The Basic Brewing Process
by John Palmer
Introduction
These instructions are designed for the first-time Brewer. What follows can be
considered an annotated recipe for a fool-proof ale beer. Why an ale? Because
ales are the simplest to brew. There are two basic kinds of beer: ales and
lagers. Ales can be brewed in a relatively short period of time at room
temperature. Lagers require longer times (a month or more) and cold
temperatures.
Brewing beer is simple and complicated, easy and hard. Compare it to fishing -
sit on the end of the dock with a can of worms and a cane pole and you will
catch fish. Going after a specific kind of fish is when fishing gets
complicated. Brewing a specific kind of beer can get complicated too. There
are many different styles of beer and many techniques to brew them.
Brewing a beer is a combination of several simple processes. First is the
mixing of ingredients and bringing the solution (wort) to a boil. Second is
the cooling of the wort to the fermentation temperature. Next the wort is
transferred to the fermenter and the yeast is added. After fermentation, the
beer is siphoned off the yeast sediment and bottled with a little extra sugar
to provide the carbonation. These are simple steps but there are three
important things to keep in mind every time you brew: Cleanliness, Preparation
and Good Record Keeping.
Cleanliness - Cleanliness is the foremost concern of the brewer. Providing
good growing conditions for the yeast in the wort also provides good growing
conditions for other micro-organisms, especially wild yeast and bacteria.
Cleanliness to prevent contamination must be maintained throughout every stage
of the brewing process.
Preparation - Take the time to prepare your brewing area. Have the ingredients
ready on the counter. Prepare your yeast. Have the ice bath ready to cool the
wort when its done boiling. Make sure that all equipment is clean and ready to
go before starting. Patience and planning are necessities.
Record Keeping - Always keep good notes on what ingredients, amounts and times
were used in the brewing process. You need to be able to repeat good batches
and learn from poor ones.
Brewing Terms:
The following terms will be used throughout these instructions.
Ale - A beer brewed from a top-fermenting yeast with a relatively short, warm
fermentation.
Alpha Acid Units (AAU) - A homebrewing measurement of hops that quantifies the
amount of alpha acids (bittering agents) going into the beer before
fermentation. Equal to the weight of hops in ounces multiplied by the percent
of Alpha Acids.
Attenuation - The degree of conversion of sugar to alcohol and CO2.
Beer - Any beverage made by fermenting malted barley and seasoning with hops.
Cold Break - Proteins that coagulate and fall out of solution when the wort is
rapidly cooled after the boil.
Conditioning - An aspect of secondary fermentation in which the yeast refine
the flavors of the beer. Conditioning continues in the bottle.
Fermentation - The conversion of wort to beer, defined here as three parts,
Lagtime, Primary, and Secondary.
Gravity - Like density, gravity describes the concentration of malt sugar in
the wort. The specific gravity of water is 1.000 at 59F. Typical beer worts
range from 1.035 - 1.055 before fermentation (Original Gravity). The finished
beer gravity (FG) will range from 1.005 - 1.015, depending on the OG and type
of yeast.
Hops - Hop vines are grown in cool climates and brewers make use of the
cone-like flowers to add bitterness and balance the sweetness of the malt
sugar. The dried cones are available in pellets, plugs, or whole.
Hot Break - Proteins that coagulate and fall out of solution during the wort
boil.
Iodophor - An iodine-based sanitizing solution which does not require rinsing.
International Bittering Units (IBU) - A more precise method of measuring hop
bitterness. An IBU is a measure of the amount of alpha acid in the beer after
fermentation. Various equations have been devised to estimate the IBUs in a
beer based on the AAUs and factors for percent utilization, wort volume and
wort gravity.
Krausen (kroy-zen) - Used to refer to the foamy head that builds on top of the
beer during primary fermentation. Also an advanced method of priming.
Lager - A beer brewed from a bottom-fermenting yeast and given a long cool
fermentation.
Lagtime - The period of time from pitching the yeast until primary
fermentation is evident. The lagtime should preferably be less than 12 hours.
Pitching - Term for adding the yeast to the fermenter.
Primary Fermentation - The high activity phase marked by the evolution of
carbon dioxide and krausen. Most of the attenuation occurs during this phase.
Priming - The method of adding a small amount of fermentable sugar prior to
bottling to give the beer carbonation.
Racking - The careful siphoning of the beer away from the trub.
Secondary Fermentation - A period of conditioning and settling of the yeast
after primary fermentation and before bottling.
Trub (trub or troob) - The sediment at the bottom of the fermenter consisting
of hops, hot and cold break material, and dormant (sometimes dead) yeast.
Wort (wart or wert) - The malt-sugar solution that is boiled with hops prior
to fermentation.
Zymurgy - The science of Brewing and Fermentation.
Required Equipment
Airlock - Several styles are available. Fill to the water line with water and
cap it (if it has one). Airlocks prevent airborne contamination during
fermentation. 
Boiling Pot - Must be able to comfortably hold a
minimum of 3 gallons; bigger is better. Use Aluminum, Stainless Steel or
Ceramic- coated (enameled) Steel. If you use a new aluminum pot, don't use it
bright-and-shiny; you may get a metallic off-flavor. Boil some water in it
first.
Bottles - You will need 48 re-cappable 12 oz bottles. Use bottles that are
thicker, like those used by microbreweries and imports. Twist-offs do not
re-cap well. Used champagne bottles are ideal if you can find them.
Bottle Capper - Either Hand Capper or Bench Capper. Bench Cappers are more
versatile and are needed for the champagne bottles, but are more expensive.
Bottle Caps - Both standard (crown) caps and oxygen-absorbing caps are
available.
Bottle Filler - Rigid plastic (or metal) tube with spring loaded valve at 
the
tip for filling bottles.
Bottle Brush - Necessary for initial thorough cleaning of used beer bottles.
Fermenter(s) - The 6 gallon food-grade plastic pail is recommended for
beginners. These are very easy to work with. Glass carboys are also available,
in 5, 6, and 7.5 gallon sizes. 
Racking Cane - Rigid plastic tube with sediment stand-off. 
Siphon/Hose - Available in several configurations, consisting of clear plastic
tubing with optional Racking Cane and Bottle Filler.
Note on Siphoning:
Do not suck on the hose to start the siphon. This will contaminate the hose
with Lacto Bacillus bacteria from your mouth. Fill the hose with sanitizing
solution prior to putting it into the beer. Keep the end pinched or otherwise
closed to prevent the solution from draining out. Place the outlet into
another spare container and release the flow; the draining solution will start
the siphon. Once the siphon is started, transfer it to your desired container.
Stirring Paddle - Food grade plastic paddle (spoon) for stirring the wort
during boiling.
Thermometer - Obtain a thermometer that can be safely immersed in the wort and
has a range of at least 40F to 150F. The floating dairy thermometers work
well, as do the LCD dial thermometers.
Optional but Highly Recommended
Bottling
Bucket - A 6 gallon food-grade plastic pail with attached spigot and
fill-tube. The finished beer is racked into this for priming prior to
bottling. Racking into the bottling bucket allows clearer beer with less
sediment in the bottle. The spigot set-up is used instead of the Bottle Filler
above, allowing greater control of the fill level and no hassles with a siphon
during bottling.
Hydrometer - A hydrometer measures the relative specific gravity between pure
water and water with sugar dissolved in it. The hydrometer is used to gauge
fermentation by measuring one aspect of it, attenuation. Attenuation is the
conversion of sugar to ethanol by the yeast. Water has a specific gravity of
1.000. Beers typically have a final gravity between 1.015 and 1.005.
Champagnes and meads can have gravities less than 1.000, because of the large
percentage of ethyl alcohol, which has a density of less than 1. By the way,
hydrometer readings are standardized to 59F, since liquid gravity (density) is
dependent on temperature. Temperature correction tables are usually sold with
a hydrometer or are available from Chemistry Handbooks (ex. CRCs).
Here
is a short table of corrections:
50F => -.0006
55F => -.0003
59F => 0
65F => +.0006
70F => +.0012
75F => +.0018
80F => +.0026
85F => +.0033
How To Use a Hydrometer
A hydrometer is a useful tool in the hands of an experienced brewer who knows
what he wants to measure. Various books or recipes may give Original and/or
Final Gravities (OG and FG) of a beer to assist the brewer in the evaluation
of his success. For an average beer yeast, a rule of thumb is that the FG
should be about one forth of the OG. For example, a common beer OG of 1.040
should finish about 1.010 (or lower). A couple points either way is typical
scatter.
It needs to be emphasized that the stated FG of a recipe is not the goal. The
goal is to make a good tasting beer. The hydrometer should be regarded as only
one tool available to the brewer as a means to gauge the fermentation
progress. The brewer should only be concerned about a high hydrometer reading
when primary fermentation has apparently ended and the reading is about one
half of the OG, instead of the nominal one forth. Incidentally, if this
situation occurs, two remedies are possible. The first is to agitate or swirl
the fermenter to rouse the yeast bed from the bottom. The fermenter should
remain closed with no aeration. The goal is to re-suspend the yeast so they
can get back to work. The alternative is to pitch some fresh yeast.
Hydrometers are necessary when making beer from scratch (all-grain brewing) or
when designing recipes. But a first-time brewer using known quantities of
extracts usually does not need one.
Ingredients
Commercial beer kits always provide 3-4 pounds of malt extract and the
instructions ften say to add a couple more pounds of table sugar. Don't Do It!
The resultant beer will have an unpleasant cidery taste. Use more malt extract
instead. The following is a basic beer recipe for a Pale Ale:
Mild Pale Ale
5-7 pounds of hopped pale malt extract syrup. (OG of 1.038 - 1.053)
5 gallons of water
1-2 ounces of hops (if desired for more hop character)
2 packets of dry ale yeast, plus 1 packet for back-up.
3/4 cup corn sugar for priming.
This is a basic Pale Ale and quite tasty. You will be amazed.
Further descriptions of the ingredients follow.
Malt Extract:
Using malt extract is what makes homebrewing simple. Malt extract is the
concentrated sugars extracted from malted barley. It is sold in both the
liquid and powdered forms. The syrups are approximately 20 percent water, so 4
pounds of dry malt extract (DME) is roughly equal to 5 pounds of malt extract
syrup. Malt extract is available in both the Hopped and Unhopped varieties.
Munton & Fison, Alexanders, Coopers, Edme and Premier are all good brands.
Read the ingredients to avoid added refined sugars which are often added to
Light Beer-style kits.
Using Unhopped extract requires you to add 1-2 ounces of hops during the boil
for bittering and flavor. Hops may also be added to the Hopped extracts
towards the end of the boil to add more hop character to the final beer.
The rule of thumb is 1 pound of malt extract (syrup) per gallon of water for a
light-bodied beer. One and a half pounds per gallon produces a richer,
fuller-bodied beer. One pound of malt extract syrup typically yields a gravity
of 1.034 - 38 when dissolved in one gallon of water. Dry malt will yield about
1.040 - 43. Malt extract is commonly available in Pale, Amber and Dark
varieties, and can be mixed depending on the style of beer desired. Wheat malt
extract is also available and more new extracts for specific beer styles (like
Stouts) are coming out each year. With the variety of extract now available,
there is almost no beer style that cannot be brewed using extract alone.
The next step in complexity for the homebrewer is to learn how to extract the
sugars from the malted grain himself. This process, called Mashing, allows the
brewer to take more control of producing the wort. This type of homebrewing is
referred to as All-Grain brewing, but it will not be discussed in this
document. Read my book, How To Brew if
you are interested in this brewing technique.
Water
The water is very important to the resulting beer. After all, beer is mostly
water. If your tap water tastes good at room temperature, it should make good
beer. If the water has a metallic taste, boil and let it cool before using to
let the excess minerals settle out. A good bet for your first batch of beer is
the bottled water sold in most supermarkets as drinking water. Use the 2.5
gallon containers. Use one container for boiling the extract and set the other
aside for addition to the fermenter later.
Hops 
This is an involved subject. There are many varieties of hops, but they can be
divided into two main categories: Bittering and Aroma. Bittering hops are high
in Alpha Acids (the main bittering agents), typically greater than 10 percent.
Aroma hops are lower, around 5 percent. Several hop varieties are in between
and are used for both purposes. Bittering hops are added at the start of the
boil and usually boiled for an hour. Aroma (or Finishing) hops are added
towards the end of the boil and are typically boiled for 15 minutes or less.
Hops can also be added to the fermenter for increased hop aroma in the
finished beer, called Dry Hopping, but this is best done during secondary
fermentation. A mesh bag, called a Hop Bag, may be used to help retain the
hops during the boil and make removal of the hops easier prior to
fermentation. Straining or removal of the hops before fermentation is not
absolutely necessary and is largely a matter of personal preference.
Beer recipes often include a hop schedule, with amounts and boil times
specified. Sometimes recipes specify the hops in terms of AAUs or IBUs. AAUs
are a convenient unit for specifying hop amounts when discussing hop additions
because it allows for differences in the alpha acid percentages between hop
varieties or within the same variety year to year.
For the purposes of this recipe, 7 AAUs are recommended for the Boil (60
minutes) and 4 AAUs for Finishing (15 minutes). This is assuming the use of
unhopped malt extract; if you are using hopped extract, then only add the 4
AAUs for finishing. In this recipe, these amounts correspond to 22 IBUs for
the boil, and 1 IBU for the finish. IBUs allow for variation in brewing
practices between brewers, yet provide a means for targeting the same final
hop bitterness level in the beers. This recipe is not very bitter. For more
information on hop varieties and estimating IBUs, see my book, How
To Brew
Yeast
There are several aspects to yeast; it is the other major factor in
determining the flavor of the beer. Different yeast strains will produce
different beers when pitched to identical worts. Yeast is available in both
liquid and dried forms, and for different types of ales and lagers. For the
first-time brewer, a dried ale yeast is highly recommended. Some leading and
reliable brands of dry yeast are Yeast Labs (marketed by G.W. Kent, produced
by Lallemand of Canada), Cooper's, DanStar (produced by Lallemand), Munton
& Fison and Edme.. Avoid using a no-name yeast packet that came taped to
the top of a can of extract. You don't know how old it is.
Ale yeast are referred to as top-fermenting because much of the fermentation
action takes place at the top of the fermenter, while lager yeasts would seem
to prefer the bottom. While many of today's strains like to confound this
generalization, there is one important difference, and that is temperature.
Ale yeasts like warmer temperatures, going dormant below 55F (12C), while
Lager yeasts will happily work at 40F. Using lager yeast at ale temperatures
65-70F (18-20C) can produce a mixed character, a slightly fruity tasting
lager, referred to as California Common Beer, of which Anchor Steam Beer is
the most notable example. For more information, see my book, How
To Brew
Preparing Your Yeast 
Dry Yeast needs to be re-hydrated before pitching; it will work much better.
Once rehydrated, it can be "proofed" by adding a little bit of sugar
to see if it is still viable.
1. Put 1 cup of warm (95-105F, 35-40C) boiled water into a sterile jar and
stir in two packets of dry yeast.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and wait 15 minutes.
3. Boil one teaspoon of sugar in a little bit of water and let it cool.
4. Add this sugar to the re-hydrated yeast, cover, and place in a warm area
out of direct sunlight. 
5. After 30 minutes or so the yeast should be actively churning and foaming.
This is now ready to pitch. If it is not showing signs of activity, then
repeat the process with another packet.
Liquid yeast is often favored over dry yeast because of the greater number and
variety of yeast strains available. Liquid yeast allows for greater tailoring
of the beer to a particular style. Liquid yeast packets should be stored in
the refrigerator to keep the yeast dormant and healthy until they are ready to
be used. There are two types of liquid yeast package: those with inner
nutrient packets and those without. The packages that contain an inner bubble
of yeast nutrient (ie. a "smack pack") are intended to function as a
mini-starter, but are really not adequate. All liquid yeast needs to be
pitched to a starter wort to ensure adequate cell counts for a good
fermentation. Smack packs must be squeezed and warmed to 80F at least two days
before brewing. The packet will begin to swell as the yeast wake up and start
consuming the nutrients. When the packet has fully swelled, it is time to
pitch it to a starter.
Liquid Yeast Starter Procedure
1. To prepare a liquid yeast starter, dissolve 1/2 cup of DME into a pint of
boiling water.
2. Boil it for a minute or two and let it cool to 75F (25C). Transfer the wort
to a mason jar or other sanitized container.
3. Pour in the liquid yeast from the packet and add a quarter teaspoon of
yeast nutrient.
4. Shake the Starter vigorously to aerate it and encourage yeast growth.
5. Let this sit in the same warm place until brewing time the next day. Some
foaming or an increase in the white yeast layer on the bottom should be
evident. The Starter process may be repeated to provide even more yeast to the
wort to insure a strong fermentation. Most people prefer to pour off the
excess liquid (beer) and only pitch the yeast slurry from the bottom of the
jar.
The Wort and Oxygen
The use of oxygen in brewing is a double-edged sword. The yeast utilize oxygen
in their growth processes, although they don't exactly breath. Boiling the
wort drives out the dissolved oxygen, which is why aeration of some sort is
needed prior to fermentation. Once the yeast use up all of the oxygen in the
wort for growth and reproduction, they get down to the anaerobic business of
turning sugar into alcohol and CO2 that we call fermentation. Prior aeration
of the wort is the best way to ensure that there are enough yeast cells for a
good fermentation.
Aeration of the wort can be accomplished several ways: shaking the container,
pouring the wort into the fermenter so it splashes, or even hooking up an
airstone to an aquarium air pump and letting that bubble for an hour. For the
latter method, (which is popular) everything must be sanitized! Otherwise,
welcome to Infection City. These instructions recommend shaking the starter
and pouring/shaking the wort. More on this later.
On the other hand, if oxygen is introduced while the wort is still hot, the
oxygen will oxidize the wort and this is a problem. This will cause oxidation
of the beer later which can manifest as a wet cardboard taste after several
weeks. The key to preventing oxidation is to not aerate when the wort is above
80F. In addition, if oxygen is introduced after the fermentation has started,
it may not be completely utilized by the yeast and will later cause
off-flavors.
This is why it is important to cool the wort rapidly to below 80F, to prevent
oxidation, and then aerate it to provide the dissolved oxygen that the yeast
need to help growth and reproduction. Cooling rapidly between 90 and 130F is
important because this region is ideal for bacterial growth to be established
in the wort. See the Cooling The Wort section for suggested methods.
Equipment Cleaning Tips
Clean all equipment after use as soon as possible. It is very easy to get
distracted and come back to find the syrup or yeast has dried hard as a rock
and the equipment is stained. If you are pressed for time, keep a large
container with chlorine water handy and just toss things in to clean later.
Rinsing beer bottles immediately after use eliminates the need to scrub them.
If your bottles are dirty or moldy, soaking and washing in a mild solution of
chlorine bleach water for a day or two will soften the residue. Brushing with
a bottle brush is a necessity to remove stuck residue. Dish washers are great
for cleaning the outside of bottles and heat sanitizing, but will not clean
the inside where the beer is going to go; that must be done beforehand. Sodium
Percarbonate-based cleaners (like PBW, B-Brite, and One-Step) work very well
for cleaning the bottles. Do not wash with scented dish detergents. This
leaves a residue which you will be able to taste. Never use any scented
cleaning agents, these odors can be absorbed into the plastic buckets and
manifest in the beer. Lemon-Fresh scented Pinesol beer is not very good.
Unscented mild liquid dishwashing detergents are acceptable for routine
cleaning, just be sure to rinse the items thoroughly. Lastly, be aware that
dishwasher rinse agents will destroy the head retention on your glassware. If
you pour a beer with carbonation and no head, this is a common cause.
Sanitization
So far, sanitization of ingredients and equipment has been discussed but not
much has been said about how to do this. The definition and objective of
sanitization is to reduce bacteria and contaminants to insignificant or
manageable levels. Sterilization is not really possible or practical. The
starter solution, wort and priming solutions will all be boiled, so those are
not a problem (usually).
One note - Do Not Boil the Yeast! You need them to be alive.
The most readily available sanitizing solution is made be adding 1 tablespoon
of bleach to 1 gallon of water (4 ml per liter). A very popular sanitizer is
Iodophor. Use 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons (4 ml/19 liters). Another excellent
sanitizer is Star-San, from the makers of PBW. Use 1 fluid ounce per 5
gallons. The sanitizing solution can be prepared in the fermenting bucket.
Immerse all of equipment - airlock, hoses, paddles, rubber stopper, fermenter
lid and anything else contacting the beer. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Rinsing
is not really necessary at this concentration, but you may want to rinse with
boiled water to avoid any chance of off-flavors.
Ready to Begin?
Okay, we have covered equipment, ingredients and preparations. Are you ready
to begin? Do you have everything cleaned and sanitized? Do you have your
ingredients ready? You do not need to have your bottles cleaned and sanitized
at this point, that step is about two weeks away. I will now walk you through
the brewing processes.
Beginning the Boil
Bring 2 1/2 gallons water to a boil in a large pot. Meanwhile, re-hydrate the
dry yeast if you have not done so already. When the water is boiling, remove
it from the heat. Add all the malt extract to the hot water and stir until
dissolved. Make sure there is no syrup stuck to the bottom of the pot. It is
very important not to burn any malt stuck to the bottom when the pot is
returned to the heat. Burnt sugar tastes terrible.
The following stage is critical. The wort has a tendency to boil-over and
needs to be watched continuously. If you are adding bittering hops, do so now.
Return the pot to the heat and bring to a rolling boil, stirring frequently.
Start timing the hour. 
Fermentation
Put the fermenter in a protected area like the bathtub. If foam escapes it
will run down the drain and is easy to clean. The temperature here is usually
about the most stable in the house. Animals and small children are fascinated
by the smell and noises from the airlock, so keep them away.
The airlock should be bubbling in twelve hours. Maintain a consistent
temperature if possible. A fluctuating temperature strains the yeast and could
impair fermentation. If the temperature drops overnight and the bubbling
stops, simply move it to a warmer room and it should pick up again. The yeast
does not die, it merely goes dormant. You may need to swirl the fermenter to
rouse the yeast off the bottom, but do not shake the fermenter at this stage
though.
Bottom line- if the temperature deviates too much or goes above 80F, the
fermentation can be affected, which then affects the flavor. If it goes too
low, the ale yeast will go into hibernation.
The fermentation process can be very vigorous or slow; either is fine. The
secret to a good fermentation is in providing enough active yeast.
Fermentation time is a sum of several variables with the most significant
probably being temperature. It is very common for an ale with an active
ferment to be done in a short time. It could last a few days, a week, maybe
longer. Any of the above is acceptable. Two to three days at 70F is typical
for the simple ale being described here.
If the fermentation is so vigorous that the foam pops the airlock out of the
lid, just rinse it out with sanitizer and wipe off the lid before replacing
it. Contamination is not a big problem at this point. With so much coming out
of the fermenter, not much gets in. Once the bubbling slows down however, do
not open the lid to peek. The beer is still susceptible to infections,
particularly anaerobic ones like Lacto Bacillus, found in your mouth. The beer
will do just fine if left alone for a minimum of two weeks.
Understanding Fermentation
The fermentation of malt sugars into beer is a complicated biochemical
process. It is more than just the conversion of sugar to alcohol, which can be
regarded as the primary activity. Total fermentation is better defined as
three phases, the Adaptation or Lagtime phase, the Primary or Attenuative
phase and a Secondary or Conditioning phase. The yeast do not end Phase 2
before beginning Phase 3, the processes occur in parallel, but the
conditioning processes occur more slowly. As the majority of simple sugars are
consumed, more and more of the yeast will transition to eating the larger,
more complex sugars and early yeast by-products. This is why beer (and wine)
improves with age to a degree, as long as they are on the yeast. Beer that has
been filtered or pasteurized will not benefit from aging.
Lagtime
Immediately after pitching, the yeast start adjusting to the wort conditions
and undergo a period of high growth. The yeast use any available oxygen in the
wort to facilitate their growth processes. They can use other methods to adapt
and grow in the absence of oxygen, but they can do it much more efficiently
with oxygen. Under normal conditions, the yeast should proceed through the
adaptation phase and begin primary fermentation within 12 hours. If 24 hours
pass without apparent activity, then a new batch of yeast should probably be
pitched.
Primary Phase
The primary or attenuative phase is marked by a time of vigorous fermentation
when the gravity of the beer drops by 2/3-3/4 of the original gravity (OG).
The majority of the attenuation occurs during the primary phase, and can last
anywhere from 2-6 days for ales, depending on conditions.
A head of foamy krausen will form on top of the beer. The foam consists of
yeast and wort proteins and is a light creamy color, with islands of
green-brown gunk that collect and tend to adhere to the sides of the
fermenter. The gunk is composed of extraneous wort protein, hop resins, and
dead yeast. These compounds are very bitter and if stirred back into the wort,
could result in harsh aftertastes. Fortunately these compounds are relatively
insoluble and are typically removed by adhering to the sides of the fermenter
as the krausen subsides. Aftertastes are rarely, if ever, a problem.
As the primary phase winds down, a majority of the yeast start settling out
and the krausen starts to subside. If you are going to transfer the beer off
of the trub and primary yeast cake, this is the proper time to do so. Take
care to avoid aerating the beer during the transfer. At this point in the
fermentation process, any exposure to oxygen will only contribute to staling
reactions in the beer, or worse, expose it to contamination.
Many canned kits will advise bottling the beer after one week or when the
bubbling stops. This is not a good idea because the beer has not yet gone
through the Conditioning phase. At this time the beer would taste a bit rough
around the edges (e.g. yeasty flavors, buttery tones, green apple flavors) but
these will disappear after a few weeks of conditioning.
Conditioning Phase
The reactions that take place during the conditioning phase are primarily a
function of the yeast. The vigorous primary stage is over, the majority of the
wort sugars have been converted to alcohol, and a lot of the yeast cells are
going dormant - but some are still active.
The Secondary Phase allows for the slow reduction of the remaining
fermentables. The yeast have eaten most all of the easily fermentable sugars
and now start to turn their attention elsewhere. The yeast start to work on
the heavier sugars and clean up some of the byproducts they produced during
the fast-paced primary phase. However, it is often a good idea to get the beer
off of the trub during the conditioning phase, especially if the beer is going
to sit on the trub for a long period of time, like in the case of lager beer.
See my book, How To Brew for more
information on lager brewing.
Under some conditions (like excessively long times and/or high temperatures),
the yeast will also consume some of the compounds in the trub. The consumption
of these compounds can produce several off-flavors. In addition, the dormant
yeast on the bottom of the fermenter will begin excreting more amino and fatty
acids. If the post-primary beer is left on the trub and yeast cake for too
long (more than about three weeks in some cases) soapy flavors may become
evident. Further, after very long times in worts with poor nutrient levels,
the yeast begin to die and break down - autolysis, which produces rubbery,
sulfury tastes and smells. For these reasons, it can be important to get the
beer off of the trub and dormant yeast during the conditioning phase.
There has been a lot of controversy within the homebrewing community on the
value of racking ales to secondary fermenters. While there is no question in
the case of lagers, many seasoned homebrewers have declared that there is no
real taste benefit for ales and that the dangers of contamination and the cost
in additional time are not worth what little benefit there may be. For your
first beer, I will advise you to use only a single fermenter until you have
gained some experience with racking and sanitation.
Leaving an ale beer in the primary fermenter for a total of 2-3 weeks versus
one when using single stage fermentation (i.e. not using a second fermenter)
will provide time for the conditioning reactions and improve the finished
beer. The extra time will also let more sediment settle out before bottling,
resulting in a clearer beer and easier pouring.
Using Secondary Fermenters
(Optional)
Using a two stage fermentation requires a good understanding of the
fermentation process. At any time, racking the beer can adversely affect it
because of potential oxygen exposure and contamination risk. Racking the beer
off the yeastbed before the primary fermentation phase has completed can
result in a stuck or incomplete fermentation.
The following is a general procedure for using a secondary fermenter.
1. Allow the Primary Fermentation stage to wind down. This will be 2 - 6 days
after pitching when the bubbling rate drops off dramatically to about 1-5 per
minute. The krausen will have started to settle back into the beer.
2. Using a sanitized siphon (no sucking or splashing!), rack the beer off the
trub into a another clean fermenter and affix an airlock. The beer should
still be fairly cloudy with suspended yeast.
Racking from the primary may be done at any time after primary fermentation
has more-or-less completed. (Although if it has been more than 3 weeks, you
may as well bottle.) Most brewers will notice a brief increase in activity
after racking, but then all activity may cease. This is very normal, it is not
additional primary fermentation per se, but just dissolved carbon dioxide
coming out of solution due to the disturbance. Fermentation (conditioning) is
still taking place, so just leave it alone. A minimum useful time in the
secondary fermenter is two weeks. Overly long times in the secondary (for
light ales- more than 6 weeks) may require the addition of fresh yeast at
bottling time for good carbonation. Always use the same strain as the
original. This situation is usually not a concern.
Priming & Bottling
This beer will be ready to bottle in two or three weeks when primary
fermentation has completely stopped. There should be few, if any, bubbles in
the airlock. The flavor won't improve by bottling any earlier. Some books
recommend bottling after the bubbling stops or in about 1 week. It is not
uncommon for fermentation to stop after 3-4 days and begin again a few days
later due to a drop in temperature. If the beer is bottled too soon, the beer
will become over-carbonated and the pressure may exceed the bottle strength.
Exploding bottles are a disaster.
After the bottles have been cleaned with a brush, they need to be sanitized.
Immerse them in sanitizing solution or run them in the dishwasher with the
heat on. If immersing, allow the bottles to drain completely before use.
Rinsing should not be necessary, but if you do, only use water that has been
boiled. Hot tap water is not necessarily sanitized. Also sanitize the priming
container, siphon unit, stirring spoon and bottle caps. But do not heat the
bottle caps, as this may ruin the gaskets or tarnish them.
Preparing the Priming Solution
Some books recommend adding 1 tsp. sugar to each bottle for priming. This is
not recommended because it is time consuming and not precise. Bottles may
carbonate unevenly and explode. Instead, boil 3/4 cup of corn or table sugar,
or 1 and 1/4 cup dry malt extract in some water, let it cool, and add it to
the whole batch. Here are two ways to add it, I recommend the first:
1. Pour the priming solution gently into a sanitized Bottling Bucket, don't
let it splash. Then use a sanitized siphon to transfer the beer into the
sanitized bottling bucket. Place the siphon outlet beneath the surface of the
priming solution as it fills to prevent aeration. Do not allow the beer to
splash as you don't want to add oxygen to your beer at this point. Keep the
intake end of the racking tube an inch off the bottom of the fermenter to
leave the yeast and sediment behind. See Note on Siphoning.
2. Open the fermenter and gently pour the priming solution into the beer. Stir
the beer gently with a sanitized spoon, trying to mix it in evenly while being
careful not to stir up the sediment. Wait a half hour for the sediment to
settle back down and to allow more diffusion of the priming solution to take
place. Then siphon to your bottles.
Filling Your Bottles
Place the fill tube of the siphon unit or bottling bucket at the bottom of the
bottle. Fill slowly at first to prevent gurgling and keep the fill tube below
the waterline to prevent aeration. Fill to about 3/4 inch from the top of the
bottles. Place a sanitized cap on the bottle and cap. Inspect every bottle to
make sure the cap is secure.
Bottle Conditioning
Carbonation will take about two weeks; age the bottles somewhere out of direct
sunlight. Aging for one month will improve the flavor considerably, but one
week will do the job of carbonation for the impatient.
Different beer styles benefit from different lengths of bottle conditioning.
Generally, the higher the Original Gravity, the longer the conditioning time
to reach peak flavor. Small beers like 1.035 Pale Ales will reach peak flavor
within a couple weeks of bottling. Stronger/more complex ales, like Stouts,
may require a month or more. Very strong beers like Doppelbocks and
Barleywines will require 6 months to a year before they condition to their
peak flavor. (If oxidation doesn't take its toll first. I have had some pretty
awful year old barleywines.) When bottling your first few batches, its a good
idea to set aside a six pack and leave it for a time. It is enlightening to
taste a homebrewed beer that has had two months to bottle condition and
compare it to what the batch initially tasted like.
Other Storage Considerations
Two common questions are, "How long will a homebrewed beer keep?"
and "Will it spoil?" The answer is that homebrewed beer has a fairly
long storage life due to the presence of the yeast. Depending on the style and
original gravity, the beer will keep for more than a year. I occasionally come
across a year-old six pack that I had forgotten about and it tastes great. Of
course, there are other cases when that year-old six pack has gotten very
oxidized in that time and tastes pretty bad. It really depends on how careful
you were with the bottling - Quality in, Quality out.
Finally, it is important to keep the beer out of direct sunlight, especially
if you use clear or green bottles. Exposure to sunlight or fluorescent light
will cause beer to develop a skunky character. It is the result of a
photo-chemical reaction with hop compounds and sulfer compounds. Contrary to
popular belief, this is not a character that Heineken, Grolsch, and Molson
strive for in their beer. It is simply a result of poor handling by retailers,
and storing them under fluorescent lighting. Other beers like Miller High Life
don't boil hops with the wort but instead use a specially processed hop
extract for bittering which lacks the compounds that cause skunking (and
flavor). Brown bottles are best unless you make a point of keeping your beer
in the dark.
Drinking Your First Homebrew
One final item that nobody ever remembers to tell new brewers until it's too
late is: "Don't drink the yeast layer on the bottom of the bottle."
People will say, "My first homebrew was pretty good, but that last
swallow was terrible!" or "His homebrew really gave me gas" or
"It must have been spoiled, I had to go to the bathroom right away after
I drank it."
Welcome to the laxative effects of live yeast!
When you pour your beer from the bottle, pour it slowly so you don't disturb
the yeast layer. With a little practice, you will be able to pour out all but
the last quarter inch of beer. The yeast layer can harbor a lot of bitter
flavors. It's where the word "Dregs" came from.
Some Things to Watch out for:
Contamination of beer can happen at any stage of the brewing process. Some are
not readily apparent. But any problem that can be easily drank will not cause
physical harm. By the way, it is absolutely impossible to produce poisonous
methyl (wood) alcohol when brewing beer. A few infections that may cause
severe gastric distress will first be noted by their appalling smell. Here are
some warning signs:
1. Mold floating on top of the fermenting beer. Toss it.
2. The beer has slimy strands in it. This is a sure sign of Lacto infection.
Toss it.
3. The bottled beer has a milky layer at the top and/or small residue bumps
clinging to the sides of the bottle neck in the airspace. This is a bacterial
infection. The beer will smell rotten and taste nasty. Do not confuse this
with the dew that condenses near the bottle cap; the dew is normal. Also,
Priming with DME will leave a protein ring around the top of the bottle, just
like what is left on the sides of the fermenter. This is also normal.
4. The bottled beer has a very sweet smell, like molasses. This is a sign of
an Aceto (acetic) infection. The beer is on its way to turning into malt
vinegar. Malt vinegar is good, but not what was intended.
5. The bottled beers are getting worse with time, a stale, cardboard-like or
sherry-like flavor is becoming noticeable. This is a symptom of oxidation.
Drink the beers sooner and try to avoid splashing the hot wort next time.
6. A skunk-like or cat-musk smell. The beer is light struck. Always store beer
in a dark or shaded area.
Recommended Reading:
How To Brew by John Palmer
The comprehensive homebrewing book that covers everything you need to know to
brew your beer right the first time, whether you are brewing with extract or
all-grain. Step by step instructions and illustrations are provided for each
brewing method.
This document is intended to be distributed freely and may be copied for
personal use.
Copyright © 2000 by John J. Palmer All Rights Reserved.
The Old West Team would like to thank John Palmer for allowing
us to use these instructions. You can contact John Palmer at john@howtobrew.com.
