles are clean of debris before sterilizing - use a bottle brush to remove any deposits. Some people sterilize bottles by soaking them in a weak bleach solution and then rinsing well. I've also had some success with sterilizing my bottles in the dishwasher, but you need to run it several times with no soap and hot water to avoid leaving a soap residue that will ruin the head retention on your beer.<br />
<br />
Siphon the finished beer into your priming bucket, trying very hard not to splash it around or mix any air in with it. Add 2/3 cup of priming sugar (I recommend corn sugar) to your beer and very gently mix it in. Next siphon the beer into your bottles using your bottle filler. Be sure to leave at least an inch or more of empty space at the top of your bottle to aid in fermentation. Put the caps on each bottle as you go and use your bottle capper to secure them.<br />
<br />
==Aging==<br />
The most difficult part by far is waiting for your beer to come of age. While most beers are drinkable after a few weeks, the average homebrew reaches peak flavor anywhere from 8 weeks to 15 weeks after brewing. Most homebrewers simply can't wait this long. During the aging process your beer will carbonate and excess yeast, tannins and proteins that create off flavors will fall out of your beer and settle to the bottom of the bottle. This will substantially improve your beer. I personally recommend waiting about 3-4 weeks after bottling before sampling your first brew.<br />
<br />
Store your bottles in a cool, dark place. Unless you are brewing a lager under temperature controlled conditions, do not store your beer in the refrigerator for the first two weeks. Give it two weeks to fully carbonate at room temperature. After the first two weeks, refrigerating the beer will help it improve more quickly because the tannins, yeast and protein will sediment faster at cold temperature.<br />
<br />
==Drinking==<br />
The blessed day has finally arrived to sample your creation. During the aging process excess yeast, tannins and proteins will settle to the bottom of your bottle. Get a clean glass, open your brew, and gently poor most of your beer into the glass leaving only the sediment and a small amount of beer in your bottle. Don't worry if you take a little sediment into the glass - it won't hurt you though it may not improve the taste of your brew. Smell the fresh beer, admire the frothy head, and then sip (don't guzzle) your first homebrew and enjoy! As always, please drink responsibly.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
*[[Processes|More on the Brewing Process]]<br />
* [[Extract Brewing]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
* [http://breworganic.com/tips/virtual_class.htm Virtual Introduction to Brewing Class]<br />
<br />
[[Category: processes]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Brewing_Your_First_Beer&diff=2868Brewing Your First Beer2006-09-12T06:11:02Z<p>Jpkole: /* Cool and Ferment */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{BrewWiki Title|name=Brewing Your First Beer}}<br />
Brewing at home for the first time? This simple guide takes you through your first batch of beer including what's needed, how to brew and how to bottle. A short guide for the new homebrewer on how to brew your first [Extracts|extract] beer!<br />
<table align=right><td>[[image:Beer_mug.png]]</td></table><br />
<br />
===Equipment Needed===<br />
You don't need a large set of fancy and expensive equipment to brew your first batch of beer. Many brewing supply stores sell starter kits for $75 or less. It can cost much less if you can borrow some or all the equipment from a friend. Here's a quick summary of what is needed:<br />
<br />
* '''A Large Pot''' - at least 3 gallons in size, though a larger one will generally result in fewer spills<br />
* '''Tubing & Clamp''' - to siphon the beer - most common is 3/8" ID food grade plastic tubing. Clamps are available at your brew store.<br />
* '''An Airtight Fermenter''' - a 5 gal plastic bucket with lid, or a glass carboy. If you can afford it, purchase a glass carboy as they are easier to clean and don't leak. If you get a carboy you may need a large brush to clean it<br />
* '''An Air Lock and Stopper''' - sized to fit your fermenter<br />
* '''A Bottle Filler''' - available from your homebrew supplier - should be sized to fit your tubing<br />
* '''A Thermometer''' - with a range of 0-100 C or up from 32-220 F<br />
* '''Bottles''' - You need just over 2 cases in 12 oz bottles to bottle your beer. Do not use twist off bottles - get the bottles that you have to pry the lid off.<br />
* '''Bottle Brush''' - While not absolutely required, you usually need a good brush to get your bottles clean<br />
* '''A Bottle Capper''' - a hand driven device to cap your bottles<br />
* '''Bottle Caps''' - New bottle caps sold at your brewing supplier - you need about 50 caps for a 5 gal batch<br />
* '''A Sterilizing solution''' - Household bleach can be used, but it must be thoroughly rinsed to prevent contamination. Your brew store may also have other alternatives such as iodophor and starsan that also sterilize well.<br />
<br />
===Ingredients Needed===<br />
The list below assumes you want to brew 5 gallons of a simple ale. You can use [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith] to formulate your own recipe or download recipes from our recipe page if you are looking for a different style.<br />
<br />
* '''6-7 lbs of Unhopped Pale Malt Extract''' - Usually this comes in cans that are 3-3.3 lbs each. Malt provides the sweet base that the yeast will feed on to make alcohol. Available from various manufacturers.<br />
* '''2 Oz of East Kent Goldings Hops''' - Hops add bitterness to your beer. Pellets are most common and easy to store.<br />
* '''1 Package of Wyeast American Ale liquid Yeast (#1056)''' [ or White Labs California Ale #WLP001 or Safbrew US-56 dry yeast]<br />
* '''2/3 cup Priming Sugar''' - such as corn sugar. Also available from your brew store or grocer.<br />
<br />
==The Extract Brewing Process==<br />
[[Extract Brewing|Extract brewing]] consists of five stages:<br />
<br />
# Brewing the Beer - The pale malt [[Extract|extract]] and [[Hops|hops]] are boiled together with water for about an hour to sterilize the extract and release the bittering qualities of the hops. Frequently grains are steeped in the mixture prior to the boil to add additional color and flavor complexity.<br />
# Cooling and Fermenting - The hot mixture (called [[wort]]) is cooled to room temperature and siphoned or transferred to a fermenter where it is combined with additional water to achieve the desired 5 gallon batch size. Once the mixture drops to room temperature, yeast is added to start the fermentation process. Cleanliness and sterilization are very important since the wort can be easily infected by bacteria while in this state. An airlock is used to keep the fermenter sealed during fermentation. Your beer will ferment for 1-2 weeks.<br />
# Priming and Bottling - Once the beer is fully fermented, it is usually siphoned to another container to prepare for bottling. Here priming sugars such as corn sugar sugar are mixed with the beer, and then it is siphoned into bottles and each bottle is capped with a bottle capping device.<br />
# Aging - Once the beer has been bottled it needs to age for 2-6 weeks. During aging the yeast will ferment the remaining sugar you added and create carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide will naturally carbonate your beer so it is nice and bubbly. In addition, undesirable sediments such as excess yeast and proteins will drop out of the beer during aging and this will enhance the flavor of your beer. In some cases it may take several months to reach peak flavor, though it is usually drinkable after a month.<br />
# Drinking - When the beer is properly aged - just put the bottles in the fridge and enjoy! There's nothing quite like a great beer that you made yourself.<br />
<br />
==Extract Brewing==<br />
Brew day is my favorite part of the process. The smell of sweet wort bubbling away stirs something primeval in the human psyche. Since we are brewing a relatively simple extract beer, there is not much to set up. You need a clean pot large enough to hold 2 gallons of water plus the two cans (6 lbs of extract) and boil it (I recommend a 4-5 gallon pot if you can find one). Put 2 gallons of water into your pot and begin to heat it over your stove. Once the water has heated up a bit, open your cans of extract and slowly start mixing them into the warm water. The malt extract will have the consistency of heavy syrup, and you may need some hot water to get it all out of the sides of the can. The combined water and extract mixture is called "wort."<br />
<br />
As you are adding the malt extract to your wort, you need to continuously mix it. If you do not mix it, the extract syrup will have a tendency to settle at the bottom of your pot where it will heat and caramelize, leaving a hardened caramel mess at the bottom of your pot. This carmelization can also alter the color and flavor of your beer, so it is important to mix well while heating.<br />
Once you have all of your extract mixed in, the next step is to bring your wort to a boil. This is best done slowly, as your wort will tend to bubble up a lot when it first starts to boil. The water you used for your brew has a lot of air in it, and these small air bubbles will be released as it comes to a boil creating foaming and a high potential for a boil-over. The best way to avoid a boil-over it to turn the heat down a bit as the wort just begins to boil, and then very carefully manage the heat during the first 15 minutes of the boil until you have a steady boil with minimal foaming. Also, do NOT use a cover on your pot! While a covered pot will come to a boil quicker, the first time you open the pot it will boil over immediately - making a huge mess of your stove. <br />
<br />
Once you achieve a steady boil it is time to add the hops. Weigh the proper amount and drop it in the hot wort. Some brewers use a mesh hops bag to reduce the mess later, but if you can cool your beer quickly most of the hops will drop out after the boil. Stir occasionally during the boil to reduce the chance of extract settling to the bottom and carmelizing. I recommend you boil for 60 minutes. Boil time will affect your hop utilization and beer bitterness, but this particular batch is sized for a 60 minute boil time.<br />
<br />
==Cool and Ferment==<br />
Once your boil has finished, you want to cool the hot wort to room temperature as quickly as possible to reduce the chance of infection. Many beginning brewers immerse their pot in a cold ice bath. Adding very cold water to the wort to bring it up to your target batch size (usually 5 gallons) will also help. More advanced brewers will use a chiller such as an immersion coil that runs cold water through a coil of copper tubing to quickly cool the beer. If needed, add water to the wort when you transfer it to your fermenter to achieve the target volume of 5 gallons.<br />
<br />
The wort at this stage is very vulnerable to infection so you need to make sure that your fermenter, airlock, siphon tubes and anything else that touches the wort or yeast are thouroughly sterilized. I use a solution of 5 gallons of water and small amount of household bleach to sterilize my equipment. However if you use bleach you must carefully rinse everything with hot water or you risk leaving your beer with a chlorine taste.<br />
<br />
Your wort must be fully cooled to room temperature (72 F or so) and siphoned or dumped into your fermenter before you add (pitch) your yeast. Don't worry too much about all of the gunk (hops and proteins) in the wort - most of it will fall to the bottom during fermentation. Pitching yeast in hot wort will probably kill it off, so wait until your wort has fully cooled before adding yeast. I highly recommend the use of liquid yeast as it is far superior in quality to dry yeast. Liquid yeast comes in either a plastic tube or smack pack. The plastic tube type can be added directly to the wort. The foil smack-packs require you to pop an internal pouch containing the yeast several hours before pitching it to allow the yeast to grow in a self contained starter. Follow the instructions on your yeast pack to prepare it and then carefully add it to your fermenter. Once the yeast has been added and mixed in, close the top, fit your airlock (which needs a little water in it) and set your beer in a dark cool place where the temperature is steady.<br />
<br />
Your airlock should begin bubbling within 12-36 hours, and continue fermenting for about a week. If you see no bubbles from the airlock, check the fit on your plastic pail and airlock. Often plastic fermenters have a poor seal on the lid that leaks. The bubbles in the airlock are CO2 produced by the fermentation, and will slowly tail off as fermentation nears completion. Assuming you have a good seal, the bubbles should slow to one every minute or two before you consider bottling. As a minimum I would ferment for a week before considering bottling a beer.<br />
<br />
==Priming and Bottling==<br />
The final step before bottling your beer is called priming. Priming consists of mixing sugar in with the beer to promote fermentation after bottling. A small amount of priming sugar will ferment and carbonate your beer.<br />
<br />
Before you can prime and bottle, you again need to sterilize everything the beer will touch. Though your beer has fermented out, it still can be ruined by bacteria or by adding too much oxygen to it (i.e. don't splash it around). Most brewers use a large plastic bucket or carboy to make it easy to mix the priming sugar in evenly. Sterilize the bucket thoroughly, and also sterilize your siphoning equipment, tools and of course your bottles. Make sure your bottles are clean of debris before sterilizing - use a bottle brush to remove any deposits. Some people sterilize bottles by soaking them in a weak bleach solution and then rinsing well. I've also had some success with sterilizing my bottles in the dishwasher, but you need to run it several times with no soap and hot water to avoid leaving a soap residue that will ruin the head retention on your beer.<br />
<br />
Siphon the finished beer into your priming bucket, trying very hard not to splash it around or mix any air in with it. Add 2/3 cup of priming sugar (I recommend corn sugar) to your beer and very gently mix it in. Next siphon the beer into your bottles using your bottle filler. Be sure to leave at least an inch or more of empty space at the top of your bottle to aid in fermentation. Put the caps on each bottle as you go and use your bottle capper to secure them.<br />
<br />
==Aging==<br />
The most difficult part by far is waiting for your beer to come of age. While most beers are drinkable after a few weeks, the average homebrew reaches peak flavor anywhere from 8 weeks to 15 weeks after brewing. Most homebrewers simply can't wait this long. During the aging process your beer will carbonate and excess yeast, tannins and proteins that create off flavors will fall out of your beer and settle to the bottom of the bottle. This will substantially improve your beer. I personally recommend waiting about 3-4 weeks after bottling before sampling your first brew.<br />
<br />
Store your bottles in a cool, dark place. Unless you are brewing a lager under temperature controlled conditions, do not store your beer in the refrigerator for the first two weeks. Give it two weeks to fully carbonate at room temperature. After the first two weeks, refrigerating the beer will help it improve more quickly because the tannins, yeast and protein will sediment faster at cold temperature.<br />
<br />
==Drinking==<br />
The blessed day has finally arrived to sample your creation. During the aging process excess yeast, tannins and proteins will settle to the bottom of your bottle. Get a clean glass, open your brew, and gently poor most of your beer into the glass leaving only the sediment and a small amount of beer in your bottle. Don't worry if you take a little sediment into the glass - it won't hurt you though it may not improve the taste of your brew. Smell the fresh beer, admire the frothy head, and then sip (don't guzzle) your first homebrew and enjoy! As always, please drink responsibly.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
*[[Processes|More on the Brewing Process]]<br />
* [[Extract Brewing]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
* [http://breworganic.com/tips/virtual_class.htm Virtual Introduction to Brewing Class]<br />
<br />
[[Category: processes]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkolehttp://brewwiki.com/index.php?title=Brewing_Your_First_Beer&diff=2867Brewing Your First Beer2006-09-12T06:07:39Z<p>Jpkole: /* The Extract Brewing Process */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{BrewWiki Title|name=Brewing Your First Beer}}<br />
Brewing at home for the first time? This simple guide takes you through your first batch of beer including what's needed, how to brew and how to bottle. A short guide for the new homebrewer on how to brew your first [Extracts|extract] beer!<br />
<table align=right><td>[[image:Beer_mug.png]]</td></table><br />
<br />
===Equipment Needed===<br />
You don't need a large set of fancy and expensive equipment to brew your first batch of beer. Many brewing supply stores sell starter kits for $75 or less. It can cost much less if you can borrow some or all the equipment from a friend. Here's a quick summary of what is needed:<br />
<br />
* '''A Large Pot''' - at least 3 gallons in size, though a larger one will generally result in fewer spills<br />
* '''Tubing & Clamp''' - to siphon the beer - most common is 3/8" ID food grade plastic tubing. Clamps are available at your brew store.<br />
* '''An Airtight Fermenter''' - a 5 gal plastic bucket with lid, or a glass carboy. If you can afford it, purchase a glass carboy as they are easier to clean and don't leak. If you get a carboy you may need a large brush to clean it<br />
* '''An Air Lock and Stopper''' - sized to fit your fermenter<br />
* '''A Bottle Filler''' - available from your homebrew supplier - should be sized to fit your tubing<br />
* '''A Thermometer''' - with a range of 0-100 C or up from 32-220 F<br />
* '''Bottles''' - You need just over 2 cases in 12 oz bottles to bottle your beer. Do not use twist off bottles - get the bottles that you have to pry the lid off.<br />
* '''Bottle Brush''' - While not absolutely required, you usually need a good brush to get your bottles clean<br />
* '''A Bottle Capper''' - a hand driven device to cap your bottles<br />
* '''Bottle Caps''' - New bottle caps sold at your brewing supplier - you need about 50 caps for a 5 gal batch<br />
* '''A Sterilizing solution''' - Household bleach can be used, but it must be thoroughly rinsed to prevent contamination. Your brew store may also have other alternatives such as iodophor and starsan that also sterilize well.<br />
<br />
===Ingredients Needed===<br />
The list below assumes you want to brew 5 gallons of a simple ale. You can use [http://www.beersmith.com BeerSmith] to formulate your own recipe or download recipes from our recipe page if you are looking for a different style.<br />
<br />
* '''6-7 lbs of Unhopped Pale Malt Extract''' - Usually this comes in cans that are 3-3.3 lbs each. Malt provides the sweet base that the yeast will feed on to make alcohol. Available from various manufacturers.<br />
* '''2 Oz of East Kent Goldings Hops''' - Hops add bitterness to your beer. Pellets are most common and easy to store.<br />
* '''1 Package of Wyeast American Ale liquid Yeast (#1056)''' [ or White Labs California Ale #WLP001 or Safbrew US-56 dry yeast]<br />
* '''2/3 cup Priming Sugar''' - such as corn sugar. Also available from your brew store or grocer.<br />
<br />
==The Extract Brewing Process==<br />
[[Extract Brewing|Extract brewing]] consists of five stages:<br />
<br />
# Brewing the Beer - The pale malt [[Extract|extract]] and [[Hops|hops]] are boiled together with water for about an hour to sterilize the extract and release the bittering qualities of the hops. Frequently grains are steeped in the mixture prior to the boil to add additional color and flavor complexity.<br />
# Cooling and Fermenting - The hot mixture (called [[wort]]) is cooled to room temperature and siphoned or transferred to a fermenter where it is combined with additional water to achieve the desired 5 gallon batch size. Once the mixture drops to room temperature, yeast is added to start the fermentation process. Cleanliness and sterilization are very important since the wort can be easily infected by bacteria while in this state. An airlock is used to keep the fermenter sealed during fermentation. Your beer will ferment for 1-2 weeks.<br />
# Priming and Bottling - Once the beer is fully fermented, it is usually siphoned to another container to prepare for bottling. Here priming sugars such as corn sugar sugar are mixed with the beer, and then it is siphoned into bottles and each bottle is capped with a bottle capping device.<br />
# Aging - Once the beer has been bottled it needs to age for 2-6 weeks. During aging the yeast will ferment the remaining sugar you added and create carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide will naturally carbonate your beer so it is nice and bubbly. In addition, undesirable sediments such as excess yeast and proteins will drop out of the beer during aging and this will enhance the flavor of your beer. In some cases it may take several months to reach peak flavor, though it is usually drinkable after a month.<br />
# Drinking - When the beer is properly aged - just put the bottles in the fridge and enjoy! There's nothing quite like a great beer that you made yourself.<br />
<br />
==Extract Brewing==<br />
Brew day is my favorite part of the process. The smell of sweet wort bubbling away stirs something primeval in the human psyche. Since we are brewing a relatively simple extract beer, there is not much to set up. You need a clean pot large enough to hold 2 gallons of water plus the two cans (6 lbs of extract) and boil it (I recommend a 4-5 gallon pot if you can find one). Put 2 gallons of water into your pot and begin to heat it over your stove. Once the water has heated up a bit, open your cans of extract and slowly start mixing them into the warm water. The malt extract will have the consistency of heavy syrup, and you may need some hot water to get it all out of the sides of the can. The combined water and extract mixture is called "wort."<br />
<br />
As you are adding the malt extract to your wort, you need to continuously mix it. If you do not mix it, the extract syrup will have a tendency to settle at the bottom of your pot where it will heat and caramelize, leaving a hardened caramel mess at the bottom of your pot. This carmelization can also alter the color and flavor of your beer, so it is important to mix well while heating.<br />
Once you have all of your extract mixed in, the next step is to bring your wort to a boil. This is best done slowly, as your wort will tend to bubble up a lot when it first starts to boil. The water you used for your brew has a lot of air in it, and these small air bubbles will be released as it comes to a boil creating foaming and a high potential for a boil-over. The best way to avoid a boil-over it to turn the heat down a bit as the wort just begins to boil, and then very carefully manage the heat during the first 15 minutes of the boil until you have a steady boil with minimal foaming. Also, do NOT use a cover on your pot! While a covered pot will come to a boil quicker, the first time you open the pot it will boil over immediately - making a huge mess of your stove. <br />
<br />
Once you achieve a steady boil it is time to add the hops. Weigh the proper amount and drop it in the hot wort. Some brewers use a mesh hops bag to reduce the mess later, but if you can cool your beer quickly most of the hops will drop out after the boil. Stir occasionally during the boil to reduce the chance of extract settling to the bottom and carmelizing. I recommend you boil for 60 minutes. Boil time will affect your hop utilization and beer bitterness, but this particular batch is sized for a 60 minute boil time.<br />
<br />
==Cool and Ferment==<br />
Once your boil has finished, you want to cool the hot wort to room temperature as quickly as possible to reduce the chance of infection. Many beginning brewers immerse their pot in a cold ice bath. Adding very cold water to the wort to bring it up to your target batch size (usually 5 gallons) will also help. More advanced brewers will use a chiller such as an immersion coil that runs cold water through a coil of copper tubing to quickly cool the beer. If needed add water to the wort when you transfer it to your fermenter to achieve the target volume of 5 gallons.<br />
<br />
The wort at this stage is very vulnerable to infection so you need to make sure that your fermenter, airlock, siphon tubes and anything else that touches the wort or yeast are thouroughly sterilized. I use a solution of 5 gallons of water and small amount of household bleach to sterilize my equipment. However if you use bleach you must carefully rinse everything with hot water or you risk leaving your beer with a chlorine taste.<br />
<br />
Your wort must be fully cooled to room temperature (72 F or so) and siphoned or dumped into your fermenter before you add (pitch) your yeast. Don't worry too much about all of the gunk (hops and proteins) in the wort - most of it will fall to the bottom during fermentation. Pitching yeast in hot wort will probably kill it off, so wait until your wort has fully cooled before adding yeast. I highly recommend the use of liquid yeast as it is far superior in quality to dry yeast. Liquid yeast comes in either a plastic tube or smack pack. The plastic tube type can be added directly to the wort. The foil smack-packs require you to pop an internal pouch containing the yeast several hours before pitching it to allow the yeast to grow in a self contained starter. Follow the instructions on your yeast pack to prepare it and then carefully add it to your fermenter. Once the yeast has been added and mixed in, close the top, fit your airlock (which needs a little water in it) and set your beer in a dark cool place where the temperature is steady.<br />
<br />
Your airlock should begin bubbling within 12-36 hours, and continue fermenting for about a week. If you see no bubbles from the airlock, check the fit on your plastic pail and airlock. Often plastic fermenters have a poor seal on the lid that leaks. The bubbles in the airlock are CO2 produced by the fermentation, and will slowly tail off as fermentation nears completion. Assuming you have a good seal, the bubbles should slow to one every minute or two before you consider bottling. As a minimum I would ferment for a week before considering bottling a beer.<br />
<br />
==Priming and Bottling==<br />
The final step before bottling your beer is called priming. Priming consists of mixing sugar in with the beer to promote fermentation after bottling. A small amount of priming sugar will ferment and carbonate your beer.<br />
<br />
Before you can prime and bottle, you again need to sterilize everything the beer will touch. Though your beer has fermented out, it still can be ruined by bacteria or by adding too much oxygen to it (i.e. don't splash it around). Most brewers use a large plastic bucket or carboy to make it easy to mix the priming sugar in evenly. Sterilize the bucket thoroughly, and also sterilize your siphoning equipment, tools and of course your bottles. Make sure your bottles are clean of debris before sterilizing - use a bottle brush to remove any deposits. Some people sterilize bottles by soaking them in a weak bleach solution and then rinsing well. I've also had some success with sterilizing my bottles in the dishwasher, but you need to run it several times with no soap and hot water to avoid leaving a soap residue that will ruin the head retention on your beer.<br />
<br />
Siphon the finished beer into your priming bucket, trying very hard not to splash it around or mix any air in with it. Add 2/3 cup of priming sugar (I recommend corn sugar) to your beer and very gently mix it in. Next siphon the beer into your bottles using your bottle filler. Be sure to leave at least an inch or more of empty space at the top of your bottle to aid in fermentation. Put the caps on each bottle as you go and use your bottle capper to secure them.<br />
<br />
==Aging==<br />
The most difficult part by far is waiting for your beer to come of age. While most beers are drinkable after a few weeks, the average homebrew reaches peak flavor anywhere from 8 weeks to 15 weeks after brewing. Most homebrewers simply can't wait this long. During the aging process your beer will carbonate and excess yeast, tannins and proteins that create off flavors will fall out of your beer and settle to the bottom of the bottle. This will substantially improve your beer. I personally recommend waiting about 3-4 weeks after bottling before sampling your first brew.<br />
<br />
Store your bottles in a cool, dark place. Unless you are brewing a lager under temperature controlled conditions, do not store your beer in the refrigerator for the first two weeks. Give it two weeks to fully carbonate at room temperature. After the first two weeks, refrigerating the beer will help it improve more quickly because the tannins, yeast and protein will sediment faster at cold temperature.<br />
<br />
==Drinking==<br />
The blessed day has finally arrived to sample your creation. During the aging process excess yeast, tannins and proteins will settle to the bottom of your bottle. Get a clean glass, open your brew, and gently poor most of your beer into the glass leaving only the sediment and a small amount of beer in your bottle. Don't worry if you take a little sediment into the glass - it won't hurt you though it may not improve the taste of your brew. Smell the fresh beer, admire the frothy head, and then sip (don't guzzle) your first homebrew and enjoy! As always, please drink responsibly.<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
*[[Processes|More on the Brewing Process]]<br />
* [[Extract Brewing]]<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
* [http://www.howtobrew.com/ How to Brew by John Palmer]<br />
* [http://breworganic.com/tips/virtual_class.htm Virtual Introduction to Brewing Class]<br />
<br />
[[Category: processes]]<br />
[[Category:Glossary]]</div>Jpkole