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Ingredients

You will need to make 3 simple decisions at the very start. The beer you want to make will help make these decisions.

Note: Changing or substituting any of the ingredients will change the final beer you produce. In fact, the American IPA craze is really around changing the hops used in brewing.

Don't be afraid to experiment with these ingredients. You can start with a base recipe and then substitute something. Keep a record so if you like it, you can do it again.

Do you know which of these 4 basic beer ingredients is not mentioned in the Bavarian Beer Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot) of 1516?

Yep, it's Yeast, since yeast was not realized as a fermentation agent until 1857 by Louis Pasteur. Prior to that, fermentation was considered magic or a divine act.

Method / Approach

You will need to make 3 simple decisions at the very start. How you want to brew will help make these decisions.So long as you end up with about 6.5 gallons of properly chilled wort (pre-fermentation beer), you're great.

MALT

WORT

How will I get my sugar?

Yeast needs sugar to make alcohol (aka fermentation). The source of fermentable sugar in beer is malt. Sugar is "washed" off the grain and captured in the solution through "mashing" the grains.

All-Grain vs Extract Brewing

In "All-Grain" brewing, sugar comes only from the grain (hence the name), whereas with "Extract" brewing, you add essentially "grain molasses" (aka Extract) to get the required sugars.

Both "All-Grain" and "Extract" start with adding malt to water and heating it. "All-Grain" then forces that water through pumps to cycle it back over the grain many times. Think like washing clothes. Whereas, "Extract" does not cycle the water back over the grain, instead you add an Extract to the grain solution achieving the same result as with "All-Grain".

So, what is the right way to do this? There is no right or wrong way, so long as the end result is the same amount of fermentable sugar in the wort. Figure out what works best for you. Two things to consider:

More grain = more time/more equipment/more steps
Less grain = less time/less equipment/less steps, but more cost. Extracts tend to be more expensive, but not always.

Your choice. Either way, in the end, you get something fermentable.

How much malt?

Which malt?

Fermentable sugar comes from the malt, so the amount of grain is determined by the source of sugar and the amount of sugar required.

Partial-Mash vs Full-Mash

The choice of "All-Grain" vs "Extract" generally determines "Partial-Mash" vs "Full-Mash," too.

"All-Grain" requires Full-Mash...only.
"Extracts" are generally Partial-Mash, but some people will do a Full-Mash. This is a matter of preference, and consideration #3.

Note: Some recipes want more grain, i.e. a "partial full-mash". Always consult the recipe.

Your choice. Either way, in the end, you get something fermentable.

Selecting Your Malt

Remember, malt has a color index and the color of the malt will determine the color of the beer and its body. Consult your recipe, but also, once you start to understand more, don't hesitate to experiment. Just be sure to log any changes, so you can repeat the recipe again if you like it.

How much water

do I want to cool?

Fermentable sugar needed by yeast is derived through boiling and mashing malted grains. This is combined with boiling, however yeast as an organism cannot survive in a solution hotter than 69 degrees, so work must be cooled. to be the correct temperature to initiate fermentation vs. killing the yeast.

Partial-Boil vs Full-Boil

This decision has to do with the amount of "grain water" (aka wort) you bring to the boiling point and thereby the amount of wort you need to cool down before you can add the yeast. "Full-Boil" you bring 7 gallons to a sustained boil and then have to cool it, whereas with "Partial-Boil" you boil 3-4 gallons and then cool that down.

What volume of wort do I need?

A final volume of 5.1 gallons of beer requires starting with approximately 6.5 gallons of cool/correct temperature wort. How you achieve that depends on the method you use.

FUll-Boil: You will use a wort-chiller or other means to chill down the wort.
Partial-Boil: You will use a wort-chiller or other means, like Full-Boil, but you are cooling down half the volume of water. You also can use chilled water (or ice) to fill the wort to the required 6.5-gallon volume of wort.

With these basic decisions made, you should be able to consult your recipe and start selecting your ingredients and amounts.

Once that is all done, it is time to start your brewing.

Boiling - Hopping the Wort

Key Question: Are you actually milling your own malt, or is your malt pre-milled or pre-ready? If pre-milled/pre-ready, skip the milling step.

HOPS

HOPPING

THE WORT

CHILLING

THE WORT

Hops as a Preservative

To render the sugar from the malt, it is easiest to start with a milled malt. You can either have the malt milled for you at the brew supply store, maltster, or often order it that way.

However, if you are milling it yourself, that is an easy process. But you will need a malt/grain mill that is rated to mill course, not a flour mill. You often see "All-Grain" Brewers milling their malt. But there are also advantages to milling "to need" when you are about to start the mash. It means you are getting the freshest possible grain.

Hopping Instructions

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Hopping for Bitterness / Aroma

Any beer will require some type of mashing of the malt. With "All-Grain," this process takes longer and requires several repeated steps, whereas with "Extract," the process is simplified. We will review both.

Mashing Basics

Starting with room temperature water in your boiling pot (or Brew Kettle or Mash Tun), you will add the malt to the water. If you are able, you can use a malt bag or malt pipe (fancy sieve) to make it easier to collect the malt, or you can just mash directly in the water.

Gradually raise the water temperature between 140°F-175°F over 30 minutes. That is fine if it takes a few minutes longer to reach the target temperature. Beer is pretty forgiving. Stir the malt frequently (but not continually) while bringing it to the target temperature.

"Extract" Brewing Requirements

For "Extract Brewing", once the target temperature is reached, remove the malt and go to the next Extract Step.

"All-Grain" Brewing Requirements

For "All-Grain Brewing," this is where the "sparging" process begins. You will take the heated water (now called "sparge water") in the brew kettle or Mash Tun and remove it. You then pour the sparge water back over the top of the mash, stirring as you do this. You will continue this process of draining and pouring, almost like you were washing and rinsing, until the target level of sugar has been released into the solution.

There are many different methods, temperature targets, and tools to accomplish this from pumps and sparge heads to gravity-fed systems. Separating the sugar from the malt using this process can take from 2-4 hours. Consult the recipe for all the different steps.

How much sugar do I have?

"All-Grain" brew recipes will get all of their sugar from the extended mash process (using the sparge water). Whereas, "Extract" brewing will now sugars from the malt extract (hence the name).

"Extract" Brewing Requirements

Extracts come in 2 types: dry malt extract (or DME) and liquid malt extract (LME). Dry malt extract resembles a fine powder, almost like a very fine Malt-o-Meal, whereas liquid malt extracts are more the consistency of molasses. In both cases, you are dealing with highly processed sugars that have been prepared solely for brewing and adding malt-derived sugars to your mash.

"All-Grain" Brewing Requirements

For "All-Grain Brewing," this is

"All-Grain" Brewing Requirements

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With these basic decisions made, you should be able to consult your recipe and start selecting your ingredients and amounts.

Once that is all done, it is time to start your brewing.

Mashing - Converting Malt to Sugars

MALT

MASHING

THE MALT

Milling to Break the Outer Layer

To render the sugar from the malt, it is easiest to start with a milled malt. You can either have the malt milled for you at the brew supply store, maltster, or often order it that way.

Key Question: If your malt is pre-milled, go to the next step.

Milling Instructions

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Mashing for Flavor / Color

Mashing Basics

"Extract" Brewing Requirements

For "Extract Brewing", once the target temperature is reached, remove the malt and go to the next Extract Step.

"All-Grain" Brewing Requirements

ENDING

THE MASH

How much sugar do I have?

"All-Grain" brew recipes will get all of their sugar from the extended mash process (using the sparge water). Whereas, "Extract" brewing will now sugars from the malt extract (hence the name).

"Extract" Brewing Requirements

"All-Grain" Brewing Requirements

For "All-Grain Brewing," this is

"All-Grain" Brewing Requirements

For "All-Grain Brewing," this is

With these basic decisions made, you should be able to consult your recipe and start selecting your ingredients and amounts.

Once that is all done, it is time to start your brewing.