Many people who are not experienced at home brewing, or just plain old beginners find it a challenge to make your own beer. They may not have a lot of experience, or simply don’t know where to begin. Fortunately, the process is not that complicated.
The most important first step in learning how to make your own beer is learning to read a beer recipe. Some recipes require you to tweak the process slightly, but most will still work. You can get free beer recipes and other instructions from the web. Look through some books at your local library or bookstore. Also, there are a lot of excellent brewing books, that not only teach you how to brew beer, but also give you great information on the different kinds of recipes that are available.
Once you have a good set of recipes, you will have to learn how to go about the actual brewing process. A great place to learn how to do this is through an instructional beer kit. There are kits available for bottling, kegging, and all different styles of brewing. These kits will walk you through the entire process from start to finish, including a detailed description of equipment, ingredients, and how to boil water for the best possible taste.
The first day of brewing beer is the day that you fill your kettle and pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once the water has come to a boil, add the grains and start the fermentation process. You may choose to add some yeast, which will help to produce the beer that you like. Check the date on your brewing beer recipe to determine when you should add the yeast, and then do it as indicated in the instructions of the kit.
For example, if your recipe says to add the yeast and fermentation should occur five minutes before the top off of the beer, then follow this recipe accordingly. On the second day of brewing, remove the yeast and add the rest of the ingredients as directed on the kit. Boil the wort for another five minutes, add the priming sugar and mix it thoroughly. Once the mix has completely dissolved, pour the wort into your fermenter and let it sit for the recommended time period, which is usually three to five days.
If you decide to bottle your brew, there are kits available to do so. However, most home brewers prefer to bottle their beers, because it allows them to control exactly what goes into each bottle. Some recipes call for priming sugar, but this can be purchased or made at your local liquor store. Bottle your Belgian dark beers for a variety of occasions, such as a birthday, graduation, or even an anniversary party. When properly stored, these bottles of beer can last for years.
