CNN Food Central - Resources: Home Brewing Step 5

5 - Transfer Next comes transfering the wort and water to the fermenter. The wort should be cooled as quickly as possible because the yeast must be added when the wort mixed with water cools off to a minimum of 70 degrees. The cold water added inside the fermenter should help to cool of the wort. Excess grains should be strained off when added to the fermenter.

a. Add cold water to fermenter: Add most of the 3 1/2 gallons of cold water to fermenter or carboy. Inserting a piece of wire or paper clip will let air escape from the top of the funnel, making it easier for liquid to flow into the fermenter.
b. Strain wort to fermenter: Pour the wort through sterilized strainer to the 3 1/2 gallons already in the the fermenter/carboy. This will strain off any remaining grains that may have fallen out of the grain bag. Also a necessary step if a grain bag is not used.
c. Add remaining water to fermenter: Pour in the remainder of cold water into the fermenter.
d. Hydrometer reading: The hydrometer reading, which measures alcohol percentage and specific gravity in the beer, will need to be used taken at least two times. First a reading is taken before the yeast is added to the unfermented beer and after about seven days to determine if the fermentation process has completed. Fill tube or cylinder (that comes with the hydrometer) about three-quarters full with beer solution. Drop hydrometer in tube. When hydrometer has stopped bobbing and is still, record numbers on potential alcohol and specific gravity scales. The potential alcohol reading will indicate how strong the alcohol content is in the beer. The specific gravity shows how dense the beer is. If bubbles may form around the hydrometer twirl the hydrometer until bubbles settle against the side of the tube. Make sure to write these numbers down as you will need to compare these readings with ones taken later.
e. Add yeast: When cooled to at least 70 degrees, sprinkle one packet of ale yeast on top of beer. It is extremely important to not add yeast until this minimal temperature is reached because higher temperatures will kill the yeast and prevent fermentation to occur.
f. Attach airlock: Attach sanitized airlock to top of fermenter/carboy. In about 12-24 hours fermentation will start taking place. An obvious signal of the fermentation process is small bubbles that escape out the top of the air lock. The bubbles occur because the yeast feeding on sugars is releasing C02.

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