Directions for Brewing Beer

Brewing your own beer is a tedious process, but rewarding at its conclusion.

Brewing beer is a great way to try new concoctions outside of the mass-produced beers offered by beer companies. It also allows you to create your beer to your own specifications, including caloric and alcohol content. You can control the quality of your brew by choosing the finest ingredients. The downside to brewing your own beer is that it is not a quick process, so you must plan ahead in order to have your brew ready for when you wish to drink it. Does this Spark an idea?

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20 qt. pot
Large spoon
Measuring cup and spoons
2 glass jars (one must be microwavable)
Bleach
Airlock
Thermometer
Strainer
Siphon
Bottle caps
Dishwashing liquid
2 plastic buckets with lids
12-oz bottles
Sugar
Hops
Dried ale yeast
Malt extract

Instructions

- 1
  
  Clean all the items you will be using with dish washing liquid. Use an unscented variety to avoid leftover fragrances in the dishes that could ruin your brew. Rinse everything very well.
- 2
  
  Prepare a bucket with a gallon of water. Add 1 tbsp. of the unscented dishwashing liquid. Soak everything that will come in direct contact with the beer for twenty to thirty minutes to insure sterilization.
- 3
  
  While the items are soaking, use the pot to boil some water. Rinse each items in the boiling water thoroughly. Use tongs or something to place the items in the water to avoid burning your hands.
- 4
  
  Boil two gallons of water in the pot. Pour it into the other plastic bucket.
- 5
  
  Boil three gallons of water in the pot, then remove from heat. Add five cups of malt extract to the water. Stir it until it is completely dissolved into the water. Now, return the pot to heat and boil it again. Stir frequently so that the malt extract at the bottom does not get charred.
- 6
  
  Add the bag of hops to the mixture and continue boiling for another forty-five minutes. Stir often. Add some extra hops at this point if desired to give an extra infusion of aroma. Boil for fifteen more minutes.
- 7
  
  Place a lid on the pot and remove from heat. Run some cold water in the sink and dunk the pot quickly into it. Pull it out and set on a safe surface.
- 8
  
  Take a cup of the now cool water and pour into one of the glass jars. Add dried ale yeast and cover. Wait ten or fifteen minutes for the yeast to react with the water. In the other jar, put a teaspoon of sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Microwave the jar for two or three minutes until the mixture boils. Cool, then add to the other jar. Put the combined ingredients in a room out of sunlight for a half-hour. The concoction will begin to foam up in this time.
- 9
  
  Take the foaming mixture in the glass jar and add it to the bucket you put two gallons of boiling water into in Step 4. Run the liquid through a strainer to get out the particles from the hops. Put the lid on the bucket and move it to a location where it can stay between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. Make sure the lid is on airtight.
- 10
  
  Wait fourteen days for the fermentation to take place. Then, boil 2/3 cup of sugar in 2 cups of water. Remove from heat. Pour into a plastic bucket. Remove the lid from the bucket that has been fermenting and use the siphon to move the beer into the other bucket. Mix the beer with the sugar and water.
- 11
  
  Fill your 12-oz bottles with the solution. Cap the bottle. Place the beer bottles in a room with no direct sunlight where they will consistently stay between 65 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Wait two more weeks for the final reactions to take place.
- 12
  
  Place the bottles in the refrigerator for chilling and enjoy your brew.

Tips & Warnings

The batch described here typically fills 45 to 48 12-oz bottles.
Beer brewed by this method will stay fresh for six months. Feel free to prepare ahead of time so you can always have your favorite brew available.
Do not skip the steps on sterilization. Bacteria can infiltrate your brew and become a health risk.