What You Get
1 Can of Coopers Mark Malt (UME)
2 Packets of DME Smooth
1 Packet Of Carapils Malt
1 Packet of Munich Malt
2 Packet of Black Malt
1 Packet of Mt. Hood Hops
3 Muslin Hop Sacks
1 Packet of Nottingham Ale Yeast
1 Packet of No-Rinse Cleanser
STEP 1: Sanitizing
Cleaning is one of the most important steps in brewing. It kills microscopic bacteria, wild yeast, and molds that may cause off-flavors in your beer. Make certain to clean all equipment that comes in contact with your beer by following the directions below:
1. Fill clean keg with warm water to line mark 1 on the back, then add ½ pack (about 1 tablespoon) of No-Rinse Cleanser and stir until dissolved. Once dissolved, the solution is ready to use. Save the remaining ½ of No-Rinse Cleanser because you will need it for bottling.
2. Screw-on the lid and swirl the keg so that the cleaning solution makes contact with the entire interior of the keg, including the underside of the lid. Note that the ventilation notches under the lid may leak the solution. Allow to sit for at least 2 minutes and swirl again.
3. To clean the spigot, open it fully and allow the liquid to flow for 5 seconds, and then close.
4. Pour the rest of the solution from the keg into a large bowl. Place your spoon/whisk, can opener, and measuring cup into the bowl to keep them cleaned throughout the brewing process. Leave them immersed for at least 2 minutes in a cleaning solution prior to use.
5. After all, surfaces have been thoroughly cleaned, do not rinse or dry the keg or utensils. Return lid to the top of the keg, proceed immediately to brewing.
STEP 2: Cold Steep Process
1. 24 hours before brewing, place all the grains into one of the muslin sacks and tie it closed so that the grains have room to flow freely within the sack. Place the grain sack into a sealable container, large enough to hold 1 quart of water. Add 1 quart of cold, purified water to your dish containing the grains and make sure they are submerged. Then, seal the container and place it in the fridge to cold steep for 24 hours.
STEP 3: BREWING
Brewing beer is the process of combining a starch source (in this case, a malt brewing extract) with yeast. Once combined, the yeast eats the sugars in the malt, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). This process is called fermentation.
1. In a 2 gallon or larger pot, add 8 cups of water. Begin heating the pot to a low rolling boil. As the water is heating, sprinkle in the packets of DME, a little at a time, stirring between each addition. Continue stirring constantly to keep the rising foam in check, as the mixture comes to a boil. If foam begins to rise, pull the pan off the heat and lower the temperature slightly, continuing to stir (about 5 to 20 minutes depending on your particular conditions), until you hit the hot break which is where the foam has subsided, and the solution is now boiling.
2. Once the solution is at a low rolling boil and foam has subsided, place half the packet of Mt. Hood hops into another hopsack. Add the hopsack to the boiling mixture. (This hop sack will boil for a total of 30 minutes) Stir the mixture occasionally to avoid scorching while maintaining the low, rolling boil.
3. Next, add the remainder of the Mt. Hood hops into the 3rd Set aside
4. After 20 minutes have passed from the addition of the first hop sack, add in the second sack of hops. This will continue to boil for 10 more minutes. (30-minute total, hop boil)
5. Next, 5 minutes after adding the second hop sack, add the liquid ONLY from the cold steeped malts and the can of dark UME, stirring continuously, for 5 more minutes. (discard the grains)
6. After 5 minutes, remove the pot from the heat. Both sacks of Mt. Hood hops will remain in, throughout the duration of fermentation.
7. Fill your fermenter with cold water to mark 1 on the back. If using any other fermenter this would be approximately 1 gallon of water.
8. Pour the wort, including the hop sacks into your fermenter, and then bring the volume of the fermenter to mark 2 by adding more cold water. (If you have a different fermenter top it off with cold water to the 8.5-liter mark).
9. Stir your wort mixture vigorously with your sanitized spoon or whisk.
10. Sprinkle the Nottingham yeast packet into the keg, and screw on the lid. Do not stir.
Put your fermenter in a location with a consistent temperature between 68° and 72° F (20°-25° C), and out of direct sunlight. Ferment for 21 days, total.
STEP 4: Bottling & Carbonating
After 21 days, taste a small sample to determine if the beer is fully fermented and ready to bottle. If it tastes like flat beer, it is ready. If it’s sweet, then it’s not ready. Let it ferment for 3 more days (24 total). At this point, it is time to bottle. Do not let it sit in the fermenter for longer than 24 days total.
1. When your beer is ready to bottle, fill a 1-gallon container with warm water, then add the remaining ½ pack of the No-Rinse Cleanser and stir until dissolved. Once dissolved, it is ready to use.
2. Distribute the cleaning solution equally among the bottles. Screw-on caps (or cover with a metal cap if using glass bottles) and shake bottles vigorously. Allow to sit 10 minutes, then shake the bottles again. Remove caps and empty all cleaning solution into a large bowl. Use this solution to clean any other equipment you may be used for bottling. Do not rinse.
3. Add 2 Carbonation Drops to each 740-mL bottle. For 1-liter bottles, add 2 ½ drops; for ½-liter bottles add 1 drop. Alternatively, you can add table sugar using this table as a guide.
4. Holding the bottle at an angle, fill each bottle to about 2 inches from the bottle’s top.
5. Place caps on bottles, hand tighten, and gently turn the bottle over to check the bottle’s seal. It is not necessary to shake them.
6. Store the bottles upright and out of direct sunlight in a location with a consistent temperature between 70°-76°F or 21°-24°C. Allow sitting for a minimum of 14 days. If the temperature is cooler than suggested it may take an additional week to reach full carbonation.
Tip from our Brewmasters
After the primary carbonation has taken place your beer is ready to drink. We recommend putting 1 bottle in the refrigerator at first for 48 hrs. After 48hrs. give it a try and if it is up to your liking put the rest of your beer in the fridge. If it does not taste quite right, leave the bottles out at room temp for another week or so. Keep following this method until your brew tastes just how you like it.
This process is called conditioning and during this time the yeast left in your beer can help clean up any off-flavors. Almost everything gets a little better with time and so will your beer.