Beginner’s Guide to Home Brewing – Conclusion
Brewing your own beer is a small hobby that can attract a large audience. Brewing outdoors adds a
new dimension and makes it seem almost limitless.
Remember to keep a log of all your batches and take lots of notes. You will refer to them from time to
time to build on your technique. Mark each batch with consecutive numbers or whatever code you
devise. Design some labels and really be creative. Some day you might want to enter a competition
to win a prize or get some constructive criticism. Always read as much as you can to advance your
brewing skills and techniques.
Try to save some full bottles for future sampling. I know it won’t be easy. Imagine trying that amber
ale aged nine months or a year. It’s really worth it.
Go for it! The best brew is homebrew!!
Equipment Summary
Brewing
Outdoor Burner
Kettle 32Qt. For 5 gal. batches 15.5 for 10 gal.
Immersion cooler
Transfer Tubing 3/8 “ inside diameter (food grade vinyl)
Wort Aerator – O 2 or Air system
Steeping bags (as per recipe)
Glass Carboy
Jet Bottle washer
Tubing shut off clamps
Racking Cane / sediment avoidance fitting and tube clip
Stirring Spoon
Three Piece Airlock
#6 ½ or # 7 White Rubber Stoppers with hole
Hydrometer
Remote Thermometer or Floating Thermometer
Glass Wort Sampler – Pipette
Gypsum or Calcium Carbonate
Beer Bottle Brush and Carboy Brush
Brewer’s Cleanser and Star San
Bottling
Priming Tank with Transfer Valve
Spring Tip Filler with Flexible Tubing
50-60 12 oz. Brown Bottles
Bottle Caps
Capper
Approximate cost
Burner $55.00
Remainder $200.00
Ingredients $25.00
Brewing Summary
Gather ingredients
Prepare equipment
Soak tubing and plastic pieces in bucket of cleaner
Set up burner
For 5 Gal. batch
Boil 6 1/2 Gal. water
Shut off gas-stir in extract
Bring back to boil and add hops according to recipe
Boil one hour
Cool as quickly as possible 60-65 F
Transfer wort to fermenter and check S.G.
Pitch yeast and aerate
Cap with airlock and set aside in fermentation area
Bottling Summary
After fermentation is completed:
Sanitize 55-60 12 oz. prepped bottles in the diswasher or rinse manually and set aside
Soak tubing and plastic pieces in a bucket of cleaner solution
Clean and sanitize primer bucket with transfer valve
For a 5 Gal. batch dissolve 5/6 cup ( 1/2 + 1/3 ) corn sugar in 1 1/2 c water – double for 10 Gal. batch –
boil 5 min.- cool with cover on – amount can be adjusted in future depending on carbonation preference
Pour primer solution in primer bucket, rack beer avoiding sediment
Take final S.G.
Place bucket on table or countertop, attach tubing with bottle filler to transfer valve then rest tip in clean
bottle
When ready open transfer valve to fill tubing with beer and begin filling bottles one at a time, set bottle
down on deck or floor
Put on cap and continue with rest of bottles
When all are filled crimp cap with capper, wipe and place in case box, mark bottles and move to
fermentation area
Allow 2 weeks to carbonate then try one