This recipe guides you through brewing 5 gallons of "Good Brew" beer. It covers essential steps from sterilizing equipment and mashing grains to boiling with hops and malt extract, cooling the wort, pitching yeast, fermenting, transferring, priming, and finally bottling for conditioning, ensuring a comprehensive homebrewing experience.
Sterilization is the absolute cornerstone of successful homebrewing; any contamination can ruin the batch, leading to off-flavors or spoilage. Ensure all equipment contacting the wort or beer post-boil is meticulously sanitized. Precise temperature control, especially during mashing (155°F) and yeast pitching (80°F), is critical for yeast health and flavor profile development. Be vigilant during the boil of the malt extract to prevent boil-overs; a spray bottle with cold water can quickly reduce foam. Allow ample time for primary and secondary fermentation, and bottle conditioning, as rushing these steps compromises flavor and carbonation. Consistency in process yields consistent results.