by Marty Nachel

    Homebrewing

    FOR

    DUMmIES‰

    2ND EDITION

    01_230626 ffirs.qxp 22208 12:12 AM Page iiiHomebrewing For Dummies?, 2nd Edition

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    01_230626 ffirs.qxp 22208 12:12 AM Page ivAbout the Author

    An occasional welder and steel fabricator, Marty Nachel is also a freelance

    writer on beer and brewing. As a member of the North American Guild of

    Beer Writers, in September 1996 Marty was voted one of the three best beer

    writers in the United States at the N.A.G.B.W. Quill Tankard Awards at the

    Great American Beer Festival in Denver.

    A former President of the Chicago Beer Society and founding member of the

    Brewers Of South Suburbia (B.O.S.S.) homebrew and beer appreciation club,Marty has been brewing his own award-winning beers since 1985. In 1986, he

    was the first person in the state of Illinois to become a Certified Beer Judge.

    In addition to his homebrew judging duties, Marty served on the panel of

    beer evaluators at the prestigious Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago,home of the World Beer Championships, as well as the Great American Beer

    Festival in Denver, Colorado.

    Marty has been the writer of the newsletters that accompany monthly ship-

    ments of microbrewed beer from Beer Across America since October 1992.

    His articles have also appeared in All About Beer magazine, Brew Magazine,Brew Your Own magazine, Celebrator Beer News, Drink magazine, Fine

    Cooking magazine, Zymurgy Magazine, and Epicurious.com. In 1998 Marty

    was also tapped to write the beer and brewing entries for the latest edition

    of Microsoft’s Encarta Encyclopedia. His first book on the microbrewing

    industry, Beer Across America (Storey Communications), was published in

    July of 1995. Marty’s second book, Beer For Dummies (Wiley Publishing),was a huge hit when it was published in August of 1996.

    Travel in search of good beer has taken Marty to over 200 breweries and

    brewpubs and assorted beer festivals and shrines throughout Europe

    and North America. When he can find the time, Marty also likes to collect

    breweriana.

    01_230626 ffirs.qxp 22208 12:12 AM Page vDedication

    Were it not for my wife, Patti, and the 32 years she has dedicated to her

    career, I would not know the pleasure of writing about beer for a living.

    Though she and our two children reap secondary dividends from our profes-

    sionaldomestic arrangement, no one benefits more from it than I. Thank you,Dear, from the bottom of my pint glass.

    Author’s Acknowledgments

    My sincere thanks to all the people at John Wiley Sons for creating this

    unique opportunity. I would especially like to thank Acquisitions Editor

    Tracy Boggier for her part in making this all happen, as well as for giving

    me the proper focus in the early stages of this project. I also enjoyed working

    with my talented Copy Editor, Megan Knoll, and I’m grateful for her amazing

    attention to detail. A big thanks also to my Editorial Program Coordinator

    Erin Calligan Mooney, who helped re-secure all of the permissions for the

    recipes that appear in this book. Finally, heartfelt thanks to the Composition

    Services crew for all their behind-the-scenes help and effort. I owe you all a

    round of my best brew!

    Most importantly, I would like to thank my Project Editor, Alissa Schwipps,for her patience, focus, and direction (did I mention patience?) — all of

    which created a comfortable and confident working relationship that made

    the writing and editing of this book much easier and more enjoyable.

    Again, I would like to thank my agent and book producer Steve Ettlinger for

    his boundless energy and enthusiasm while working on Beer For Dummies, a

    project which subsequently paved the way for this book. I am indebted to

    him for his vision, guidance, and professionalism.

    Over the years I have been fortunate to meet and befriend many beer-

    knowledgeable people who have influenced me and my brewing ability. One

    of these people is Mike Pezan, a dedicated homebrewer-turned-professional

    brewer and Beer Geek of the highest order. His technical know-how pumped

    life into the more advanced chapters of this book and his quick wit and sense

    of humor helped infuse these otherwise dry subjects with much needed levity.

    Speaking of technical know-how, many thanks to Dr. Joe Formanek, my

    Technical Editor. Dr. Formanek is well respected in homebrewing circles,especially in the Midwest, where he continues to win scores of awards for his

    incredibly tasty homebrew. A couple of Joe’s award-winning beer recipes can

    be found in the recipe section of this book.

    01_230626 ffirs.qxp 22208 12:12 AM Page viThanks also to Jim Dudley, sales manager at Northwestern Extract Co. Jim

    was kind enough to share his database of homebrew recipes with me for this

    project. And my sincere thanks to Steve Kamp, Joe Formanek, Tim Reiter,Mark Merisco, and Tom Dennis, who graciously responded to my call for

    some last-minute beer and mead recipes — I think you’ll really like the

    award-winning brews they provided.

    Too numerous to mention by name are the many gifted homebrewers in the

    Chicago Beer Society, the Urban Knaves of Grain, and the Brewers Of South

    Suburbia (B.O.S.S.) whose talents inspired me to take up homebrewing in the

    first place and continue to challenge me to new brewing heights each and

    every year. Through this book, may their enthusiasm infect you all. . .

    01_230626 ffirs.qxp 22208 12:12 AM Page viiPublisher’s Acknowledgments

    We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration

    form located at www.dummies.comregister.

    Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

    Acquisitions, Editorial, and

    Media Development

    Senior Project Editor: Alissa Schwipps

    (Previous Edition: Jennifer Ehrlich)

    Acquisitions Editor: Tracy Boggier

    Copy Editor: Megan Knoll

    (Previous Edition: Michael Bolinger,William A. Barton)

    Editorial Program Coordinator:

    Erin Calligan Mooney

    Technical Editor: Joseph A. Formanek, PhD

    Senior Editorial Manager: Jennifer Ehrlich

    Editorial Assistants: Joe Niesen,Leeann Harney, David Lutton

    Cover Photos: ? MaXx ImagesStockfood

    Cartoons: Rich Tennant

    (www.the5thwave.com)

    Composition Services

    Project Coordinator: Patrick Redmond

    Layout and Graphics: Reuben W. Davis,Melissa K. Jester, Erin Zeltner

    Proofreaders: Laura Albert, John Greenough,Christine Sabooni

    Indexer: Broccoli Information Management

    Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

    Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies

    Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies

    Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies

    Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel

    Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel

    Publishing for Technology Dummies

    Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies TechnologyGeneral User

    Composition Services

    Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services

    Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

    01_230626 ffirs.qxp 22208 12:12 AM Page viiiAbout the AHA

    The rules, guidelines, and beer styles used in this book follow those provided

    by the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) and the Beer Judge

    Certification Program (BJCP). For more information on homebrewing,beer styles, beer evaluation, publications, or the American Homebrewers

    Association National Homebrew Competition, please contact the American

    Homebrewers Association at (phone) 303-447-0816, (fax) 303-447-2825, or visit

    the AHA’s Web site at www.beertown.org.

    The following recipes have been reprinted with written permission of the

    American Homebrewers Association and Brewers Publications. The original

    recipes appear in Victory Beer Recipes (Brewers Publications) and are

    winning recipes from the American Homebrewers Association National

    Homebrew Competition:

    Ales: “Bridge House Bitter,” Andy Leith, p.161; “A Peek Under the Kilt,” Jim

    Campbell, p.165; “Scotch Ale,” Jerry Bockmore, p.165; “Cedar Mountain

    Brown Ale,” Jim Dilldine, p.171; “Southeast Texas Northern Brown Ale,” Steve

    Daniel, p.171; “Coal Porter” Dennis Kinvig, p.175; “Entirely Yours,” Paddy

    Giffen, p.175; “New Years Day,” Paddy Giffen, p.181; “D J Stout,” Brian and

    Linda North, p.183; “New Stout II,” David and Melinda Brockington, p.185;

    “Fountainhead Black Magic,” Rande Reed, p.187; “Rose’s Russian Imperial

    Stout,” Dick Van Dyke, p.187; “Cream City Abbey Ale,” Robert Burko, p.197;

    “Ester the Molester,” Brian Bliss, p.203; “Boobs Barleywine,” Chuck Boyce,p.209; Lagers: “Butt Scratcher,” Steve Daniel, p.213; “Meltdown Lager,”

    Brian and Linda North, p.215; “Helles,” Dave Miller, p.215; “Grain-n-Beerit,”

    Norman Dickenson, p.217; “Yellow Dogs Pilsner,” Matthew Holland, p.219;

    “Dominion Day Oktoberfest,” John Janowiak, p.221; “(unnamed),” Dennis

    and Cindy Arvidson, p.221; “League City Dark,” Steve Daniel, p.223; “Lady

    of the Morning,” Ross Herrold, p.225; “Stu Brew,” Stu Tallman, p.225;

    “Basically Bock,” Phil Rahn, p.229; “Dopplebock Two,” Thomas Griffith,p.231; “Scintillator,” Steve Dempsey, p.231; Mixed Styles: “Arlington Ale

    No. 33,” Richard Schmit, p.235; “Colby’s Cream Ale,” Rodney Howard, p.235;

    “Great Wheat,” Jack H. Denny, p.239; “Fat Brothers Original American,”

    Stephen Morelli, p.241; “Memphis Steamer,” Phil Rahn, p.241; “League City

    Alt Part 3,” Steve and Christina Daniel, p.243; “Pale Moon Rizen Weizen,”

    Paddy Giffen, p.249; “Cherry Ale,” David G. Hammaker, p.251; “Leftover

    Strawberry Ale,” Dan Robinson, p.251; “Herb Alpert,” Ron Page, p.253;

    “Anne’s Choice Christmas Ale,” Phillip Fleming, p.255; “Chocolate Chambord

    Stout,” Ron Page, p.255; “Beech Beer,” James Cannon, p.257.

    01_230626 ffirs.qxp 22208 12:12 AM Page ixIn Memoriam

    In 1985, a talented brewer by the name of Russell Schehrer won the coveted

    “Homebrewer of the Year” award at the National Homebrew Competition in

    Boulder, Colorado. Using that accomplishment as a springboard, Russell

    launched a short but brilliant career as a brewer and brewing consultant in

    the fledgling microbrewing industry.

    I had the pleasure of meeting Russell Schehrer briefly one summer afternoon

    several years ago. Amidst his busy brewing schedule, he took the time to

    show me around his brewhouse at Wynkoop Brewing Company in Denver.

    The impromptu tour included a visit to the lagering cellar downstairs, where

    he proudly proffered samples of his beers fresh from the fermenters. Once

    back at the bar, he casually chatted with me as I tasted my way through a

    complimentary flight of house brews.

    Though our meeting was brief, it gave me a short insight into Russ’s love of

    good beer and his dedication to his craft. And it was cause for me to mourn

    his sudden passing in 1996 at the age of 38. Russ’s spirit and enthusiasm

    sparked both the homebrewing and craft brewing communities in the United

    States; he has, likewise, been missed by both.

    01_230626 ffirs.qxp 22208 12:12 AM Page xContents at a Glance

    Introduction .................................................................1

    Part I: First Things First ................................................9

    Chapter 1: Welcome to the Wonderful World of Wort .................................................11

    Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Beeraphernalia ..................................................................17

    Chapter 3: Creating Your Own Department of Sanitation ...........................................33

    Part II: It’s in There: The Nuts and Bolts of Beer ...........41

    Chapter 4: Malt: A Tale of Two Sources (Grain and Extract) ......................................43

    Chapter 5: Hop Heaven....................................................................................................51

    Chapter 6: Yeast and Fermentation................................................................................63

    Chapter 7: On the Water Front........................................................................................73

    Chapter 8: Adjuncts and Flavorings...............................................................................81

    Chapter 9: Making Your Brew Bionic: Additives, Preservatives,Finings, and Clarifiers....................................................................................................91

    Part III: Ready, Set, Brew!..........................................97

    Chapter 10: Beginner Brewing Directions .....................................................................99

    Chapter 11: Intermediate Brewing Directions ............................................................107

    Chapter 12: Homebrewing Directions for the Serious Beer Geek ............................117

    Chapter 13: Bottling Your Brew....................................................................................135

    Chapter 14: Kegging: Bottling’s Big Brother................................................................149

    Part IV: Homebrew Recipes .......................................157

    Chapter 15: Ale Recipes.................................................................................................159

    Chapter 16: Lager Recipes.............................................................................................211

    Chapter 17: Mixed-Style Recipes ..................................................................................233

    Part V: Alternative Brewing.......................................263

    Chapter 18: In-Cider Information..................................................................................265

    Chapter 19: A Meading of the Minds............................................................................273

    Chapter 20: Going Green: Being an Eco-Friendly Homebrewer ................................283

    Chapter 21: Gluten-Free Brewing..................................................................................293

    02_230626 ftoc.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page xiPart VI: Putting Your Brew to the Test........................299

    Chapter 22: Storing and Pouring ..................................................................................301

    Chapter 23: You Can’t Judge a Bock by Its Cover: Evaluating Beer .........................309

    Chapter 24: Troubleshooting ........................................................................................319

    Chapter 25: Homebrew Competitions..........................................................................333

    Part VII: The Part of Tens ..........................................341

    Chapter 26: Ten (or so) Ways to D.I.G.I.B.I.Y. (Do It, Grow It, Build It Yourself).....343

    Chapter 27: Ten Gizmos That Can Make Your Brewing Easier .................................353

    Chapter 28: Just the FAQs: Ten (or so) Frequently Asked Questions......................357

    Appendix: Ingredients: The Building Blocks of Beer.....361

    Index .......................................................................395

    02_230626 ftoc.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page xii

    Introduction..................................................................1

    About This Book...............................................................................................2

    Conventions Used in This Book .....................................................................3

    What You’re Not to Read.................................................................................3

    Foolish Assumptions .......................................................................................4

    How This Book Is Organized...........................................................................4

    Part I: First Things First .........................................................................4

    Part II: It’s in There: The Nuts and Bolts of Beer ................................5

    Part III: Ready, Set, Brew! .......................................................................5

    Part IV: Homebrew Recipes...................................................................5

    Part V: Alternative Brewing...................................................................5

    Part VI: Putting Your Brew to the Test.................................................5

    Part VII: The Part of Tens ......................................................................6

    Icons Used in This Book..................................................................................6

    Where to Go from Here....................................................................................7

    Part I: First Things First.................................................9

    Chapter 1: Welcome to the Wonderful World of Wort . . . .11

    Homebrewers Abound! ..................................................................................11

    All the Right Stuff ...........................................................................................12

    Gathering the equipment you need ...................................................12

    Tracing the homebrewing timeline ....................................................13

    Adding ingredients galore! ..................................................................14

    Preparing wisely ...................................................................................15

    All done — now what? .........................................................................16

    Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Beeraphernalia . . . . . .17

    Sniffing Out Sources.......................................................................................18

    Square One: Equipment for the Beginning Brewer ....................................19

    So much equipment, so little time . . ...............................................19

    What do I do with all these gadgets? .................................................20

    Square Two: Equipment for the Intermediate Brewer...............................25

    Now what do I need?............................................................................25

    What do these gizmos even do? .........................................................27

    Square Three: Equipment for the Advanced Brewer.................................28

    I need even more stuff?........................................................................29

    What else could I possibly need another doodad for? ....................30

    02_230626 ftoc.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page xiiiChapter 3: Creating Your Own Department of Sanitation . . . .33

    No Dirty Words: Sanitation Lingo.................................................................33

    Battling Bacteria (and Fungi)........................................................................34

    Soaps for Suds: Cleansers and Sanitizers ...................................................35

    Cleaning Up Your Act: Equipment Cleaning Practices ..............................37

    Bottle Cleanliness Is a Virtue........................................................................38

    Part II: It’s in There: The Nuts and Bolts of Beer ............41

    Chapter 4: Malt: A Tale of Two Sources (Grain and Extract) . . .43

    Going with Grain.............................................................................................43

    Malting ...................................................................................................44

    Mashing .................................................................................................45

    Mixing it up with other grains ............................................................45

    Manipulating grain: Kilning and milling.............................................46

    Enjoying the Ease of Extracts .......................................................................47

    Graduating to other malty methods ..................................................49

    Comparing liquid versus dry malt extract ........................................50

    Chapter 5: Hop Heaven . . . . . . . . .51

    Seeing the Hop Flower up Close...................................................................52

    Hopping with Variety .....................................................................................55

    Selecting the Best Hops.................................................................................57

    Freshness is fundamental....................................................................57

    Bittering potential is important too...................................................58

    Taking Note of Top Hops...............................................................................60

    Chapter 6: Yeast and Fermentation . . . . . . . .63

    There’s a Fungus among Us ..........................................................................63

    The Magic of Fermentation...........................................................................65

    It’s cyclical.............................................................................................65

    Factoring in fermentation variables...................................................65

    Liquid yeast versus dry yeast: A foamenting debate ......................67

    Propagating yeast.................................................................................69

    Yeast energizers and nutrients ...........................................................71

    Considering Alcohol Content .......................................................................71

    ABV versus ABW ..................................................................................71

    NA (nonalcoholic) beer is na (not achievable)..............................72

    Chapter 7: On the Water Front . . . . . . . .73

    H2OH: Understanding How Water Chemistry Affects

    Your Homebrew..........................................................................................74

    Something Is in the Water .............................................................................74

    pHundamentals of pH balance............................................................75

    Antibacterial agents .............................................................................75

    Homebrewing For Dummies, 2nd Edition

    xiv

    02_230626 ftoc.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page xivHard facts, fluid concepts ...................................................................76

    Mineral ions ..........................................................................................77

    Trace metals..........................................................................................78

    Buying Brew-Friendly Bottled Water ...........................................................78

    Chapter 8: Adjuncts and Flavorings . . . . . . .81

    Adjuncts: Sugar, Sugar . . Aw, Honey, Honey.............................................82

    Flavoring Your Brew with Flavorings...........................................................84

    Funky flavorings: The exotic and the esoteric .................................85

    Herbs and spice and everything nice ................................................87

    Chapter 9: Making Your Brew Bionic: Additives,Preservatives, Finings, and Clarifiers . . . . . . .91

    To Add and Preserve .....................................................................................92

    A Little Clarification, Please..........................................................................93

    The Acid Test..................................................................................................96

    Part III: Ready, Set, Brew! ..........................................97

    Chapter 10: Beginner Brewing Directions . . . . . .99

    Gathering the Tools You Need....................................................................100

    Brewing Your First Batch ............................................................................101

    Taking Hydrometer Readings .....................................................................104

    Brewing day reading ..........................................................................104

    Prebottling reading.............................................................................104

    Chapter 11: Intermediate Brewing Directions . . . . .107

    Taking Control of Your Beer........................................................................107

    Fooling Around with Ingredients................................................................108

    Grain and strain..................................................................................108

    Hop to it ...............................................................................................109

    Yeasty beasties ...................................................................................110

    Conditioning for Better Beer ......................................................................111

    Secondary fermentation....................................................................111

    Tertiary fermentation ........................................................................115

    Chapter 12: Homebrewing Directions

    for the Serious Beer Geek . . . . . . . . .117

    Yes, We Have No Potatoes: Mashing Procedures.....................................118

    Three important variables ................................................................118

    Gimme some water: Simplified water treatment for mashing ......119

    And then there were three: Mashing types.....................................120

    The aftermash or mash-out...............................................................122

    Easing into Mashing with a Partial Mash ..................................................124

    Going All Out with All-Grain Brewing ........................................................128

    Increasing Your Batch Size..........................................................................131

    Harvest Time: Reusing Your Yeast .............................................................133

    xv

    02_230626 ftoc.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page xvChapter 13: Bottling Your Brew . . . . . . . .135

    Picking Out Bottles ......................................................................................135

    Ready, Set, Bottle!.........................................................................................136

    Tanks a Lot! Bottling Kegged Beer .............................................................142

    Carbon-aid: Sharing kegged beer in plastic bottles .......................142

    Counterintelligence: Flowing from keg to bottle

    for competition ...............................................................................143

    A Primer on Priming ....................................................................................144

    Getting ready to prime.......................................................................144

    Deciding which and how much primer to use................................145

    Exploring alternative primers...........................................................146

    Crowning Achievements .............................................................................147

    Chapter 14: Kegging: Bottling’s Big Brother . . . . . .149

    Roll Out the Barrel: Buying Your Kegging Equipment .............................149

    Getting Your Keg Up and Flowing ..............................................................151

    Cleanem out and fillem up: Sanitizing and

    racking procedures.........................................................................151

    Making bubbles: Carbonating procedures ......................................154

    Enjoying Your Brew: Tapping and Lapping Procedures..........................156

    Part IV: Homebrew Recipes ........................................157

    Chapter 15: Ale Recipes . . . . . . . . .159

    Extra SpecialStrong Bitter (E.S.B.) (8-c)...................................................160

    Irish Red Ale (9-d) ........................................................................................162

    Strong Scotch Ale (9-e) ................................................................................164

    American Pale Ale (10-a) .............................................................................166

    American Amber Ale (10-b) ........................................................................168

    American Brown Ale (10-c) .........................................................................170

    Northern English Brown Ale (11-c) ............................................................172

    Brown Porter (12-a) .....................................................................................174

    Robust Porter (12-b)....................................................................................176

    Baltic Porter (12-c).......................................................................................178

    Dry Stout (13-a) ............................................................................................180

    Sweet Stout (13-b) ........................................................................................182

    Foreign-Style Stout (13-d)............................................................................184

    Imperial Stout (13-f) .....................................................................................186

    English India Pale Ale (IPA) (14-a)..............................................................188

    American India Pale Ale (IPA) (14-b) .........................................................190

    Imperial India Pale Ale (IPA) (14-c) ............................................................192

    White (Wit) (16-a).........................................................................................194

    Belgian Pale Ale (16-b).................................................................................196

    Dubbel (18-b) ................................................................................................198

    Tripel (18-c) ..................................................................................................200

    Belgian Golden Strong Ale (18-d) ...............................................................202

    Belgian Dark Strong Ale (18-e)....................................................................204

    Old Ale (19-a) ................................................................................................206

    English-Style Barley Wine (19-b) ................................................................208

    Fun Label Ideas.............................................................................................210

    Homebrewing For Dummies, 2nd Edition

    xvi

    02_230626 ftoc.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page xviChapter 16: Lager Recipes . . . . . . . . .211

    American Premium Lager (1-c)...................................................................212

    Münchner-Style Helles (1-d) .......................................................................214

    DortmunderEuropean-Style Export (1-e).................................................216

    Bohemian-Style Pilsener (2-b) ....................................................................218

    M?rzenOktoberfest (3-b) ...........................................................................220

    American Dark Lager (4-a) ..........................................................................222

    Munich Dunkel (4-b) ....................................................................................224

    German-Style Helles BockMaibock (5-a)..................................................226

    Traditional Bock (5-b) .................................................................................228

    Doppelbock (5-c)..........................................................................................230

    Fun Label Ideas.............................................................................................232

    Chapter 17: Mixed-Style Recipes . . . . . . . .233

    Cream Ale (6-a) .............................................................................................234

    Blonde Ale (6-b)............................................................................................236

    American Wheat (6-d)..................................................................................238

    California Common Beer (7-b)....................................................................240

    Düsseldorfer-Style Altbier (7-c)..................................................................242

    WeizenWeissbier (15-a) ..............................................................................244

    Dunkelweizen (15-b) ....................................................................................246

    Weizenbock (15-c) ........................................................................................248

    Fruit Beer (20) ..............................................................................................250

    Herb, Spice, and Vegetable Beer (21-a) .....................................................252

    ChristmasWinterSpecialty Spiced Beer (21-b) ......................................254

    Smoked Beer (22-b)......................................................................................256

    Wood-Aged Beer (22-c) ................................................................................258

    Specialty Beer (23).......................................................................................260

    Fun Label Ideas.............................................................................................262

    Part V: Alternative Brewing .......................................263

    Chapter 18: In-Cider Information . . . . . . . .265

    Exploring the Cider Option.........................................................................265

    Comparing apples to apples .............................................................266

    Sorting cider styles ............................................................................267

    Making Cider.................................................................................................269

    Cider Considerations: Recipes ...................................................................270

    Common Cider (27-a).........................................................................270

    New England-Style Cider (28-a) ........................................................271

    Specialty Cider (28-d) ........................................................................272

    Chapter 19: A Meading of the Minds . . . . . . .273

    Mulling Over the Mead Option...................................................................273

    The honey bunch: Appreciating honey ...........................................273

    The honey-brew list: Mead styles.....................................................275

    Sweet Success: Making Magnificent Mead................................................277

    Choosing your honey.........................................................................278

    Mead-iocre? Not! Fermenting your Mead ........................................278

    xvii

    02_230626 ftoc.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page xviiI Mead a Drink: Mead Recipes ....................................................................280

    Traditional Mead (24-a) .....................................................................280

    Open Category Mead (26-c) ..............................................................281

    Pyment (grape melomel) (25-b) .......................................................282

    Chapter 20: Going Green: Being an Eco-Friendly Homebrewer . . .283

    Brewing Green Beer: It’s Not Just for St. Patrick’s Day Anymore...........283

    Reduce .................................................................................................284

    Reuse....................................................................................................285

    Recycle.................................................................................................286

    Organically Speaking ...................................................................................286

    Why use organic ingredients?...........................................................287

    Tracking the trend..............................................................................288

    Certifiably nuts: Determining what’s really organic.......................289

    Chapter 21: Gluten-Free Brewing . . . . . . . .293

    Getting to Know Gluten ...............................................................................293

    From Intolerant to Tolerable: Brewing Gluten-Free Beer at Home ........294

    Readying your equipment .................................................................294

    Substituting safe ingredients ............................................................294

    Brewing gluten-free beers from all grain .........................................296

    Last, but not yeast..............................................................................297

    Part VI: Putting Your Brew to the Test ........................299

    Chapter 22: Storing and Pouring . . . . . . . .301

    Storing Your Suds.........................................................................................301

    How do I store it?................................................................................302

    Where do I store it? ............................................................................302

    How long do I store it? .......................................................................303

    Pouring Procedures .....................................................................................303

    Out of the bottle. . ............................................................................303

    . . and into the glass .........................................................................304

    Dirty Deeds: Cleaning Beer Glassware ......................................................307

    Storing Your Steins.......................................................................................308

    Chapter 23: You Can’t Judge a Bock

    by Its Cover: Evaluating Beer . . . . . . . .309

    Tuning In to Your Beer.................................................................................309

    Evaluating One Sense at a Time .................................................................310

    The nose knows..................................................................................311

    Seeing is beer-lieving .........................................................................313

    In good taste .......................................................................................314

    From Observations to Reflections .............................................................317

    Relaying the Results: Homebrew Lingo, Jargon, and Vernacular...........317

    Homebrewing For Dummies, 2nd Edition

    xviii

    02_230626 ftoc.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page xviiiChapter 24: Troubleshooting . . . . . . . .319

    Fermentation Lamentations........................................................................319

    No fermentation..................................................................................320

    Stuck fermentation.............................................................................321

    Never-ending fermentation ...............................................................321

    In Bad Taste: Off Flavors and Aromas .......................................................322

    Butterbutterscotch flavors ..............................................................322

    Sourtart flavors .................................................................................323

    Medicinalplasticsmoky flavors ......................................................323

    Paperycardboardsherry-like flavors (oxidation) ........................324

    Drypuckering mouthfeel (astringency)..........................................324

    Harshnesshotness.............................................................................325

    Metallic flavor .....................................................................................325

    Skunk aroma........................................................................................325

    Sulfury odors ......................................................................................326

    Vegetal flavors and aromas ...............................................................326

    Flavor and Aroma Therapy Quick References..........................................326

    Conditioning and Appearance Problems ..................................................329

    Flat out of gas......................................................................................330

    Thar she blows! Overcarbonated beers ..........................................330

    In a haze: Cloudy beers......................................................................331

    Poor head, bad body..........................................................................331

    Chapter 25: Homebrew Competitions . . . . . . .333

    What’s Involved in Homebrewing Competitions? ....................................334

    How are the entries judged? .............................................................334

    How do I enter a homebrew competition,and what are the rules?..................................................................336

    How do I send my beer? ....................................................................337

    Becoming a Barrister of Beer......................................................................337

    What it takes to become a beer judge .............................................337

    Advancing to supreme quart justice................................................339

    Part VII: The Part of Tens...........................................341

    Chapter 26: Ten (or so) Ways to D.I.G.I.B.I.Y.

    (Do It, Grow It, Build It Yourself) . . . . . . . .343

    Banking Yeast................................................................................................343

    Preparing to open your own bank....................................................344

    Creating yeast .....................................................................................344

    Handling Grain..............................................................................................345

    Roast-a-rama .......................................................................................345

    Smokeem if you gotem...................................................................346

    Di-vine Intervention: Growing Hops ..........................................................346

    Here we grow!......................................................................................347

    Pick a hop, any hop............................................................................347

    Drying and storing your hops...........................................................348

    xix

    02_230626 ftoc.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page xixBuilding Brewing Equipment ......................................................................348

    Chillin’ out: Immersion wort chillers ...............................................348

    Tuns of fun: Lauter tun ......................................................................349

    Pot o’ plenty: Large-volume brewpot...............................................351

    Cold feat: Lagering cellar...................................................................351

    Chapter 27: Ten Gizmos That Can Make Your Brewing Easier . . .353

    Digital Thermometer and pH Meter...........................................................353

    Wort Aeration System..................................................................................354

    Auto Siphon ..................................................................................................354

    Counterpressure Bottle Filler .....................................................................354

    Beer Filter......................................................................................................354

    Germicidal Lamp..........................................................................................355

    Wort Transfer Pump ....................................................................................355

    Refractometer...............................................................................................355

    Mashing Sparge Arm....................................................................................355

    Counterflow Wort Chiller ............................................................................356

    Chapter 28: Just the FAQs: Ten (or so)

    Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . .357

    How Much Is Taking Up Homebrewing Going to Cost? ...........................357

    How Much Does the Average Batch of Beer Cost?...................................358

    Where Can I Buy Homebrewing Supplies? ................................................358

    How Long Does Making a Batch of Homebrew Take?..............................358

    Is Homebrewed Beer Better Than Commercially Made Beer? ...............359

    How Do You Carbonate Homebrew?..........................................................359

    How Do I Add Alcohol to Homebrew? .......................................................359

    Can I Distill Homebrew into Whiskey?.......................................................359

    Can I Sell Homebrew? ..................................................................................360

    Why Shouldn’t I Age Beer in the Plastic Primary Fermenter?................360

    Do I Have to Worry About Things Blowing Up in My House?.................360

    Appendix: Ingredients: The Building Blocks of Beer .....361

    Malt: Grainy Names and Extract Excerpts ................................................361

    Producers of grains ............................................................................362

    Types of grains ...................................................................................363

    Malt extract brands............................................................................369

    Top Hops: Hop Varieties and Descriptions...............................................370

    Yeast: Dry and Liquid ..................................................................................379

    Liquid top-fermenting yeast (Ales) ..................................................380

    Liquid bottom-fermenting yeast (Lagers) .......................................382

    Advanced liquid yeast (Ales)............................................................384

    Liquid top-fermenting yeast (Ales) ..................................................386

    SpecialtyBelgian yeast......................................................................388

    Bottom-fermenting yeast (Lagers) ...................................................390

    Suggested strains for specific beer styles.......................................391

    Mead and cider yeast.........................................................................393

    Index........................................................................395

    Homebrewing For Dummies, 2nd Edition

    xx

    02_230626 ftoc.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page xxIntroduction

    I’m just a humble homebrewer,I’ve got no shiny copper.

    I only brew five gallons a batch —

    I just boiler up and hoper.

    No foil labels, no fancy caps,just plain glass bottle and stopper.

    I pay no tax — just brew and relax,then grab a beer and poper!

    Homebrewing is one of the most sublime hobbies. Like growing vegeta-

    bles in your backyard garden or baking bread in your own kitchen,homebrewing enables you to recapture the hands-on rusticity of the olden

    days while producing something that’s an absolute delight to consume. Just

    as nothing can substitute for layering a salad with tomatoes and cucumbers

    picked fresh from your own garden, nothing is as gratifying as sipping a fresh

    beer brewed on your own kitchen stove.

    In addition to the personal enjoyment you can gain from drinking your own

    beer, you can’t deny the deep sense of gratification that accompanies the kudos

    and congratulations of friends, family, and coworkers who equally enjoy your

    homebrewing efforts. Perhaps best of all is the widespread recognition that

    comes from winning awards — often quite valuable — in acknowledgment of

    your brewing prowess and expertise. This list of benefits is a just a glimmer

    of what homebrewing is like today.

    The hobby hasn’t always been this way. Modern homebrewing in the United

    States wasn’t even a legal enterprise until 1979. Even after it became legal,homebrew still bore the disparaging mantle of bathtub booze and other such

    pejoratives, a residue of the illicit beer-making days during national prohibition.

    Fortunately, we’ve come full circle. Homebrewers have been rightly credited

    with being the catalyst of the recent American brewing renaissance. The

    early homebrew pioneering spirits, longing for a beer more satisfying than

    the homogenous mass-market brands, were the ones who went on to open

    the first of the microbreweries that are so popular today. And as more of these

    craft-brewing operations open across the country and throughout the world,they expose more and more people to small-brewery quality and diversity.

    Inspired by the craft-brewing ethic and enthusiasm, many more people are

    now interested in brewing beer at home.

    03_230626 intro.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page 1Following in footsteps far greater than my own, I began brewing my own beer

    in 1985. I didn’t start homebrewing for lack of good beer, because plenty of

    good, locally available commercial beers were available. I chose to brew my

    own beer because I wanted to personally experience the magic of the beer

    making process. After I started homebrewing, I quickly became hooked and

    realized only much later that as much as I was consuming the hobby of

    homebrewing, it was also consuming me.

    So I had my own reasons for homebrewing — but why should you start?

    Because homebrewers tend to develop a love and enjoyment and respect for

    beer beyond its simple consumption. Homebrewers are ethereally connected

    to both the brewing past and the brewing future; they’re champions of both a

    medieval art and an advanced science. Plus, the homebrewing community-at-

    large shares a common sense of purpose — of sharing information and ideas,of promoting education as part of the hobby, and of enriching and enlightening

    the general public by improving its collective perception of beer.

    And despite anything you may have seen or heard or assumed on your own,facial hair isn’t a prerequisite to being a good homebrewer. On the other

    hand, growing wild hair now and again is strongly encouraged among those

    who brew their own beer at home.

    About This Book

    I’ve written this book primarily with brewer wannabes in mind — those who

    have always stood on the sidelines wondering what it’s like to play in the

    game. But unlike baseball, football, soccer, or any other team game of physical

    ability, homebrewing is more like a singles card game — one in which you can

    improve your skill through repetitive play (and at your own pace).

    But this book isn’t just a primer on the joy of playing Solitaire (if you’ll excuse

    the analogy). This book tells you everything you need to know about this

    particular deck of cards, how to shuffle the deck, how to deal the cards, how

    to play various card games at different levels of difficulty, and finally, how to

    find and associate with others who share your interest.

    Unlike other how-to books, Homebrewing For Dummies, 2nd Edition is arranged

    in such a way that you need not read it in order, cover to cover. Using the

    many cross-references provided within the text enables you to jump around

    to those sections that are of greatest interest to you. Please notice, however,that certain chapters deal with topics that depend on your having read some

    previous chapters for basic comprehension. But don’t worry; where this sort

    of thing occurs, I make the point clear.

    Whether you’ve ever made a homebrew — or even tasted one, for that matter —

    isn’t important for you to read and appreciate this book. Even with so many

    different beers to make and so many different ways to make them, you should

    2 Homebrewing For Dummies, 2nd Edition

    03_230626 intro.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page 2eventually be able to master them all after reading Homebrewing For Dummies,2nd Edition. This book not only provides all the parameters of tried-and-true

    beer styles but also encourages you, the reader, to go off on your own brewing

    tangent. Be bold, be daring; invent a beer style all your own — just be ready

    and willing to share it with others.

    Conventions Used in This Book

    The following conventions are used throughout the For Dummies series to

    make things consistent and easy to understand:

    
All Web addresses appear in mono font.

    
New terms appear in italic and are closely followed by an easy-to-

    understand definition.

    
Bold is used to highlight the action parts of numbered steps.

    I use many additional conventions throughout this book, and I think I should

    explain them to you:

    
All recipes and text assume that the batch size is 5 gallons: Unless I

    say otherwise, you can assume that all recipes create a 5-gallon batch of

    beer. The same goes for any other times that I discuss quantities or

    aspects of a batch of beer.

    
The text and recipes use U.S. measurements: Every weight and liquid

    measurement is given in standard pounds, gallons, and ounces. See the

    Cheat Sheet at the front of this book for conversions.

    
All beer styles and beer-style parameters are based on the American

    Homebrewers Association Beer Style Guidelines: This hierarchical listing

    of major beer-style classifications and substyles (which you can find on

    the Cheat Sheet at the front of this book) was established by the AHA for

    recipe formulation and evaluation purposes.

    What You’re Not to Read

    I’ve written this book to help you achieve your dream of becoming a world-

    class homebrewer. I made a special effort to include as much information

    about homebrewing as possible. However, you may consider some of this

    information nonessential and choose to skip certain parts. Here are some

    parts you may want to pass over, at least until you’ve had a chance to read

    the more important stuff.

    3 Introduction

    03_230626 intro.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page 3
Text in sidebars: The sidebars are the shaded boxes that appear

    occasionally throughout the book. They share anecdotal information

    and observations, but aren’t necessary reading.

    
Technical Stuff icons: This information is geared toward those folks

    who thrive on tech-heavy details about homebrewing.

    
Any of the fine print: None of this hard-to-read information is going to

    help you brew good beer anyway.

    Foolish Assumptions

    I wrote this book with some thoughts about you in mind. Here’s what I

    assume about you, my reader:

    
You like beer.

    
You want to brew your own beer at home.

    
You weren’t convinced brewing good beer at home was possible.

    
You want to impress your friends and family with your new hobby.

    
You’ve already brewed your own beer but want to make it even better.

    
You’re already a homebrewer, but you’re looking for all the latest tips,trends, and recipes available.

    How This Book Is Organized

    I’ve organized this book into eight parts and crammed several chapters into

    each part. Feel free to check out the table of contents to find the subject that

    interests you most (or, more likely, is giving you the most fits). No matter how

    you decide to use this book, the following sections give you a general idea of

    what you find between its yellow and black covers.

    Part I: First Things First

    When you’re ready to begin brewing, you gotta start somewhere. This part

    gives you the basic homebrewing overview and equipment list so you can get

    started making your own beer. It also includes the all-important chapter on

    how to keep your home brewery and equipment clean and sanitized in order

    to make good beer. After you start brewing and are looking to progress in your

    hobby, c’mon back to Part I to check out the upgraded equipment lists —

    you’ll be glad you did.

    4 Homebrewing For Dummies, 2nd Edition

    03_230626 intro.qxp 22208 12:13 AM Page 4Part II: It’s in There: The Nuts

    and Bolts of Beer

    Beer is made with four basic ingredients: barley (malt), hops, yeast, and water.

    In keeping with this breakdown, I dedicate an entire chapter to each of these

    gems. Because these ingredients are the very being of beer, I’m sure you’ll want

    to savor every word of these chapters (and every drop of the beer they create).

    Having said this, however, you’ll also find many more ingredients and additives

    and such that you can use to your advantage when brewing beer at home.

    That’s why I’ve included an additional two chapters in this part.

    Part III: Ready, Set, Brew!

    From making your very first kit beer to brewing an entire batch from scratch, the

    chapters in this part walk you through the various steps necessary at the

    Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels of homebrewing. And then, of course,you’ll need to keep your beer in something until you’re ready to drink it, so I’ve

    added another couple of chapters to explain options for packaging your beer.

    Part IV: Homebrew Recipes

    This part is your ticket to paradise. More than 100 recipes at three levels of

    difficulty are here for you to try and enjoy; many of them are proven award-

    winners. I also include many beer-style profiles. Bottoms up!

    Part V: Alternative Brewing

    Sometimes the same-old, same-old doesn’t always work for people. That’s

    why I’ve included some chapters on making alternative beverages by using

    the equipment you already have. Most of these beverages are about options

    and personal choice, but at least one chapter deals with making a beverage

    that addresses important dietary restrictions.

    Part VI: Putting Your Brew to the Test

    Is your homebrew good? How do you know? Part VI not only helps you to

    discern quality homebrew on your own but also points you to outside sources

    of helpful feedback on your beer. Ultimately, ......