Muleskinner

Issue date: 9/21/06 Section: Features

Media Credit: Photo Courtesy of www.thirstforknowledge.ca CHEERS-Home brewing beer is an alternative to spending money at bars and also provides a hobby to do doing your free time.

If you are a beer drinker who routinely orders light beers and domestics, you should try to take beer to the next level. An interesting and affordable way to do this is to brew beer at home.

In order to create craft beers at home, you must purchase a beer brewing kit and ingredients. This can be done at a home brew store or via the Internet. Wherever you go, just make sure to have these key materials:

You will need a stainless steel pot capable of holding at least 12 quarts. You will need two buckets that serve as your fermenters. The secondary fermenter comes with a hole for bottling the beer in the later stages. You will also need a lid for the primary fermenter, as well as an airlock, a siphon tube at least five feet in length, a bucket clip, hydrometer, thermometer, bottle brush, bottles, bottle caps, a bottle capper, spigot, sanitary cleaner and spring water.

Sanitization of all instruments used is very important, and should be stressed at all times.

The ingredients come pre-packaged, or you can hand select your choice of hops, barley, malt and yeast. These, along with the spring water- never tap water- serve as the main ingredients in many beers. You can buy these ingredients, along with the beer brewing kit, for about $150.

Once you have the means to brew, you need to know there are basically two types of beers, ales and lagers. Lagers must be kept refrigerated during fermentation, and ales are traditionally easier to make. This is how to brew homemade ale.

Pour two gallons of water into the stainless steel pot, and bring the water to about 160-170 degrees. When the water reaches this temperature, the barley grains can be steeped in the water, very similar to a tea bag. After 20 minutes, remove the grains and bring the water to a boil. Once the boiling starts, it is time to add the malt extract. Malt extract is a syrup-like liquid that will cause the water to subside. You should stir constantly until the water returns to a boil.

When the water is again boiling, the first set of hops should be added. Boil the hops for 55 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the time is up, add the finishing hops, which provide a flavorful finale, and only boil for five minutes.

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