Expert: Alan Ward - 1/14/2007

Question
Dear Alan,
My name is Todd and I am from Ontario,Canada. A friend and I have just recently heard about this home brewing, and have become very interested in it. The problem is we really don't know anything about this topic. We have searched over the Internet trying to find wed pages or books but all we tun up are people throwing words at us that really we don't understand. We are looking to find a understandable free guide an average guy like myself could understand. We are not really interested in just buying an instrument from a homebrewing supply store also because we don't know of any in our area. I am also the kind of person that likes to take the hands on approach. I am asking you this as you seem to have lots of experience and advertise that you have built all of your equipment. So do you know of any web sites/book with easily understandable instructions or perhaps you could elaborate.

Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Todd

Answer
Todd,

Welcome to the world of home brewing.  About all it takes to brew at home is the desire.  A friend to share with is a big plus also.  So it sounds like you have already taken the first step.

I agree with you that a lot of websites and materials available throw a lot big words or they want to sell you something.  The important thing to remember is that this is an enjoyable hobby and not rocket science.  Home brewing is an activity that has been going on well over a thousand year and at times some individuals try to make it harder than it has to be.

Unfortunately I do not know of any free guide or book available that might meet your needs.  I have been thinking of writing just such a guide so maybe it is time for me to get off my butt and write one.  What I can do is give you a few sites, recommend some good books and offer a little assistance and all at not cost.

First let me give you a few sites that can give you information:

Glossary of terms: http://www.clanward.com/brewery_files/Homebrew%20Glossary/homebrewersGlossary.ht...

Beer styles:
http://www.clanward.com/brewery_files/beer_styles.htm

Good Monthly Magazine:  http://www.byo.com/  

Brew Supplier with good free information: http://www.defalcos.com/howto.htm

Books great for beginners:
•   “Brewing Quality Beers The Home Brewer’s Essential Guidebook” by Byron Burch
•   “Brew Ware How to Find, Adapt & Build Homebrewing Equipment” by Karl F. Lutzen & Mark Stevens

Books good for later:
•   “Designing Great Beers: by Ray Daniels
•   “The Brewmaster’s Bible” by Stephen Snyder

Brew Supply Stores on the Internet that I have purchase from :
•   DeFalcos : http://www.defalcos.com
•   MoreBeer: http://morebeer.com/

Equipment you will need to purchase (Just no way to build them at home):
•   Hydrometer
•   Thermometer
•   Bottle capper ( highly suggested)


Equipment you may need to buy:
•   Primary Fermenter (Usually a six gallon food grade plastic bucket with lid or six gallon glass carboy.)
•   Secondary Fermenter (Usally a six gallon glass carboy)
•   Large Spoon (sized to fit your kettle, needed to stir with)
•   Large Kettle (Kettle is a fancy name for pot.  If your doing an extract or kit beer you will need a pot that can boil 2 gallons of water with room at top for boiling.) For your first few batches you can use one that you would use in the kitchen.
•   Pot holders ( for hot pot)
•   Turkey baister

Kit or extracts:
•   At least for your first batch I would highly recommend ordering a kit from someone like Defalco’s.  Their kits come with all the ingredients you will need.  I started with their Super Duper Kit and was happy that I did.  Their instructions are great and all the basic equipment was there as was my first batch of beer.  

I would also recommend purchasing a beginning kit from some one like Defalcos’.  (http://www.defalcos.com/Catalog_c126743.html) They come with all the equipment you will need and the ingredients needed for your first batch.  They run 79.99 – 124.99 depending on the type of kit you order.  

Basic instruction for a kit or extract beer:

•   Step one CLEAN EVERYTHING!  This is the most important step.  I use a product called PBW to clean with and a product called B.T.F Iodophor. Both can be purchased at any brew location.  You could use a very very week solution of Clorox but you must rinse very well.
•   Bring the water  to a boil and then turn it OFF.
•   Add your extract or canned liquid stirring it in.
•   Turn heat back on being careful to stir the pot until a boil is resumed to avoid scorching.
•   Follow your hop additions.  This will be different with each receipe.
•   Watch for boil over.  Hops really likes to boil over after you add it.  Turn the heat down to control.
•   Boil for about one hour then turn the boil off.
•   Now you need to reduce the temperature to below 90 degrees F.  You can place your pot in the a sink full of ice water.  This is the simplest cheapest way.  Later you can build something called a wort chiller but that is for later.
•   Once the temperature is below 90  you can pour the wort (your liquid in the pot) into the primary (big bucket).  Go ahead and pour it and allow for a vigorous pour as this gives the yeast needed oxygen.
•   Take a sample ( I use a turkey baister) and place the sample into the hydrometer. Record the data this is will be your O.G. or original gravity.
•   Now add your yeast (called pitching) and I always add a product called brew vigor ( a yeast nutrient)
•   Seal the lid and add the air lock.  Place the container out of the sun in am area the will maintain the temperature required by the yeast you use.

Secondary:
•   After 4 days you will transfer the wort to the secondary fermenter.  You can use different methods for this.  I use an item called a racking cane.  This is a stainless steel  pipe that extends down into the primary with a hose on the top.  I use the turkey baister to start the siphon used to transfer the wort.  Some individuals have a tap mounted in the bottom of the primary but this is expensive and unneeded.
•   Take a sample and put it in the hydrometer.  This is your racking  reading.   It will tell you if your brew is doing good or not.  Most will be around 1013.
•   Place the air lock on the secondary.
•   After 10 more days you are ready to bottle.

Bottling:
•   Take another sample and record it.
•   Bring ¾ cup bottling sugar (dextrose) to a boil in a little water.
•   Transfer your wort to the now clean primary (or you could have a bottling bucket which is a large food grade plastic bucket that has a spout mounted in the bottom side with a hose attached)  Add your priming sugar  and stir.
•   Using your racking cane you now will fill the bottles.  If this is your first batch and you do not have beer bottles, caps and a cappers you can use plastic soda bottles as a temporary substitute.  I have used 2 liter bottles as in an emergency.  DO NOT USE twist off glass beer bottles.  I have never tried them but everything I have read and hear says you will loose a batch of beer and I have never wanted to try it.
•   Capper your bottles and store in a dark location for seven to fourteen days.  
•   Chill beer and enjoy.

You will have beer 21 to 28 days after you brew.  Me and my brew partner brew every 14 days.  This means that we bottle and then brew.  We use 14 days because the equipment rotates best that way.

Start simple and work forward.  Doing a kit beer is like making a cake mix from a box.  It is simple but it gives you a good beer.

I hope this has helped.  If you can send me more specific information I would be glad to help further.  Home brewing can be as much or as little as you want.  I started with a Mr. Beer kit and moved to developing my own all grain recipes.  My only regret is that I did not start earlier in my life.

Alan
warda@houston.rr.com