Home Brewing Ale
February 25, 2011 by
Filed under Home Brewing Instructions
Home Brewing Ingredients and Why They are so Important
Author: S. Michael Windsor
Home Brewing Ingredients and Why They Are So Important
Home brewing beer can be quite a fun and educational process. Although there are many different ways a home brewer can make his or her home brewed beer, there are some essential ingredients which must be included at all times when homebrewing. These main homebrew ingredients are malt, hops, yeast, sugars, and water.
The first most basic homebrewing ingredient is malt. The most commonly used is barley malt. There are also other types of things such as corn and rice which can be added to the home brewed beer, but these are considered as adjuncts. Barley malt comes in two different types, 2-row malt and 6-row malt where 2-row malt has larger grains and less husk.
The whole malting process begins by simply steeping the grains until they are in germination mode, then they are quickly dried. What happens is the enzymes which convert the starches to sugars are a??frozena? in their tracks until the steeping, or mash, begins during the home brewing process.
The next ingredient is hops. Hops add the flavors, aromas and bitterness often found in beers for over 1,000 years. They act as a balancing factor in home brewing with their special oils which are released during the brewing process. Hops consist of many different levels of acidity and can be purchased in pellet, leaf, or whole hop forms.
The next home brewing ingredient is yeast. There are two types of yeasts for home brewing. The two types of home brewing yeast are ale and lager yeasts. The main differences between the two yeasts are through the characteristics they provide to the end home brewed product. Ale yeasts offer a much more a??florala? aroma and such and are much easier to handle during fermentation for many new and experienced brewers. Ale yeast is a top fermenting yeast, which means it ferments and foams at the top and then settles to the bottom. Ale yeast can also ferment and much higher temperatures that lager yeasts.
Lager yeasts actually require much lower temperatures for fermentation and are referred to as a??bottom-fermentinga? yeasts. It is the lower temperatures during fermentation which keep the yeasts from providing similar characteristics such as a floral aroma like that of ales.
Most yeasts are manufactured commercially and can be purchased in liquid or dry form for home brewers.
Water, of course, is one of the most essential ingredients and it can also alter the outcome of your end home brew product. Waters come in many a??stylesa?. For example, water in London could be much more a??minerallya?, or hard, that that of water from Los Angeles, California. These characteristics are actually considered in the official styles of beers. In order to keep in line with the official style of the beer, many additions will have to be made in order to emulate the hardness or softness of the water where the original style came from.
Sugars are another thing which many home brewers may use during the home brewing process, especially for such beers as Belgian Strong ales and such. These sugars are added in order to affect the taste and alcohol levels of the home brewed beer, giving the yeast much more sugar to ferment. In addition, priming sugars are often used for the bottling process in order to add carbonation in the bottle.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
Some help home brewing pale ale?
My gf got me a home brew kit for xmas. It includes basic pale ale. Any tips would be greatly appreciated as this is my first time and I have no experience.-
ANSWER:
Try the various websites, like mrgoodbeer.com or homebrewtalk.com for tips and tricks for new home brewers. The manufacturer's websites such as those for The Brew Machine and Mr. Beer may have helpful tips, too.There may be a home brewers association in your area as well. Your local cooperative extension service or county land agent may know, also--most large communities in the US and larger universities have this free service that area farmers and 4-H members use for help with agricultural, animal raising, home canning, food preservation problems, etc. They have free pamphlets and leaflets for county dwellers. Look in your phone book. They are a free government service sponsored by the county government in your area.
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QUESTION:
English brown ale home brewing question about grains?
I purchased some chocolate and caramel grains and i am not completely sure when i should add them during the brewing process.-
ANSWER:
The mash.Just add them with the entire grain bill to the mash liquor at strike temperature.
The mash liquor is just the mash water. It is sometimes treated with salts or acids to make it appropriate to the style of beer being brewed.
Strike temperature is the temperature of the mash liquor at the time of grist addition. The temperature is generally higher than the desired mash temp. as some temp. is lost from the grain addition.
If you purchase your grain from a local homebrew supplier they can and should answer all such questions for you.
Enjoy your brewing.
Oh Nick, one last thing. You did not specify if you are brewing an all grain or modified-mash/extract beer. In the case of the extract brew you want to steep the grains in the boil water. Do this in a muslin bag or similar container as to make them easily removed. Steep them at a temperature well below a boil, say about 150-170F. Sttep for as long as recipe clls for then simply remove and add extract.
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QUESTION:
I want to start brewing ale at home?
I love my real ale so I want to have a crack at brewing some ale at home (real stuff, not just add water).What do I need and how much will it cost me to do it?
Cheers guys
Cheers
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ANSWER:
Great choice. As far as cost, it can vary greatly. I'm still using extract (adding water and boiling with hops, with some malted grains added), but eventually plan on switching to all grain brewing myself. I've been getting good quality beers this way, so that's part of why I haven't ended up switching yet. If you're using good quality extract, there's a lot of great recipes you can make.My kit so far has been fairly cheap, but I was able to collect pieces here and there while getting some stuff used.
You should check out www.howtobrew.com for directions on brewing, and the equipment you will need. It is a great resource that I find myself visiting every time I brew. I'd say it's a must read if you're new to brewing.
For simple extract brewing you will need a brew pot, and a way to boil it, as well as a fermenter (plastic bucket), airlock, siphon hoses, racking cane, hydrometer, and a capper. my setup cost me less than Canadian to start, but I was able to get a used capper at a thrift store. You may want to add a bottling bucket, and glass carboys at some point.
For "all grain" brewing, you will need to add a mash/lauter tun (a big cooler, modified with some copper tubing). Also, your brewpot will need to be bigger, as you will have a lot more wort to boil down. An outdoor propane burner would be recommended.
www.beerrecipes.org is a good site for recipes. I'll often visit their site, have a good look at the recipes for a "style" of beer, and make something on my own.
Brewsta is a good program for when you're getting set up with your own recipes. http://sourceforge.net/projects/brewsta/
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QUESTION:
Can anyone recommend a brand of American Cream Ale malt extract for home-brewing?-
ANSWER:
To make an American Cream Ale, all you need is good light dry malt extract (LDME) or a light liquid malt extract. A cream ale is pretty much made just like an American Lager, but fermented with ale yeasts. Hopping is kept pretty light as well. To make it a CREAM ale, they are usually cold lagered after primary fermentation to clean up the flavor a bit, and sometimes lager yeasts are added at this point.As for extract ingredient kits, try the below links.
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How To Brew Your Own Cider
February 16, 2011 by
Filed under Home Brewing Instructions
How To Make Casseroles
Author: Ferdinand Dominic
There are various ways of cooking Casseroles. Each culture has their own unique way of making casseroles. Actually, a casserole is a French term meaning saucepan. It is basically a large pot which can be used for cooking and serving. Also, the food cooked and served in the same dish is known as a casserole. Normally casseroles are wholly prepared meals and are quite filling.
What is casserole made of?
There are many types of casseroles made in the United States. They include vegetarian, meat and also sea food casseroles. Also it can be a mixture of these three ingredients. Casseroles are usually made by utilizing condensed soups. Common among them is the cream of mushroom soup. Other condensed soups like cream of checken, cream of celery and cream of onion soup are also utilized depending on the ingredients and personal taste of people.
Casseroles are a staple food at potlucks. It is also called Hotdish in some parts of the US. Notable in large gatherings, Casseroles are usually made in big quantities with an assortment of many ingredients such as meat, vegetables, condensed soup, spices and cheese. Chicken is commonly the meat used, followed closely by hamburger meat and turkey. In casserole recipes, pork sausages are also used.
What does a casserole look like?
Cassroles are usually like thick soups. Lots of ingredients are layered in a casserole dish. The liquid used in the recipe usually is the cream of mushroom soup or othertypes of condensed soup. Some people also prefer using chicken broth, milk, vine, alcohol, cider or vegetable juices in a casserole to give it a desired consistency.
One-dish casseroles
As aforementioned, casseroles have many ingredients which include meat, vegetables and spices. Nevertheless, in order to make more filing, people also mix rice, noodles or pasta and bread in them. This becomes like a whole meal where there is no need of any form of salads or bread or other accompaniments with the casserole.
Where are casseroles prepared?
Casserole is prepared in Europe, America, Canada, and Sweden and also in Asia. They are famous in many various names depending on the country or culture.
Ways of preparation
Taking a long time to cook, casserole is baked in slow heat. Meat casserole requires about one to one and half hour to cook. But a vegetable or seafood casserole may take about 30 minutes. Nowadays people used canned vegetables, meat and seafood which do not take long to cook.
Casseroles are widely prepared all over the world. They are great meals packed with nutrition. They also are quite filling. With so many variations of casseroles introduced, they have become a hot favorite among children who would generally not eat vegetables and meat.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/how-to-make-casseroles-851421.html
About the Author
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Frequently Asked Questions
- QUESTION:
How hard is it to brew your own beer or cider?
I've been looking into brewing my own beer and cider at home, but I've heard different things from different people.Lots of people say that its a waste of money because alot of the stuff you brew doesn't work out, and that it either tastes crap or explodes in your garage.
Where as some people have said that its great, you save hundreds of dollars and it a tastes just as good as it would from the pub.
How hard is it and what are some things I should consider?
- ANSWER:
no its not hard at all. just time consuming. you can buy a beer brewing kit online with the ingredients to make a batch for around 0. I brew beer in my home. it tastes 10 times better then the stuff you buy in the store. its so much fresher. my first batch didnt come out that great but was still drinkable. the most important thing when it comes to brewing beer is patience. it could take as long as 3 months to brew, maybe longer, depending on the style of beer your brewing. bottling the beer takes a couple hours as well, if your wanted your beer bottled. and yes it does save you money. give it a try, it is fun brewing your own beer! cheers!
- ANSWER:
- QUESTION:
How difficult is it to make alcoholic cider at home? Is the process basically the same as making beer?
I don't drink a lot of beer, but I do enjoy good cider (Woodchuck, Strongbow, etc.). I've seen those "brew your own beer" kits at various places, and thought about giving it a go, but I would be significantly more interested in brewing my own apple cider, blueberry cider, etc.Has anyone ever done this, and how hard is it to do? Is it expensive?
- ANSWER:
As previously mentioned, it is actually easier than brewing beer at home. It's ALMOST as easy as "throw some yeast in a bottle of apple juice and let 'er rip!"...almost.Here's another good recipe:
http://www.livefromarlington.com/article.php?story=20040926163332887I've had good luck using the organic, unfiltered juice in the glass gallon jugs and a half packet of wine yeast. Above all else, cleanliness it the most important thing to maintain. Good ingredients is second thing, but without proper cleanliness and sanitizing of your equipment, even the best ingredients can be ruined.
If you start with the one gallon method, it's not expensive at all.
A gallon of apple juice in the glass jug, maybe as much as .00 (usually less). A packet of dry wine yeast (I usually use a red wine yeast) is around .00 and you only need half or less (one is good for up to 5 gallons). An airlock is a good idea for keeping track of the progress and for keeping contaminants out. A rubber stopper with a hole in it and some plastic tubing running into a jar of water works well and costs under .00 Some people will tell you to put a balloon on top of the bottle and poke one or two holes in it to relieve pressure...this will work in a pinch, but it's very prone falling off and allowing contamination. You will also need some form of sanitizing solution (since that's the most important part) for your airlock and the secondary container. You will also need some extra tubing to be able to siphon the clearing cider from the first container as the fermentation slows down. So maybe for the sanitizer (I personally swear by Iodophor) and another or 3 for the extra tubing.
So, you're in it for under for your first batch. Then, you only need the apple juice for the next one, so the second batch is just the cost of the juice or less.Google "home brewing stores" in your local area where you can pick up all the bits that you need...yeast, stoppers, tubing, etc. After you do a couple batches, you'll get an idea if you want to go bigger or expand to beers, wines, meads, etc. Again, your local homebrew store will be handy for the next step.
- ANSWER:
- QUESTION:
risks of home brewing?
i was wondering how risky it is to brew your own beer/hard cider, or other alcohol in terms of making you sick. I want to try home brewing, but i'm curious how much the alcohol content would be. i read somewhere that some dude made some hard cider in his dorm, and it was like a water bottle and a half, but he got totally smashed, as if it were hard liquor, but doesn't it take distilling to make hard alcohol??anyways, what are the chances of getting severely sick? and also how much alcohol is in the home brewed beer or cider?
- ANSWER:
The risks in home brewing are quite minimal, if you follow the instructions and keep all your equipment sterilised you will be fine, the worst that can happen is that you let in some bacteria which will make your beer/cider taste foul which would cause you a stomach upset and that's all.The alcohol content depends on how much sugar and the type of yeast you use, but again if you use the yeast that's recommended, even if you are too generous with the sugar content, once the alcohol level reaches around 12% abv (the average strength of wine) the alcohol will kill the yeast so it can't get any stronger.
- ANSWER:
- QUESTION:
Cider?????Help????????
Hey i need to know everything about how to brew cider and how to make your own!! and every getail you may have!!!! What reaction takes place as it brews? what apples are best to use?? can you use cooking apples? and anything you may know about the subject many thanks...- ANSWER:
A Yahoo search for "cider making" (include the quotation marks in the search box) yields 136,000 results. If you do the same search, and are willing to spend a little time exploring, I'm sure that you will quickly find the information you seek.Good luck with your search.
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The Ultimate DIY Home Brewing Guide|Home Brewing Instructions
November 28, 2010 by
Filed under Home brewing Guide, Home Brewing Instructions
Finally, A Home Brewing Guide That can show you "Step-By-Step" How simple Brewing your own beer can be. Imagine brewing beer that is better than most commercial brands and for less than half the costs.
Picture throwing a party of family and friends, You hand them one of your ice cold home made brews. There Jaws Will Drop! They will be jealous and envy your amazing Homebrewing skills.
Best of all, You have lowered the cost of any party or get together. Beer is easily one of the largest expenses. Brewing Your own beer at half the cost!
What you will learn:
Exactly what you need to know to start from the first to the final step to becoming an expert at making crisp, hearty and delicious home brewed beer!
The secrets to making amazing beer that most beer brewers would rather hide from the public - stop being put in the dark!
Discover where to go to get all of the necessary Home Brewing Equipment needed to brew unforgettable tasting beer!
After going through and purchasing all the other junk guides out there for beer brewing (Don't lose any more money buying guide after guide, I am guilty of this), Fact is most of theses guides are filled with nothing more than fluff and only one or two Home brewing tips between the lines of crap.
More importantly, The majority of these "guides" really just show you where you can buy the expensive kits.
How do you get your hands on this #1 and only exclusive home brewing guide?
Here's the deal...
I was having lunch with a homebrewing buddy of mine and he went on and on raving on about the brewing techniques in an easy to follow Brew Beer Bible guide which is FINALLY available to the general public. Now the average Joe and make a great beer.
You get INSTANT ACCESS to this exclusive Brew Beer Bible guide online. PLUS you can have access to the download page 24/7.
For making beer at home (some of these guides & kits can cost well over $100-200 dollars!), this does NOT save you money! The guide and methods inside Brew Beer Bible are 100% made to save you money while at the same time allowing you to brew some of the best beer you've ever made!
Just imagine if YOU could have a guide at your fingertips to show you how to brew bar and Irish pub quality beer at anytime you feel like it..
