Home Brewing

Specific Gravity is an important measure for how to make beer. This measurement lets you know when your beer has completed fermentation, as well as how efficient fermentation was. You will be able to know how much of the available sugars were converted to alcohol. Gravity readings are taken using a hydrometer, which measures the density of liquids. A hydrometer floats higher the more dense a liquid is, and the reading of a liquid's density is expressed by the metric measurement called Specific Gravity.

Specific Gravity (SG) is the ratio of the density of a particular liquid in comparison to the density of water. Hydrometer readings taken just prior to fermentation are called Original Gravity (OG), and the targeted Specific Gravity of the beer is called the Final Gravity (FG).  These numbers vary and depend upon what strain of yeast was used, as well as the type of beer that is being brewed. From all of these numbers the home brewer can determine alcohol percentage as well as the efficiency of the brewing process.

You should take hydrometer readings towards the end of fermentation, as this is the only certain way to determine when fermentation has completed. Do not rely only on visual cues. If you have a few consecutive days of the same Specific Gravity, then fermentation has completed. Make sure that your SG readings are within 5 points of your targeted Final Gravity. If your Specific Gravity is off by more than that, this indicates you have a stuck fermentation, and there are certain steps you must take to get the fermentation going again so that it will complete the process.

When you take hydrometer readings, it is important to make sure that oxygen does not get into your beer. You want to be careful that you do not splash or agitate the beer. All equipment that you use to take the hydrometer reading must first be sanitized, and sanitizing your hands is a good idea as well.

 You can purchase a Wine Thief for taking samples for readings, or you could use a siphon that comes with most kits. Or, just use something that most people have lying around the house already--a turkey baster. Once you have drawn the sample, quickly reseal the fermenter to keep air out. Do not return the sample to the fermenter. You can either dump it, or taste it.

However, keep in mind that this is beer that is nowhere near ready yet, so do not panic if it doesn't taste too good. A quick way to determine what your final gravity should be is to take the Original Gravity before pitching the yeast. Take the number to the right of the decimal point and divide by 4.

For example, an OG of 1.060. Take 60 and divide by 4 = 15. Therefore, the Final Gravity should be 1.015.

In order to determine Alcohol By Volume (ABV), simply subtract the Final Gravity from the Original Gravity, and multiply by 131.

So, using the prior example, 1.060 - 1.015 = .045 X 131 = 5.9% ABV.

 

When you are first learning how to make beer, you will see information about primary fermentation and secondary fermentation. It is common for new brewers to wonder just how long it takes to ferment beer. The answer can vary, and there really isn't one right answer. Many factors influence this, and it comes down to whether you will secondary ferment or not.

First of all, secondary fermentation is actually not fermentation. You do not rack your beer to secondary until after it has completed the fermentation process in the primary. The secondary fermentation is done to clarify and condition the beer, and no actual fermentation takes place. The clarification and conditioning can also be done in the primary fermenter as well. Sound a little confusing?

One reason those just starting to learn how to make beer get confused is because of experiences with kit brewing. Often, these instructions will tell you that your beer will be done fermenting in a week. Although this is possible, this isn't always true. It is also possible that fermentation is not complete, which can lead to bottle bombs. Or worse, you can experience what is known as a stuck fermentation, in which fermentation stops mid way through and does not complete. This will lead to bad tasting beer.

The key to remember when learning how to make beer is that allowing your beer time to age makes for better beer. It is important to let your beer completely ferment before moving on to the next stage. The simple answer for how long fermentation takes is about 10 days.  The time it takes depends on the lag time--how long it takes fermentation to start after the yeast has been pitched. This varies and depends on the type of yeast used, and the condition and age of the yeast. Lag times can be as short as an hour or two, and on up to 72 hours.

As you are learning how to make beer, you will likely read many varying opinions on how long to ferment in the primary. Just because fermentation completes in 7-10 days does not mean your beer is ready to drink. Chances are, it isn't ready to do anything with just yet. Remember, beer likes time.

Another common mistake among new brewers is not allowing the beer enough time to age in the bottle.  You don't want to drink a beer right after bottling it, or within the first couple weeks of bottling because it is not yet carbonated. Some kits may tell you that your beer is ready to drink after a week in the bottle, but you are better off waiting a couple weeks, as your beer will taste much better.

Then there is the issue of whether or not to secondary ferment. Many home brewers skip this altogether, and instead keep the beer in the primary for a few additional weeks. The secondary clarifies and conditions the beer, but you can also accomplish this in the primary by leaving it in there for a couple additional weeks. This keeps you from having to rack the beer to the secondary and exposing it to the air, which increases the risk potential for contamination.

So why then would you secondary ferment? If you are brewing a lighter colored beer, then the secondary might be better to help with the clarity. If you were to add fruit to your beer, then you will want to do this in the secondary, not the primary. Also, if all you have is a bucket and a carboy, then racking to the second will free up the bucket to brew another batch. This way you will constantly have home brew on hand. On the flip side, you could just purchase an additional fermenter to make this happen.

 As far as how long to leave the beer in the primary of you do not secondary, opinions differ. The easy answer is not to bottle right after 10 days. You could if you really wanted to, but the additional time in the fermenter will make your beer much better. In researching this on forums, you will see numbers like 1-2-3 or 3-2-3. These indicate the number of weeks in the primary, secondary and bottles.

If you bypass secondary, then look to leave your beer in the primary for 3 to 4 weeks, and an additional 2-3 weeks in the bottles. Sure, the kit instructions don't tell you to wait that long, but it will be worth the wait. It's tough, especially on your first batch, to wait that long to drink the beer, but it will greatly improve your beer.

To avoid the wait, make sure to have an additional fermenter handy so you can always have another batch of brew going, and that will keep you stocked with home brew while waiting on the next batch. Or, make the leap into kegging and cut down on the wait time. 

After you have done some research about how to make beer using the BIAB brewing method, the advantages should be pretty clear. Here is a quick look at the pros and cons of BIAB brewing.

First, it is a great way of how to make beer with the all grain brewing method. It is especially advantageous if you live in an apartment and have limited space. It doesn't require you to buy any additional equipment, unlike all grain brewing. Of course, you do have to purchase a grain bag, but that is a minimal expense. You can make the bag yourself, or look for one online or at a local hardware store (paint strainer bag).

The only other requirement is a brew kettle, but chances are if you are learning how to make beer at home you will already have one. This method of how to make beer was designed for simplicity, and only requires one pot for the entire process. After you get a few BIAB batches under your belt, you may decide to add a couple steps to the process, as well as some additional equipment. Or, you may feel you are happy with results you get from the simplified process and bypass these extras.

You can add a second pot for sparging, but you could also add a mash tun for mashing and sparging. If you think you may want to give traditional all grain home brewing a shot down the road, you will need a mash tun anyway.  A converted cooler for a mash tun is an easy do it yourself project, and it doesn't cost too muich to make.

Even if you decide not to make the leap into full on all grain brewing, you may find that you prefer using a mash tun to mash as opposed to mashing in the kettle. You may find that it produces better results. The BIAB brewing method offers a simpler and cheaper way of how to make beer using the all grain method without having to purchase additional equipment and take all the necessary steps. It's kind of like a "try it before you buy it" test run at all grain home brewing.

 You can use the exact same equipment you use for extract and partial mash brewing, so there are no additional cost or space concerns. BIAB allows you to brew with a little bit more flexibility than traditional all grain brewing. It also saves you some steps in the process by only using one pot. It eliminates the step of sparging. You not only shorten your brew day, but there is less equipment to clean when it is all over.

BIAB brewing can be limiting, especially if you live in an apartment, because you will be limited by the size of your kettle and the fact that you will be using an indoor stove. The stove simply won't have the power to boil larger volumes of liquid. It isn't very practical to try and brew a 10 gallon batch on the stove. Larger batches of beer, as well as higher gravity beers are not options simply because of the larger grain bills. These require more water, and keep in mind that you have to fit all of the necessary water (typically 1.25 quarts per pound of grain), as well all of the grain, into your brew kettle.

If you can brew on an outdoor propane tank, then you are only limited by the size of your brew kettle. If you have a large enough brew pot, then you can brew larger batches and higher gravity beers without any worries. You just might want to make sure that you have a powerful enough burner, this will shorten the brew day. If you are limited to inside home brewing, then you will likely need to stick to 5 gallon batches. You can work around this in a couple ways, but despite the limitations, you can still make some great beer, and beer that is better than extract or partial mash beers.

You may see some lower efficiencies when you first try the BIAB brewing method. However, many BIAB brewers report better efficiencies on their first attempts. With a little practice, you can hit very good efficiencies (over 80%) with this method, and for many brewers, this is one reason the BIAB. They produce quality, all grain beers, hit good efficiencies using a method that is easier and faster than traditional all grain set ups. Like all other aspects you learn about how to make beer, it simply requires a little practice and experimenting to see what works best for you.

 If you have trouble hitting your efficiency, double check your calculations and remember that there are experienced brewers both online and locally that can help you determine where you went wrong and how to correct it. Sometimes, it is as simple as getting a finer crush on your grains. But even with low efficiency beers you can still make some great beer.

There are many reasons and advantages to learn how to make beer, so go ahead, and jump right in! First, it can be cheaper than buying commercially produced beers. Plus, you can make beer that is much better. Producing beer will cost you money, especially when you are first getting started learning how to make beer. However, over time, you will recoup the costs. It will also be an enjoyable experience learning how to make beer, so money spent will be a worthwhile investment of your time, money and effort.

Second, learning how to make beer presents many different ways and approaches to making beer, so it is a constant learning experience. This hobby turns into an obsession for many, and can provide you with a pastime that you will become passionate about. Third, home brewing is environmentally friendly. Large scale commercial breweries require large machinery to produce beer. These machines require energy to run. These burning fuels contribute to green house gasses and emissions. The breweries also rely on transportation to distribute the beer, and this also requires fuel burning.

 If you learn how to make beer at home, you will not likely cause the downfall of these large breweries, but at least you can say you are doing your part to go green.

Fourth, in learning how to make beer you can make the process personalized to suit your tastes and preferences. You can determine what types of beers you make. Whatever qualities you like about beer are what you can strive for in your home brewing. You can experiment with different ingredients and methods as you learn more about how to make beer, and this will allow you to brew many types of different beers that aren't available from the mass produced beer companies.

 Fifth, sharing your home brew with others will make you more popular. Your friends will be impressed with your results and wish they could make delicious beer themselves. At the very least, they will enjoy drinking good quality beer.  And this is one of the best benefits of learning how to make beer. The personal satisfaction of creating something that you and others enjoy. Plus, the feeling of achievement when you are recognized by peers as someone that has the ability to make delicious beer.

As a result, they will look at you as the brewmaster, and will look forward to trying whatever brews you come up with next. If you simply give away your home brew, you will be very popular. However, they may want you to brew beers for special occasions, and this might lead to making some money off of your home brew.

You could even wind up with a small business endeavor, and then you would actually make some money home brewing. However, this shouldn't be the only reason you learn how to make beer. Otherwise, you may not enjoy this hobby the way you should.

Finally, there is the challenge to learning how to make beer. There are many different ways to make beer, and there are many mistakes you can make along the way. However, sometimes the mistakes make the best beer. Home brewing allows for you to constantly try new things, or, if you reach a comfortable point, you can decide to simply brew the same delicious batches of beer over and over, and not try to continually experiment and progress into different brewing approaches.

No matter which way you go, you will have a challenge to tackle, and the satisfaction of knowing that you figured out how to do something, and do it well. No matter the reason you decide to learn how to make beer, there is one simple reason you should give it a shot. Why not?

One of the best things about learning how to make beer is that you can be a good brewer at first, and become a great brewer with time. You can make good batches almost every time, but you will also see ways to improve your craft as you progress. An important part of learning how to make beer is networking with other home brewers--either online or with local home brewer associations (or, both). This way you can learn tips, tricks, shortcuts as well as what mistakes to avoid (and how to avoid them). This will shorten the learning curve and allow you to improve your skills faster.

One key thing to learn about how to make beer is a rule that applies to cooking as well as how to make beer: the quality of beer depends on the quality of ingredients that go into it. Fresher ingredients are better. One of the first things you can do to improve the quality and flavor of your beer is the yeast you use. If you start with a beer ingredient kit, you might be better of purchasing some fresher yeast. You can also opt to use a liquid yeast, as this can be an improvement over dry yeast. You can also look to upgrade all of the other ingredients as well, including the hops, grains and any other perishables that you might use.

It is important that you properly store and care for your ingredients. It is best to only but the ingredients you need, and to purchase them the day you plane to brew. Try to use up all the ingredients up for the batch so you do not have any leftovers. Over time, you will get the feel for how much of each ingredient you need, so that you can purchase just enough for that batch without any waste.

This way you can always brew with the freshest ingredients possible. Of course, this method is the ideal way to brew, but may not  be the most practical. If you have a local home brewing supply store close by, then this can work great. But, if you don't, then you will likely have to purchase ingredients online. This can get expensive either way, and often, you can save money by buying ingredients in bulk.

This works fine, but you just have to be extra careful in storing your ingredients, and try to use them up over a short amount of time instead of just letting them spoil. Using your fridge or freezer helps to slow down the aging, and allows you to store ingredients longer. Grains and yeast you can keep in the fridge, the rest should go into the freezer.

Temperature control is important for how to make beer, and something that experienced home brewers know has a big impact on their beers. Temperature control comes into play many times during the how to make beer process. First, during the boiling of the wort. You have to get it up to a boil, although in all grain brewing and steeping, you are not actually boiling.

Once you have your wort at the proper temperature, you have to cool it down quickly. This part of the process is important. Getting it to proper temperature initially and then dropping the temperature are critical to warding off contaminants, and also affect the clarity of your beer.

Once you have your beer in the fermenter, it is also important to maintain a constant temperature within the recommended range. For many brewers just learning how to make beer, this step too often is overlooked. If you ferment at too high or too low a temperature, you can ruin your beer. If the temperature fluctuates constantly throughout fermentation, this can also negatively impact your beer's flavor.

Many home brewers have learned that by maintaining constant, proper temperature during fermentation greatly improves the resulting beer.

You may not take this step when you are first learning how to make beer, but at some point it can be a great way to better your brewing. Many brewers actually purchase or make some sort of fermentation cabinet especially for the purpose of ensuring that their fermentation temperatures remain consistent. You can buy a fridge or freezer and add a temperature control device, as well as a converter kit.

 Or, there are several DIY possibilities, ranging from dirt cheap to top of the line expensive. However, if you are just starting to learn how to make beer, there are many ways you can maintain fermentation temperatures without having to buy or make any specialized equipment.  Find a cool spot in your home--a closet or basement work well.

You can wrap the fermenter in wet towels or t shirts to cool. You can do what is known as a swamp cooler. Place the fermenter in a tub and fill with water. You might need to add ice to the water, depending on how hot it is.

 If you need to keep the fermenter warm, you can wrap it in blankets, and use an electric blanket if necessary.

One reason to learn how to make beer is to learn about all of the many grains and ingredients that are available to produce great beers. When you are first getting started learning how to make beer, there is a lot of resources available for learning. There are numerous websites, blogs, articles and forums online to provide you with information about how to make beer.  Locally, you can see if there is an association of home brewers to network with. 

This will give you in depth explanations about what grains work best for which type of beer. Brewing with grains is not something you will likely start off with when you are first learning how to make beer, but at some point you may decide to give it a try. Here are some of the basics you need to know to brew using grains.

Grains are key in the making of beer, and are a huge factor in the overall flavor profile of a beer. Flavors can vary greatly based upon which malt(s) you use, as well as the process of malting and brewing you use. There is a huge variety of grains that are used for making beer, and the good thing about this is that you have so many different ones you can utilize.

There are an almost endless amount of flavor combinations you can produce. This can seem daunting at first, however this allows the home brewer the ability to experiment with different grains to see which ones appeal the most to you, and will help you develop a home brew that is uniquely you. Fortunately, recipes for these grains are easy to find, and can help serve as guides during the learning curve.

It is important to understand how malting works.

You will probably not actually take your grains through the malting process yourself, but it helps to actually understand how this process works, and why there is such a variety of outcomes to this process. This will help you when you are purchasing malts, so that you will know which ones will give you the color, flavor, and intensity that you wish to produce in your final beer.

The malting process starts with the grain that will be malted. The most common grains used for beer are barley, wheat and rye, but other grains can be used. The seeds of the grain are steeped and germinated, and this begins the active part of the malting and brewing process. Germination is when the seed sprouts and releases stored energy. This energy is designed to start the growth process of the seed, and is used to convert into malt mash that will be used to make beer.

During germination of the grains, the stored energy is changed as it is released. The starches within the seeds are converted into sugars by enzymes, and these sugars are very important to the process of how to make beer. At this point in germination, the process is suspended. Kilns are used to dry the grains, and the sugars and enzymes that were active remain in the malt to be used during the brewing process.

This is a simplified explanation of the malting process, but it gives you a background on where the grains come from and the process they must go through to become grains for brewing. Extract brewing does not use actual grains, but the malt extract used is extracted from this malt in either liquid or dry form. Understanding the malting process will allow you to have a better understanding of the grains that will eventually become your beer. Learning all you can about malt will make you a better home brewer, and will produce better beers.

If you are reading this article, then there is a good likelihood that you are thinking about learning how to make beer. Learning how to make beer is a fun hobby to try, and it can be very rewarding as well. You can make beer that is better than what you find at the grocery store, and you can impress your friends. You don't have to be a brewmaster to make good beer, but with a little practice, you can become  a great home brewer, and all of your friends will want you to teach them how to make beer like you do.

In order to learn how to make beer and do it well, you need to first master the basics of home brewing. If you are just getting started learning how to make beer, then you probably have many questions. Here are some of the most common questions those wanting to learn about how to make beer have, and some information to help answer these questions.

For those just starting to brew, what types of beers are recommended?

There are a wide variety of beers that you can produce, and the differences in them are essentially the ingredients used. Different grains and a variety of hops and yeast strains can be combined into an almost endless variety of beers. However, beginning brewing usually starts with extract brewing because it is a stripped down, simpler form of brewing. You will not likely start brewing using grains, and probably not hops either.

Instead, you will probably start with a beer ingredient kit that comes with malt extract as opposed to grains, and it will be pre hopped--the hops will already be added. You shouldn't worry about grains at first, as this is a little more advanced than what you should be concerned with when you are first learning how to make beer.

But these kits come in a wide variety of flavors and styles, so you have many options for your first few batches. The only beers to stay away from are lagers and trying to make a version of your favorite commercially mass produced beer.

Lagers involve a little more effort to produce, and therefore shouldn't be attempted on your first few tries.

Mass produced beers are actually harder beers to make simply because they are lighter in both color and flavor, which leaves very room for error. If there are any flaws in your beer, they will be easily exposed. Other beer varieties can help mask any imperfections much easier.

How much money do I need to get started brewing?

Your initial costs to learn how to make beer will be for the beer brewing equipment, and the ingredients. You have many options as far as equipment, but starting kits are easy to find and not too expensive. You have all in one kits which are cheap and do not take up much space, and you also have component kits that contain the bare essentials you need to learn how to make beer. You can get started beer brewing for under $100.

As far as ingredients go, there are also ingredient kits available for new brewers, which have all the items you need to produce a batch of brew. These can be purchased for under $50. Ingredient costs can change, depending on what type of brewing you do. After a few batches of kit brewing, many home brewers start brewing in more advanced styles--partial mash brewing and all grain brewing. These styles allow you to mix up the ingredients you use, and instead of malt extracts, you start to incorporate grains into your brewing. There are also a wide variety of specialty ingredients you can add to the mix.

These ingredients can be more expensive than a simple ingredient kit, but these allow you to experiment with different flavors and produce a better quality brew. However, you can buy these more expensive ingredients in bulk to save money.

But these additional ingredients are a more advanced form of brewing, so this is not really a concern for someone just starting to learn about how to make beer.

Can you make money in home brewing? Most people get started learning how to make beer so that they can try something fun, and make good beer as well. In other words, the reward is in the process and the end result. But as you progress, it could be something that could lead you to dream big, and maybe want open up your own brew pub. Be sure to look into your local laws, however. It is illegal to sell home brew, and trying to open your own brew pub or brewery requires money and a lot of permits to do it legally. Do not sell your home brew is the nest advice.

You have a great recipe for beer, what now? Once you have some experience under your belt, you may try to experiment with you beers a little and try to create your own recipe. You might even find you have a knack for brewing, and your own brews are pretty good. Selling is not an option, but you can share your brew with local home brewing clubs and fellow brewers. You can also seek out trade shows and beer competitions to see how you fare against other brewers. Who knows, you may even make a brew so tasty, that some big commercial brewer decides they want to produce your beer! Hey, can't hurt to dream big can it?

Realistically, the most important lesson is to learn how to make beer for only one reason: you. It can be an enjoyable, rewarding hobby that you can share with friends. It won't cost too much money to get started, but like other hobbies and pastimes, you will find the money spent is well invested.

Fermentation plays an important part of the process of how to make beer. This is when your wort becomes beer. One of the key factors of fermentation is the temperature. The home brewer must maintain a consistent temperature throughout the fermentation period. The right temperature depends on the type of beer brewed, as well as the strain of yeast used. Usually, the yeast will have the optimal temperature right on the package.

 Generally speaking, ales ferment between 60 and 70 degrees, while lagers should ferment between 50 and 60 degrees. If you ferment at too low a temperature, you can wind up with a stuck fermentation. This is a stopping of the fermentation process before it has completed. This makes the yeast go dormant, and it can even kill the yeast. If you try to bottle beer that hasn't completed fermentation, you can end up with bottle bombs. Even if you don't get bottle bombs, you will at least wind up with beer that doesn't taste too good.

If you ferment at too high a temperature, esters will be produced which create off flavors. Esters are undesirable compounds created by the yeast, and will give your beer a banana flavor. High temperatures also can produce fusel alcohols, heavier alcohols that have harsh, solvent-like flavors. It is important that the proper temperature is maintained at a steady, consistent rate, and does not fluctuate constantly.

A common mistake made by those learning how to make beer is pitching the yeast before the wort has cooled down enough. If the wort is too warm, more diacetyl will be produced early in fermentation than the yeast can reabsorb.

There are many methods you can use to maintain proper temperature during fermentation. You can buy specialized equipment, you can build your own, or you can use items you have around the house. The surrounding climate and time of year both play big roles in temperature control. In colder weather, you will have to keep the beer warm, and in hotter months you will need to keep your beer cool. A closet or basement are great places to ferment your beer.

You can buy a fridge or freezer for your fermenting if you like. If you are just starting to learn how to make beer, it isn't likely that you are ready to make that kind of investment just yet. But there are several cheap ways you can maintain your fermentation temperature, and some do it yourself type projects as well so that you don't have to make any major investments in specialized equipment.

The easiest method is simply relying on the temperature inside your home. This may only work in certain climates or at certain times of the year, but it doesn't require you to do anything. A water bath is another easy solution. Simply place your carboy or bucket in a bathtub and fill with water. It is best that this tub is in a guest bathroom. Or, place the fermenter in a kiddie pool or rubber tub. If it is hot outside and the water doesn't cool it enough, you can add ice to the water. Many brewers freeze water in 2 liter plastic soda bottles and place them in the water. This is what is known as a "swamp cooler". An alternative to a swamp cooler is to wet a towel or t shirt and wrap it around your fermenter. You can also point a blowing fan towards the fermenter as well.

At some point, you might decide to actually purchase a refrigerator or freezer especially for fermentation. But you don't have to buy a brand new one. Perhaps you or a friend has an old fridge or freezer around. You can also look for second hand fridges or freezers at local second hand stores, or see if the local home supply warehouse has slightly damaged ones on sale. You can also look online at sites like craigslist or ebay. You will need a separate temperature control device, but these are easy to find online or at the LHBS, and aren't that expensive. It is also possible that you might find a fridge or freezer that has already been converted by another home brewer.

Getting something especially for fermentation doesn't have to be an expensive option. There are plenty of do it yourself projects, including the son of a fermenter chiller. There are many variations of this, but you basically make a separate storage place for your fermenting that you can control the temperature. Pretty much the same idea as the fridge or freezer, it is a box for fermenting. A great thing about this DIY option is there are so many ways to achieve the same end result. It just comes down to creativity and ability.

I've even heard of someone that made a fermentation chiller out of cardboard they glued together and lined with fiberglass insulation. They used frozen 2 liter soda bottles, and this worked perfectly fine and cost them a total of $13. You can research more ways online at home brewing forums, and should be able to find a solution that suits your situation.

There is one more important note about fermentation temperatures. The fermentation process itself will produce heat, so the beer inside the fermenter will likely be a few degrees warmer than the surrounding air. You can purchase thermometers with probes so that you can monitor the actual temperature of you fermenting beer.

Many brewers notice an improvement in their beers when they have made the extra effort of maintaining a constant, steady temperature during fermentation. You don't have to buy any specialized equipment for maintaining fermentation temperatures when you are first learning how to make beer, but you should still make efforts to ferment at the proper temperature.

There are several dirt cheap ways to help in that regard. In time, you may decide to go ahead and make the investment necessary to maintain proper temperature. You will improve your beer, and that just  makes learning how to make beer that much more enjoyable.

Free how to make beer e book
Visit my how to make beer blog

As you are researching how to make beer online, you will find a debate amongst home brewers as to whether or not secondary fermentation os necessary. When brewing beer, after it has fermented in the primary fermenter for awhile, some brewers choose to complete the fermentation in a secondary fermeneter. Other brewers simply leave the beer in the primary fermenter a little longer and avoid the secondary fermenter altogether. In some cases, secondary fermentation can make a difference, and may also be necessary in some situations. This is a quick overview of the pros and cons of secondary fermentation for those that are just getting started learning how to make beer.

As opposed to secondary fermenting your beer, you simply leave the beer in the primary fermenter longer. In other words, you still ferment your beer for the same length of time, but you just ferment it in one vessel as opposed to breaking up the fermentation period into two separate vessels.

The two main reasons home brewers rack to a second fermenter is to help the clarity of the beer, and autolysis. However, not all beers need to be clear, especially darker beers. Autolysis is the contamination of the beer from being left on the trub too long. It is basically when the yeast cells die.  However, autolysis is very unlikely to happen when home brewing, and many home brewers have left their beers on the trub in the primary fermenter for months and not seen any ill effects.

So then, why would someone want to secondary ferment? If you were making a batch of beer that called for the addition of fruit, you will want to add the fruit in the secondary fermenter, not the primary. Also, if you are brewing a lighter beer, you may want to secondary ferment in order to allow the yeast a chance to clarify the beer. (Alternatively, you can also add fining agents in secondary fermentation to aid in clarifying your beer).

Otherwise, leaving your beer in the primary longer is perhaps the better option to racking it to a secondary fermenter. If you have a secondary fermenter (and most beer starter kits come with two buckets) and do not secondary ferment your beer, then you now have an extra fermenter that will allow you to brew another batch of brew. You then would have two batches of beer fermenting at the same time.

If you decide to secondary ferment with that extra bucket, you can always purchase and additional fermenter so that you have a constant pipeline of home brew fermenting. Another drawback to secondary fermentation is the possibility of exposing your beer to the air and microorganisms that can potentially contaminate it. When racking to the secondary fermenter, you have to be careful not to splash the beer as it pours into the secondary fermenter and aerate it. This can lead to spoiling your beer and having to dump it.

No matter how careful you are, there is always the possibility that bacteria and germs can get into your beer. If your beer is left in the primary, then this potential risk and exposure is not an issue. If you research how to make beer online, you can find many home brewing forums. This topic has been debated continuously over time, so you can find more information and more in depth conversation about this issue if you wish to learn more.

However, the main point of this article is to show those new to learning how to make beer that secondary fermentation isn't always necessary, and a step that many home brewers skip.

Get a free e book showing you how to make beer
Visit my blog to get more info on how to make beer

One step in the process of how to make beer is bottling the beer after it completes fermentation.  One piece of equipment that can make this task easier is a bottling wand. You do not absolutely need a bottling wand, but you may find that it is a worthwhile purchase to simplify the how to make beer process.

A bottling wand offers many advantages. If you bottle without a wand, then you will need to do so using a siphon. This can be a little tricky, especially the first few times you do this. It can also prove to be a bit of a hassle even after you have it down. As an alternative, you could pour the beer into a funnel into the bottles. But this can be really troublesome trying to lift 5 gallons of beer to pour into a funnel. Not to mention, it is a good way to aerate the beer, which is something you want to avoid doing.

To make this task easier and more efficient, it is a good idea to have a bottling bucket with a spigot. If you do not have a spigot on your bottling bucket, you can always add one to it. This is just another possible DIY project that exists when learning how to make beer. It isn't too difficult a project either.

Once you have a spigot, you can connect your bottling wand to some vinyl tubing to connect to the spigot directly. You only need a few inches of tubing. Then, you can place the bucket at the edge of a counter or table with the wand pointing down. Simply place your bottles up into the bottling wand. Pushing the bottom of the bottle into the wand will release a flow of beer. When you have filled your bottle, release the bottle from the wand, and the flow of beer will stop. This makes pouring much easier, because you can control the flow of the pour (as opposed to having to pinch the siphon to stop the flow).

But the big advantage bottling wands offer is that they fill your beer bottle from the bottom up. For one, this eliminates the guesswork as to the amount of headspace you need to leave for carbonation. The wand itself will displace space in the bottle. Once the bottle is full of beer, stop the flow. Once you remove the wand, the perfect amount of headspace will be left.

Also, this method keeps you from splashing the beer into the bottles, which agitates the beer and allows oxygen to get into it. You want to avoid this at all costs. Remember, the air has germs, bacteria and other microorganisms that want to get into your beer and contaminate it. So you want to avoid splashing the beer and aerating it.

Here is a bottling tip that will simplify the process, and keep things clean as well. If you have limited space, this is perfect. For bottling beer, you need to have the bottles sanitized prior to using. Simply place the bottles top down in your dishwasher a couple hours before you bottle. Run them through a wash cycle, but do not use any soap or drying agents, just hot water. This will actually sterilize the bottles, even better than sanitizing them!

Then, after they have dried, place your bottling bucket on the counter just above the dishwasher. Connect your vinyl tubing to the spigot, and also connect your bottling wand. Then, open the dishwasher door all the way and bottle on the door (or above it). This way, if you have any spills, they wind up on the dishwasher door and not all over your floor. Plus, your bottles are close by and ready to go.

A bottling wand is not essential in the process of how to make beer. However, it is an upgrade to seriously consider adding to your first equipment kit, or purchasing early into learning how to make beer. It makes the process of bottling much easier.

Get a free how to make beer e book
Visit my website to learn more about how to make beer