This is a list of frequently asked questions from the Homebrew Digest Forum Brews n Views.
Brews & Views FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Special thanks to Bill Pierce for coordinating this effort.
The following questions are among those that are often asked, especially by newer homebrewers, and appear frequently on the HBD's Brews & Views discussion board. It may be worth consulting the FAQs in order to obtain a quick answer and avoid duplicating what has already been asked.
The answers are relatively brief and are not the last word on these subjects. They represent a consensus of general opinions, but there are those who disagree (sometimes strongly and logically) and are entitled to their points of view. We don't want to stifle dissent or discourage further discussion, so please feel free to post questions or your own opinions on these or any other brewing-related issues if you want more information.
You can use your browser's search function (usually Ctrl-F) to find words and phrases in the questions and answers below.
- Q: Is homebrewing legal?
A: In a word, yes. In 1978 a U.S. federal law that allowed home winemaking after the end of Prohibition was amended to include homebrewing of beer. The law allows for up to 100 gallons annually per adult member of each household, with a maximum total of 200 gallons per household. Individual states also have passed laws specifically allowing homebrewing; as of January 2004, all but six (Alabama, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah) have done so. Even in those states there have been no active prosecutions of homebrewers; homebrew shops and clubs continue to operate openly and without interference except in a few cases on very specific issues such as competitions.
Home distillation (as opposed to fermentation) of alcohol is forbidden in the U.S. and all but a very few other countries.
- Q: Can I sell my beer?
A: The law is clear that homebrew is only for personal consumption by you, your family and guests who are of legal age. Brewing beer for sale requires state and federal licenses and adherence to alcoholic beverage laws, as well as compliance with local zoning and state safety, health and food regulations. These are not trivial matters. However, there have been a few entrepreneurs who have managed to translate their passion into successful businesses after making the difficult transition to commercial brewing.
- Q: How do I get started in homebrewing?
A: A local homebrew shop is a good resource. Check the yellow pages under "beer and winemaking supplies." If there is one in your area, stop in and introduce yourself to the proprietor. Explain that you are interested in getting started. Most shops sell equipment kits containing most of what you will need for your first batch. Some offer homebrewing classes taught by experienced brewers. Ask if there is a local homebrew club, which is also an excellent source of information and an opportunity to share your passion with others of a like mind. Homebrewers are very social and eager to help new brewers. You can learn a lot by watching and helping others brew. See the question below regarding books on homebrewing. And consult this and other online homebrewing references and forums.
- Q: What is a good book on homebrewing?
A: There are quite a few homebrewing books, including several excellent ones. Many people give high praise to John Palmer's How to Brew, which is online as well as in printed form. Hundreds of thousands of homebrewers learned from Charlie Papazian's The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing, available for more than 20 years and now in a new third edition. Ray Daniels' Designing Great Beers is more advanced and excellent for recipe formulation, although it contains not a single recipe. For recipes emulating commercial beers, Tess and Mark Szamatulski's Clone Brews and Beer Captured are a good starting point. The Association of Brewers publishes a series on individual beer styles. Among other authors who cover intermediate and more advanced homebrewing topics are Dave Miller, Greg Noonan, and George and Laurie Fix.
- Q: Where do I find a recipe for my favorite commercial beer?
A: As mentioned above, Tess and Mark Szamatulski's Clone Brews and Beer Captured are a good starting point for recipes emulating a variety of domestic and import craft beers. You are likely to find at least a couple of recipes for a desired style if not for a specific beer. Understand that it may not be possible to duplicate a beer exactly; some people like the challenge while others say your own beer is what matters.
- Q: Can I brew a beer like Bud/Miller/Coors for my friends who say they don't like homebrew?
A: American light lagers are among the hardest styles to brew. To duplicate the light color requires all-grain brewing; the process of making malt extract darkens it. The adjuncts such as corn or rice used to brew these beers require mashing. Lager yeast should be fermented at about 50 F followed by a period of cold lagering in a secondary fermenter at 40 F or below. The relative lack of color and flavor in these beers leaves little room for the brewer to hide flaws.
That said, it is possible to brew lighter beers with malt extract and a neutral ale yeast, especially if they are cold conditioned, but they will not be quite the same as the commercial light lagers and may not satisfy hard-core drinkers of these beers. However, you may like them very much.
- Q: Is there good brewing software?
A: A number of homebrewing software packages have received good reviews. Among them are ProMash, StrangeBrew and BeerSmith. The authors of these products provide good online support to users. It is also possible to create and use a spreadsheet with the basic formulas for homebrewing calculations.
- Q: Can I use aluminum in homebrewing?
A: Aluminum is softer than many other metals and can be damaged by caustic cleaners. It is not used in commercial breweries for these reasons. However, aluminum is light and inexpensive and is used very successfully by many homebrewers who understand how to use and clean it.
The supposed connection between aluminum and Alzheimer's disease was based on a study done in the late 1970s that since has been discounted by the vast majority of scientists. There is a small but very vocal minority who insist that this has not been categorically disproved. If you are among this group, by all means brew with materials you trust.
- Q: Is it safe to ferment in plastic buckets?
A: Many homebrewers use food grade plastic fermenters. They are light and almost unbreakable with normal use. They can scratch and potentially harbor bacteria, but reasonable cleaning and sanitation should eliminate this. Plastic (it varies among the type) is somewhat permeable and will admit air (and potentially damaging oxygen) over time, but this is not likely to be a problem if the fermenter is used for no longer than about a month. Glass or stainless steel is a better choice for long fermentation or aging.
- Q: Do I need to use a cover and an airlock on the fermenter?
A: For centuries beer was fermented in open (uncovered) fermenters and a few traditional breweries still use this method. If you practice reasonable sanitation you may wish to open ferment your beer. It's a good idea to place a piece of cloth or plastic over the fermenter to prevent anything from falling into the beer. And open fermentation is not recommended after fermentation has ceased or if the beer is racked to secondary for aging.
- Q: Do I need to use a secondary fermenter?
A: Racking (transferring) the beer to a secondary fermenter after it has finished or nearly finished fermenting can promote clarity in the beer and may be desirable in styles that benefit from aging. However, this is not a requirement and beers intended to be drunk young or where clarity is not an issue are often kegged or bottled directly from the primary fermenter.
- Q: How do I know when my beer is ready to rack (transfer) to a secondary fermenter or to bottle or keg?
A: Use a hydrometer to take specific gravity readings. This is far and away the best method to reliably judge when fermentation has completed. Bubbles and airlock activity are not always a good indication, and neither is whether the kraeusen (head on top of the fermenting beer) has fallen into the beer. When there has been little or no change in the specific gravity after 48 hours between readings, you can usually assume that fermentation is nearly or completely finished.
How long to age a beer in secondary is a more subjective issue. In general, lagers and high gravity beers benefit from aging in bulk prior to bottling or kegging. Other styles may be best consumed fresh after little or no secondary aging.
- Q: When is my beer ready to drink?
A: The same reasoning applies to bottled or kegged beers as to secondary fermentation. Some styles, particularly lower gravity British ales and German wheat beers, for example, are best when consumed fresh. Other strong beer styles such as barley wines, doppelbocks and many Belgian beers can be aged for years. There is nothing wrong with sampling your beer every so often and deciding for yourself when you like it best.
- Q: How do I start a siphon?
A: Siphoning can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. There are devices such as the Auto Siphon and Super Siphon that are designed to lift or suck the liquid up into the siphon tube. Some homebrewers use a turkey baster or large veterinary syringe to start a siphon. Others fill a hose with water, plugging both ends with a finger until just before the hose is inserted into the liquid. Sucking on the tube by mouth, even after rinsing with vodka or gin, is less than sanitary, although some homebrewers claim to get away with this method.
Whatever method you use, do a little practice siphoning with water. After a few times it becomes second nature and is hardly worth thinking about again.
- Q: My original specific gravity is very different from what the recipe suggested. What is wrong?
A: This is a somewhat common question, especially among extract brewers who boil a portion of the wort and top it off with cold water in the fermenter. The problem is that the different densities of the concentrated wort and water do not allow them to mix easily; they tend to stratify even after stirring. This results in erroneous specific gravity readings depending on whether mostly wort or water is being measured. Accurate readings require the wort and water to be mixed extremely well.
- Q: Why is the final specific gravity of my beer so high?
A: There are several causes of poor attenuation (fermentation of the sugars in the wort). Many of the reasons involve yeast, including use of a low attenuating strain, pitching an insufficient population of healthy yeast and poor wort aeration. In general it is good to pitch a large population of healthy yeast and to aerate the chilled wort well. Making a starter is recommended with liquid yeast, especially for moderate to high gravity beers.
Some malt extracts are known to be less fermentable (Laaglander is notorious for this), resulting in more sweetness, increased body and a higher final gravity. For all-grain brewers, a higher mash temperature tends to produce a less fermentable wort.
- Q: I brewed my beer yesterday and pitched the yeast but there is no activity in the fermenter yet. What should I do?
A: Long lag times between pitching the yeast and the beginning of active fermentation have a number of causes. The main one is underpitching, that is, using an insufficient population of healthy yeast. This is not always fatal, although it clearly increases the time before fermentation begins and it can result in slow and incomplete fermentations.
Have some patience. If you practiced good sanitation a long lag time is not likely to cause infection. Sometimes it can take 48 hours or longer before there is activity, especially at lower temperatures and with lager yeast. Bringing the fermenter into a warmer location may speed up the process. You can return to the recommended temperature as soon as there are signs of fermentation. As a last resort, you may wish to pitch dry yeast if nothing happens after three or four days.
- Q: My beer looks or smells awful while it is fermenting. Will it be all right?
A: Don't worry very much about the appearance or aromas produced during fermentation. The foam or kraeusen (pronounced "kroyzen") on top of the beer is a natural product of the fermentation process, as is the tub (pronounced "troob") that will settle to the bottom. This will be left behind when the beer is "racked" (transferred) to another fermenter or when bottled or kegged. As for the aroma, it is normal for volatile fractions to be produced. Some of these may be slightly unpleasant but not unusual, especially with certain yeast strains. Be happy that these are being driven off and eliminated from the beer, which very likely will taste and smell as it should when it is ready to drink.
- Q: Is my beer infected?
A: Off-flavors result from a variety of causes, including infections, but many homebrewers are quick to suspect infections when this is not the case. Assuming that you practiced reasonable sanitation (medical sterilization is not required), the odds are that your beer is not infected. Only a few types of microorganisms can survive in the relatively acidic and alcoholic environment of beer. Often what is initially thought to be signs of infection is merely beer that might benefit from additional aging. Infections normally get worse over time instead of improving the beer.
- Q: Can my beer make me sick?
A: No known human pathogens can survive in beer. The alcohol and relative acidity help to protect it. Infected beer may not taste very good and you may not want to drink very much of it, but it won't make you sick per se. Of course overconsumption of beer can result in temporary sickness and nasty hangovers, so drink responsibly and know when you've had enough.
- Q: My beer tastes terrible. Should I dump it?
A. Beer changes over time, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. It may be merely that your beer will benefit from some aging. Give it some time (at least several months), especially after bottling or kegging. Consider refrigerating the bottles or kegs; some flaws will diminish with time and cold conditioning. It is also possible to blend beer with minor to moderate off-flavors with other beer (this is done more often by the major breweries than you might realize). Only if the undesirable flavors increase and the beer remains undrinkable should you dump it.
- Q: Why is my beer is not as clear as commercial beers?
A: Many commercial beers are filtered to produce sparkling clarity. This does not improve flavor and in fact may diminish it. Homebrew contains live yeast that may help to preserve and protect the flavor if stored properly. It is possible to add finings (agents that help clear the beer) or use homebrew filters that can be expensive and wasteful of beer. However, the truth is that most beer will clear with time if there are not other significant flaws. Moreover, some styles, such as German hefeweizen and many Belgian ales, are intended to be consumed cloudy with the natural yeast.
- Q: Is dry yeast any good?
A: Dry yeast once had an inferior reputation because of contamination and resulted in poorer flavor than liquid yeast strains. This is much less true today. Several brands of dry yeast are now of high quality (Danstar and DCL, for example) and will produce good results. The advantages are longer shelf life (it is still recommended to refrigerate dry yeast during storage), lower cost and no need to make a starter (assuming that you pitch the recommended amount). However, there are a limited number of dry strains available with much less variety, especially for lager and Belgian styles, than for liquid yeasts.
- Q: Do I need to make a yeast starter?
A: Dry yeast does not require a starter. With liquid yeast, making a starter is often recommended, despite the yeast producers' claims of so-called "pitchable" packages. This is especially so if the yeast is not absolutely fresh (within a month of the date stamped on the package) or if the original specific gravity of the beer is moderate to high (above about 1.045). Many homebrewers manage to brew good beer without making a starter, but not doing so increases the possibility of infection during the lag time prior to the beginning of fermentation, as well as the chances of a slow, stuck or incomplete fermentation. It's up to you to decide if it's worth the risk.
Instructions for making a yeast starter are on the web sites of the major liquid yeast producers.
- Q: Do I need to aerate the wort ?
A: Yeast requires oxygen for healthy reproduction. At other times introducing oxygen should be avoided, as it promotes staling of the beer, but just prior to the beginning of fermentation the yeast consumes oxygen. Insufficient oxygen levels can lead to poor yeast health and poor fermentation. Aerating the cooled wort can be accomplished by straining it, using a sanitized wire whisk or motorized paint stirrer, pouring the wort back and forth at least several times between sanitized buckets from a height of several feet, or using an airstone with either an aquarium pump (a filter is recommended for the air) or pure oxygen from a welding or medical cylinder. Aeration is less important with dry yeast and when brewing lower gravity beers.
- Q: Can I reuse yeast?
A: Some brewers merely pitch the "yeast cake" of a previous batch when the beer is racked. The primary yeast is preferred because it has just finished a healthy fermentation and is most like the original yeast, although the secondary yeast can be used. If you have practiced good sanitation you can siphon the chilled wort directly onto the yeast in the same fermenter from which the beer was racked.
It is also possible to "harvest" the yeast and save it for later use. Use well-sanitized tools and remove the yeast sediment to a sanitized jar. Cover the sediment with beer (any beer), seal the jar and refrigerate. The yeast can be saved for about a month; covered with sterile (boiled and cooled) distilled water, it may be possible to reuse the yeast after a year or more. It is highly recommended to make a starter with yeast sediment that has been stored for more than about two weeks. It may take several days for the starter to show activity if the yeast is several months or more old.
There is debate about the number of times yeast should be reused, but some homebrewers report successful repitchings as many as eight times or more.
Dry yeast is generally not worth saving, as it is easy to pitch a fresh packet or two.
- Q: Is all-grain beer better than beer brewed with malt extract?
A: Certain styles do not lend themselves to extract brewing because they are brewed with ingredients that require mashing. All-grain beers are not inherently better than extract beers but all-grain brewers usually have more experience and a better understanding of the brewing process. Using less than fresh (especially liquid) extract can result in a flavor commonly known as "extract tang." Boiling the full volume of wort rather than topping it off with cold water in the fermenter also tends to produce beer of higher quality. Many extract brewers do concentrated wort boils because they lack a kettle or burner of sufficient size.
- Q: What grains can be steeped and which ones require mashing?
A: Grains that have a significant amount of unconverted starches should be mashed. These include all the malts described as "base malts," those that contribute the majority of the fermentables to the beer. Steeping these grains can extract starches into the beer, resulting in haze and a shorter shelf life (some beer-spoiling bacteria can digest starches). Grains that can be steeped have had most of the starches either converted to sugars or destroyed in the malting process. These include caramel or crystal malts and roast grains such as chocolate malt, black malt and roast barley. Flaked ingredients require mashing.
- Q: Is it true that using sugar results in cidery flavors?
A: Using sugar will result in a beer that has less body and more alcohol, but in amounts of 20 percent or less of the total fermentables sugar should not affect flavor. Many Belgian and British ale recipes use various sugars.
The small amount of sugar used for priming (bottle carbonation) has no effect other than to carbonate the beer. Most homebrewers believe that sugar is the preferred priming agent because it is relatively quick, inexpensive, easy to use and predictable. It is more accurate to measure sugar by weight rather than by volume.
- Q: How fresh should brewing ingredients be?
A: Liquid malt extract should be very fresh or it can result in a harsh flavor sometimes called "extract tang." Dry extract should last several years if kept away from moist environments.
Uncrushed grain will keep for a year or more in a relatively cool, dry place. Crushed and flaked grains should be used within a few months at most.
Hops should be kept cold and out of the air, preferably in sealed bags in the freezer. The alpha acid levels decrease with time, especially at warmer temperatures.
Liquid yeast should be used within a few months of the date stamped on the package. It should be stored refrigerated but not frozen. It is recommended to refrigerate and use dry yeast before the expiration date.
- Q: Do I need to make adjustments to my brewing water?
A: Beer is more than 98 percent water, so it would seem that water is the most important ingredient in brewing. In a sense this is true, but the fact is that most tap water is very adequate for brewing most styles of beer. Beginning brewers would benefit from a thorough understanding of the other aspects of brewing before tackling water chemistry. It is possible to do more harm than good.
If your water has an undesirable aroma or taste, or added chlorine (or chloramines which are becoming a more common substitute), you may wish to buy a relatively inexpensive activated charcoal filter or use filtered bottled water.
- Q: The volume of a recipe is for 5 gallons. How do I adjust the ingredients for larger or smaller batches?
A: For homebrew size batches you can adjust the ingredients proportionally. Commercial size batches may need some adjustments for homebrewers because large (more than 50 gallons) kettles have increased hop utilization.
- Q: I am considering buying a grain mill. Which one is best?
A: There are quite a few popular mills. Among them are mills from Barley Crusher, CrankandStein, JSP, Listermann (Phil Mill 2), St. Pat's (Automatic) and Valley. These should do a very good job for homebrewers.
- Q: What is hot side aeration (HSA) and should I be concerned about it?
A: Ever since an article was published in a brewing technical journal in the late 1980s there has been a long debate about "hot side aeration" or HSA. This is the unintentional aerating of the mash liquid or wort while it is hot. There is some evidence that this may cause chemical reactions that can contribute to premature staling of the beer after it is bottled or kegged. However, there is countering evidence that the effects may be very limited and especially of little or no consequence to homebrewers.
Whether or not this is truly an issue, many homebrewers in general avoid unduly splashing the mash liquid and wort until it is chilled. It is clear that HSA is not a problem during boiling when the ability of the wort to absorb oxygen is nearly zero. Once the wort is chilled and before fermentation begins, oxygen is desirable for healthy yeast reproduction, which is why aeration is recommended at that time but not otherwise.
- Q: I have heard that Beano can be used to restart a stuck or incomplete fermentation and lower the final specific gravity of the beer. Should I consider using it?
A: The anti-gas medication Beano contains an enzyme very similar to the amylase enzymes in malt that convert starches to sugars. Beano in liquid or tablet form (or amylase enzyme powder) can be added to help the yeast digest the more complex sugars in the wort or beer. The main problem with doing so is that it can be unpredictable and result in a very alcoholic and thin (lacking in body) beer that requires a very long time to age in order to become drinkable. The best protection against poor fermentation is to pitch a large population of healthy yeast and aerate the chilled wort well. The addition of enzymes occasionally has its place in specialized circumstances but should be considered a very radical and risky option for beginning brewers.
- Q: How can I improve my beer?
A: Obviously this question has many answers. Here are few suggestions. Use fresh ingredients and follow recommended procedures. Pay attention to details but don't become compulsive. If possible boil the full volume of wort rather than boiling a smaller concentrated volume and adding cold water to the fermenter. Chill the wort quickly. Pitch enough yeast for a healthy fermentation. Read about brewing and consult online references and forums. Find a good homebrew shop. Join and meet with other homebrewers in your area. Educate your palate by trying a wide variety of beers. Never stop being curious and asking questions. Share your knowledge and passion for brewing and beer.
- Q: I see a lot of acronyms in the online brewing discussions. Is there a dictionary?
A: Here is one list of homebrewing acronyms that may be useful:
- Acronyms and Abbreviations Used in Beer & Brewing Discussions
- For general online discussion acronyms, use this reference: Acronyms & Shorthand
- Q: What is the last word on homebrewing?
A: Charlie Papazian, homebrewing evangelist and founder of the American Homebrewer's Association, said it best more than 25 years ago: "relax, don't worry, have a homebrew" (RDWHAHB).