Q&A for How to Brew Your Own Beer

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  • Question
    Where can I get beer bottles?
    Community Answer
    Specialty brewing shops will have both bottles and caps. The sealer shown is a fancy one, but simpler cheaper versions are also available. Typically the people operating specialty brewing shops will advise you sensibly!
  • Question
    How much stuff do I need? How much yeast, malt extract, and hops?
    Community Answer
    It depends on how much you are going to make. Look for recipes to determine how much you need.
  • Question
    Do I have to dry my homemade malt once germinated or can I mash with moisture in it?
    Community Answer
    You need to dry it to stop the fermentation and make your finished product taste better.
  • Question
    Where do I buy beer bottle caps?
    Community Answer
    Specialty brewing shops will have both bottles and caps. The sealer shown is a fancy one - simpler and cheaper version are also available. Typically the people operating specialty brewing shops will advise you sensibly!
  • Question
    Can I add more yeast? Will it make the beer stronger?
    Community Answer
    You could, but it won't give you a higher alcohol content. At most, it will cut an hour or so from your total fermentation. Any amount of yeast will die once its alcohol by volume limit is achieved.
  • Question
    What will happen if I put the priming sugar in the first stage by mistake?
    Community Answer
    Your beer might be a bit stronger or sweeter. The final product will not be as carbonated as it would be normally.
  • Question
    Is it true that it smells really bad when it is fermenting?
    Community Answer
    It does not, provided you did clean and sanitize everything correctly. The only gas coming through the airlock is that produced from the yeast converting sugars to CO2 and alcohol. To me, it smells similar to bread yeast when making bread. If you did not sanitize then you may get strange smells as you will be growing and feeding who knows what in your fermentor.
  • Question
    Is it okay for kids to drink a non-alcoholic beer or wine?
    Community Answer
    Kids in numerous cultures drink non-alcoholic fermented beverages, notably Kvass, so yes. Just make it clear to your child that they can only have non-alcoholic drinks and supervise them whenever they are drinking to ensure that they aren't accidentally consuming alcohol.
  • Question
    Does the beer require distillation?
    Community Answer
    No. It is a fermented drink, not a distilled one.
  • Question
    How can I make my beer stronger?
    Community Answer
    You need more sugar in the wort and a yeast that can handle more alcohol. Stronger drinks are often harder to make tasty, so beware.
  • Question
    Do I need to pasteurize the bottles again to make it keep longer?
    Community Answer
    No. Assuming you followed good sanitation practices, the major factor affecting the longevity of your beer is light and O2 (minor). I've consumed bottles of my beer that were over three years old, and they were fine or even better--for high-gravity beers, especially.
  • Question
    How do I get the alcohol percentage of my brewed beer?
    Community Answer
    There is a special tool called a hydrometer that you can get. It is a thin glass tube with markings 10, 20 ,30, etc. It will float at a marking, telling you what percent your beer is!
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