Making Beer - Step 6

We've waited another anxious week or two and now all the bubbling has completed.

We are new ready to bottle the beer. First, we transfer flat beer from the carboy to another container. Of course, all of the equipment and bottles must be sterilized.

John Gundry removing the bottles from the dishwasher.

Carl Fisher ready to bottle.

We next add priming sugar to the mixture. This sugar will be eaten by the remaining yeast to create carbonation in the bottles.

Now for a warning. Don't use too much sugar when you bottle. Charlie and I did just that making root beer a few weeks ago. About four days after bottling the root beer I woke up late one night on heard a "popping" sound that woke me from my sleep. I searched the house and found nothing amiss and no boggie man. Well.... the next morning I went into our mud room (hadn't done that at night) and there was glass everywhere. Seven of the 24 bottles had exploded. What a mess. Don't uses too much bottling sugar!

Then the beer must be transferred to the bottles. We use a mix of 12 oz, 16 oz, 1/2 litre, full litre, and 1 gallon kegs to hold the beer. Most of the bottles have been given to us by friends or we have helped drink the beer ourselves! Screw top bottles can not be used because it is not possible to get a good seal with our bottle caps. I especially like the "swing top" bottles.

Chris Elliott and his son filling the bottles.

Chris' son crimping the bottle cap onto a bottle (with a little assistance).

Charlie Spry filling a keg (the flash light is to see when the keg is full).

A swing top bottle. The easiest to cap and to open!

Beer Trivia: Beer was considered so vital a nutritional staple for British soldiers that when the British army and navy couldn't supply their own beer, they provided their troops with cash allowances to purchase it. The high concentration of B vitamins from the grain and yeast were vital to good health on long overseas missions. British soldiers in Upper Canada were given a daily beer allowance of a penny, sufficient to purchase six pints of ale from a local pub.

Making Beer - Step 4

While the wort is cooling down we take the important step of sterilizing our equipment, again to keep harmful bacteria and other germs from entering the fermentation process and ruining our beer. We use a sterilizing powder purchased from House of Home Brew. I've also read on-line that a weak solution of bleach and water can also be used.

Now it's time to transfer the chilled wort to the fermentation container and to then add the yeast. This process is called "pitching".

Charlie and Chris transferring the chilled wort.

Straining the wort to remove hops before fermentation.

Installing the fermentation lock to allow fermentation bubbles to escape and not allow air in.

Beer Trivia: Spent yeast at the bottom of the beer bottle is full of vitamin B and won't hurt you.

Making Beer - Step 1

About 2 years ago I began brewing beer with a friend. Charlie Spry is really the brew master and I'm just the go-fer (you know, I do whatever he tells me to do). Over the time we have been brewing several friends have joined us to brew and bottle and, of course, to drink it. Over the next several blogs I'm going to describe the beer making process, provide some beer trivia, and include some photos.

Beer Trivia - There are no known pathogens or deadly microorganisms that can live in beer. - you won't die from drinking our beer.

Beer Making Step 1. Open a home brew to sample from a previous batch. In my opinion this is the most important step.

Charlie starting the process!