Having just read about how Obama is now brewing his own beer in the Whitehouse I was fully prepared to write a cynical post about how the electorate surely won't actually think he's a regular Jo etc. but I decided instead start a rather more positive discussion on brewing at home!
So, as a complete novice how do I go about making my own beer?
Cynics also welcome in this thread, start here!
I just looked at the recipe (available here) It is a "partial mash" recipe that requires some specialty grains, but nothing too spectacular in terms of brewing equipment.
Thanks!
http://www.lebonplan.fr/index.php?page=2
Seems to be a one stop shop for all you might need James.
The CAMRA guide to Home Brewing by Graham Wheeler is an excellent guide to all methods including working from basic ingredients malt grain, hops and water as the professional brewers do. It's easily available from Amazon.
Hi David
Yes that does ring a bell, it was on Facebook I think. Do you still want to run the group?
James
Hello! This reminds me of a discussion we had just prior to me going on vacation James (I can't for the life of me remember if it was by Facebook, here, or what.... I also can't find a trace so maybe I imagined it?). There are a number of forums and such that have information regarding home brewing in France. I'd be happy to spend some time putting some things together and head up a discussion group here. I would also recommend "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" By Charlie Papazian. It is a great guide for getting started.
Thanks for the info David, any recommendations on where to buy the malt extract?
The simplest way is to buy a ready hopped diastatic malt extract. Add water and any extra sugar if you want to increase the alcohol content beyond that intended by the producer of the malt extract. Boil for twenty minutes or so and then pour into a large plastic fermenting vessel and add cold water to bring your brew to final volume. Allow to cool until luke warm and then sprinkle the brew with a dried beer yeast. Fermentation begins in the next few minutes and will crown in about seven days. Once the beerhas almost ceased fermenting it will begin to clear and can be siphoned off to settle or rack. This usually takes a couple of days. Then bottle in swing top beer or lemonade bottles with a half teaspoon of sugar per bottle. This last starts a second fermentation in bottle and gives your beer fizz.