154 replies to this topic

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

Hi all,

I said I would do this a while ago and only just got round to finishing it off even though I took the Pics as I was doing Januarys batch.

Brewing your own beer is easy and simple, its rewarding too as you get to drink what you make

Personally I don't do it because it works out to be 20p a pint or whatever, I do it as a hobby and a bit of fun. However you can't argue with cheep beer

This is a basic guide and please ask questions, I'll do my best to answer them! Also please be aware that individual beers have instructions that differ from this guild. This is just a guide and nothing more!

Before we even start we need tools and ingredients!
I'll use this space to just say, I use this place for my stuff. However Google is your friend and if you can get bits cheaper then that's all good

www.the-online-homebrew-company.co.uk

You will need bottles, personally I go for the reusable type as I do make a lot. You can get these from all sorts of places other then brewing shops. Ikea do these 2 pint bottles that are clear..



You will need something to brew your beer in. You can use any food grade plastic container but you need markers on it so you know how much water to put in... There are purpose produced Items for this and I have two types.. The "bin". This is just a massive bucket with lines on it and a LID. And the Wine makers tub.



You will also need sterilising powder. I can't stress how important this is.




You will need a brewing Kit... such as; this will have the yeast



you will need sugar, 99% of the time 1KG. you can use normal sugar for this but I use brewing sugar as it make the beer taste better IMO



this is not the only sugar you will need as you will need to prime the Bottles for bottling later. I will explain that later..

You will need the next following items, Long handled wooden spoon, can opener, teaspoon, syphoning tube and hydrometer..

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

1. sterilise EVERYTHING
OK, apart form the can opener.. the brewing tub I do in the bath because thats the only place big enough
Put the syphoning tube and wooden spoon in the brewing tub at the same time, kills to birds with one stone. Oh and don't forget the lid to the bin..
Make sure everything rinsed really well and there is no trace of the steriliser at all (other then really clean things )
Don't forget the bottles!

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

2. Starting it all off.
First thing to do here is warm up the contents of the beer kit, it has the constancy or tar and we want it to run.


While that is warming up you need to start boiling 3L of water.
Now poor the beer kit into the tub... warning when you crack this tin open it stinks

Once the brown ooooz is for the most part in the tub, poor the sugar on top!

Now poor 1L of the boiling water onto the mix

With the remaining boiling water poor this into the beer kit tin and then into the brewing tub, so your tin looks like this when its empty.

Now use the wooden spoon to mix this in so its dissolved.
Now move the brewing tub to where its going to go for the best part of a week so it will be UNDISTURBED. Once its where you want to keep it and it wont be moved then you can fill it up to the 40 pint/25L/5G mark with cold water. Its best to have it off the floor so it makes it easy to syphon. Also you should note that it should be kept in a place where the temp should not move about to much and be above 18'c.

Give the mix another play with the wooden spoon and add the YEAST. Put the lid on.

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

3. Its making itself.
You beer is now Under-way. Each day take hydrometer reading. Once it stays constant for 3 days fermentation is complete and its ready to bottle. The other easy way to see this is when you put your lid on it will be flat, providing you don't take it off, over the next day or two it will look like its raised. Once it goes flat again it stopped fermentation. Just a thing to bare in mind, it very rarely takes more then 8 days start to finish of the brewing stage so if its going on longer then that you might have done something wrong.
Now you need to "prime" your bottles. The sugar you added at the start dictates how "strong" the beer is, the sugar you add here determines how much "fiz" you beer has. Usually I add half a teaspoon per pint of beer because thats what I like
Recently I have started using these instead, because they are less messy and much quicker. They are carbonation drops and does exactly what it says on the tin.. Because I using 2 pint bottles in the pics there is two drops, one per half a teaspoon.


Now take the lid off your beer and insert your syphoning tube slowly, don't disturb the sediment at the bottom of the brewing tub! You don't want that in your beer bottles, what you will be left with is a weired white gray sludge at the bottom

Syphon the beer into your primed bottles!


4. Just the wait!
Leave your fresh bottles of beer indoors for a day or two to settle. Then move them to a cool place out of sunlight (the shed) they will need to be down there for about 2 weeks. But the way to tell when your beer is ready to drink is when its clear as you will notice its super cloudy when your bottling it up.
As this beer is "live" it will continue to change in the bottle and develop its taste. However it wont last forever and will be past its best after 5/6 months or up to 12 months if you have been good with the sterilisation!
Your beer, once CLEAR is ready to drink, there will be sediment in the bottom of each bottle so poor slowly and enjoy

[slindborg]

And that's why you aren't On the list Top effort. I'll be making some soonish

[ben922]

Great guide Stuwy, I think I'll give this a go

[ChrisS1]

Now this is my kind of guide! Excellent work stuwy!! Cheers

[Mike (Cliffie)]

I for one can vouch for the amazing results Stuwy gets. Full marks my man.

[Sutol]

can the mods make this a sticky please

[H1 HWK]

Excellent guide Stuwy, Tried home brewing back when I was an apprentice.....unfortunately doubling up the sugar to make it stronger normally results in blindness or death . Wouldn't drink the stuff now, but it's a great hobby and very enjoyable as long as you've got a bit of patience...trying to drink it a day after you've made it doesn't really leave a good taste in your mouth. It's good if you get a few mates around for a "quiet few pints" as you never know how strong it is until you fall over

[J4EY D]

Great guide Stu! I think I'll just steal the ones you make though as I haven't got the patients to make it myself... Plus I'd probably manage to injure myself in some way

[Tuuurtle]

Great guide Stuwy, I think that once I'm settles in my new place then I'll look into doing this. Are there lots of different varieties of beer available?

Edited by Tuuurtle, 18 April 2012 - 08:58 AM.

[ChrisS1]

can the mods make this a sicky please

[ElizP987]

Thanks for this, its a really good guide. I bought the equipment last year and a tub of the cider mix but not got round to doing it yet, this is giving me the kick up the backside I need! Where did you get your bottles from?

[DarrylB]

Thanks for this, its a really good guide.
I bought the equipment last year and a tub of the cider mix but not got round to doing it yet, this is giving me the kick up the backside I need!
Where did you get your bottles from?

He said he got his bottles from Ikea at the start of the post

[elwill]

Love it! Essex crew run out to Ikea to pick up bottles anyone?

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

Are there lots of different varieties of beer available?

Yes, there is quite littrally hundreads, from ale, stouts, ciders, largers ect ect

[ElizP987]

Thanks for this, its a really good guide.
I bought the equipment last year and a tub of the cider mix but not got round to doing it yet, this is giving me the kick up the backside I need!
Where did you get your bottles from?

He said he got his bottles from Ikea at the start of the post

ah, didn't see that!

[LY_Scott]

I didn't see it either Liz Nice one though Stuwy

Edited by LY055SCO, 18 April 2012 - 09:53 AM.

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

Thanks for this, its a really good guide.
I bought the equipment last year and a tub of the cider mix but not got round to doing it yet, this is giving me the kick up the backside I need!

I have never done a cider but been thinking about it for the summer. Not sure how this guide will help you let me know how you get on