Brewing Is A Proper Combination Of Science And Arts
When it comes to brewing, the science behind it includes using calculated aspects to make sure the process is precise. At the same time, you will need to add a bit of your personal interpretation of what actually tastes good. Brewing beer has been an age-old process and now it has become even easier for everyone to follow. All one needs is water, grains, barley, hops, and yeast after all.
Well if it was as easy as that, probably all beers would taste the same. You need to follow certain steps to make sure your beer brews properly.
Sanitize The Area
Start with cleaning and sanitizing all the needed equipment. This is an important step and must not be taken lightly. You can use a mild detergent to clean anything that will be used in the brewing process including making sure that the area itself is clean.
Choose A Brewing Method
Before you start, remember that you will need to follow a strict timeline so make making you have enough time on your hands. If this is your first time then use a beer-making kit then ensure that you can follow the steps easily. You can brew by using the extract, partial mash, or all-mash method. Depending on the method you choose, the base of your beer will be created.
Mashing And Lautering
Mashing includes the process of activating the enzyme in the grains. This is done to help change the starch into sugar. It also gives color, body, and flavor to your beer. This process is almost the same as when you steep tea, so once mashing is done you need to separate the wort in front of the grain which is called lautering.
Cooling Down After the Brew
Once the above steps are complete, you will need to prepare the wort for fermentation. To be able to do this properly you need to reduce the temperature of the wort very quickly by adding water and then adding yeast. You will then need to give time for the wort to cool down. You can cool it down quickly by putting the mixture in an ice bath. If you want to splurge then you can invest in chillers.
This is the crucial time when the yeast will change into alcohol. In the primary fermentation, you should allow the yeast to convert the sugar into alcohol. When the fermentation is complete you will notice bubbling.
Bottling Or Kegging
Once your beer is prepared as per the needed preferences, you must store it in an airtight vessel. This will allow it to carbonate and condition. You can store it in a keg or in a bottle. For homebrewers’ bottling is an easier method for storing. It is a cheaper option and you will not need much equipment for bottling. Make sure to sanitize the bottles properly before it comes in contact with the beer. After bottling your beer, you have to store the bottles in a cool place for a minimum of two weeks. This is the time when you will need to be patient.
Once it is conditioned and carbonated after two weeks, you can chill them and enjoy them with your friends. The taste can be changed slowly by adding additional flavors to it. However, in the beginning, you should try to brew a simple beer so that you can learn the concept of brewing properly. Brewing is a good hobby that you can take up and you can even make friends with similar interests who can give you a hack or two of their own when it comes to brewings.