Homebrewing Basics: Your First Batch

Introduction

Brewing beer at home is easier than you think. With basic equipment and ingredients, you can create craft-quality beer in your kitchen. This guide covers everything you need for your first successful batch.

Timeline Overview:

• Brew day: 3-4 hours
• Fermentation: 1-2 weeks
• Bottling day: 2 hours
• Carbonation: 2 weeks
• Total: 4-6 weeks from grain to glass

Why Homebrew?

• Save money: $0.50-1.50 per beer vs. $3-8 retail
• Creative control: Brew exactly what you like
• Quality: Fresh beer beats most store-bought
• Community: Join a vibrant, helpful community
• Understanding: Appreciate commercial beer more deeply
• Fun: Deeply satisfying and social hobby

Brewing Methods: Choose Your Path

Extract Brewing (Start Here!)

Pros:

• Easiest for beginners
• Shorter brew day (3 hours)
• Less equipment needed
• Consistent results

Cons:

• Less control over flavor
• Slightly higher cost per batch
• Limited style range

Best for: Your first 5-10 batches

Partial Mash

Combines extract with specialty grains.

Pros:

• More flavor control
• Still relatively easy
• Good stepping stone

Cons:

• Requires grain steeping
• Slightly longer brew day

Best for: After mastering extract

All-Grain Brewing

Full control - like commercial brewing.

Pros:

• Complete control
• Cheapest per batch
• Any style possible
• Most rewarding

Cons:

• More equipment
• Longer brew day (5-6 hours)
• Steeper learning curve

Best for: After 10+ extract batches

This guide focuses on extract brewing.

Essential Equipment

Starting Equipment (~$100-150)

Brewing:

• 5-gallon brew pot: Stainless steel (8+ quarts minimum)
• Long spoon: For stirring (stainless steel or heat-safe plastic)
• Thermometer: Instant-read or floating (0-220°F range)
• Sanitizer: Star San or Iodophor (most critical!)
• Fermenter: 6-gallon bucket or glass carboy with airlock
• Airlock & stopper: Allows CO2 out, nothing in
• Auto-siphon: For transferring beer
• Tubing: 3-5 feet of food-grade vinyl
• Hydrometer: Measures sugar/alcohol content
• Hydrometer jar: Tall cylinder for sampling

Bottling:

• Bottles: 48-50 bottles (12 oz) - save from store-bought
• Bottle caps: New caps for each batch
• Bottle capper: Hand capper (~$15)
• Bottling bucket: With spigot (or use fermenter)
• Bottle filler: Spring-tip makes bottling easy
• Bottle brush: For cleaning

Nice-to-Have Upgrades

• Wort chiller (cools beer faster)
• Glass carboy (better than plastic long-term)
• Refractometer (quicker than hydrometer)
• Kegging system (skip bottling!)
• pH meter
• Temperature control (fermentation chamber)

Ingredients: The Four Essentials

1. Water

Amount: 6-7 gallons for 5-gallon batch

Quality matters:

• Use filtered tap water if possible
• Chlorine/chloramine creates off-flavors
• Consider bottled spring water for first batch
• Advanced: Adjust mineral content for style

2. Malt Extract

The sugar source for fermentation. Comes in two forms:

Liquid Malt Extract (LME):

• Syrup consistency
• ~80% fermentable sugars
• Easier to mix, but heavier
• Typical: 6-8 lbs per 5-gallon batch

Dry Malt Extract (DME):

• Powder form
• ~95% fermentable sugars
• Longer shelf life
• More concentrated than LME

Types:

• Pale/Light: Base for most beers
• Wheat: For wheat beers, adds protein/body
• Munich: Adds malty, bready flavor
• Dark: For stouts, porters

Specialty Grains: Even extract brewers use specialty grains for color/flavor:

• Crystal/Caramel malts (sweetness, color)
• Roasted malts (coffee, chocolate)
• Chocolate malt
• Black patent malt

Steep like tea for 20-30 minutes at 150-160°F.

3. Hops

Provide bitterness, flavor, and aroma. Added at different times:

Bittering Hops:

• Added early (60-90 min boil)
• Provides bitterness to balance malt sweetness
• Alpha acid % determines bittering power

Flavor Hops:

• Added mid-boil (15-30 min remaining)
• Adds hop flavor

Aroma Hops:

• Added late (0-5 min remaining) or at flameout
• Contributes hop aroma, minimal bitterness

Dry Hops:

• Added to fermenter after primary fermentation
• Maximum aroma, zero bitterness

Forms:

• Whole leaf: Traditional, beautiful, harder to store
• Pellets: Convenient, efficient, most common
• Cryo hops: Super concentrated

Popular Varieties:

• Classic: Cascade, Centennial, Chinook
• Citrus: Citra, Amarillo, Mosaic
• Dank: Simcoe, Columbus
• Floral: Saaz, Hallertau, Tettnang
• Fruity: Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin

4. Yeast

Converts sugar to alcohol and CO2. Creates most beer flavor.

Ale Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae):

• Ferments 60-75°F
• Top-fermenting
• Faster (1-2 weeks)
• More flavor/esters
• Examples: US-05, S-04, WLP001

Lager Yeast (Saccharomyces pastorianus):

• Ferments 45-55°F
• Bottom-fermenting
• Slower (3-4 weeks)
• Cleaner, crisper
• Requires temperature control
• Examples: WLP830, S-23, W-34/70

Forms:

• Dry yeast: Easy, shelf-stable, no starter needed (start here!)
• Liquid yeast: More variety, requires starter for 5-gal batch

Popular Strains:

• American Ale (US-05): Clean, neutral, reliable
• English Ale (S-04): Slightly fruity
• Belgian Ale: Spicy, fruity esters
• Hefeweizen: Banana and clove
• Pilsner lager: Crisp, clean

Pitch rate matters: Use full packet for dry yeast. Under-pitching causes off-flavors.

The Brewing Process: Step-by-Step

Before Brew Day

1. Choose a recipe (see recipe section below) 2. Buy ingredients - homebrew shop or online 3. Gather equipment 4. Clean everything - then sanitize before use

Brew Day Timeline

Total time: 3-4 hours

Step 1: Sanitize (15 minutes)

Critical: Sanitize everything that touches beer post-boil.

1. Mix Star San per package directions (1 oz per 5 gal water)
2. Sanitize: fermenter, airlock, stopper, spoon, hydrometer, thermometer
3. Let air dry (Star San is no-rinse)

Step 2: Steep Specialty Grains (30 minutes) - If Using

1. Heat 2-3 gallons water to 160°F
2. Place crushed grains in grain bag
3. Steep like tea at 150-160°F for 20-30 min
4. Remove bag, let drain (don’t squeeze!)
5. This extracts color and flavor

Step 3: The Boil (60-90 minutes)

1. Bring water to boil (remove grain bag first)
2. Remove from heat before adding extract (prevents scorching)
3. Add malt extract, stir to dissolve completely
4. Return to boil - watch for boil-over!
5. Start timer when boiling resumes (usually 60 or 90 min)

Hop Schedule (example for IPA):

• 60 min: Bittering hops (1 oz)
• 15 min: Flavor hops (1 oz)
• 5 min: Aroma hops (1 oz)
• Flameout (0 min): More aroma hops if desired

During boil:

• Maintain rolling boil
• Watch for boil-overs (reduce heat if needed)
• Skim off foam/protein (optional)

Step 4: Cool the Wort (30-60 minutes)

Goal: Cool from 212°F to 65-70°F as quickly as possible.

Methods:

Ice bath (no equipment):

• Place pot in sink/tub with ice and water
• Stir wort gently to speed cooling
• Add ice as it melts
• 30-45 minutes

Immersion chiller (better):

• Coil of copper tubing
• Run cold water through
• Cools in 10-20 minutes
• Worth the investment (~$60)

Why cool quickly?

• Prevents infection
• Reduces DMS (creamed corn off-flavor)
• Clearer beer

Step 5: Transfer to Fermenter (15 minutes)

1. Sanitize fermenter, airlock, stopper, spoon
2. Pour cooled wort into fermenter (splashing is good - aerates)
3. Top up to 5 gallons with cold water
4. Take hydrometer reading (Original Gravity/OG)
   • Pour small sample into hydrometer jar
   • Float hydrometer, read at meniscus
   • Record number (e.g., 1.050)
   • This predicts final alcohol
5. Pitch yeast
   • If wort is 65-75°F for ale yeast
   • Sprinkle dry yeast directly on top
   • OR rehydrate first in warm water (better)
6. Seal with airlock
   • Fill airlock halfway with sanitizer or vodka
   • Insert in stopper/lid

Step 6: Fermentation (1-2 weeks)

Week 1:

• Active fermentation begins 12-24 hours
• Airlock bubbles vigorously
• Krausen (foam) forms on top
• Keep at 65-70°F for ale yeast
• Don’t open fermenter!

Week 2:

• Bubbling slows/stops
• Beer clarifies
• Yeast settles to bottom
• Take gravity reading to confirm done

Fermentation complete when:

• Gravity reading stable 2-3 days (Final Gravity/FG)
• Usually 1-2 weeks for ales
• Don’t rush - “When in doubt, wait it out”

Step 7: Bottling (2 hours)

1-2 days before bottling:

• Move fermenter to counter/table (avoid disturbing sediment)
• Lets yeast settle

Bottling day:

1. Sanitize everything: Bottles, caps, bottling bucket, tubing, filler, spoon
2. Make priming sugar solution:
   • Boil 5 oz corn sugar (dextrose) in 2 cups water
   • Cool to room temp
   • This carbonates the beer in bottles
3. Add priming sugar to bottling bucket
4. Siphon beer from fermenter to bottling bucket
   • Leave sediment behind
   • Gentle! Avoid splashing (oxidation)
5. Take Final Gravity reading
   • Calculate ABV: (OG - FG) × 131.25
   • Example: (1.050 - 1.010) × 131.25 = 5.25% ABV
6. Fill bottles
   • Leave 1 inch headspace
   • Use bottle filler for consistency
7. Cap immediately
8. Store upright in dark place at room temp
9. Wait 2 weeks for carbonation

Step 8: Enjoy! (2+ weeks later)

1. Chill beer overnight
2. Pour carefully to avoid sediment
3. Leave last inch in bottle (yeast sediment)
4. Taste and evaluate using tasting guide
5. Take notes for next batch
6. Share with friends (required!)

Your First Recipe: Simple Pale Ale

Perfect beginner beer - forgiving and delicious

Ingredients (5-gallon batch)

Fermentables:

• 6 lbs Light Liquid Malt Extract (LME)
• 1 lb Crystal 40L malt (specialty grain, crushed)

Hops:

• 1 oz Cascade hops (bittering, 60 min)
• 1 oz Cascade hops (flavor, 15 min)
• 1 oz Cascade hops (aroma, 5 min)

Yeast:

• 1 packet Safale US-05 (American Ale, dry)

Other:

• 5 oz corn sugar (priming for bottling)

Vital Statistics

• Original Gravity (OG): 1.048-1.052
• Final Gravity (FG): 1.010-1.014
• ABV: ~5%
• IBU: ~35
• Color: Gold to amber

Brew Day Instructions

1. Steep Crystal malt in 2.5 gal water at 150-160°F for 30 min
2. Remove grain bag, bring to boil
3. Remove from heat, add LME, stir well
4. Return to boil, start 60-min timer:
   • 60 min: Add 1 oz Cascade
   • 15 min: Add 1 oz Cascade
   • 5 min: Add 1 oz Cascade
5. Cool wort to 65-70°F
6. Transfer to fermenter, top to 5 gallons
7. Take OG reading
8. Pitch yeast when 65-70°F
9. Ferment 1-2 weeks at 65-68°F
10. Bottle with priming sugar
11. Condition 2 weeks
12. Enjoy!

Common Problems & Solutions

Problem: Airlock Not Bubbling

Causes:

• Loose lid/stopper (most common)
• Very vigorous fermentation (blew off)
• Fermentation already done

Solution:

• Check seal, reseat lid
• Look for krausen - if present, it’s working
• Take gravity reading after 1 week to confirm

Problem: Off-Flavors

Buttery/Butterscotch (Diacetyl):

• Cause: Fermentation too cold or rushed
• Solution: Warmer fermentation, wait longer

Cidery/Solvent:

• Cause: Too hot fermentation, infection
• Solution: Control temperature (65-70°F)

Sour/Vinegar:

• Cause: Infection (acetobacter)
• Solution: Better sanitation, avoid oxygen post-fermentation

Skunky:

• Cause: Light exposure
• Solution: Store in dark, use brown bottles

Metallic:

• Cause: Old ingredients, poor water
• Solution: Fresh ingredients, filter water

Cardboard/Stale:

• Cause: Oxidation
• Solution: Minimize splashing post-boil, drink fresh

Problem: Stuck Fermentation

Gravity stops too high.

Causes:

• Temperature too low
• Not enough yeast
• Not enough oxygen at pitching

Solutions:

• Warm to 70°F
• Rouse yeast (swirl gently)
• Wait - patience usually works

Problem: Exploding Bottles

Cause: Too much priming sugar OR bottled before fermentation complete

Prevention:

• Measure priming sugar exactly (5 oz for 5 gal)
• Confirm fermentation done before bottling
• Check FG is stable for 2-3 days

Problem: Flat Beer

Cause: Not enough priming sugar OR too cold storage

Solutions:

• Use correct amount sugar
• Store at 65-70°F for 2 weeks
• Wait longer (up to 4 weeks)

Homebrewing Tips for Success

Do:

• Sanitize obsessively - can’t overstate this
• Take notes - record everything
• Control temperature - fermentation temp is critical
• Be patient - rushing ruins beer
• Start simple - master extract before all-grain
• Join a club - local homebrewers are incredibly helpful

Don’t:

• Skip sanitizing - infection ruins months of work
• Open fermenter during fermentation (until gravity check)
• Bottle before fermentation completes - bottle bombs
• Worry about perfection - your first batch will be drinkable!
• Ferment too warm - off-flavors galore
• Give up - even flawed beer teaches you

Next Steps

After Your First Batch

1. Brew again immediately - repetition builds skill
2. Try different styles - IPA, Stout, Wheat beer
3. Experiment - add fruit, spices, oak
4. Join a club - competitions and feedback accelerate learning
5. Read more - “How to Brew” by John Palmer (free online)

Upgrade Path

After 5-10 batches, consider:

• Kegging system - skip bottling forever
• Temperature control - fermentation chamber
• Partial mash - more flavor control
• All-grain brewing - full control, lower cost

Recommended Resources

Books:

• “How to Brew” by John Palmer (essential, free online)
• “The Complete Joy of Homebrewing” by Charlie Papazian
• “Brewing Classic Styles” by Jamil Zainasheff

Websites:

• HomeBrewTalk.com (forums)
• Brewer’s Friend (calculators, recipes)
• AHA (American Homebrewers Association)

YouTube Channels:

• Homebrew Challenge
• Northern Brewer
• BrewDog

Podcasts:

• Experimental Brewing
• Brew Files
• The Brewing Network

Practice & Play

Ready to test your knowledge?

• Take our Brewing Process Quiz
• Play the Ingredient Matching Game
• Read Advanced Brewing Techniques
• Explore Understanding Hops