Mr. Boxy
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There are starter kits on the market that will have almost everything you need to get started, including the fermenter and bottles. Some even have beer ingredients, but you will still need a large non-reactive pot. This should be made of either stainless steel or anodized aluminum, or have a ceramic coating. Other materials will give the beer an off-taste.
You should also pick up a bottle brush: while you probably have everything else you need for cleaning at home, a bottle brush will be needed to ensure the bottles are ready to hold the beer.
How to make beer the easy way:
This easiest way to make a beer is by using a malt extract. Most of the instructions for making the beer will be on the back, or will be included with the home brewing kit.
Before you begin, clean and sanitize your equipment: You are creating ideal conditions for yeast to grow, but if anything other than beer yeast is present, it will ruin the beer. Sanitizing can be done by scrubbing or soaking the equipment in a mixture of bleach or iodine and water. Water used in the brewing process should always be boiled first to kill off any bacteria.
First, make a wort. Boil the water, and then let it cool to room temperature - around 60 or 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the brewer's yeast: if it starts to foam, it means the yeast has activated and is starting to grow. If it doesn't, it may be old, or the water was either too warm or cold, killing the yeast. While you wait for the water to cool, boil some more water in the large pot (typically 1-2 gallons) and add the malt syrup and sugar. Let this cool, and combine with the wort, and pour into the fermenter. Store in a cool area.
After a few hours, CO2 will come out of the air lock, making an occasional "thump" sound. Drain the beer into bottles five days after it's quit thumping, and add two teaspoons of sugar to each bottle. Sealed, the beer will ferment a little more, creating fizz. Store at least a week before drinking.
 Posted 5462 day ago
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