Hey Geeks,
Well after much trouble with the internet here in Colorado, i am finally able to bring you Day 3 of our 5 day process of brewing your own beer! so..here goes:
Day 3: Brewing
1) Put the grains into a grain bag. this is a mesh bag (think tea bag) but MUCH larger. Steep this in a large 3 gallon pot at about 150 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes. After the time is up, pull out the bag and allow the water to drip out. DO NOT squeeze the bag, as you can pull out tannins that will give your beer a strange flavor.
2) Add the malt extract and bring everything to a boil. hops are added at various intervals to enhance the beer’s flavor, aromas, etc. The times that you add these should be laid out in your kit’s instructions. Hops added early on will create more of a bitter beer, at the expense of flavor, and visa versa.
3) Once the process is complete, quickly cool the pot and its content as quick as possible. This is best done in a sink full of a an ice bath. you can stir the concoction so that it cools quicker, but try not to splash the contents as it may result in funky flavors. Once the temperature is around 80 degrees, you can move the liquid (or Wort- pronounced Wert) to the frementer.
4) place the Wort into the fermenter. Splashing is encouraged, as it brings oxygen to the solution and helps the yeast activate. Try to prevent the liquids in the frementer from obtaining access to air while you frement your beer. before you put the solution into the fermenter, pull out the hops. a big strainer will work fro this. dont worry about wasting the hops. you’ve already gotten all you can out of them! Add more water so you make five gallons. next add the yeast. This may need some stiring with warm water to activate them. it all depends on the hops. put on the air tight lid and allow for your beer to ferment! Put the fermenter in a dark area so that it keeps the process constant.If you do not see the air lock on top of the seal bubbling away within a day or two, you may have run into a problem, such as dead yeast.
Remember, the most important skill in brewing is patience! Enjoy brewing Geeks!
Congratulations! you are brewing your own beer!
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