A quick and easy explanation of how we turn a simple glass of water into a pint of smooth, balanced, golden ale.
Beer is made by a simple and natural process. Yeast converts sugar and water into alcohol and CO2 (google “fermentation reaction“).
First we convert the starches from grains into sugar with warm water and end up with sugary water. Then we add flavor, and then we add yeast. We wait patiently while yeast converts the sugars in the water to alcohol, then we carbonate it and have beer.
Step One: Starches –> Sugar
Mashing
We start with grains (usually barley, there are many types, prepared in many different ways for many different flavors – munich malt, golden pils, etc. ), put them in warm water (170˚ F) for a while, and let enzymes naturally convert the starches in the grains to sugars (this is called MASHING). At this point it looks like a bucket of oatmeal.
[Note: you can also use malt extract, which is what is found in most all-inclusive homebrew kits; this is concentrated sugar water from grains, which merely needs to be mixed into a large pot of water, then skip to Step Three: Add Flavor]
Step Two: Strain
Next we strain the oatmeal, rinse it with clean water to get all the sugar out (this is called SPARGING) and we put the sugary water (called WORT) in a pot on the stove and bring it to a boil.
Sparging
Step Three: Add flavor
Much of the flavor of beer comes from the different types of grains used; adding hops adds bitterness and aroma. There are many different varieties of hops, with many different flavors. Depending when you add the hops during the boil (the boil usually lasts an hour or so), you will get different results. For example, hops added at the beginning of the boil contribute towards bitterness; hops added at the end of the boil generally add aroma.
Step Four: Add yeast
After the boil, we cool the wort (sugary water) and add active live yeast.
Step Five: Wait.
Put the liquid in a vessel to allow the yeast to ferment the sugars. For homebrewing, we usually use a 6-gallon glass container known as a carboy. The carboy has a one way valve on it that allows CO2 to be released (so it doesn’t explode) but doesn’t allow wild yeast and other microorganisms to get into the beer (this would spoil it or at least add off-flavors). We leave the carboy wrapped in a blanket (this blocks the light and helps to maintain the correct temperature) in the basement for about 2 weeks, until all the sugar is converted to alcohol.
Step Six: Carbonation
At this point, we have fully ready beer, except it is flat. There are two ways to add carbonation. First is put it in a keg, attach a CO2 tank, and force carbonate it. The second way is more natural, which is by doing a secondary fermentation (usually in bottles). [NB: Champagne is carbonated the same way]. We take a little corn sugar, dissolve it in warm water, and add it to the beer. Then we put the beer in sterilized bottles and put caps on. We wait another two weeks or so for the yeast to ferment this new sugar, but this time the CO2 is not allowed to escape, and it carbonates the beer. This secondary fermentation is also known as CONDITIONING. After two weeks, crack open the beers and drink them with friends.
ENJOY!!!
Feel free to ask anything about this process in the comments below.
Is there a clear difference between beer with CO2 tank carbonation and beer with secondary fermentation carbonation? If so, how would you describe that difference?
Great Question. Although conditioning in the bottles is frequently described as “natural” fermentation, and kegging is often referred to as “forced” or “artificial” carbonation, it’s is unclear any distinct benefits of either methods as far as beer taste or quality is concerned. Bottling beer is traditionally the way most homebrewers start out; it is the only way to submit your beer to a competition and the only way to give your beer out to friends, take it camping, etc. (portability). There is debate as to whether bottled homebrew tastes better (creamier, better head, more consistent carbonation, etc). Kegging beer gives the advantage of being able to drink your beer faster (as in, not having to wait the extra two weeks for secondary/bottle fermentation). Additionally, with kegged beer you are able to control the amount of carbonation, which can be both a benefit and a nightmare (beer is often wasted as you try to get the correct amount of CO2, and with ~6 gal batches I don’t like wasting any beer at all). Bottling beer can be more laborious as well, because the corn sugar needs to be added, and every bottle needs to be sanitized, filled, and then capped (this also increases risk of contamination slightly).
So bottom line is, there are differences, but I’m not sure exactly what they are. Personally, while I love having homebrew on tap, I prefer bottling, especially for the best batches, because my sense is that you have a better shot at guaranteeing a great pour and a great beer. Also, when you have beer on tap, it runs out without warning. With bottles you know exactly how many you have left.
Hope this helps!
Hey guys! You’ve got going a great blog out there.
I just finished brewing my first batch of beer – a Hafeweizen – and I’m excited about it. I started with Malt Extracts, so never really got to do the Mashing and Sparging that you mentioned here.
Since I’m a newbie I’m not sure if I should stick to the Malt Extract for a bit or give it a shot from the scratch? Any advice there? Also – what other finer details do you recommend for the same?
Moreover, I did my carbonation in the bottles and noticed that there is some white leftovers in the bottle at the bottom. Is that normal?
I have some detailed pictures of my 1st brew on my blog: http://brewtender.wordpress.com/
Drop in a feedback if you get a chance and let me know if you see anything I could improve on.
Thanks.
Hey, glad you found the blog useful! I’d definitely say start out with a few more extract only beers for your first batches. This way you can dial in your technique and make sure you are keeping everything sanitized properly before getting into the (more complicated) process of partial and full mashes (my roommate and beer brewing mentor says do at least 10 extract only brews before getting into mashing). Sanitizing properly can’t be stressed enough, as it sucks to ruin a full batch due to contamination. And definitely talk to the people at your local homebrew shop, tell them where you are and what you want to do- they are great resources and can help you with getting the things you need for partial and full mashes when the time comes.
Check back here- I’ll post an entry on how to transition from extract to partial and full mash brewing (you end up with more control over how the final beer tastes, and arguably better overall quality).
As far as the white substrate at the bottom of your bottles, that is completely normal. This is the yeast cells that have settled to the bottom of the beer after they have converted the sugars into alcohol and CO2, and depending on how long you wait to drink the beer, they are probably still alive, even though they are not actively metabolizing sugar. For this reason, when you pour a homebrew, stop a little early and try to leave as much of that yeast as possible in the bottle. Otherwise you and your friends might find yourselves a bit more flatulent than normal.
We’re new to this whole blog thing so just curious: how’d you hear about us?
Thanks, I hope that helps, and keep asking questions!!
Thanks!
I just started my blog a couple days ago myself and I was just exploring other blogs. Based on the content of my blog, my dashboard recommended your blog as the top-match to mine. Your blog looked interesting from the caption and that’s how I reached here.
Nice, best of luck!