Are you ready to get started with home brewing? Maybe you and your family went to a home brewing supply store and the brewing bug got a hold of you. Or maybe you tasted this great home made beer at a friends house, it could even be that the stories you heard from some people talking about home brewing got you started to think about picking up this lovely hobby. It is true that ones you've started thinking about it, it will be hard to get out of your mind. But don't rush out to the supply store just yet. Don't go online to order that good looking brewing system and empty bottles or complete brewing kit because there are some things you should know and think about.
Don't ask for samples of all the beer, especially if you're at a brewery. This isn't Baskin Robbins. Please disregard if you're at a wine bar. Most wine bars encourage tasting.
Like any other American, Jim McMahon has an affinity for drinking beer. After being drafted by the Bears in the 1982 NFL draft. McMahon showed up to the first public Chicago Bears function with a cold home brew beer primary fermentation in his hand. This didn't please new head coach Mike Ditka or team owner George Halas. McMahon has some serious cojones. Before we get into this next tidbit of information, I do not condone the actions of McMahon. In 2003, McMahon was pulled over in Florida for drunk driving. That isn't awesome. However upon being pulled over, McMahon stepped out of the car and announced to the police...."Im too drunk, ya got me." Even the way he announces his guilt is awesome.
Secondly, boil about a litre of water in a large sterilised pot on the stove top and then turn the heat off. When the malt is soft enough, pour it in to the pot of hot water and gently stir to mix it in. Turn a low heat back on and bring the mixture to a very gentle simmer for about five minutes to kill any bacteria. Gently stir in any extra fermentable sugar you have to add. After about five minutes of simmering, turn the heat off. It is very important that the pot is not left unattended and is stirred gently while it simmers as it can boil over, burn the malt and create a big mess very quickly if left on the heat.
The next step is sparging, and this is done by rinsing the mashed grain bills to separate the husk from the sugar. In a brew beer kettle, water is slowly trickled in to the bed of mashed grain. Sweet liquor would be drained from the brew kettle and collected. What is collected are known as malt extract. Those who are in a hurry could actually buy concentrated malt and start off with that, to make life easier. Malt extracts are classified according to their origin, color and the capacity for fermentation.
One item that's often overlooked when people sit down to compose a sales letter is the answer to "Why don't people buy my stuff?" The more we understand the answer to that question, the better able we are to overcome those objections in the body of the message. So let's think about that for a moment. Why don't people buy home brew beer your stuff?
Cooling The Wort. The wort should be cooled off as quickly as possible. The simplest way is to place the kettle in the sink or bathtub that contains a cold bath of ice water. Leave the kettle in the ice water bath until it's approximately 80 degrees F. Add additional ice to your cold bath if necessary. Putting ice right into the wort is not recommended. All of the flavors in the ice will be also added to your beer. You can slowly stir your wort in a clockwise motion to help it cool but remember to keep the spoon sanitary. Allow the wort to rest at least 10 minutes after the last time it was stirred before you start transferring to your fermenter. This time will allow the particulate matter to settle to the bottom.
For me the advantages of making beer at home far outweigh the disadvantages. The taste of home made beer is pretty unique. There is a wide range of beer types you can make. You can make it as mild or as strong as you like. You have control over the ingredients you can use. As you become more experienced you can move from the safety of home brewing kits to making your beer right from scratch. It is a relaxing pastime and provides you with an immediate topic of conversation when friends come around to visit. All in all home brewing beer is lots of fun. Try it.