Brewing Ale |
| Brewing your own ale can be
an enjoyable and rewarding pastime. With a modest investment in equipment
and some attention to detail, a fine tasting brew can be obtained. There
are many different methods available to the homebrewer, but behind them
all lay the same principle. Water, malted grains (or malt syrup) and
yeast are combined and allowed to ferment. During fermentation, the
yeast consumes the fermentable sugars and excretes CO2 and (ha ha) alcohol. The product of this fermentation
is bottled and becomes ale. The method of brewing that I am using is an intermediate approach. Malt syrup is used as the primary source of sugar, but some grains and hops are added for additional taste. The ingredients are boiled as a concentrate, then diluted with water to make 5 gallons. This is placed in a glass carboy with a fermentation lock. After a week to ten days, it is ready to bottle, and a few weeks later, it is ready for the first tasting. |
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Equipment: There is some basic grewing equipment you will need. A brewpot, fermenter, fermentation lock, hoses, bottling bucket, hydrometer, capper, etc. Click here for details. |
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| Ingredients: The recipe I am using is for an American pale ale. It calls for these Ingredients:
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The first step is to heat 1-2 gal. water to about 165f. Put the specialty grains loosely into a muslin bag. Place this in the water, cover the pan, and let steep for 15-45 min. Remove the grainbag. Place the spent grainbag in a bowl of water, and let it sit. When more water needs to be added to the pan, use this 'flavored' water. |
Add the malt syrup and bring the water to a boil, stirring well so that no malt sticks to the bottom of the pan Next, add hops, according to hopping schedule. Be careful....the potential for a boil over is at it's greatest when adding hops. If you can't back the heat off quickly enough, the addition of some cool water from the grainbag rinse will help avert a sticky mess. |
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Most recipes call for an addition of hops at the beginning, middle and end of the boil....which will last about 60 min. While the wort is boiling, all the equipment that will come in contact with the ale from this point on should be cleaned in a sanitizing solution. This would include the fermenter (carboy), fermentation lock, siphon tube, funnel and screen, etc. Remember, we are making a perfect medium for our yeast, but we don't want to invite any of their wild friends, who might give our brew an off taste. |
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When the boil is done, we are ready to fill the fermenter. To cushion the glass carboy from hear shock, add a few gallons of cold water first, then pour in the hot wort. Straining the hops out is optional.....if you don't, it will settle out on the bottom of the fermenter. |
| Top off the water level to make 5 gallons. This is a good time to siphon off enough liquid to get a starting hydrometer reading. For an accurate reading, the liquid must cool down to 60f. |  |
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When the wort temperature is between 63-75f, rehydrate the yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Let it hydrate for 15 minutes, then add to the wort. Seal the fermenter and shake well. Let it ferment at room temperature.
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