Brewing with Kits 101
Greetings! Welcome to Brew with Kits. We love beer and we love brewing beer with kits. Today we are going to be talking about how to brew beer with a kit.
This post is a simple overview of how to brew with a kit from start to finish.
You are here because something has got you looking into brewing beer with a kit. That is awesome! The reason this blog exists is to help empower you to start brewing with a kit or to help give you ideas to improve the way you brew beer at home with a kit.
Whatever the reason that you are reading this blog is, I am glad you are here.
How you go about brewing with a kit can vary per specific kit, the desired end beer, and personal preferences.
This post is all about how I generally brew my kits efficiently to save time.
*CHECK OUT THIS POST FOR A MORE DETAILED ACCOUNT OF MY FULL BREWING ROUTINE FROM START TO FINISH*
**** HEY Y’ALL, I WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN A SMALL COMMISSION FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES YOU MAKE FROM MY LINKS.
Research
The first thing I always do is research, research, research. This is most likely exactly what you are doing right now. If so, high-five! You’re off to a great start.
There are tons of things to research. If you are just getting started you should be looking into a starter kit. Poke around on the web or if you’re close to a brewing supply shop, head on over there and take a peek.
Get the equipment/supplies needed
Once you have found the starter kit/equipment you want to use (really as long as you have a fermentor, airlock, sanitizer, cleaner, and bottle filler), you’re going to be able to brew your first beer kit. Most of the starter kits come with all this stuff plus more at a really reasonable price. As mentioned earlier, I suggest you just go with that.
**FOR THOSE LIVING IN THE U.S. I RECOMMEND THIS STARTER KIT**
Pick a kit
If your starter kit didn’t come with a beer kit, you’re gonna need that. You can’t brew beer without the wort (the beer ingredients in the kit). What kit you choose is totally going to be up to you and the kind of beer you like.
Kits vary depending on the type of beer, the distributor, and the price.
CHECK OUT SOME MORE HERE
Type of kits
Starter Kits that include the beer kit
Most starter kits I have seen come with a beer wort. It most likely will be a pilsner (my first brew kit), or a blond ale or something. If you have this, great! It will taste so good.
All-Inclusive Kit (Refill)
These come with all the ingredients. The wort, brew sugar, priming sugar, extra hops or additions (if called for), the yeast, everything is included in these and they rock. I particularly love these types of kits and seriously recommend them.
If you have the equipment and no beer kit, start with these. They are amazing for starters. The second beer I ever brewed was with one of these and it was one of the best beers I have ever had (check out this link for more on that). If you’re already brewing try these guys out, I think you’ll be stoked with the results.
Simple Beer Kit (Refill)
These kits are just the beer wort by itself in a pouch or can along with a yeast packet included. While you can totally use one of these simple kits with just normal kitchen sugar, you might want to buy brewing sugar, and any other addition you want to add like malt, hops, or another flavoring alongside it.
There is no priming sugar either included with these types of kits. Priming sugar is the sugar used to bottle-condition your brew. Again, you could use normal white sugar for this, but I personally feel that the using dextrose as priming sugar leads to a better end product.
These are great to experiment with. You can buy the same kit a couple of times but add different sugars, malts, or hops. The possibilities for great beer are endless. I don’t suggest you do this with your first brew, but if you want to dive in head first, go for it.
Chances are you’ll be fine!
Pick what you want to hold your beer in
Next, you should think about what you want to store your beer in. What you will eventually bottle your beer in, is going to add to your preparation for brewing, so now is the time to figure this out.
Recycled glass bottles
This is the option I use and also recommend. Most likely you can get them for cheap and with a little elbow grease, clean them up. This will save you money that you can put towards more kits.
*CHECK OUT THIS POST FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW I GET AND PREPARE MY SECOND-HAND BOTTLES*
**CHECK OUT THIS POST FOR TOOLS THAT WILL SAVE YOU TONS OF TIME CLEANING YOUR SECOND-HAND BOTTLES**
Bottles (New/Used, Glass/Plastic) & Kegs
There are other options, though, and you may want to look into them. I put 5 liters of my brew in a mini-keg and then the rest in 50cl recycled glass bottles.
You can buy smaller new glass bottles (a bit expensive), 50cl new glass bottles (also expensive), small/big new plastic bottles (cheaper), snap close bottles, and mini or big kegs. It’s really up to you.
If you don’t mind doing more work, you can definitely save some money by picking up second-hand bottles.
*Kegs and mini-kegs will run you a little more money upfront; however, cleaning and filling them is a breeze. It will save you tons of time, and they taste amazing!!!!
Pick a good place for your fermentor
In some ways, this is going to be crucial to brewing good beer. You need a place that remains temperature-wise reasonably stable.
If you have little kids as I do, you are also going to want to take this into effect. You don’t want your little kids knocking over your beer, or pulling your airlock off.
Find a nice, safe, peaceful place for your fermentor to rest and let your beer and yeast do what God created it to do.
Pick a brew day
This is totally up to you. It can be mornings, evenings, nights, weekdays, or weekends. It’s all according to your time and what you prefer. One thing that has been helpful for my brew routine is to have some kind of schedule.
I usually brew on Thursday afternoons. At the beginning of that week, I start preparing everything for that brew day. On brew day I make sure I have enough water for the number of kits I will be brewing that day.
Having a routine helps to eliminate the chances of forgetting to do a something.
Read your instructions
Before brew day you are going to want to open your brew kit to find and read the can/pouch’s instructions. These are super basic but they do vary depending on the type of kit and beer style.
You may need more or less water than other kits. You may have contents in the kit that aren’t needed until a later date like a hop addition or something. Every time you brew, take the 5 mins to read the instructions carefully.
Get a notebook and pen
This has been a massive help for my brew day routine. You’re going to make mistakes, just know that now. It is going to happen. Since this is going to happen you might as well take notes and record your mistakes.
There are so many things you can and should record. This helps to perfect your brewing routine and to help you track what is working and not working for you.
As a result of brewing tons of beers, I have compiled a list that I use to record notes while brewing with a kit.
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Pre-brew day
A day before your brew day you are going to want to go ahead and sanitize your fermentors. This will give them time to dry and cut down on one less step to do/forget to do on your actual brew day.
Brew day prep
The day has arrived to brew with your kit. Just follow these steps and you will have your delicious beer in no time.
Make sure to re-read your instructions and roughly know what you’re going to be doing one step in advance.
Double check and make sure you have everything you need!!!!
If you are using bottled water, do the math again to make sure you have the amount that the style of beer you’re brewing calls for. Check to make sure you have enough sugar or brewing ingredient.
If you are using spray malt or liquid malt, re-read how to use it. Make sure you have everything the kit requires before you open the can or pouch containing the wort.
Record everything
Record in your journal what kit you are using, what kind of sugar, any other thing you’re going to do that the instructions don’t include, etc.
Again for a comprehensive list of notes you should be taking click here and subscribe to my newsletters
Check your pots
Make sure your pots are clean and that there are no spaghetti noodles or any other leftover food stuck on the inside somewhere.
Have fun
Crack open a good beer, throw on some sweet tunes, and enjoy brewing with a kit. Once you have brewed your first kit, save some of those beers to drink while you are brewing your next beer with a kit. There is nothing like drinking your own homebrew while making some homebrew from a kit!
Brew time
Remember, You can brew it!
Boil water for your kit
***This will take a little getting used to, but try to stagger these first two steps to the best of your ability.***
As best as you can try to guess the time required for the wort to get warm and your water for your fermentor to boil. It is going to take your water for the fermentor less time than boiling water for your wort and letting it sit.
Now go ahead and start to boil water to the measurement depending on the beer and style.
Things to do while water is boiling
While you’re waiting for the water to boil layout the yeast packet next to a sterilized airlock.
Place your fermentor on something steady nearby and have it ready to pour in the ingredients.
Check to make sure you have your sugar or brewing ingredients handy
Have a medium bowl with sanitizer in it and a spray bottle filled up with sanitizer close by. Place your brew paddle, scissors, a pitcher, and airlock with cap all inside the bowl with the sanitizer.
Now listen to some jams, talk with your brew friend, drink some of that cold beer and enjoy!
You are already halfway done brewing your kit.
Pour wort into the fermentor
Once it’s ready (after the specified time of sitting in hot water is finished), pour hot wort into the fermentor. Get every last drop you can of that wort by pouring some of the boiled water that is for brewing in the kit pouch or can,
****Watch out! The cans and pouches get extremely hot as soon as you place the boiling water in the pouch/ can****
After the pouch or can is cleaned pour rest of boiled water for brewing in your fermentor
Add sugar or brew ingredients
****If you are using spray malt, do this extremely slow or you will have a huge malt ball in your fermentor and you’re going to be stirring forever****
Take the time to stir
Stir in your ingredients properly. Take about 10-15 mins to do this. You should have a big puffy head on your wort by the time you’re done.
Fill your fermentor with cold water
****Be careful not to dump it in haphazardly if you’re using bottled water. It can splash out and beer wort is super sticky!****
Place fermentor in a safe place
Once filled to the recommended amount, it is time to carry that heavy mother to fermenting location
If you have a thermometer, check the temperature and record it in your journal.
Pitch your yeast
Open the yeast packet and sprinkle it around on that fluffy head created from stirring. Then say a prayer that it would do what God created it to do.
I usually never stir in my yeast. I do not activate my yeast prior, so I let it sit on the top of the beer fluff to activate. This is only my suggestion and what I do but to each his own.
Seal it up & put on the airlock
Time to seal your seal fermentor. check and double check it is completely sealed.
Fill the airlock with sterilized water or bottled water.
*Make sure it is clean water you are placing in the airlock. A lot of times as the temperature falls in your fermentor, it will suck some of the water from you airlock back into your fermentor.*
Place airlock on the lid of the fermentor
Wait for the yeast to do its job.
Go ahead and crack open another cold one. Cheers to life and your new homebrewed beer with a kit.
Clean up
Clean up is relatively easy. Use the boiled water used to warm your wort pouch/ can to clean any sticky messes. You can also use this water to clean your brew paddle and any other equipment that has gotten dirty while brewing.
That’s it! You have brewed it! Now all you have to do is wait for the airlock to stop bubbling and then onto bottling. Until then, here are some links to more articles you may find helpful for your brewing with a kit routine.
It really is as simple as that. Now all you have to do is wait patiently for a couple of days until the airlock stops bubbling completely, take some gravity readings, and then bottle your beer.
In just a couple weeks you will be enjoying your own beer that you brewed with a kit.
Click here to learn time-saving tips for your full brewing routine from start to finish.