How to Brew Amber Beer

Brewing beer at home is not difficult. Once you have the equipment, ingredients and some basic brewing experience, you can start creating your own homebrew recipes. The following steps provide an overview and introduction to beer brewing.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Spring water
• Malt extract
• Hops
• Yeast
• Fermenters
• Racking cane
• Airlock
• Sugar
• 20-quart pot
• Siphon
• Bottle filling hose
• Bottles

1. Bring 1 1/2 gallons of spring water to a rolling boil. While you wait for the water to boil, sterilize all the equipment that will come into contact with the beer. Sanitize your hands.

2. Add the malt extract to the boiling spring water. Stir gently and thoroughly. When the malt is dissolved and the water is boiling again, add the hops. Boil for an hour. The mixture is now "wort," or unfermented beer.

3. Fill the fermenter with 7 lbs. ice and a gallon of spring water. Strain the wort into the fermenter. Add the yeast. Seal the fermenter and allow it to sit for 2 to 3 days in a warm location.

4. Place the fermenter on a high surface and the secondary fermenter on the floor. Open the fermenter slowly and slide the racking cane into the beer, below the surface but not touching the sediment on the bottom. Keep the beer covered as much as possible.

5. Put the other end of the tubing into the secondary fermenter. Pump the racking cane until the beer starts to flow through the tube. Transfer the airlock from one fermenter to the other. Wait a few more days for fermentation to complete.

6. Boil a pint of water. Add a cup of sugar or 1 1/2 cups dried malt extract. Pour into a 20-quart pot. Siphon the wort into the pot. Stir gently.

7. Use the bottle filling hose attachment to fill the bottles. Cap each bottle immediately. Store for 2 to 3 weeks in a dark place.