Brewing Information

The Art of Making Beer and Wine

Beer Making Guide

It’s easy to blame bad beer on products, recipes, etc.. but the first rule is to find the reason for the problem, then the solution to cure or prevent it from happening again. We hope the following will help you.

  1. Clean and sterilize all equipment to prevent any bacterial infections from spoiling your beer. We recommend Chlori Clean (pink chlorine detergent powder) for sterilizing all equipment. Rinse thoroughly with warm tap water to remove chlorine.
  2. Cans of unopened malt should be immersed into hot water for 10-15 minutes to allow for softening and easier pouring of contents.
  3. Bring to boil at least 4 litres of cold tap water in a large stainless steel or enamel pot.
  4. Remove from heat and add can of malt extract and corn sugar or Beer Quik™ high maltose syrup. Stir until dissolved. Return to heat and bring to a boil, allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and ensuring the mixture (called wort) does not boil over or you will have a mess to clean up!!
  5. Pour your wort into your sanitized and rinsed primary. Make up the volume to 23 litres with cold water. Stir 2 to 3 minutes with a sanitized spoon or paddle.
  6. Take the temperature and ensure it is between 20-25 degrees C (60-80F) before sprinkling the yeast over the wort.
  7. Seat the cover and fix the airlock ( Don’t forget to half fill the airlock with water). Place in a warm room 20- 25C. Fermentation should start within 24 hrs.
  8. Single Stage Method Leave in primary until fermentation is complete ( 7-10 days) and the SG. remains constant for 2 days (SG. is usually around 1.006 to 1.008 depending on type of beer). Then proceed to step 12 Bottling
  9. Two Stage Method 5 days after start of fermentation (usually day 6), carefully syphon into a sanitized and rinsed carboy. Be careful not to splash the beer into the carboy as this may oxidize your beer and give you off flavours. Putting the output end of your syphon hose to the bottom of your carboy will prevent splashing.
  10. Top up the level of liquid in your carboy with boiled cooled water to about 2" from the neck. Attach the airlock and leave for another 7 days or until fermentation is completed.
  11. When fermentation is complete, finings can be added (such as Super Kleer), attach airlock and leave another 4 days. Don’t worry if you leave it longer as the beer is only aging and maturing. An added advantage of the two stage method is that clearing the beer in the carboy will result in less sediment in the bottles.
  12. Bottling: Single Stage Method: Clean and sterilize 66 341 ml beer bottles and add to each one 1/2 teaspoon of dextrose (corn sugar). This will produce a small fermentation to naturally carbonate the beer. Syphon the beer into the bottles leaving a 1" air space. Cap the bottles immediately and place them in a warm place to condition for 10-14 days. Beer will improve with 2 to 4 weeks aging.
  13. Two Stage Method: Dissolve 1 cup of dextrose (corn sugar) in 1 1/2 cups of hot water to make a sugar syrup. Syphon beer back into sterilized and rinsed primary. Put syphon hose to bottom of primary to prevent splashing and gently stir in your sugar syrup. syphon beer into bottles. Cap the bottles immediately and place them in a warm place to condition for 10-14 days. Store the beer in a cool place for aging. Beer will improve will with 2 to 4 weeks aging grade plastic should be used