How to Brew Your
First Beer
This document is intended to be distributed freely and may
be copied for personal use.
Introduction
These instructions are designed for the first-time Brewer.
What follows can be considered an annotated recipe for a
fool-proof ale beer. Why an ale? Because ales are the
simplest to brew. There are two basic kinds of beer: ales
and lagers. Ales can be brewed in a relatively short period
of time at room temperature. Lagers require longer times (a
month or more) and cold temperatures.
Brewing beer is simple and complicated, easy and hard.
Compare it to fishing - sit on the end of the dock with a
can of worms and a cane pole and you will catch fish. Going
after a specific kind of fish is when fishing gets
complicated. Brewing a specific kind of beer can get
complicated too. There are many different styles of beer and
many techniques to brew them.
Brewing a beer is a combination of several simple processes.
First is the mixing of ingredients and bringing the solution
(wort) to a boil. Second is the cooling of the wort to the
fermentation temperature. Next the wort is transferred to
the fermenter and the yeast is added. After fermentation,
the beer is siphoned off the yeast sediment and bottled with
a little extra sugar to provide the carbonation. These are
simple steps but there are three important things to keep in
mind every time you brew: Cleanliness, Preparation and Good
Record Keeping.
Cleanliness - Cleanliness is the foremost concern of the
brewer. Providing good growing conditions for the yeast in
the wort also provides good growing conditions for other
micro-organisms, especially wild yeast and bacteria.
Cleanliness to prevent contamination must be maintained
throughout every stage of the brewing process.
Preparation - Take the time to prepare your brewing area.
Have the ingredients ready on the counter. Prepare your
yeast. Have the ice bath ready to cool the wort when its
done boiling. Make sure that all equipment is clean and
ready to go before starting. Patience and planning are
necessities.
Record Keeping - Always keep good notes on what ingredients,
amounts and times were used in the brewing process. You need
to be able to repeat good batches and learn from poor ones.
Brewing Terms:
The following terms will be used throughout these
instructions.
Ale - A beer brewed from a top-fermenting yeast with a
relatively short, warm fermentation.
Alpha Acid Units (AAU) - A homebrewing measurement of hops
that quantifies the amount of alpha acids (bittering agents)
going into the beer before fermentation. Equal to the weight
of hops in ounces multiplied by the percent of Alpha Acids.
Attenuation - The degree of conversion of sugar to alcohol
and CO2.
Beer - Any beverage made by fermenting malted barley and
seasoning with hops.
Cold Break - Proteins that coagulate and fall out of
solution when the wort is rapidly cooled after the boil.
Conditioning - An aspect of secondary fermentation in which
the yeast refine the flavors of the beer. Conditioning
continues in the bottle.
Fermentation - The conversion of wort to beer, defined here
as three parts, Lagtime, Primary, and Secondary.
Gravity - Like density, gravity describes the concentration
of malt sugar in the wort. The specific gravity of water is
1.000 at 59F. Typical beer worts range from 1.035 - 1.055
before fermentation (Original Gravity). The finished beer
gravity (FG) will range from 1.005 - 1.015, depending on the
OG and type of yeast.
Hops - Hop vines are grown in cool climates and brewers make
use of the cone-like flowers to add bitterness and balance
the sweetness of the malt sugar. The dried cones are
available in pellets, plugs, or whole.
Hot Break - Proteins that coagulate and fall out of solution
during the wort boil.
Iodophor - An iodine-based sanitizing solution which does
not require rinsing.
International Bittering Units (IBU) - A more precise method
of measuring hop bitterness. An IBU is a measure of the
amount of alpha acid in the beer after fermentation. Various
equations have been devised to estimate the IBUs in a beer
based on the AAUs and factors for percent utilization, wort
volume and wort gravity.
Krausen (kroy-zen) - Used to refer to the foamy head that
builds on top of the beer during primary fermentation. Also
an advanced method of priming.
Lager - A beer brewed from a bottom-fermenting yeast and
given a long cool fermentation.
Lagtime - The period of time from pitching the yeast until
primary fermentation is evident. The lagtime should
preferably be less than 12 hours.
Pitching - Term for adding the yeast to the fermenter.
Primary Fermentation - The high activity phase marked by the
evolution of carbon dioxide and krausen. Most of the
attenuation occurs during this phase.
Priming - The method of adding a small amount of fermentable
sugar prior to bottling to give the beer carbonation.
Racking - The careful siphoning of the beer away from the
trub.
Secondary Fermentation - A period of conditioning and
settling of the yeast after primary fermentation and before
bottling.
Trub (trub or troob) - The sediment at the bottom of the
fermenter consisting of hops, hot and cold break material,
and dormant (sometimes dead) yeast.
Wort (wart or wert) - The malt-sugar solution that is boiled
with hops prior to fermentation.
Zymurgy - The science of Brewing and Fermentation.
Required Equipment
Airlock - Several styles are available. Fill to the water
line with water and cap it (if it has one). Airlocks prevent
airborne contamination during fermentation.
Boiling Pot - Must be able to
comfortably hold a minimum of 3 gallons; bigger is better.
Use Aluminum, Stainless Steel or Ceramic- coated (enameled)
Steel. If you use a new aluminum pot, don't use it
bright-and-shiny; you may get a metallic off-flavor. Boil
some water in it first.
Bottles - You will need 48 re-cappable 12 oz bottles. Use
bottles that are thicker, like those used by microbreweries
and imports. Twist-offs do not re-cap well. Used champagne
bottles are ideal if you can find them.
Bottle Capper - Either Hand Capper or Bench Capper. Bench
Cappers are more versatile and are needed for the champagne
bottles, but are more expensive.
Bottle Caps - Both standard (crown) caps and
oxygen-absorbing caps are available.
Bottle Filler - Rigid plastic (or metal) tube with spring
loaded valve at the tip for filling bottles.
Bottle Brush - Necessary for initial thorough cleaning of
used beer bottles.
Fermenter(s) - The 6 gallon food-grade plastic pail is
recommended for beginners. These are very easy to work with.
Glass carboys are also available, in 5, 6, and 7.5 gallon
sizes.
Racking Cane - Rigid plastic tube with sediment stand-off.
Siphon/Hose - Available in several configurations,
consisting of clear plastic tubing with optional Racking
Cane and Bottle Filler.
Note on Siphoning:
Do not suck on the hose to start the siphon. This will
contaminate the hose with Lacto Bacillus bacteria from your
mouth. Fill the hose with sanitizing solution prior to
putting it into the beer. Keep the end pinched or otherwise
closed to prevent the solution from draining out. Place the
outlet into another spare container and release the flow;
the draining solution will start the siphon. Once the siphon
is started, transfer it to your desired container.
Stirring Paddle - Food grade plastic paddle (spoon) for
stirring the wort during boiling.
Thermometer - Obtain a thermometer that can be safely
immersed in the wort and has a range of at least 40F to
150F. The floating dairy thermometers work well, as do the
LCD dial thermometers.
Optional but Highly Recommended
Bottling Bucket - A 6 gallon
food-grade plastic pail with attached spigot and fill-tube.
The finished beer is racked into this for priming prior to
bottling. Racking into the bottling bucket allows clearer
beer with less sediment in the bottle. The spigot set-up is
used instead of the Bottle Filler above, allowing greater
control of the fill level and no hassles with a siphon
during bottling.
Hydrometer - A hydrometer measures the relative specific
gravity between pure water and water with sugar dissolved in
it. The hydrometer is used to gauge fermentation by
measuring one aspect of it, attenuation. Attenuation is the
conversion of sugar to ethanol by the yeast. Water has a
specific gravity of 1.000. Beers typically have a final
gravity between 1.015 and 1.005. Champagnes and meads can
have gravities less than 1.000, because of the large
percentage of ethyl alcohol, which has a density of less
than 1. By the way, hydrometer readings are standardized to
59F, since liquid gravity (density) is dependent on
temperature. Temperature correction tables are usually sold
with a hydrometer or are available from Chemistry Handbooks
(ex. CRCs).
Here is a short table of corrections:
50F => -.0006
55F => -.0003
59F => 0
65F => +.0006
70F => +.0012
75F => +.0018
80F => +.0026
85F => +.0033
How To Use a Hydrometer
A hydrometer is a useful tool in the hands of an experienced
brewer who knows what he wants to measure. Various books or
recipes may give Original and/or Final Gravities (OG and FG)
of a beer to assist the brewer in the evaluation of his
success. For an average beer yeast, a rule of thumb is that
the FG should be about one forth of the OG. For example, a
common beer OG of 1.040 should finish about 1.010 (or
lower). A couple points either way is typical scatter.
It needs to be emphasized that the stated FG of a recipe is
not the goal. The goal is to make a good tasting beer. The
hydrometer should be regarded as only one tool available to
the brewer as a means to gauge the fermentation progress.
The brewer should only be concerned about a high hydrometer
reading when primary fermentation has apparently ended and
the reading is about one half of the OG, instead of the
nominal one forth. Incidentally, if this situation occurs,
two remedies are possible. The first is to agitate or swirl
the fermenter to rouse the yeastbed from the bottom. The
fermenter should remain closed with no aeration. The goal is
to re-suspend the yeast so they can get back to work. The
alternative is to pitch some fresh yeast.
Hydrometers are necessary when making beer from scratch
(all-grain brewing) or when designing recipes. But a
first-time brewer using known quantities of extracts usually
does not need one.
Ingredients
Commercial beer kits always provide 3-4 pounds of malt
extract and the instructions ften say to add a couple more
pounds of table sugar. Don't Do It! The resultant beer will
have an unpleasant cidery taste. Use more malt extract
instead. The following is a basic beer recipe for a Pale
Ale:
Mild Pale Ale
5-7 pounds of hopped pale malt extract syrup. (OG of 1.038 -
1.053)
5 gallons of water
1-2 ounces of hops (if desired for more hop character)
2 packets of dry ale yeast, plus 1 packet for back-up.
3/4 cup corn sugar for priming.
This is a basic Pale Ale and quite tasty. You will be
amazed.
Further descriptions of the ingredients follow.
Malt Extract:
Using malt extract is what makes homebrewing simple. Malt
extract is the concentrated sugars extracted from malted
barley. It is sold in both the liquid and powdered forms.
The syrups are approximately 20 percent water, so 4 pounds
of dry malt extract (DME)
is roughly equal to 5 pounds of malt extract syrup. Malt
extract is available in both the Hopped and Unhopped
varieties. Munton & Fison, Alexanders, Coopers, Edme and
Premier are all good brands. Read the ingredients to avoid
added refined sugars which are often added to Light
Beer-style kits.
Using Unhopped extract requires you to add 1-2 ounces of
hops during the boil for bittering and flavor. Hops may also
be added to the Hopped extracts towards the end of the boil
to add more hop character to the final beer.
The rule of thumb is 1 pound of malt extract (syrup) per
gallon of water for a light-bodied beer. One and a half
pounds per gallon produces a richer, fuller-bodied beer. One
pound of malt extract syrup typically yields a gravity of
1.034 - 38 when dissolved in one gallon of water. Dry malt
will yield about 1.040 - 43. Malt extract is commonly
available in Pale, Amber and Dark varieties, and can be
mixed depending on the style of beer desired. Wheat malt
extract is also available and more new extracts for specific
beer styles (like Stouts) are coming out each year. With the
variety of extract now available, there is almost no beer
style that cannot be brewed using extract alone.
The next step in complexity for the homebrewer is to learn
how to extract the sugars from the malted grain himself.
This process, called Mashing, allows the brewer to take more
control of producing the wort. This type of homebrewing is
referred to as All-Grain brewing, but it will not be
discussed in this document. Read my book,
How To Brew if you are interested
in this brewing technique.
Water
The water is very important to the resulting beer. After
all, beer is mostly water. If your tap water tastes good at
room temperature, it should make good beer. If the water has
a metallic taste, boil and let it cool before using to let
the excess minerals settle out. A good bet for your first
batch of beer is the bottled water sold in most supermarkets
as drinking water. Use the 2.5 gallon containers. Use one
container for boiling the extract and set the other aside
for addition to the fermenter later.
Hops
This is an involved subject. There are many varieties of
hops, but they can be divided into two main categories:
Bittering and Aroma. Bittering hops are high in Alpha Acids
(the main bittering agents), typically greater than 10
percent. Aroma hops are lower, around 5 percent. Several hop
varieties are in between and are used for both purposes.
Bittering hops are added at the start of the boil and
usually boiled for an hour. Aroma (or Finishing) hops are
added towards the end of the boil and are typically boiled
for 15 minutes or less. Hops can also be added to the
fermenter for increased hop aroma in the finished beer,
called Dry Hopping, but this is best done during secondary
fermentation. A mesh bag, called a Hop Bag, may be used to
help retain the hops during the boil and make removal of the
hops easier prior to fermentation. Straining or removal of
the hops before fermentation is not absolutely necessary and
is largely a matter of personal preference.
Beer recipes often include a hop schedule, with amounts and
boil times specified. Sometimes recipes specify the hops in
terms of AAUs or IBUs. AAUs are a convenient unit for
specifying hop amounts when discussing hop additions because
it allows for differences in the alpha acid percentages
between hop varieties or within the same variety year to
year.
For the purposes of this recipe, 7 AAUs are recommended for
the Boil (60 minutes) and 4 AAUs for Finishing (15 minutes).
This is assuming the use of unhopped malt extract; if you
are using hopped extract, then only add the 4 AAUs for
finishing. In this recipe, these amounts correspond to 22
IBUs for the boil, and 1 IBU for the finish. IBUs allow for
variation in brewing practices between brewers, yet provide
a means for targeting the same final hop bitterness level in
the beers. This recipe is not very bitter. For more
information on hop varieties and estimating IBUs, see my
book,
How To Brew
Yeast
There are several aspects to yeast; it is the other major
factor in determining the flavor of the beer. Different
yeast strains will produce different beers when pitched to
identical worts. Yeast is available in both liquid and dried
forms, and for different types of ales and lagers. For the
first-time brewer, a dried ale yeast is highly recommended.
Some leading and reliable brands of dry yeast are Yeast Labs
(marketed by G.W. Kent, produced by Lallemand of Canada),
Cooper's, DanStar (produced by Lallemand), Munton & Fison
and Edme.. Avoid using a no-name yeast packet that came
taped to the top of a can of extract. You don't know how old
it is.
Ale yeast are referred to as top-fermenting because much of
the fermentation action takes place at the top of the
fermenter, while lager yeasts would seem to prefer the
bottom. While many of today's strains like to confound this
generalization, there is one important difference, and that
is temperature. Ale yeasts like warmer temperatures, going
dormant below 55F (12C), while Lager yeasts will happily
work at 40F. Using lager yeast at ale temperatures 65-70F
(18-20C) can produce a mixed character, a slightly fruity
tasting lager, referred to as California Common Beer, of
which Anchor Steam Beer is the most notable example. For
more information, see my book,
How To Brew
Preparing Your Yeast Dry Yeast needs to be
re-hydrated before pitching; it will work much better. Once
rehydrated, it can be "proofed" by adding a little bit of
sugar to see if it is still viable.
1. Put 1 cup of warm (95-105F, 35-40C) boiled water into a
sterile jar and stir in two packets of dry yeast.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and wait 15 minutes.
3. Boil one teaspoon of sugar in a little bit of water and
let it cool.
4. Add this sugar to the re-hydrated yeast, cover, and place
in a warm area out of direct sunlight.
5. After 30 minutes or so the yeast should be actively
churning and foaming. This is now ready to pitch. If it is
not showing signs of activity, then repeat the process with
another packet.
Liquid yeast is often favored over dry yeast because of the
greater number and variety of yeast strains available.
Liquid yeast allows for greater tailoring of the beer to a
particular style. Liquid yeast packets should be stored in
the refrigerator to keep the yeast dormant and healthy until
they are ready to be used. There are two types of liquid
yeast package: those with inner nutrient packets and those
without. The packages that contain an inner bubble of yeast
nutrient (ie. a "smack pack") are intended to function as a
mini-starter, but are really not adequate. All liquid yeast
needs to be pitched to a starter wort to ensure adequate
cell counts for a good fermentation. Smack packs must be
squeezed and warmed to 80F at least two days before brewing.
The packet will begin to swell as the yeast wake up and
start consuming the nutrients. When the packet has fully
swelled, it is time to pitch it to a starter.
Liquid Yeast Starter Procedure
1. To prepare a liquid yeast starter, dissolve 1/2 cup of
DME into a pint of boiling
water.
2. Boil it for a minute or two and let it cool to 75F (25C).
Transfer the wort to a mason jar or other sanitized
container.
3. Pour in the liquid yeast from the packet and add a
quarter teaspoon of yeast nutrient.
4. Shake the Starter vigorously to aerate it and encourage
yeast growth.
5. Let this sit in the same warm place until brewing time
the next day. Some foaming or an increase in the white yeast
layer on the bottom should be evident. The Starter process
may be repeated to provide even more yeast to the wort to
insure a strong fermentation. Most people prefer to pour off
the excess liquid (beer) and only pitch the yeast slurry
from the bottom of the jar.
The
Wort and Oxygen
The use of oxygen in brewing is a double-edged sword. The
yeast utilize oxygen in their growth processes, although
they don't exactly breath. Boiling the wort drives out the
dissolved oxygen, which is why aeration of some sort is
needed prior to fermentation. Once the yeast use up all of
the oxygen in the wort for growth and reproduction, they get
down to the anaerobic business of turning sugar into alcohol
and CO2 that we call fermentation. Prior aeration of the
wort is the best way to ensure that there are enough yeast
cells for a good fermentation.
Aeration of the wort can be accomplished several ways:
shaking the container, pouring the wort into the fermenter
so it splashes, or even hooking up an airstone to an
aquarium air pump and letting that bubble for an hour. For
the latter method, (which is popular) everything must be
sanitized! Otherwise, welcome to Infection City. These
instructions recommend shaking the starter and
pouring/shaking the wort. More on this later.
On the other hand, if oxygen is introduced while the wort is
still hot, the oxygen will oxidize the wort and this is a
problem. This will cause oxidation of the beer later which
can manifest as a wet cardboard taste after several weeks.
The key to preventing oxidation is to not aerate when the
wort is above 80F. In addition, if oxygen is introduced
after the fermentation has started, it may not be completely
utilized by the yeast and will later cause off-flavors.
This is why it is important to cool the wort rapidly to
below 80F, to prevent oxidation, and then aerate it to
provide the dissolved oxygen that the yeast need to help
growth and reproduction. Cooling rapidly between 90 and 130F
is important because this region is ideal for bacterial
growth to be established in the wort. See the Cooling The
Wort section for suggested methods.
Equipment Cleaning Tips
Clean all equipment after use as soon as possible. It is
very easy to get distracted and come back to find the syrup
or yeast has dried hard as a rock and the equipment is
stained. If you are pressed for time, keep a large container
with chlorine water handy and just toss things in to clean
later.
Rinsing beer bottles immediately after use eliminates the
need to scrub them. If your bottles are dirty or moldy,
soaking and washing in a mild solution of chlorine bleach
water for a day or two will soften the residue. Brushing
with a bottle brush is a necessity to remove stuck residue.
Dish washers are great for cleaning the outside of bottles
and heat sanitizing, but will not clean the inside where the
beer is going to go; that must be done beforehand. Sodium
Percarbonate-based cleaners (like PBW, B-Brite, and
One-Step) work very well for cleaning the bottles. Do not
wash with scented dish detergents. This leaves a residue
which you will be able to taste. Never use any scented
cleaning agents, these odors can be absorbed into the
plastic buckets and manifest in the beer. Lemon-Fresh
scented Pinesol beer is not very good. Unscented mild liquid
dishwashing detergents are acceptable for routine cleaning,
just be sure to rinse the items thoroughly. Lastly, be aware
that dishwasher rinse agents will destroy the head retention
on your glassware. If you pour a beer with carbonation and
no head, this is a common cause.
Sanitization
So far, sanitization of ingredients and equipment has been
discussed but not much has been said about how to do this.
The definition and objective of sanitization is to reduce
bacteria and contaminants to insignificant or manageable
levels. Sterilization is not really possible or practical.
The starter solution, wort and priming solutions will all be
boiled, so those are not a problem (usually).
One note - Do Not Boil the Yeast! You need them to be alive.
The most readily available sanitizing solution is made be
adding 1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon of water (4 ml per
liter). A very popular sanitizer is Iodophor. Use 1
tablespoon per 5 gallons (4 ml/19 liters). Another excellent
sanitizer is Star-San, from the makers of PBW. Use 1 fluid
ounce per 5 gallons. The sanitizing solution can be prepared
in the fermenting bucket. Immerse all of equipment -
airlock, hoses, paddles, rubber stopper, fermenter lid and
anything else contacting the beer. Let it sit for 20
minutes. Rinsing is not really necessary at this
concentration, but you may want to rinse with boiled water
to avoid any chance of off-flavors.
Ready
to Begin?
Okay, we have covered equipment, ingredients and
preparations. Are you ready to begin? Do you have everything
cleaned and sanitized? Do you have your ingredients ready?
You do not need to have your bottles cleaned and sanitized
at this point, that step is about two weeks away. I will now
walk you through the brewing processes.
Beginning the Boil
Bring 2 1/2 gallons water to a boil in a large pot.
Meanwhile, re-hydrate the dry yeast if you have not done so
already. When the water is boiling, remove it from the heat.
Add all the malt extract to the hot water and stir until
dissolved. Make sure there is no syrup stuck to the bottom
of the pot. It is very important not to burn any malt stuck
to the bottom when the pot is returned to the heat. Burnt
sugar tastes terrible.
The following stage is critical. The wort has a tendency to
boil-over and needs to be watched continuously. If you are
adding bittering hops, do so now. Return the pot to the heat
and bring to a rolling boil, stirring frequently. Start
timing the hour.
A foam may start to rise and form a smooth surface. This is
good. If the foam suddenly billows over the side, this is a
boil-over (Bad). The liquid is very unstable at this point
and remains so until it goes through the Hot Break (when the
wort stops foaming). This may take 5-20 minutes. The foaming
can be controlled by lowering the heat and/or spraying some
water on the surface from a spray bottle. Try to maintain a
rolling boil.
Continue the rolling boil for the remainder of the hour.
Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. There may be a
change in color and aroma and there will be hot break
particles floating in the wort. This is normal.
If you are adding the finishing hops, do so during the last
fifteen minutes. Add some more during the last five minutes
if more hop aroma is desired. This provides less time for
the volatile oils to boil away.
Cooling the Wort At the end of the boil, it is
important to cool the wort quickly. While it is still hot,
(above 140·F) bacteria and wild yeasts are inhibited. But it
is very susceptible to oxidation damage as it cools. There
are also sulfur compounds that evolve from the wort while it
is hot. If the wort is cooled slowly, di-methyl sulfide will
continue to be produced in the wort without being boiled
off; causing off-flavors in the finished beer. The objective
is to rapidly cool the wort to below 80·F before oxidation
or contamination can occur.
Rapid cooling also forms the Cold Break. This is composed of
another group of proteins that need to be thermally shocked
into precipitating out of the wort. Slow cooling will not
affect them. Cold break, or rather the lack of it, is one
cause of Chill Haze. When a beer is chilled for drinking,
these proteins partially precipitate forming a haze. As the
beer warms up, the proteins re-dissolve. Only by rapid
chilling from near-boiling to room temperature, will the
cold break proteins permanently precipitate and not cause
chill haze. Chill haze is usually regarded as a cosmetic
problem. You cannot taste it.
To cool the wort effectively, place the pot in a sink or tub
filled with cold/ice water that can be circulated around the
hot pot. While the cold water is flowing around the pot,
gently stir the wort in a circular pattern so the maximum
amount of wort is moving against the sides of the pot. The
wort should cool to 80F in about 20 minutes. Be sure that
your thermometer is sanitized before putting it in the wort.
Pour the reserved 2.5 gallons of water into the sanitized
fermenter. Pour the cooled wort into it, allowing vigorous
churning and splashing. Oxidation of the wort is minimal now
and this provides the dissolved oxygen that the yeast need
to reproduce. It is best for the beer if the wort
temperature when the yeast is pitched is the same as the
fermentation temperature. In other words, the wort should
not be appreciably warmer than the room it is going to be
fermented in. For Ale yeasts, the preferred fermentation
temperature range is 65-75F. High initial wort temperatures
or fermentation temperatures higher that 80F can cause the
yeast to produce noticeable off-flavors.
Note: Do not add commercial ice directly to the wort to
cool. Commercial ice harbors lots of dormant bacteria that
would love a chance to work on the new beer. If you want,
you can freeze a bottle of water and immerse that in the
wort, but the outside of the bottle needs to be sanitized
before immersion.
Pitching the Yeast
If the Yeast Starter is not foaming or churning, use the
backup yeast. Repeat the re-hydration procedure and then
pitch the Yeast Starter into the beer, making sure to add it
all. Put the fermenter lid in place and seal it. Do not put
the airlock in quite yet. Place a piece of clean plastic
wrap over the hole in the lid and cover it with your hand.
With the fermenter tightly sealed, pick it up, sit in a
chair, put the fermenter on your knees and shake it several
minutes to churn it up. This mixes the yeast into the wort
and provides more dissolved oxygen that the yeast need to
grow. Wipe off any wort around the hole with a paper towel
that is wet with bleach water and place the sanitized
airlock and rubber stopper in the lid. The airlock should be
filled to the line with water.
Active fermentation should start within 12 hours. If no
activity is seen in 24 hours, then add more yeast.
Fermentation
Put the fermenter in a protected area like the bathtub. If
foam escapes it will run down the drain and is easy to
clean. The temperature here is usually about the most stable
in the house. Animals and small children are fascinated by
the smell and noises from the airlock, so keep them away.
The airlock should be bubbling in twelve hours. Maintain a
consistent temperature if possible. A fluctuating
temperature strains the yeast and could impair fermentation.
If the temperature drops overnight and the bubbling stops,
simply move it to a warmer room and it should pick up again.
The yeast does not die, it merely goes dormant. You may need
to swirl the fermenter to rouse the yeast off the bottom,
but do not shake the fermenter at this stage though.
Bottom line- if the temperature deviates too much or goes
above 80F, the fermentation can be affected, which then
affects the flavor. If it goes too low, the ale yeast will
go into hibernation.
The fermentation process can be very vigorous or slow;
either is fine. The secret to a good fermentation is in
providing enough active yeast. Fermentation time is a sum of
several variables with the most significant probably being
temperature. It is very common for an ale with an active
ferment to be done in a short time. It could last a few
days, a week, maybe longer. Any of the above is acceptable.
Two to three days at 70F is typical for the simple ale being
described here.
If the fermentation is so vigorous that the foam pops the
airlock out of the lid, just rinse it out with sanitizer and
wipe off the lid before replacing it. Contamination is not a
big problem at this point. With so much coming out of the
fermenter, not much gets in. Once the bubbling slows down
however, do not open the lid to peek. The beer is still
susceptible to infections, particularly anaerobic ones like
Lacto Bacillus, found in your mouth. The beer will do just
fine if left alone for a minimum of two weeks.
Understanding Fermentation
The fermentation of malt sugars into beer is a complicated
biochemical process. It is more than just the conversion of
sugar to alcohol, which can be regarded as the primary
activity. Total fermentation is better defined as three
phases, the Adaptation or Lagtime phase, the Primary or
Attenuative phase and a Secondary or Conditioning phase. The
yeast do not end Phase 2 before beginning Phase 3, the
processes occur in parallel, but the conditioning processes
occur more slowly. As the majority of simple sugars are
consumed, more and more of the yeast will transition to
eating the lager, more complex sugars and early yeast
by-products. This is why beer (and wine) improves with age
to a degree, as long as they are on the yeast. Beer that has
been filtered or pasteurized will not benefit from aging.
Lagtime
Immediately after pitching, the yeast start adjusting to the
wort conditions and undergo a period of high growth. The
yeast use any available oxygen in the wort to facilitate
their growth processes. They can use other methods to adapt
and grow in the absence of oxygen, but they can do it much
more efficiently with oxygen. Under normal conditions, the
yeast should proceed through the adaptation phase and begin
primary fermentation within 12 hours. If 24 hours pass
without apparent activity, then a new batch of yeast should
probably be pitched.
Primary Phase
The primary or attenuative phase is marked by a time of
vigorous fermentation when the gravity of the beer drops by
2/3-3/4 of the original gravity (OG). The majority of the
attenuation occurs during the primary phase, and can last
anywhere from 2-6 days for ales, depending on conditions.
A head of foamy krausen will form on top of the beer. The
foam consists of yeast and wort proteins and is a light
creamy color, with islands of green-brown gunk that collect
and tend to adhere to the sides of the fermenter. The gunk
is composed of extraneous wort protein, hop resins, and dead
yeast. These compounds are very bitter and if stirred back
into the wort, could result in harsh aftertastes.
Fortunately these compounds are relatively insoluble and are
typically removed by adhering to the sides of the fermenter
as the krausen subsides. Aftertastes are rarely, if ever, a
problem.
As the primary phase winds down, a majority of the yeast
start settling out and the krausen starts to subside. If you
are going to transfer the beer off of the trub and primary
yeast cake, this is the proper time to do so. Take care to
avoid aerating the beer during the transfer. At this point
in the fermentation process, any exposure to oxygen will
only contribute to staling reactions in the beer, or worse,
expose it to contamination.
Many canned kits will advise bottling the beer after one
week or when the bubbling stops. This is not a good idea
because the beer has not yet gone through the Conditioning
phase. At this time the beer would taste a bit rough around
the edges (e.g. yeasty flavors, buttery tones, green apple
flavors) but these will disappear after a few weeks of
conditioning.
Conditioning Phase
The reactions that take place during the conditioning phase
are primarily a function of the yeast. The vigorous primary
stage is over, the majority of the wort sugars have been
converted to alcohol, and a lot of the yeast cells are going
dormant - but some are still active.
The Secondary Phase allows for the slow reduction of the
remaining fermentables. The yeast have eaten most all of the
easily fermentable sugars and now start to turn their
attention elsewhere. The yeast start to work on the heavier
sugars and clean up some of the byproducts they produced
during the fast-paced primary phase. However, it is often a
good idea to get the beer off of the trub during the
conditioning phase, especially if the beer is going to sit
on the trub for a long period of time, like in the case of
lager beer. See my book,
How To Brew for more
information on lager brewing.
Under some conditions (like excessively long times and/or
high temperatures), the yeast will also consume some of the
compounds in the trub. The consumption of these compounds
can produce several off-flavors. In addition, the dormant
yeast on the bottom of the fermenter will begin excreting
more amino and fatty acids. If the post-primary beer is left
on the trub and yeast cake for too long (more than about
three weeks in some cases) soapy flavors may become evident.
Further, after very long times in worts with poor nutrient
levels, the yeast begin to die and break down - autolysis,
which produces rubbery, sulfury tastes and smells. For these
reasons, it can be important to get the beer off of the trub
and dormant yeast during the conditioning phase.
There has been a lot of controversy within the homebrewing
community on the value of racking ales to secondary
fermenters. While there is no question in the case of
lagers, many seasoned homebrewers have declared that there
is no real taste benefit for ales and that the dangers of
contamination and the cost in additional time are not worth
what little benefit there may be. For your first beer, I
will advise you to use only a single fermenter until you
have gained some experience with racking and sanitation.
Leaving an ale beer in the primary fermenter for a total of
2-3 weeks versus one when using single stage fermentation
(i.e. not using a second fermenter) will provide time for
the conditioning reactions and improve the finished beer.
The extra time will also let more sediment settle out before
bottling, resulting in a clearer beer and easier pouring.
Using
Secondary Fermenters (Optional)
Using a two stage fermentation requires a good understanding
of the fermentation process. At any time, racking the beer
can adversely affect it because of potential oxygen exposure
and contamination risk. Racking the beer off the yeastbed
before the primary fermentation phase has completed can
result in a stuck or incomplete fermentation.
The following is a general procedure for using a secondary
fermenter.
1. Allow the Primary Fermentation stage to wind down. This
will be 2 - 6 days after pitching when the bubbling rate
drops off dramatically to about 1-5 per minute. The krausen
will have started to settle back into the beer.
2. Using a sanitized siphon (no sucking or splashing!), rack
the beer off the trub into a another clean fermenter and
affix an airlock. The beer should still be fairly cloudy
with suspended yeast.
Racking from the primary may be done at any time after
primary fermentation has more-or-less completed. (Although
if it has been more than 3 weeks, you may as well bottle.)
Most brewers will notice a brief increase in activity after
racking, but then all activity may cease. This is very
normal, it is not additional primary fermentation per se,
but just dissolved carbon dioxide coming out of solution due
to the disturbance. Fermentation (conditioning) is still
taking place, so just leave it alone. A minimum useful time
in the secondary fermenter is two weeks. Overly long times
in the secondary (for light ales- more than 6 weeks) may
require the addition of fresh yeast at bottling time for
good carbonation. Always use the same strain as the
original. This situation is usually not a concern.
Priming & Bottling
This beer will be ready to bottle in two or three weeks when
primary fermentation has completely stopped. There should be
few, if any, bubbles in the airlock. The flavor won't
improve by bottling any earlier. Some books recommend
bottling after the bubbling stops or in about 1 week. It is
not uncommon for fermentation to stop after 3-4 days and
begin again a few days later due to a drop in temperature.
If the beer is bottled too soon, the beer will become
over-carbonated and the pressure may exceed the bottle
strength. Exploding bottles are a disaster.
After the bottles have been cleaned with a brush, they need
to be sanitized. Immerse them in sanitizing solution or run
them in the dishwasher with the heat on. If immersing, allow
the bottles to drain completely before use. Rinsing should
not be necessary, but if you do, only use water that has
been boiled. Hot tap water is not necessarily sanitized.
Also sanitize the priming container, siphon unit, stirring
spoon and bottle caps. But do not heat the bottle caps, as
this may ruin the gaskets or tarnish them.
Preparing the Priming Solution
Some books recommend adding 1 tsp. sugar to each bottle for
priming. This is not recommended because it is time
consuming and not precise. Bottles may carbonate unevenly
and explode. Instead, boil 3/4 cup of corn or table sugar,
or 1 and 1/4 cup dry malt extract in some water, let it
cool, and add it to the whole batch. Here are two ways to
add it, I recommend the first:
1. Pour the priming solution gently into a sanitized
Bottling Bucket, don't let it splash. Then use a sanitized
siphon to transfer the beer into the sanitized bottling
bucket. Place the siphon outlet beneath the surface of the
priming solution as it fills to prevent aeration. Do not
allow the beer to splash as you don't want to add oxygen to
your beer at this point. Keep the intake end of the racking
tube an inch off the bottom of the fermenter to leave the
yeast and sediment behind. See Note on Siphoning.
2. Open the fermenter and gently pour the priming solution
into the beer. Stir the beer gently with a sanitized spoon,
trying to mix it in evenly while being careful not to stir
up the sediment. Wait a half hour for the sediment to settle
back down and to allow more diffusion of the priming
solution to take place. Then siphon to your bottles.
Filling Your
Bottles
Place the fill tube of the siphon unit or bottling bucket at
the bottom of the bottle. Fill slowly at first to prevent
gurgling and keep the fill tube below the waterline to
prevent aeration. Fill to about 3/4 inch from the top of the
bottles. Place a sanitized cap on the bottle and cap.
Inspect every bottle to make sure the cap is secure.
Bottle Conditioning
Carbonation will take about two weeks; age the bottles
somewhere out of direct sunlight. Aging for one month will
improve the flavor considerably, but one week will do the
job of carbonation for the impatient.
Different beer styles benefit from different lengths of
bottle conditioning. Generally, the higher the Original
Gravity, the longer the conditioning time to reach peak
flavor. Small beers like 1.035 Pale Ales will reach peak
flavor within a couple weeks of bottling. Stronger/more
complex ales, like Stouts, may require a month or more. Very
strong beers like Doppelbocks and Barleywines will require 6
months to a year before they condition to their peak flavor.
(If oxidation doesn't take its toll first. I have had some
pretty awful year old barleywines.) When bottling your first
few batches, its a good idea to set aside a six pack and
leave it for a time. It is enlightening to taste a
homebrewed beer that has had two months to bottle condition
and compare it to what the batch initially tasted like.
Other
Storage Considerations
Two common questions are, "How long will a homebrewed beer
keep?" and "Will it spoil?" The answer is that homebrewed
beer has a fairly long storage life due to the presence of
the yeast. Depending on the style and original gravity, the
beer will keep for more than a year. I occasionally come
across a year-old six pack that I had forgotten about and it
tastes great. Of course, there are other cases when that
year-old six pack has gotten very oxidized in that time and
tastes pretty bad. It really depends on how careful you were
with the bottling - Quality in, Quality out.
Finally, it is important to keep the beer out of direct
sunlight, especially if you use clear or green bottles.
Exposure to sunlight or fluorescent light will cause beer to
develop a skunky character. It is the result of a
photo-chemical reaction with hop compounds and sulfer
compounds. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a
character that Heineken, Grolsch, and Molson strive for in
their beer. It is simply a result of poor handling by
retailers, and storing them under fluorescent lighting.
Other beers like Miller High Life don't boil hops with the
wort but instead use a specially processed hop extract for
bittering which lacks the compounds that cause skunking (and
flavor). Brown bottles are best unless you make a point of
keeping your beer in the dark.
Drinking Your First Homebrew
One final item that nobody ever remembers to tell new
brewers until it's too late is: "Don't drink the yeast layer
on the bottom of the bottle."
People will say, "My first homebrew was pretty good, but
that last swallow was terrible!" or "His homebrew really
gave me gas" or "It must have been spoiled, I had to go to
the bathroom right away after I drank it."
Welcome to the laxative effects of live yeast!
When you pour your beer from the bottle, pour it slowly so
you don't disturb the yeast layer. With a little practice,
you will be able to pour out all but the last quarter inch
of beer. The yeast layer can harbor a lot of bitter flavors.
It's where the word "Dregs" came from.
Some
Things to Watch out for:
Contamination of beer can happen at any stage of the brewing
process. Some are not readily apparent. But any problem that
can be easily drank will not cause physical harm. By the
way, it is absolutely impossible to produce poisonous methyl
(wood) alcohol when brewing beer. A few infections that may
cause severe gastric distress will first be noted by their
appalling smell. Here are some warning signs:
1. Mold floating on top of the fermenting beer. Toss it.
2. The beer has slimy strands in it. This is a sure sign of
Lacto infection. Toss it.
3. The bottled beer has a milky layer at the top and/or
small residue bumps clinging to the sides of the bottle neck
in the airspace. This is a bacterial infection. The beer
will smell rotten and taste nasty. Do not confuse this with
the dew that condenses near the bottle cap; the dew is
normal. Also, Priming with
DME will leave a protein
ring around the top of the bottle, just like what is left on
the sides of the fermenter. This is also normal.
4. The bottled beer has a very sweet smell, like molasses.
This is a sign of an Aceto (acetic) infection. The beer is
on its way to turning into malt vinegar. Malt vinegar is
good, but not what was intended.
5. The bottled beers are getting worse with time, a stale,
cardboard-like or sherry-like flavor is becoming noticeable.
This is a symptom of oxidation. Drink the beers sooner and
try to avoid splashing the hot wort next time.
6. A skunk-like or cat-musk smell. The beer is light struck.
Always store beer in a dark or shaded area.
Recommended Reading:
How To Brew by John Palmer
The comprehensive homebrewing book that covers everything
you need to know to brew your beer right the first time,
whether you are brewing with extract or all-grain. Step by
step instructions and illustrations are provided for each
brewing method.
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