1. READ EVERYTHING !
Read all of the recommended procedures before you begin. If you have not pulled your liquid yeast from the refrigerator yet, now is the time to do so. Follow any yeast manufacture directions at this time to prepare your yeast.
These instructions are a BASIC set of guidelines for making five (5) gallons of beer. Many more advanced procedures are possible and will ultimately help you make even better beer, should you choose to learn them. For now however, if you have never made beer before follow these instructions to the letter.
2. EQUIPMENT
· 20 qt. Stock Pot
· Primary Fermenter (6-gallon HDPE pail and a lid with a hole for rubber stopper/airlock assy.)
· Secondary Fermenter (6-Gallon HDPE pail for bottling or transferring. *Optional spigot installed)
· Rubber Stopper / Airlock Assy.
· Hydrometer and Hydrometer Jar
· Thermometer
· Grain Steeping Bag and Hops Steeping Bags (disposable Muslin or re-usable Nylon)
· Heat-Proof Spoon
· Liquid Transfer Equipment (Siphon with hose-or- racking cane with hose-or- funnel)
· Cleaner (2 oz PBW minimum) & Sanitizer (1 oz Star-San minimum)
· Timer (Kitchen Timer or Phone App.)
3. SANITIZE
Thoroughly clean ALL brewing equipment and utensils that will come in contact with any ingredients, wort or beer with above mentioned cleaner. Once clean, sanitize Primary Fermenter, Fermenter Lid, Rubber Stopper / Airlock Assy. and the Heat-Proof Spoon. (FOLLOW the manufacturer’s directions. Adding more sanitizer WILL NOT improve the chemicals properties and will only add off-flavors to your beer!)
4. STEEP GRAINS
Pour Two (2) to Three (3) gallons of clean water into your brew pot and begin to heat. Pour crushed grains into grain bag and tie a loose knot at the top of the bag. When the water is within an appropriate steeping temperature (160º - 165ºF) place the grain bag into the brew pot. Steep grains for approximately 15 minutes (30 minutes would be better) at 155ºF plus or minus 5ºF. In a separate pot heat 2 qt. of clean water to 170ºF. Remove grain bag and without squeezing, allow liquid to drain back into brew pot. Pour the two (2) quarts of 170ºF clean water onto the grain bag while holding it over the boiling pot. Your water is now wort. Dispose of grains at this time. (I suggest you place the grain bag with grains into the small pot you heated 2 quarts of water in and set aside)
5. ADD MALTS (LME & DME)
Remove boiling pot from burner. At this time stir in any liquid malt extracts (LME) and dried malt extracts (DME). Do NOT add five (5) ounce priming sugar as this is used in the bottling process. Do NOT add specialty sugars at this time. Specialty sugars include but are not limited to: Brewer’s crystals, Candi sugar, Honey, Corn or Cane sugar.
6. START BOIL
Replace boiling pot to burner. Bring your wort to a gentle, rolling boil. DO NOT put lid onto the pot and DO NOT leave your pot unattended! Boil-overs are messy and should be cleaned up immediately.
7. FOLLOW SCHEDULE
As directed on the recipe, Insert the bittering hops into a hops steeping bag and add into the boiling wort. (steeping bags are optional) Be careful NOT to let the wort boil over the pot. Note the time the hops were added to help keep your brew on schedule. Start your timer. Continue the gentle, rolling boil until the boil is complete. Most recipes require the wort boil for 60 minutes. As the timer counts down from sixty (60) to zero (0) add hops per the recipe until “flame out” at which time the burner heat is turned off. The recipe will guide you through the remaining addition of ingredients. Add Specialty sugars including but not limited to: Brewer’s crystals, Candi sugar, Honey, Corn or Cane sugar at the end of the boil or “Flame out”.
8. COOL WORT & TRANSFER
Cool the wort down to approximately 70ºF by placing the brew pot in a sink filled with ice water. (TIP: to save on ice, use cold water until wort is approx 120 degrees, then add ice to your sink water) Pour or siphon wort into a sanitized fermenter using the liquid transfer equipment. Avoid transferring the heavy sediment (trub) from the brew pot to the fermenter.
9. ADD WATER
Add enough clean water (approx. 64º - 72ºF) to the fermenter to bring your wort to approximately 5 gallons. Thoroughly stir the water into the wort with the sanitized Boil-Proof Spoon. Once you are satisfied your wort is at the proper volume record the Original Gravity (OG) in the following Alcohol by Volume (ABV %) CALCULATOR. NEVER return samples back into the fermenter.
1.0 _ _ OG (-) 1.0 _ _ FG (=) 0.0 _ _ (/).0075 (=) ___%ABV
10. PITCH YEAST
Sprinkle the contents of the yeast sachet over top of the entire wort surface. (DO NOT REHYDRATE & DO NOT STIR) Firmly secure the lid onto the fermenter. Fill your airlock halfway with water and gently twist the airlock into the grommeted lid. Move fermenter to a dark, warm, temperature-stable area (approx. 64º - 72ºF).
FERMENTATION
11. MONITOR & RECORD
The wort will begin to ferment within 24 hours and you will notice CO2 releasing (bubbling) out of the airlock. Within three to seven (3 – 7) days the bubbling will slow down until you see no more CO2 being released. If you want to utilize a secondary fermenter now is the time to transfer your beer into a secondary. When fermentation is complete (no bubbles for 48 hours) take a Final Gravity (FG) reading with a sanitized hydrometer and jar, and then record it in your Alcohol by Volume (ABV %) CALCULATOR.