Do you want to learn how to make beer? So you can enjoy a bottle (or three) on a warm summer’s day.
Weihenstephan, based in Germany, claims to have the world’s oldest brewery. It dates back to 1040, but the first-ever beer recipes date back to over 3,900 years ago. And it’s believed mankind has been drinking beer much earlier than that.
You can continue to keep this ancient tradition alive. You just need to learn how to make beer.
Gather Ingredients and Equipment
Before you start the brewing process, you need to gather everything you need. That way you won’t be scrambling looking for items midway through the process.
What do you need to make beer? We made a list of everything for you down below.
Equipment
- Brew kettle
- Stovetop
- Grain basket
- Fermenter bucket
- Sanitizer
- Funnel
- Fridge
- Airlock
- Bottles or keg
- Timer
Ingredients
- Water
- Grains
- Liquid malt extract
- Dry malt extract
- Hops
- Yeast
- Priming sugar
The Brewing Process
After you gather all your supplies, it’s time for the fun part!
- Add 2.5 gallons of water to your brewing kettle. Note that your kettle should be able to hold at least twice the amount of water you use.
- Put your kettle over a stovetop or burner and turn the heat up to 155 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add your grains and set your timer for 30 minutes.
- Once half an hour has passed, remove the grains and bring the water to a boil.
- Open your dry malt extract and drop it into the water. Then do the same with the liquid malt extract and the hops.
- Now it’s time to add around 2.5 gallons of water. That should bring the total amount to 5 gallons.
- The final step of the brewing process is the cooling phase. Place your kettle into the fridge or outside, until it cools down to 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Fermenting Stage
The fermenting stage takes around two weeks. But luckily it only involves around 20 minutes of work. The key to a good fermenting process is good sanitation!
- Begin by transferring the liquid from the kettle into a sanitized fermenter. It must be sanitized, or it can spoil the taste of your homebrew.
- Once all the liquid is in, start adding the key ingredient, the yeast!
- Shake the fermenter around. That helps the yeast to absorb the oxygen.
- Add an airlock seal and let it sit for 14 days in a dry space at 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bottle Your Beer
The final stage, and by now, you can almost taste the success!
- Start by sanitizing your bottles and funnels.
- Boil your priming sugar in 18oz of water and once it cools, add it to the mix. That provides carbonation to the beer.
- Transfer the beer into bottles and seal them with caps. Or, if you want to set up a home bar, transfer it into a keg.
- Set your bottles or keg aside for 12-14 days at room temperature.
- Once the beer carbonates, place the beer in a fridge or outside for an ice-cold beer! If you’re using a keg, make sure it’s correctly set up. Click here to find out how to do so.
Start to Brew Beer at Home
Whether you’re looking for a hobby or a way to save money on beer, learning how to brew beer is a great thing to know!
Now you know how to make beer, so it’s time to start gathering your equipment and ingredients. And start getting to work!
Once you’re finished, head back to our blog, and check out more activities you can do at home!
