How to Home-Brew Lager Beer
Lager beer is generally brewed and fermented at lower temperatures than ale, its counterpart. One characteristic of lager beer is that you store, or lager, the beer for a longer period of time than ale, for several weeks to a few months. Generally, the longer the storage time, the bolder the taste. You can brew and store lager beer at home, but you must follow a few preparation techniques and brewing guidelines. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Home-brewing kit
- Stainless steel pot
- Thermometer
- 5-gal. bucket
- Storage bottles
- Funnel
- Wooden spoon
- Water
Instructions
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Brewing Preparation
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1
Use a home-brewing kit when first attempting to make any type of beer, including lager. Using a kit helps you become acquainted with the necessary ingredients.
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2
Select the lager type you want to make. For example, you can make American lager or a German lager, which is stronger in taste.
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3
Gather your home-brewing equipment and clean your work area. Thoroughly clean everything with a strong cleaning solution to sterilize your work area and brewing equipment.
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4
Open the home-brewing kit. Ensure all listed items are inside the box, including at least the essentials, which include hops, yeast, sugar and malt extract.
Brewing and Fermenting
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5
Follow the instructions in the home-brew kit. Generally, this requires boiling the malt extract and hops in water for approximately an hour. Occasionally stir the liquid with a wooden spoon. Boiling temperatures should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Use a thermometer frequently to check the boiling temperature.
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7
Prepare a clean, sterile sink or tub and fill it with ice. Pour the brew into the ice bath, then check the temperature. When the cooling temperature reaches 80 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the liquid from the ice.
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8
Pour the liquid into a large 5-gallon plastic bucket or container. Add the yeast to the liquid. Also add sugar if your home-brewing kit or recipe calls for it.
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9
Place the bucket or container into a refrigerator. The temperature in the refrigerator should read 55 degrees for the first two weeks. After two weeks, increase the temperature to between 60 to 65 degrees.
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10
Remove the bucket from the refrigerator, then pour the liquid into a new storage container. Place the new container into the refrigerator and set the temperature between 35 to 40 degrees. Let the lager sit in the refrigerator for approximately six weeks. The longer it sits, the bolder the taste.
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Prepare the storage bottles on a counter or table. Insert a funnel into the mouth of one bottle. Slowly pour the cold brew into the funnel opening. After you finish, move to the next bottle until the bucket is empty. You will need approximately 12 bottles at 22-oz. each for every 2-gal. brew.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit big beer glass image by Goran Mulic from Fotolia.com
