Basic Information - Let's get it started!

[jivex5k]

So I figured, as we had at the old place, we should have a sticky of the most common mistakes made by new brewers.
I'm just gonna jump in head first and start listing stuff I can think of.

The Golden Rule: "Have Patience". Beer takes times dude, you don't want to rush mother nature.

So onto some basics about brewing...How exactly is beer made? Well I'm glad you asked! Without getting too scientifical like, here are the basic steps to making beer.

1. Create the wort. This is done using water and malts. You heat up the water to a specific temperature, and then steep crushed malts in the water. This converts the starches in the malts into sugar, and also gives your water flavor and body.

2. Boil the hops. Once the starches are sugars, that stuff is sweet dude! In fact, before this step begins the liquid you created is referred to as "Sweet Wort". Well that's fine and dandy, but this ain't no candy, so boiling hops in your "Sweet Wort' takes out the sweet by balancing it with the bitterness of hops.

3. Pitch the yeast. Ah yes, the magic happens here. Mother nature at work! Just make sure you don't throw the yeast in water that is above 90* F, heck I wouldn't even pitch my little buddies in anything above 75* F. Remember, they are alive, and they don't want to be boiled to death like lobsters!

4. Wait...and wait some more. Now the yeast will be happily eating the sugars in your wort, and producing our friend Alcohol. The time it takes before it is done varies, but a good rule of thumb is 2-3 weeks. The only way to truly be sure is by using a device called a Hydrometer, what you do is take a measurement before fermentation, and then measurements after you believe it to be done. You know the yeast is finished when the measurement stays the same for a couple days.

5. Bottle your beer (or keg). Yup, it's all done, at least you though so.... Nope, beer's gotta be carbonated dude! This is done by putting sugar in the fermented wort (or uncarbonated beer at this point), carefully mixing it in without introducing the beer to a lot of oxygen, and then bottleing the beer and letting it sit at room temperature for 2 weeks. The yeast (which are still in there, just suspended and small) will have desert by eating the sugar you added, and the resulting c02 will now be trapped since your beer is now bottled. When enough is formed it gets absorbed back into the beer, thus creating carbonation! If you have a kegging system you can force carbonate your beer with C02, but that's something I've never done!

6. Give the bottle a week in the fridge before opening (after it's carbed). It really makes a big difference!

So that's it, just wanted to get some information on this site.
Feel free to rip this apart, make it better, I didn't know where to start so I just started... I figure it's better than nothing.

[BeerRust]

Sounds easy to make!

[Snowjob]

Also make sure everything is clean and sanitized.

[Gymrat]

When you mess up on brew day, don't worry about it, it rarely ruins the outcome.

[Beer-lord]

And pick a day when you have time and don't have to rush. Rushing to finish ASAP causes mistakes. It's fun to brew to take as much time as you need.

[RickBeer]

I'd suggest that the 2 weeks in the bottle be changed to 4. We spent a lot of time on the other forum promoting 3-4 as the default for most beers. To me, one of the confusing things for newbs is the vast array of answers that they get as to timing from various sources. If you don't own a hydrometer, 3 weeks in the LBK is best. Then, unless it's a wheat or other similar type, 4 weeks in the bottle at room temp followed by at least a few days in the frig is recommended. For most beers, MORE time in the bottle at room temp improves things. So don't refrigerate more than you're ready to drink. And, if you find yourself with beer in the frig that was only warm for 4 weeks and now it's 8 weeks, pull it out and put in beer that's be aging 8 weeks at room temps, and let the first bottles warm and start extending their conditioning period.

[jimjohson]

i agree with RickBeer. for basic information we should assume no hydrometer and go 3-4

[dad2all5]

PRIMING for the Bottle??

What about using sugar in each bottle, or adding sugar to the entire batch in the brew demon and bottle from the fermenter??

[philm00x]

Well you don't wanna add the sugar into the fermenter to prime it. The fermenter will have the trub at the bottom and you don't want to stir that into the beer. Instead, you can use another vessel and empty the beer into it from the fermenter, and then add priming sugar to the whole batch. The best and most sanitary way is to make a solution of sugar in water and boil it to sterilize it. Let it cool and add to the beer in the second vessel, then stir it in slowly so as not to aerate the beer and so the sugar solution is dissolved evenly in the beer. At this point you can siphon it (or if your second vessel has a spigot, you can pour it out of the spigot) into bottles or into a keg. Let it condition at room temp for 4 weeks as normal.

[Brewbirds]

PRIMING for the Bottle??

What about using sugar in each bottle, or adding sugar to the entire batch in the brew demon and bottle from the fermenter??

If you haven't bottled anything yet I would advise that you familiarize yourself with a priming calculator like the one on Screwy Brewers website. That will tell you how much to use depending on temps, bottle size etc.

If you are not carbonating to a specific style you may like using a 2.3 gram mini sugar cube for each 12 ounce bottle. It is quick and easy and gives a decent carbonation that is not fizzy.

[Wings_Fan_In_KC]

PRIMING for the Bottle??

What about using sugar in each bottle, or adding sugar to the entire batch in the brew demon and bottle from the fermenter??

Yeah, don't do this unless you want 50% trub in all of your bottles and aerated beer that tastes like cardboard.

[mashani]

PRIMING for the Bottle??

What about using sugar in each bottle, or adding sugar to the entire batch in the brew demon and bottle from the fermenter??

If you haven't bottled anything yet I would advise that you familiarize yourself with a priming calculator like the one on Screwy Brewers website. That will tell you how much to use depending on temps, bottle size etc.

If you are not carbonating to a specific style you may like using a 2.3 gram mini sugar cube for each 12 ounce bottle. It is quick and easy and gives a decent carbonation that is not fizzy.

To help folks, that is the kind of Dominos Dot sugar cube that comes in packs of 198 per pound.

There are other dots which are ~4 grams, less per box. Those are good for 740ML bottles if you want a lower carb level then 2 of the 2.3 gram dots.

[Wings_Fan_In_KC]

Mashani, the ones I've used are C&W brand and they are ~ 4g like you said.

Only downside is you have to cut them to get them to fit down the neck of a swing top.

Maybe I should find the smaller ones!

[mashani]

The Dominos Dots seem to be regional, but you can buy them on Amazon or online grocery places. But be sure to get the 198/box type, because the 4g ones are also labeled "Dominos Dots". Just to cause confusion.

[Brewbirds]

The Dominos Dots seem to be regional, but you can buy them on Amazon or online grocery places. But be sure to get the 198/box type, because the 4g ones are also labeled "Dominos Dots". Just to cause confusion.

C&W does not make the 2.3 gram ones the brand I use is Imperial Sugar. Don't know if Dixie makes them.

If your regular grocery store sells C&W you might try a different chain.