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Homebrew Heros: Crafting Delicious Crafting Delicious Craft Beers and Hard Ciders Like A Pro
By Lauren Jaurez
Choosing The Right Craft Beer and Cider Ingredients Malt: Sprouted and dried barley or malt is needed as the sugar source in a craft beer recipe. Hops: These are green cone- shaped flowers that help give the beer its umami. It balances flavor and aroma. Yeast kickstarts the process by creating the CO2 in the fermentation tank. Choose filtered water not to take away any of the flavors you’ve worked hard to create. Fresh Apples or Quality Juice When crafting hard ciders, you can prepare apples your- self or skip the work and buy high-quality, no-preserva- tive-added apple juice. Sugars, Spices, and Flavorings Add sugars and spices to create different flavors and aromas. Here’s a Step-by-Step Guide to Brewing Craft Beer and Hard Cider... Mashing or Apple Preparation Beer: Heat the filtered water in your brew kettle to 150-160 degrees. Add the malt and mash it. Allow it to sit for an hour before drain- ing the liquid (wort). Boiling Beer: Layer complex flavors by boiling the wort and adding hops at the be- ginning, middle, and end of a 60-90-minute boiling session. Fermenting and Hydrometer Testing Beer: Chill the wort to 70°F, add yeast, attach the air- lock, and store in a dark and cool place for 1-2 weeks. Use a hydrometer to check progress.
Y ou, too, can be the unsung hero of the neighborhood, the backyard or tail- gate party sip supplier, or the one who just makes excellent brews and hard cider. Grab that apron and learn how to make craft beer at home today.
Rising Popularity: These drinks are gluten-free, making them the best alter- native for beer-loving yet gluten-sensitive folk. Brewing Equipment For Craft Beer and Hard Cider Brewing Kettle: When home brewing, these kettles heat the water, dissolve malt extracts, and create the beer base. Fermentation Vessel: These vessels ferment the “wort” or the prepared apple, sugar, and yeast in a hard cider recipe. Airlock and Hydrometer: An airlock prevents contamination, allowing CO2 to escape while keeping oxygen and bacteria out... A hydrometer measures how much sugar has been converted into alcohol. This is a must-have tool for determining when the fermentation is finished. Bottling Supplies: You’ll need sanitized glass bottles capable of holding carbonated drinks, caps, a siphon, and a capper.
What Defines Craft Beers and Hard Ciders?
“...it’s best to stick to the juice boxes and keep the boozy fruit drinks away from kids.”
Unlike domestic beer, craft beers are non-mechanical- ly made by a small group of brewmasters. Similarly, hard cider is an alcoholic bev- erage made by fermenting fresh apple juice.
carbonation, and let sit for 7-14 days to develop. Chill, then enjoy! I hope you’re “hoppy” about learning the tips and tricks for crafting your home brewing oasis. Just remember us once you hit it big time with your new creation! Cheers!
Cider: Wash, peel, core, and dice your apples and allow them to cook, creating a sauce. Then, drain the liquid, remove the bulk, and add it to the fer- mentation container. Pour the apple juice, spices, sugars, and yeast into the vessel. Place in a cool, dark place for a week or two, moni- toring with a hydrometer. Bottling: Clean and sanitize all bottling equipment. Add priming sugar to ensure
Make Sure You’re of Legal Drinking Age
You may have heard of the story of an Ann Arbor father accidentally handing his son a hard lemonade at a Detroit Tigers baseball game. The 7-year-old was okay after be- ing checked by medical staff, but it’s best to stick to the juice boxes and keep the boozy fruit drinks away from kids.
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