Today's blog topic... Fermentation of alcoholic beverages!
First a quick definition. Fermentation is the natural process by which yeast enzymes convert sugar into CO2 and ethyl alcohol (the drinkable stuff). It is the process by which beer, hard cider and wine are made from basic ingredients like malted barley, apples or grapes respectively.
An Internet search on fermentation, wine making or beer making will turn up thousands of results, so many in fact that the beginner will be overwhelmed (I know I was when I started out). This blog certainly won't cover EVERY aspect, but I hope it answers some basic questions and perhaps pique your interest enough to get you to try making some of your own homebrew!
The BASIC steps of fermentation;
1. The fruit/grain must be ground or mashed to a pulpy puree (barley ground, grapes stomped, apples run through a cider press, etc...)
2. Often, additional sugar and liquid (water) must be added to the fruit pulp.
3. Yeast must be cultured (encouraged to start growing) then added to the pulpy mixture.
4. As the yeast begins to react with the sugar in the mixture, it begins to bubble and foam, giving off carbon dioxide (CO2) and producing alcohol.
5. The fermentation is allowed to progress until a certain alcohol percentage is reached, or a certain amount of time has passed. This depends on the "recipe" you are following or the results you are after.
6. The mixture is then siphoned to a new container to get a relatively clear, mildly alcoholic beverage. (This is called "racking off")
7. A second ferment is begun at this point (usually by adding more sugar) and allowed to continue for several more days. Sometimes this second ferment takes place inside the bottle, creating the "carbonation" of beer or sparkling cider and wine.
8. The fermented mixture may be bottled, casked or kegged. It may be ready to drink immediately, or it may be allowed to "age". Again, these specifics depend on what end result you're after.
Now, I know that is overly simplistic. But truthfully with a small investment in equipment you can be on the way to making great wine, cider and beer!
Here is a GREAT beer recipe a friend of mine developed. I have made it many times and the results are always good. It makes a medium body ale, similar to Bass.
Equipment Needed for brewing/fermenting:
A large (preferably stainless steel) pot that will hold at least 4 gal and has a lid
Long stainless steel spoon
Digital probe thermometer
A 7-gallon fermenter with an airlock attached (buy at a specialty supplier)
A Colander & Metal mesh strainer that will fit in the top of your fermenter
Cheesecloth
Ingredient List part 1, The easy stuff:
4 gallons plus 1 pint spring water (NOT distilled water, NOT tap water)
1 (7 lb) bag of ice (Don't use ice cubes made from your tap water. BUY pure ice)
Ingredient List part 2, The stuff you'll need to buy from a specialty supplier:
1/2 lb milled grain
7 lb light liquid malt extract
1 oz Cascade hops
1-3/4 oz Kent Goldings hops
1/2 tsp Irish moss
1 vial British Ale yeast
Two VERY important things before you begin;
1. The hops, yeast, and Irish moss need to be kept refrigerated until you are ready to use them.
2. Sterilize EVERYTHING that will touch the beer at any stage of the process. This includes the pot, metal spoon, probe of the probe thermometer, colander, strainer, and the fermenter. The easiest method is to put 2 ounces of non-scented household bleach and 3 to 4 gallons of water into the fermenter. Place other smaller items in the solution to soak. The items that are too large to fit into the fermenter can be sterilized by pouring the bleach solution over them then thoroughly rinsing everything in HOT water.
Brewing Directions:
1. Place 2 gal of the spring water as well as the 1/2 lb of milled grain in the pot over medium high heat.
2. Place the probe thermometer into the pot. Once the liquid reaches 155 degrees set a timer for 30 minutes, allow the mixture to continue cooking.
3. Meanwhile, soak the container of malt extract in warm water to make it easier to remove from the container.
4. After the grain mixture has cooked 30 minutes add 1 more gal of the spring water and the liquid malt extract to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly so the extract doesn't burn on the bottom before it can dissolve.
5. The mixture will foam up wildly. This is NORMAL! When it does, turn the heat off and let it settle then turn the heat back on and bring it back to a boil.
6. Let it foam again and turn the heat off again. Let it settle and turn the heat back on and add the Cascade hops and 3/4-ounce of the Kent goldings hops. Boil for 10 minutes.
7. Add the Irish moss and boil for 5 more minutes.
8. Add the remaining 1 oz of Kent Goldings hops. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, put the last gallon & 1 pint of spring water as well as the ice into the fermenter. Place the colander and mesh strainer over the top of the fermenter. Line with the cheesecloth.
10. After the cooked mixture has set for 5 minutes, pour it through the colander/strainer/cheesecloth into the fementer. Take it SLOW! It may take a while to filter everything into the fermenter.
11. The filtered mixture in the fermenter is called the "Mash". Once the mash is cooled to 80 degrees F, it is safe to add the yeast. CHECK USING YOUR THERMOMETER! If the mash is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Dead yeast = No beer
12. Shake the preparred vial of yeast until the liquid is well mixed and then add to the fermenter.
13. Cover the fermenter with the lid and put the airlock in place.
14. Put into cool dark place to ferment for 7 to 10 days (until the airlock stops bubbling). You are now ready to bottle!
Equipment & Ingredients needed for Bottling:
3/4 cup sugar
1 pint spring water
Small Saucepan
A second 7-gallon fermenter with a spigot attached.
6 feet of plastic tubing that will fit the spigot (buy at a specialty supplier)
Bottling tube (buy at a specialty supplier)
Approx 16-20 Bottles (I use the 20-ounce Grolsh-style bottles with the built-in wire bale and ceramic lids that seal)
Bottling Directions:
NOTE: Once again, sterile equipment (including bottles) is a MUST. The easiest way to clean bottles is in an automatic dishwasher. Otherwise use a bleach solution and a bottle brush, but make sure to rinse clean or bleach residue will kill the yeast.
1. Using the tubing, siphon the beer from the first fermenter to the second one. Try to get as much of the liquid as possible, but leave behind the sludge on the bottom of the fermenter. This is spent yeast, and makes fantastic garden compost, if you're into that kind of thing.
2. Boil the sugar with a pint of water for 5 minutes then add to the fermenter and stir.
3. Bottle the beer promptly using the bottling wand.
4. Cap your bottles and place into a cool dark place for a second ferment. NOTE: store these fermenting bottles in a place where cleanup is easy, in case the yeast causes a bottle to burst (which CAN happen!)
5. After 7 days, quickly chill one bottle to drinking temp (45 deg F or so), then open it for a test. Should be moderately carbonated and VERY tasty! If carbonation is weak, allow 2-3 more days of fermentation then check again. When carbonation is where you want it, immediately chill all the bottles. This will slow down (but not stop) the fermentation. Remember, the longer the ferment, the more pressure will build in the bottles, perhaps causing them to burst!
6. When the finished beer is chilled, open and enjoy... Responsibly of course
NOTE: There will be a bit of "sludge" on the bottom of the bottle. Again, this is spent yeast. It won't hurt you to drink it, but it's not the tastiest thing in the world!
Happy brewing!
K
First a quick definition. Fermentation is the natural process by which yeast enzymes convert sugar into CO2 and ethyl alcohol (the drinkable stuff). It is the process by which beer, hard cider and wine are made from basic ingredients like malted barley, apples or grapes respectively.
An Internet search on fermentation, wine making or beer making will turn up thousands of results, so many in fact that the beginner will be overwhelmed (I know I was when I started out). This blog certainly won't cover EVERY aspect, but I hope it answers some basic questions and perhaps pique your interest enough to get you to try making some of your own homebrew!
The BASIC steps of fermentation;
1. The fruit/grain must be ground or mashed to a pulpy puree (barley ground, grapes stomped, apples run through a cider press, etc...)
2. Often, additional sugar and liquid (water) must be added to the fruit pulp.
3. Yeast must be cultured (encouraged to start growing) then added to the pulpy mixture.
4. As the yeast begins to react with the sugar in the mixture, it begins to bubble and foam, giving off carbon dioxide (CO2) and producing alcohol.
5. The fermentation is allowed to progress until a certain alcohol percentage is reached, or a certain amount of time has passed. This depends on the "recipe" you are following or the results you are after.
6. The mixture is then siphoned to a new container to get a relatively clear, mildly alcoholic beverage. (This is called "racking off")
7. A second ferment is begun at this point (usually by adding more sugar) and allowed to continue for several more days. Sometimes this second ferment takes place inside the bottle, creating the "carbonation" of beer or sparkling cider and wine.
8. The fermented mixture may be bottled, casked or kegged. It may be ready to drink immediately, or it may be allowed to "age". Again, these specifics depend on what end result you're after.
Now, I know that is overly simplistic. But truthfully with a small investment in equipment you can be on the way to making great wine, cider and beer!
Here is a GREAT beer recipe a friend of mine developed. I have made it many times and the results are always good. It makes a medium body ale, similar to Bass.
Equipment Needed for brewing/fermenting:
A large (preferably stainless steel) pot that will hold at least 4 gal and has a lid
Long stainless steel spoon
Digital probe thermometer
A 7-gallon fermenter with an airlock attached (buy at a specialty supplier)
A Colander & Metal mesh strainer that will fit in the top of your fermenter
Cheesecloth
Ingredient List part 1, The easy stuff:
4 gallons plus 1 pint spring water (NOT distilled water, NOT tap water)
1 (7 lb) bag of ice (Don't use ice cubes made from your tap water. BUY pure ice)
Ingredient List part 2, The stuff you'll need to buy from a specialty supplier:
1/2 lb milled grain
7 lb light liquid malt extract
1 oz Cascade hops
1-3/4 oz Kent Goldings hops
1/2 tsp Irish moss
1 vial British Ale yeast
Two VERY important things before you begin;
1. The hops, yeast, and Irish moss need to be kept refrigerated until you are ready to use them.
2. Sterilize EVERYTHING that will touch the beer at any stage of the process. This includes the pot, metal spoon, probe of the probe thermometer, colander, strainer, and the fermenter. The easiest method is to put 2 ounces of non-scented household bleach and 3 to 4 gallons of water into the fermenter. Place other smaller items in the solution to soak. The items that are too large to fit into the fermenter can be sterilized by pouring the bleach solution over them then thoroughly rinsing everything in HOT water.
Brewing Directions:
1. Place 2 gal of the spring water as well as the 1/2 lb of milled grain in the pot over medium high heat.
2. Place the probe thermometer into the pot. Once the liquid reaches 155 degrees set a timer for 30 minutes, allow the mixture to continue cooking.
3. Meanwhile, soak the container of malt extract in warm water to make it easier to remove from the container.
4. After the grain mixture has cooked 30 minutes add 1 more gal of the spring water and the liquid malt extract to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly so the extract doesn't burn on the bottom before it can dissolve.
5. The mixture will foam up wildly. This is NORMAL! When it does, turn the heat off and let it settle then turn the heat back on and bring it back to a boil.
6. Let it foam again and turn the heat off again. Let it settle and turn the heat back on and add the Cascade hops and 3/4-ounce of the Kent goldings hops. Boil for 10 minutes.
7. Add the Irish moss and boil for 5 more minutes.
8. Add the remaining 1 oz of Kent Goldings hops. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, put the last gallon & 1 pint of spring water as well as the ice into the fermenter. Place the colander and mesh strainer over the top of the fermenter. Line with the cheesecloth.
10. After the cooked mixture has set for 5 minutes, pour it through the colander/strainer/cheesecloth into the fementer. Take it SLOW! It may take a while to filter everything into the fermenter.
11. The filtered mixture in the fermenter is called the "Mash". Once the mash is cooled to 80 degrees F, it is safe to add the yeast. CHECK USING YOUR THERMOMETER! If the mash is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Dead yeast = No beer
12. Shake the preparred vial of yeast until the liquid is well mixed and then add to the fermenter.
13. Cover the fermenter with the lid and put the airlock in place.
14. Put into cool dark place to ferment for 7 to 10 days (until the airlock stops bubbling). You are now ready to bottle!
Equipment & Ingredients needed for Bottling:
3/4 cup sugar
1 pint spring water
Small Saucepan
A second 7-gallon fermenter with a spigot attached.
6 feet of plastic tubing that will fit the spigot (buy at a specialty supplier)
Bottling tube (buy at a specialty supplier)
Approx 16-20 Bottles (I use the 20-ounce Grolsh-style bottles with the built-in wire bale and ceramic lids that seal)
Bottling Directions:
NOTE: Once again, sterile equipment (including bottles) is a MUST. The easiest way to clean bottles is in an automatic dishwasher. Otherwise use a bleach solution and a bottle brush, but make sure to rinse clean or bleach residue will kill the yeast.
1. Using the tubing, siphon the beer from the first fermenter to the second one. Try to get as much of the liquid as possible, but leave behind the sludge on the bottom of the fermenter. This is spent yeast, and makes fantastic garden compost, if you're into that kind of thing.
2. Boil the sugar with a pint of water for 5 minutes then add to the fermenter and stir.
3. Bottle the beer promptly using the bottling wand.
4. Cap your bottles and place into a cool dark place for a second ferment. NOTE: store these fermenting bottles in a place where cleanup is easy, in case the yeast causes a bottle to burst (which CAN happen!)
5. After 7 days, quickly chill one bottle to drinking temp (45 deg F or so), then open it for a test. Should be moderately carbonated and VERY tasty! If carbonation is weak, allow 2-3 more days of fermentation then check again. When carbonation is where you want it, immediately chill all the bottles. This will slow down (but not stop) the fermentation. Remember, the longer the ferment, the more pressure will build in the bottles, perhaps causing them to burst!
6. When the finished beer is chilled, open and enjoy... Responsibly of course
NOTE: There will be a bit of "sludge" on the bottom of the bottle. Again, this is spent yeast. It won't hurt you to drink it, but it's not the tastiest thing in the world!
Happy brewing!
K
VIEW 10 of 10 COMMENTS
viking:
my brother makes his own beer. it doesnt taste good tho. too hoppy.
kraven:
Thanks again and again for the kind words and support you gave my new set 2009.... I am glad you liked it.... How was your Christmas? Any crazy plans for new years?? Ok well if I dont talk or hear from you before then.... HAVE A WONDERFUL NEW YEARS!! AND BE SAFE!!