Homebrewing beer is a rewarding hobby, and starting with liquid malt extract (LME) is an excellent way for beginners to dive in. Here’s a straightforward guide to take you from cleaning your equipment to the end of fermentation.
1. Gather Your Equipment
Before you start, make sure you have the essential equipment: a fermenting bucket, a large pot for boiling, a stirring spoon, a thermometer, a hydrometer, an airlock, sanitiser, and bottles for the finished beer.
2. Cleaning and Sanitising
Cleanliness is crucial in brewing. Clean all your equipment thoroughly, then sanitise it with a no-rinse sanitiser. This ensures your beer doesn’t get contaminated.
3. Boiling the Water
Fill your large pot with water (usually 2 - 3 litres in a large stock pot is sufficient) and bring it to a boil. The water volume is less than the final batch size because you’ll top it up later.
In a separate pot, create a water bath and place your LME and bring the water to a boil. This will soften the LME and make it easier to uses.
4. Adding the Liquid Malt Extract
Once the water boils, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the LME. Ensure it’s fully dissolved before pouring into your fermenter.
5. The Fermenter
Add the pot with the LME to the fermenter. Stir in the additional dextrose and stir until dissolved. Top up the fermenter to the required volume as per the recipe with cold water.
6. Adding Hops
Hops are added at different stages of process depending on the recipe. Some are added at the beginning for bitterness, while others are added later for aroma. If not using hops, you can skip this step.
7. Cooling the Wort
After boiling, the wort needs to be cooled to a temperature suitable for fermentation (usually around 18-22°C) before pitching the yeast. The more boiling water you use in the previous steps the longer the liquid will take to cool down in the fermenter.
8. Adding the Yeast
Pitch the yeast into the fermenter. Different yeasts have different pitching instructions, so refer to the packet for specific details.
9. Fermentation
Seal the fermenter and fit the airlock. Store the fermenter in a cool, stable temperature environment. Fermentation should start within 24-48 hours and can take 1-2 weeks. You’ll know it’s finished when the bubbles in the airlock stop and the hydrometer readings are stable over a couple of days.
10. What’s Next?
After fermentation, you’re ready for bottling, which is another process. But for now, congratulations! You’ve successfully brewed your first batch of beer using liquid malt extract.
Remember:
Every step is a learning opportunity. Don’t worry if things aren’t perfect – each batch will improve your skills.
Strathalbyn H Hardware has all the supplies and advice you need to start your homebrewing journey. Pop into our store at 37 East Terrace, Strathalbyn for personal guidance and quality homebrew supplies. Let’s brew something amazing together!
