Ritchies Simply Beer Home Brew Kit Instructions

1) Clean and sterilise your fermentation bin, lid and mixing paddle with proprietary brand of cleaner steriliser ensuring you rinse thoroughly with clean water.

2) Remove the beer yeast sachet from the bottom of the pouch and set aside for now.

3) Stand the pouch in hot water for 15 minutes to soften the extract.

4) Tear open the pouch and pour the malt extract into your sterilised fermentation bin, rinse out any remains using warm water and add to the fermentation bin.

5) Boil 3ltr of water, add to the fermenter. Add 1kg of dextrose brewing sugar or for improved results and 1kg of beer enhancer and stir until dissolved. (Do not use beer enhancer if making gluten free beer).

6) Top up to 23ltr with cold tap water and stir well. Check liquid temperature is below 25C then add the contents of the beer yeast sachet and stir gently.

7) Fit and airlock to the lid of the fermentation bin then secure lid to the bin, making sure the seal is air-tight. Half fill the airlock with water to protect the brew during fermentation.

8) Place fermentation bin on a washable surface, is it quite normal for some foaming during the first 2 days of fermentation. Ensure it is kept at a constant warm temperature between 20-25C for at least 8 days (see below for when to keg or bottle your beer).

Good temperature control is important for beer quality and timely fermentation. Below 20C, fermentation time will be much longer than 8 days, below 15C, fermentation will stop all together. Use a heat pad if below 20C. Above 25C beer quality will be reduced (especially for lagers).

After 8 days, siphon the beer off the sediment into a sterilised keg/barrel. Add 160g of sugar for lagers and 100g for ales and bitters then leave in a warm place for secondary fermentation for 5 days. Then transfer to a cool place for 7 days to clear. See serving and storage below.

These kits use a complex malt extract that can take longer to ferment out. Leave at least 8 days to ferment or longer if below 20C. Ensure airlock is not bubbling and that S.G reading is stable for 48 hours.

1) After 8 days carefully check the S.G using a hydrometer, record the reading.

2) Re-check the S.G on day 10, if the same reading (or higher) then proceed to bottling. But if the reading is lower then leave to ferment for longer and re-check the S.G every 2 days until you get the same reading. The S.G must be stable before bottling.

IMPORTANT WARNING: The S.G must be stable for 48 hours before bottling. Never bottle until fermentation is complete

Use only proper glass flip top or crown cap beer bottles. reject any glass bottles that have the slightest chips, cracks or imperfections. PET beer bottles can also be used.

3) Clean and sterilise your bottles and siphon tube.

4) Siphon your beer into bottles leaving 5cm (2 inches) head space. Before sealing the bottles add one heaped teaspoon of sugar per 500ml bottle for lagers or a level teaspoon per 500ml bottle for all other types.

5) Seal bottles then store in a warm place for 5 days then move to a cool dark place and leave until clear.

Your beer is ready to drink as soon as it's clear, but for a smoother beer leave somewhere cool and dark for an extra 2 weeks. Serve chilled. For bottled beers pour very slowly and carefully to avoid bottle sediment being transferred into your glass.