RECOMMENDATION - READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FROM BEGINNING TO END BEFORE YOU BEGIN.

ALL TEMPERATURES LISTED ARE FAHRENHEIT.

Following the cleanser package instructions, sanitize these items:

Primary Fermenter, Lid, and Airlock

Heat 2 gallons of water to boiling. Remove the pot from the burner and add the can(s) of malt extract syrup and any other bags of extract, rice solids or sugar. Mix well. Place back on burner and stir constantly until it returns to a boil. BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET THE POT BOIL OVER. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Note - liquid malt extract will pour easier if you first place the container in a pan of hot water for 10-15 minutes.

 

Place the pot into the sink and fill the sink with cold water (we want to bring the temp. down a quickly as possible). When the sink water feels hot, drain and replace with cold water. Do this three times. Pour the brew pot contents into your sanitized fermenter. Add cold water until the level reaches the 5-gallon mark on the bucket. A bag of store bought ice is another way to bring down the temperature quickly - add it directly to the fermenting bucket and pour the hot wort over it. Insert the sanitized airlock into the sanitized lid. Secure the lid to the fermenter. Add clean water to the airlock until it is approximately half full.

 

Cool until the wort is about 80 degrees. The temperature can be monitored by sticking a liquid-crystal thermometer to the outside of the fermenter.

Note - cooling can be done more quickly by immersing the fermenter into a tub of cold water

 

When the wort has cooled, sprinkle the contents of the yeast packet on top of the wort. We don't recommend the instructions on the packet to rehydrate, you run the risk of infection and you may kill the yeast with too hot water. Secure the lid on the fermenter with the airlock in place (approximately half filled with clean water).

 

Place the fermenter in an area that will maintain a temperature of 68-72 degrees. Keep the fermenter away from sunlight and fluorescent lights. You should notice bubbling in the airlock within 24 hours. Bubbling will slow down significantly and then stop completely after 3 to 7 days. If you haven't seen any activity in the airlock after 24 hours, peek in the fermenter to see if fermentation is occurring (foam on top of the beer). Plastic bucket lids sometimes leak. If you don't see any signs of fermentation, you should add another packet of yeast.

*** Optional - a process called secondary (or two-stage) fermentation may be used at this point. Rack (siphon) the beer into the sanitized carboy and leave it for one to two weeks to settle out more yeast. A carboy is recommended because there will be less airspace above the beer (air is the enemy to your beer).

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Bottling

*** Note: In preparation for bottling, we recommend against the use of twist-off bottles. Use standard crown top or returnable bottles only. Make sure bottles are clean, inside and out. Use a bottlebrush to remove stubborn deposits

Following the cleanser package instructions, thoroughly sanitize these items:

6.5 gallon bottling bucket and spigot

Siphon tubing

Bottle filling wand

Racking cane

(60) 12 oz bottles or (30) 22 oz bottles

Crown caps

In a small saucepan, dissolve 5 oz. priming sugar into 2 cups of clean water and boil for 5 minutes. Pour this mixture into the bottling bucket. Siphon the beer from the fermenter into the bottling bucket. The siphoning action should thoroughly blend the beer and the sugar solution. Fill bottles using the siphon tubing connected to the spigot at one end and the bottling wand at the other. Bottles should be filled to approximately 1 inch from the top. Cap the bottles.

The sugar addition will produce natural carbonation in you beer. This process will take up to two weeks at room temperature. The beer should be stored in a dark place at 65-75 degrees to ensure proper carbonation. For best flavor, age the beer an additional 21 days. Aging times will vary, depending on the type of beer brewed and your personal taste.

Sit back and enjoy your just reward - QUALITY HANDCRAFTED BEER!

 

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