brew-finish | dahoam1516

Ingredients combine with craft to make beer

This page is continually improving.

This page is not intended as a sole source of information but as a general reference for those interested in learning basic homebrewing.

We've attempted to present the right amount of information in the best possible format.

Getting Started - How will you brew?

All beer begins with the same 4 basic ingredients: water, malt, hops, and yeast.

Note: Changing any of these 4 ingredients will change your beer. Don't be afraid to experiment with the 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.

The real choice is about how you will brew.

How will I get my sugar?

Yeast needs sugar to make alcohol. Sugar in beer comes from malt - either directly or from an extract.

All-Grain Brewing Method

All-grain brewing uses only malted grains, which yield sugars through a mash process - wash, rinse, repeat.

All-grain brewing requires a bit more time and specialized equipment.

Extract Brewing Method

Extract brewing uses some malted grains ("specialty grains") but relies on processed extracts (dry or liquid) to make up the "sugar deficit."

Extracts have advanced over the last decade and are a viable option. Extract brewing also requires less time and more basic equipment.

"Brew in a Bag" Method

This is essentially extract brewing with a bit more "pre-packaging." This is great for first-time brewers.

"Cold" Brewing Method

"Cold" brewing is new and uses highly processed ingredients that are just "mix & ferment"...with cold water. Only select beer styles are available and only in kits.

How much water do I want to use?

Making beer is about the "volume of solution to final output." All provide the same final output...in beer!

Boil Volume (aka how much water)

All-grain requires Full Boil.

Extract can use full or partial boil.

Full Mash requires a volume of 85%+ water in the brewing vessel (aka "near full").

Partial Mash requires 55%+ water in the brewing vessel (aka "partially full").

Keep in mind:

Boiling over is a real danger - greater the volume in the brewing vessel, higher chance of a boilover.
Whatever you boil, you'll need to cool...takes time.

Batch Doubling

Both methods allow increased output by doubling the fermentable wort produced. You do this by increasing the amount of malt (sugar) and hops, but can avoid increasing the volume of water in the boil, if you then add water in after the boil is complete. This also helps with cooling the wort after the boil.

Brew - Innovate - Enjoy - Repeat

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

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.

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.

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.

Milling Instructions

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Mashing for Flavor / Color

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.

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

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

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.

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.