Beer Making

How Beer Is Made

By Mario OReilly

When you think of beer you might think that it has only been here for a couple of hundred years but is so not the case, beer has been drunk all over the world in one form or another, from lagers to bitters.

So How Is Beer Made?

To put it in simple terms beer is a fermented combination of water, barley, yeast and hops. The various beers on offer in the licensed establishments across the world are mainly determined by the yeast that was used during fermentation.

So let’s take a beer apart and examine the different properties that make up a “pint”.

Water

The chief ingredient in beer is of course water, in the old days the purity of the water is what mainly affected the outcome when brewing beer. Beer production in this time was specific to a particular this would have been mainly due to water quality. This is no longer the case with the purification technology that we have available today.

Malt Barley

Malt barley is essential to beer brewing as the barley contains the highest amount of fermentable sugar. A lot of breweries today have moved to wards powdered or instant barley malt as it ferments far faster and therefore the beer brews quicker. The barley malt powder also contains extra minerals that help the yeast to grow.

Yeast

Yeast is crucial to beer production and without it there would be no beer. Yeast is a single celled organism that consumes any sugar it comes in contact with and expels 2 very well known chemicals that you will know as alcohol and carbon dioxide.

There are several different variations of yeast used to make beer, but the 2 most common yeast strains used are lager and ale. Now if beer was brewed using only water, yeast and barley it would be almost too sweet to stomach, this is where hops come in to the mix.

Hops

Hops are the flowers that grow on a climbing vine plant; these vines can be found in various different regions through out the world. Hops are used to make beer because of the bitterness of the flower, adding bitterness to beer helps to balance out the sweetness as well as acting as a natural preservative. When more hops are added to the beer mix it then has a very bitter taste, this brew is a favorite in England and has been given the appropriate name “bitter”.

For those of you who want to start brewing your own beer at home, there are plenty of resources available in the form of home brewing kits. Home brewing kits are great but as with everything reading the instructions are essential. This is required if the beer is achieve top quality. The only point I should stress to you is when home brewing, USE FRESH WATER!

Many have often sought information on how to make beer and the basic home brewing equipment can be bought for as little as $100

In order to start making your own beer the following items are needed:

A Brew Pot Primary Fermenter Airlock and Stopper Bottling Bucket Bottles Bottle Brush Bottle Capper Thermometer

To make beer is quite easy even from your home kitchen. A list of the equipment and their uses is as shown below.

Brew Pot

A brew pot is usually made from stainless steel; some of the newer brew pots are made from enamel coated metal and can hold up to 15 litres. For brew pots you need to steer clear of aluminum or chipped enamel coated as these 2 pots will make the beer taste strange, the brew pot is used to cook the beer ingredients and therefore start the fermentation process.

The Primary Fermenter

The primary fermenter is where all the action starts; this is where that amazing stuff that makes you so charming all begins. The primary fermenter has to hold at least 26 litres and must have an air tight seal; the airlock and rubber stopper. Make sure when you are buying one it is made of food-grade plastic, this will ensure nothing gets in or escapes.

Airlock and Stopper

The airlock is a handy gadget that allows for C02 to escape this is a must or it would blow up; at the same time it doesn’t let in any fresh air. The airlock fits into a rubber stopper and this stopper then fits into the top of your primary fermenter. The stoppers are numbered according to size, so make sure you use the correct stopper for the correct hole

Plastic Hose

This hose must be over 5 feet in length and made from food grade plastic, there must also be no holes or clogs and must be kept clean at all times, this hose is used to shift the beer from one system to another.

Bottling Bucket

This is a large food grade plastic bucket with a tap for drawing water at the bottom, this bucket needs to equal in size to your primary fermenter so your beer can be transferred over for bottling.

Bottles

After the fermentation stage, you then siphon the beer in bottles for the secondary fermentation and storage. The best types of bottles to use are solid glass with smooth tops that use bottle caps and not the twist-off caps. You can use plastic bottles with screw on lids but with these bottles the beer does not ferment as well and does not look anywhere near as good as the glass bottles. A quick point to remember, when making beer use dark bottles (brown or green) this is essential as bright light damages the beer.

Bottle Brush

This is a thin, curvy brush which is used to clean bottles; because of the shape of the brush it does a superb job at cleaning the bottles. The bottle brush is a specialized cleaning utensil you will require in order to maintain your bottle kit.

Bottle Capper

If you buy glass bottles for the fermented beer, you will need some sort of bottle capper and of course bottle caps, you can buy them from any brewing supplies store. The best type of bottle opener is one that is fixable to the fridge of counter top and can easily handled and operated.

Thermometer

This is a thermometer which can be attached to the side of your fermenter; it is just a thin strip of plastic which is self adhesive these temperature strips can be found in any store or shop.

Household Items

In addition to the above specialized equipment, you will need the following household items:

Small bowl Saucepan

Rubber Spatula

Oven Mitts/Pot Handlers

Big Mixing Spoon

So there you have the ingredients and the method to make your own beer, all you need now is to get yourself a beer making kit and you’re on the way to beer heaven.

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Making Beer Tips For Dads

By Paul Weese

Beer is an excellent pastime, both to drink and brew. Home brewing beer is as rewarding as a fantastic pile of barbecue ribs, rubbed and sauced. In the household, Dads are the most common brewers in America, especially with beer kits. Over the years, being Dad has given me new opportunities in beer. The two main ones are educating my kids in the brewing process and the history of beer. The second is the new, um, moments to increase my relationship with my wife by containing the messes I make with being King Brew Master of my home.

My wife loves beer as much as I do. Having beer brought in from the store in a clean case and discarding the bottles is very efficient. A fermenter, gear, empty bottles, full bottles, books, and magazines are a project unto themselves, often being very messy. In managing beer inventory, studying how to brew better beer, and sampling, I have had to get creative with my small house. I have taken up to keeping much of my brewing equipment in dark places of the house. The first reason for this is to control the temperature of the wort. I want my wort to fluctuate as little as possible and stick to the cooler side. (This has been a challenge because my house is a very warm structure.) The second reason is that my wife doesn’t want to see the equipment laying about the kitchen, dining room, or bedroom. Though I enjoy the thought of a good brew fermenting nearby, I know that beer happiness starts with household happiness.

The biggest items for Dads to remember is to keep your area temperature stable, clean, and out of the way, preferably out of sight of company and wife. A clean area can be a hard find. My area is under my stairwell. This area is excellent for my wort to remain a stable temperature and I have built an area to keep it off the floor (away from gunk on the floor) and a shelf above to prevent dirt from falling onto the top. This area is made to contain all my brewing equipment and supplies. What I run out of most is area to store the cases of beer I brew, which is a good thing. When considering a place to put your fermenter and beer gear, think about ease of cleaning up of spills, and everyday access.

Some brewing systems are made to be in a refrigerator for the entire brewing process, like Mr. Beer. Some beers require a chilling process. In both cases, this can be cumbersome for the one frig household. As well, it’s tough to brew beer at someone else’s home and hope to taste the results! If you are using a cooling type process, make sure to plan around the amount of cold storage you have.

Including my family has been very rewarding. Telling my kids about the history of beer from mead to Prohibition, and the German Purity Laws, has been entertaining for us all. They enjoy mixing the boiling ingredients, filling the bottles, capping, and making an occasional big batch of root beer. When I was younger, it didn’t occur to me that beer would be such a great family pastime. In all of this fun, it is also great time to encourage drinking responsibly. Having a caring and responsible approach to brewing beer at home has brought extra rewards.

To keep beer making in the home a great day, remember to hear the input from your family members. Overall, make sure that beer making is cleaned up, out of the way, and happy. Happy beer is good beer. Good beer is good for Dads.

Paul Weese is the editor and chief beer maker for http://thebarleyreview.com, a home brewing beer kit review website devoted to helping you find the best beer brewing kits, ideas, and recipes since 2008.

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Homemade Beer – Get Started With This Simple Guide

By William Swan

She’s a pretty girl, and she can make a cake from scratch, but can she make homemade beer? You might be surprised at how many people make and store homebrewed beer. Is your mate among them? Are you?

Beer making follows very simple rules. So, why wait? If homebrewed beer is something you’d like to try, then this should help you get started. And the good news is that it costs very little to bottle your first homemade brew.

People have been making homemade alcohol for thousands of years, ever since man first stumbled onto fermentation. After tasting the results of fruit left to rot in the bottom of a jug (wine), he moved to grains, which are the main ingredients of beer. Beer recipes have been found among some of the world’s oldest recorded Sumerian writings.

Homebrewed beer is a thoughtful process, not a complicated one; it involves 6 components or steps:

1. Mash is made when a malted grain is mixed with water and then heated causing the starch to change into sugar. Mashes are available in a “No Boil” Kit, a partial mash, or the most complicated option, a full mash.

2. Wort (pronounced wirt, not wart) is the liquid formed by the malted grain mash. Wort can be purchased pre-made in dry or liquids.

3. Fermentation happens when a sugar mash is encouraged to convert into alcohol and carbon dioxide via the introduction of bacteria (yeast). Once yeast is added, wort becomes beer.

4. Conditioning (also known as secondary fermentation) is when the beer is siphoned from one container to another and allowed to brew again.

5. Carbonation takes place with the addition of a second sugar to the beer, which is then stored in either bottles or kegs.

6. And the easy part….Drinking!

Still afraid to get started? Perhaps master brewer and author, John Palmer, can help. He knows the ins and outs of home-brewing beer and the mistakes that can be made. He says his first homemade beer was “fit only for mosquitoes to lay their eggs in.”

He suggests beginning with a “fool-proof” ale beer recipe because ale is the easiest type of homemade beer to make. Palmer includes terms and tools you’ll need to make your first beer.

You could start brewing beer from scratch or you could begin with a home brewing beer kit which can be had for under $100. Beer kits are available from your local beer and wine supplies store, eBay, or one of the links below.

A simple search of the Internet will leave you with thousands of returns for recipes, games and other important beer information. Making your own beer can not only be useful it can also be a great experience. Think about it, they brewed their own beer years ago and look how much fun they had. So much they tried to shut them down! Try and stay out of trouble, but there is nothing any better than a home brewed cold one.

Caution

Homemade beer is for your consumption; stay out of trouble, don’t sell it.

And play it safe, check with your state or provincial laws before embarking on your homebrew beer adventure.

Love beer? Check out theses beer t-shirts

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How to Make Beer

How to Make BeerBy Jason Ditto

Making beer is easy, inexpensive, and most of all, fun. With the rise in popularity of homebrewing, there are a wide variety of top quality ingredients available.

You can literally make hundreds of styles of beer that will taste great and impress your friends. Getting started making beer will only cost you a small amount of money, depending on your level of interest. Most beer making kits range from only $60 to $200 and make great, unique gifts.

How to Make Beer

Making Beer is just like cooking. Each recipe requires different ingredients and techniques. This page is an attempt to go over the basics of homebrewing in order to give you an understanding of how beer is made.

First of all, beer is made from 4 basic ingredients: water, malt (malted barley), hops, and yeast.

Water

Water is the most abundant ingredient in any style of beer. When making beer at home try to use filtered water instead of plain tap water. If your water doesn’t taste good from the tap, you probably won’t like it in your beer either. Do not use distilled water because it has been depleted of its oxygen.

Malt

Malted barley is barley grain that has been carefully soaked in water until it sprouts and then dried. This malting process develops the necessary sugars and soluble starches needed for fermentation.

The malt is then taken through a process called mashing which extracts the sugars and starches from the grain. Although advanced homebrewers can accomplish this step at home, most will buy the malted barley already mashed in a product called malt extract.

Hops

Hops are green flowers that grow on a vine and look similar to pine cones. They perform several roles in the beer making process. Most notably are the taste and aroma they impart on a beer.

Since not all of the sugars will ferment, the malt will cause the beer to be really sweet. Hops will balance out the sweetness by adding a degree of bitterness. Hops will also add a distinctive aroma to the finished brew.

Yeast

Yeast is the catalyst that makes it all happen. In short, yeast is a living organism that feeds off of the sugars in the malt. The yeast will convert the sugars to alcohol and carbon dioxide in a process called fermentation.

There are many strains of yeasts (even in the air we breathe). In order to get the results needed for making beer, a specially cultured beer yeast is required. The yeast will also impart taste and mouthfeel qualities to the beer.

The Beer Making Process

To summarize, the malt, hops, and water are boiled for a period of time. This mixture is called wort (pronounced wert). Then the wort is poured into fermenter and allowed to cool.

Next, the prepared yeast is pitched into the fermenter and an airlock is placed over the opening. Now it’s the yeast’s job to do its thing.

The yeast will multiply like crazy as it consumes the sugars in the brew. After a period of time, usually within 7 to 10 days, the yeast will have consumed all that it can and fall to the bottom of the fermenter.

Finally, the beer is bottled and set aside for a couple of weeks to mature and carbonate.

Making beer at home really is a fantastic hobby and can be a great social activity. Have some friends over and let them try your new brew. Better yet, get them involved and see who can make the best batches. Have blind taste tests with your buddies. Most of all, have fun!

About The Author

Jason Ditto

Author of the http://www.2BASNOB.com website about the enjoyment of coffee, tea, wine and beer.

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