Making Your Own Beer At Home
Basic Home Brew Questions and Answers
What do I need to make my own beer
or cider at home?
Making your own beer at home is very easy. All you need is an
equipment pack that contains all the essential items such as
a fermentation bin, sterliser, syphon, mixing paddle and a hydrometer
plus a concentrate kit. and a barrel or bottles to store it
in while you drink it.
Which concentrate kit do I need?
In general there are two types of beer concentrate kits. Those
that weigh less than 3Kg (and tend to cost about £10)
require an additional 1KG of brewing sugar or malt to make them
at the correct strength. The kits which weigh 3KG or more don't
require additional brewing sugar and are known as "real
ale" style kits. These heavier kits often produce a better
quality beer.
If I choose a kit that needs sugar,
which type should I use?
You can use household sugar, but the refining process used to
make it often imparts a chemical aftertaste into the beer. It's
best to use either brewing sugar, beer enhancer (which is a
mix of brewing sugar and spray malt) or pure spary malt. Each
type of sugar will produce different results with different
kits but in general we would advise using brewing sugar for
lagers and standard bitters and beer enhancer for stronger flavoured
bitters and ales. If you are a beginner, we advise not using
spraymalt on it's own until you have more experience.
Where can I brew my beer?
You can brew your beer almost anywhere. The only stipulation
is it needs to be between 18 and 22 degrees while it's fermenting.
This is the ideal temperature for yeast to turn sugar into alcohol.
If you decide to brew your beer in an unheated area like a shed
or garage, you'll need to purchase a heat belt. These supply
a constant heat and use the quantity of liquid to regulate the
temperature. It's simple but well proven design. You may also
need to use these during the winter months if you live in a
cold area of the country or turn your heating off or down at
night. Once the beer has finished fermention (usually 7 - 10
days) it should be transferred somewhere cooler to rest before
drinking.
How long does it take to make?
You should allow 4 weeks from when you start making your beer
to when you start drinking it. It will take 7 - 10 days for
the initial fermentation to complete, followed by 2-3 weeks
resting. This resting period allows the yeasts to drop out of
the beer and the flavours to develop. Giving you a smooth, clean
tasting clear beer.
Is it easy to make?
Yes, it's very easy. Beer has been made for thousends of years
and only in the last 150 years have we moved from making our
own beer at home, to buying it in a pub. Most of the work is
done by nature, all you need to do is make sure everything is
kept clean and you perform the various tasks at the correct
time. The hardest part is the waiting.
Can you outline the process?
Sterlise your equipment
Poor the contents and the tin(s) into the fermentation bin
Top up with water
Add the yeast and leave it to ferment (about 7 days)
Transfer to a barrel of bottles to rest and clear.
Drink! and enjoy!
Will the results taste different from a pub beer?
If brewed correctly, the beer you produce at home will taste
better, look better and be smoother than a pint from your local
pub. This is because there will be no added chemicals, it won't
have undergone any sort of preserving treatment, it won't be
filtered, it will be naturally carbonated and it won't have
travelled anywhere. Simply, it will be the best beer you've
ever tasted.
Should I use bottles or a barrel to
store my beer?
Bottles hold more pressure than a barrel which makes them good
for "fizzy" style beers such as lager or cider. Bitters
and ales taste better when only lightly carbonated, so a barrel
is a better method of storing the beer.
If you decide to use a barrel there are two types to choose from, standard & premium. Both are made from the same food grade plastic - the difference is the lid, taps and internal parts.
The standard barrel has a tap at the bottom and a 2inch diameter lid. For the beer to continue to flow once the pressue has equalised within it you need to either add gas via CO2 sparkets or simply undo the lid to equalise the pressure - simple but effective. The downside (if you can call it that)is you need to drink the beer within 3 - 4 weeks.
The premium barrels have a 4in lid making them easier to clean. Additional co2 can be added using a "universal adaptor" and a S30 gas bottle (like a Soda stream bottle) - these are easier to use and more controlable than the sparklet style bulbs. The 'top tap' style barrels take beer from the top of the barrel meaning you can drink it earlier than the bottom tap versions.
How long will my beer last?
If it's stored in bottles it will last more than a year. If
your beer is stored in a barrel will last 1 - 2 months once
you start drinking it. This depends on the type of keg you have
and how you keep it. As you draw beer from the barrel, you'll
need to replace it with either CO2 or by letting air . Otherwise
you cause a vacum and no beer will come out. If you introduce
air, you'll need to drink the beer within about 4 weeks. CO2
is an inert gas and keeps the beer fresh but doesn't confirm
with the true definition of "Real Ale". You can add
CO2 using either an appropriate barrel cap and value, plus sparket
CO2 bulbs or a soda stream S30 bottle.