How easy is it to make beer at home?

While there are many different types of ingredients and equipment on the market, getting started is actually really easy. What’s more, you will discover that the beer you brew can be of great quality.

Here is what you need and how to brew your own beer at home. The process will vary depending on the type of beer you are using as well as the kit itself but in general it’s easy. It takes 1 to 3 weeks to make a batch of homebrew beer and during that time you will spend a few hours on the brew.

This is how you make beer from a beer kit in a can/packet

Once you have your home brewing starter kit, you are ready to make your first batch of beer at home. You will be using a can or packet of liquid malt which makes brewing a breeze and perfect for first time brewers.

Day 1. Preparation

1. Clean and sterilise your fermentation bin, lid, and mixing paddle with the supplied steriliser ensuring you rinse thoroughly with clean water.
2. Remove the yeast sachet from the bottom of the pouch and set aside for now.
3. Stand the pouch in hot water for 15 minutes to soften the extract.
4. Note: Some kits only require one bucket. Use the fermentation bucket, the one with hole and tap. (Some kits require two buckets to separate the beer before bottling).
5. Carefully open the pouch and pour the malt extract into your sterilised fermentation bucket, rinse out any remains using warm water and add in.
6. Boil 3ltr of water, add to the fermenter and add 1kg of brewing sugar (Depending on kit used). Mix well until dissolved.
7. Top up to the 23 litre mark with cold tap water and stir well. Stir well to aerate.
8. Check that the temperature is below 25°C then add the contents of the beer yeast sachet and stir gently.
9. Fit an airlock to the fermentation  lid then secure the lid to the fermenter, making sure the seal is air-tight.One third fill the airlock ‘U’ with water to protect the beer during fermentation.

Day 1. Fermentation

1. Place the fermenter on a washable surface, it is possible for some foaming during the first few days of fermentation. Ensure it is kept at a constant warm temperature between 20-25°C for at least 8 days (see below for when to bottle your beer).
2. Good temperature control is important for beer quality and timely fermentation. Below 20°C, fermentation time will be much longer than 8 days, below 15°C, fermentation will stop altogether. Use a heating pad if below 20°C. Above 25°C the beer quality will be reduced (especially for lagers).
3. Do not remove the lid at any point during fermentation, otherwise you risk contaminating the beer.

Day 8-10. Before Bottling Your Beer

These kits use a complex malt extract that can take longer to ferment out. Leave at least 8 days to ferment or longer if below 20C. Ensure airlock is not bubbling and that S.G reading is stable for 48 hours.

1. After 8 days, using a clean and sterilised trial jar and hydrometer, draw off a small sample and take a hydrometer reading. Record the reading and discard the sample.
2. Re-check the reading on day 10, if the same reading (or higher) then proceed to bottling. If the reading is lower then leave to ferment for longer and re-check the reading every 2 days until you get the same reading. The reading must be stable before bottling.

IMPORTANT WARNING: The S.G must be stable for 48 hours before bottling.
Never bottle until fermentation is complete.

Day 10. Bottling Your Beer

Use only the beer bottles supplied, proper glass flip top, or crown cap beer bottles. Reject any glass bottles that have the slightest chips, cracks or imperfections.

1. Clean and sterilise the bottles, caps and bottling stick.
2. Attach the bottling stick to the bucket tap
3. Open the tap valve. The liquid will only pour when the bottling wand is pressed against the bottom of the bottles.
4. Fill your beer into the bottles leaving 5cm (2 inches) headspace in the bottle.
5. Add 1 carbonation drop per 500ml bottle and seal tightly.

Serving and Storage

1. Store your bottled beer in a warm place (25-28°C) for at least a week. During this time the carbonation drop will ferment creating CO2 which will carbonate your beer.
2. If you use plastic bottles, you will be able to feel them to see when carbonation is complete.
3. After a week, move the beer to a cool dark place and leave until clear.
4. Your beer is ready to drink as soon as it's clear, but for a smoother beer leave for an extra 2 weeks. 
5. Serve chilled and pour very slowly and carefully ‘in one go’ to avoid bottle sediment being transferred into your glass.

Enjoy

Sit back, relax, and enjoy your very own brewed beer! 

Homebrew improves greatly with bottle ageing and will not go off in the bottle at all. Don’t judge the quality of a beer until it’s been in the bottle for at least 6-8 weeks. A six month old beer will be very much better than a one month old beer. So, try to age your beers, you will enjoy them much more.

Don't forget to label and date each batch. Keep samples to try at 3, 6 and 12 months old. Keep records of each brew, including what went into the batch and keep a few tasting notes for reference.

Once you have your first brew complete, simply pick up a refill bundle and get your next brew underway.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact us on Facebook Messenger or at info@kraftykellys.com

Get started homebrewing today with an all-in-one homebrew starter kit.