Expert: Dave Nyce - 3/28/2007

Question
Hi,
Roughly how long does it take for one batch to brew, assuming it's a very small batch size, roughly a few litres of mash??  And would it be the same amount of time to brew something other than beer, say rum or whiskey?
Thank you,
Greg.

Answer
Brewing is when you cook the malt and hopps for 30 to 90 minutes. Then comes the fermentation, which takes about 1 to 3 weeks.  Then you bottle the beer.  After bottling, it takes 3 to 4 weeks for the CO2 to build up pressure, and then the beer is ready to drink.

To make rum or whiskey, you have stages similar to the beer brewing and fermenting.  Then you distill it in order to raise the alcohol concentration.  Then you might put it into a wooden cask for a few months for mellowing and flavoring.

Hope this helps!

Dave