Basic Extract Brewing Process
CONGRATULATIONS!
YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENTER A HOBBY THAT IS NOT ONLY FUN BUT YOU ALSO GET TO
DRINK!
DIRECTIONS: Directions are for 5 gallons. Cleanliness is essential and must be a routine part of your brewing technique. Fill the fermenter with 5 gallons of water and mark the outside to calibrate. Wash all equipment and bottles with a solution of 1 teaspoon B-Brite cleaner to 1 quart of water. Rinse well to remove all traces of cleaning solution. Sanitize by soaking for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 tablespoon of Iodophor to 5 gallons cool water. This is a no rinse solution, just drain well. Peel and stick the LCD Thermostrip on the outside of the fermenter about halfway down, if not already installed.
1. If using Specialty Grains, place in grain bag and put into 1-2 gallons cold water in kettle and heat to 1700 F.. Turn off heat and steep 15 minutes, remove bag. Cut plastic bag and dissolve the malt extract in the kettle. Reheat the mixture to a boil, being careful not to let it boil over, add boiling hops and boil for 60 minutes. Add the aroma hops 2 minutes before the end of the boil. When boil is finished cover kettle and place in sink of cold water to cool. Change water several times and add ice for final bath.
2. Put 2 1/2 gallons of very cold water into your empty and sanitized fermenter. Add the strained contents of the brewpot and rinse the contents of the strainer with enough cold water to bring the level to the 5 gallon mark. Be sure to sanitize the strainer! Stir to combine well. This is your Wort (say vert, or wert). Do not place anything that is not sanitized into your wort when it is below 1600 F..
3. When the Wort temperature is below 700 F., sprinkle the dry yeast packet on the top of the wort. Let the yeast soak for 15 minutes, and then stir to mix.
4. Snap the lid on the fermenter. Place the rubber stopper and airlock into the hole in the lid. Fill the airlock halfway with water or vodka. Vodka has the advantage of not allowing bacteria to grow in the airlock.
5. Let ferment for 11-14 days at room temperature. You are ready to bottle.
6. Combine 3/4 cup corn sugar with 1 pint water and boil ten minutes.
7. Place priming sugar solution into sanitized bottling bucket. Siphon beer into bottling bucket leaving the sediment behind in the fermenter. Clean plastic fermenter with a soft cloth only, use no abrasives!
8. Fill clean and sanitized beer bottles and cap with sanitized crown caps. Do not boil caps! Store the beer at room temperature for 2 weeks to condition. Age beer for an additional four weeks at 500 F..Your beer is ready to drink now and will be good for six months or more. Always store bottles upright.
9. Serve the beer cool ( 55 degrees is ideal ), but not ice cold, to bring out the full flavor. Move the bottles as little as possible before serving in order not to disturb the sediment. When pouring, hold the bottle at eye level and pour in a slow, steady stream until you see sediment moving to the neck of the bottle. Stop pouring to leave the sediment behind. Enjoy!