Homemade & Commercial

Wine, Beer, Spirits, Cider & Mead Guides

Alcoholic beverages; most commonly beer and wines made at home. Brews made from brewing kits purchased at shops specialized in spirits. The Beer Pirate features homebrew recipes, equipment requirements, and commercial productions information; and all the best practices needed to make that perfect batch!

• 2½ lb. pale dried malt extract
• 2½ oz. hops
• 1½ lb. sugar
• ¼ teaspoonful (level) citric acid
• ½ teaspoonful salt – yeast – nutrient

Boil hops and salt for about fifteen minutes in a quart of water. Take out the bag, squeeze when cool enough and pour the hop-water into fermenting vessel. Add malt, sugar and citric acid and make up to two gallons with boiling water.

Stir well to ensure malt and sugar are dissolved and then allow to cool to 65°-70°F. Add yeast and nutrient, cover as directed and ferment in a warm place for five-six days. If using hydrometer, take readings after five days until 1.005 is recorded and then bottle. If hydrometer is not being used, allow fermentation to go on until beer goes ‘flat’ and then prime – add sugar to recommence fermentation and then bottle. If a draught beer of this sort is required, merely allow fermentation to go on until beer goes ‘fiat’ and then bottle.