Revision as of 00:52, 18 November 2011

Concept

This is the page about the Nottingham hackspace home-brew station. Its all about free as in beer. We are building a unit which can be used to quickly and easily brew batches of ale and lager. This is called the BrewStation. We plan on running home-brewing skills share days and at the same time produce some fine bathes of ale for general consumption.

The concept of the brew station is to have an integrated unit which includes a temperature controlled fermentation section, a cupboard for the equipment and levels on which we can perform the Mashing and the Boiling processes with ease.

Brewing basics

The three main steps in making home brew are:

Mashing

Where the malted barley is warmed to release the protein and sugars for the fermentation process

Boiling

Where the liquor is boiled with hops to give flavour

Fermenting

Turn the sugar into alcohol

Useful links

Wish list

Item	Info	Quantity	Obtained?
Insulation	'kingspan' type	Around 4m2
Insulation	flexible tank insulation
Insulation	Old sleeping bag
Fermentation bins	Large plastic buckets	At least 4 (2 same type)	3
Taps	Various kinds - plastic probably best	At least 2	3
Home-brew boiling bin (the one with a heater in)
Long handled spoons	Preferably plastic	3	2
Thermometers	Non-break type - maybe electronic	1	1
Hydrometer	Plastic type with cylinder	1	1
Measuring jugs	Various sizes	3	2
Scales	for around 5kg - weigh the malt	1
Scales	for around 100g - weigh the hops	1
Books and info on home-brew beer	Various	Many	Few
Sterilising solution		1	1
Barley Malt			4kgs
Crystal Malt			0.5kgs
Black Malt			0.5kgs
Hops	Golding		100gm
Hops	Fuggles		100gm
Yeast			Ale Yeast
Irish Moss			Pack

Ale brew recipes

Loads of recipes (American)
Good first brew recipe (UK)
lots more recipes from Jims Beer Kit (UK)
More info on home brew (UK)
Lots more beer recipes (World) - Very good site with loads of recipes
Recipes (US)
More recipes (US)

First recipe This was done on 14 September 2011 Ingredients:

   * 7--8 pounds, crushed pale malt
   * 1/2 pound, crushed crystal malt
   * 1 teaspoon, CaSO4
   * 1 teaspoon, Irish moss
   * 3 ounces, Goldings (60 minutes)
   * 1/2 ounce, Goldings (10 minutes)
   * 1/2 ounce, Goldings (steep)
   * 1/4 ounce, Goldings (dry hop in secondary)
   * Edme ale yeast

OG: 1.042--1.048 FG: 1.020 Procedure: Mash in 3 gallons boiled water with 1 teaspoon gypsum (66 C., for 3 hours, or overnight). Sparge to 4--1/2 gallons. Boil 1--1/2 hours with 1 teaspoon Irish moss. Add hops as indicated above. Cool with immersion chiller, rack and aerate. Pitch Edme yeast. Rack to secondary after 4 days. Fine if necessary. Dry hop with 1/4 ounce Goldings in secondary. Keg or bottle after 2 weeks (primed with 3 ounces, malt extract).