How to make craft beer at home
The truth is that the beer You may like or hate it, regardless of whether it is a black or blonde beer. Even if he has alcohol or not. The reason that it has so many followers and at the same time so many detractors can be found, perhaps, in its aroma and flavor. That bitter taste that can be scolded to those who try it for the first time, is the one that in turn makes so many like it.
If you are precisely a beer enthusiast, you probably know that it is a drink that has a certain history, and that its consumption is deeply rooted in our society for many centuries (especially since its elaboration spread). and it became very popular in many neighborhoods and streets).
What is beer?
Beer is an originally alcoholic drink that is made with water, barley, hops and yeast. We say that it is originally an alcoholic beverage because when it started to be made, it is only a drink with a certain degree. However, today we find different varieties both without alcohol and the current version 0.0 (which contains virtually no alcohol).
In fact, although there are beers that can reach around 30% of their volume in alcohol, the most common is that their alcohol content ranges between 3% and 9% approximately. For example, the majority of beers that we can usually find in the market have a graduation of 5.4 or 5.6% in many cases.
For its elaboration, the starch of the previously germinated barley grains are fermented with yeast in water. Then the hops are used to aromatize the liquid.
What ingredients are used in brewing?
Although you can use different and different ingredients in its preparation (for example, you can use a wide variety of cereals, and not just barley, and even be flavored with other plants instead of hops), basically they are the ones that are used traditional way:
- Water:It is the main ingredient. The flavor that the beer has will depend precisely on the water that has been used in its elaboration. The ideal? It is very important that the water is rich in chlorides, sulfates and calcium.
- Yeast:It is another fundamental ingredient, since it is essential for fermentable sugars to become carbon dioxide and alcohol.
- Barley:It is the ingredient that brings body to the beer as well as its particular color. For its use the barley is moistened, dried and later roasted in different degrees.
- Hop:It contributes its particular bitter taste, helping in turn to preserve the beer much better. In addition, it favors the activity of the malting yeast.
How to make beer at home by hand
Next we explain you how to make your own craft beer, at home and without many complications. Take note of the ingredients you need, and the necessary steps to follow. The ingredients that we indicate are to obtain 1 liter of beer. With this recipe we will learn how to make a beer ale.
Ingredients you need:
- 175 grams of barley
- 3 grams of hops
- 1 gram of yeast
- Half a tablespoon of refined white sugar
- 1.5 liters of water
What materials do you need:
- One pot (2 liters)
- A blender (to crush the barley malt)
- A roasting pan (to toast the barley)
- Funnel
- Spoon
- Kitchen thermometer
- 2 paper filters
- Sodium hypochlorite
- Glass bottles
Ale beer is a high fermentation beer that ferments at temperatures up to 24ºC. They are more aromatic, have more body and a greater flavor.
Elaboration of the craft beer step by step:
We must bear in mind that the process of brewing comprises a total of 5 stages, so that this drink is not processed quickly, but it will take about 1 and a half months.
Why? Very simple: it requires a time of preparation, a time of fermentation, a bottling, a process of carbonation, and to finish, a time of conditioning and maturation (although the latter is an optional step, it is recommended to improve its flavor).
Here we show you all the necessary steps:
- It is always recommended to clean and disinfect the equipment and utensils that we will use at each comment, for example using a solution of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) in water.
- First let's germinate the barley. To do this, put in a 1 liter of water the 175 grams of barley, leaving it to rest for 5 days. After this time pass it through a sieve and return to rest until it is dry.
- Now is the time to take the barley. To do this put the oven at low temperature, put the barley in the oven tray and toast the beans. Keep in mind that if you raise the temperature of the oven or leave the barley for longer the malt will be darker, which will determine the color of the beer. Of course, it is not recommended that the grain burn, because the effectiveness in the formation of alcohol will not be the same.
- Now let's get the malt extract. To do this put the barley malt in a blender and crush well. Then mix the malt extract in water. Put everything in a large saucepan and put it on the fire controlling the temperature with a thermometer so that it never exceeds 70 ºC. Of course, when the temperature-slowly-reaches 70 ° C leaves about 90 minutes. Then separate the solid part of the liquid by filtering.
- Heat 2 cups of water and when hot add 3 grams of hops. Then mix this mixture with the liquid obtained with the previous cooking (which is called must), and boil for 2 hours. It is important to add water until reaching the liter of water, since it is normal for the evaporation process to lose water.
- To the previous mixture add 1 gram of yeast and shake well in order that the yeast is mixed. Then leave the container at room temperature, covering it slightly but not sealing it (as in case of sealing it as a result of the accumulation of gas generated by the fermentation process could lead to dangerous explosions). Leave it at rest for 2 weeks.
- After the 2 weeks of fermentation it is time to bottle the drink. Of course, it is advisable that you first disinfect the bottles. Then add half a spoonful of refined white sugar to each bottle you are going to use. Pour the beer into the bottles with the help of a filter.
- Finally we must let the beer mature 2 more weeks, being able to reserve the drink in the refrigerator.
- After this time is all ready, you can enjoy it !.
