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Then sterilize your primary fermentor with either a dilute solution of household bleach or potassium metabisulfite. (The latter liquid is much easier to rinse out than bleach . . . although the lingering presence of either will significantly retard yeast growth.)

Once the water comes to a rolling boil, switch oil the heat momentarily and stir in the now-liquid contents of the two cans of malt extract. Only alter the malt is thoroughly dissolved should you turn the heat back on, since the gooey mass will otherwise tend to stick to the bottom of the pot and burn, thereby imparting an unpleasant flavor to the beer.

At this point, blend in a package of Burton wafer salts, 1 teaspoon of noniodized salt, and-if you have very soft water-1 teaspoon of gypsum. Continue heating to reestablish a rolling boil, but keep an eye on the pot: About 15 minutes after you turn the heat back on, the wart will begin to froth. Stir the liquid to keep the contents from overflowing, and the bubbles will soon recede.

After a 20-minute boil, add 1/2 pound of crystal malt and 1 ounce of fresh (or 113 ounce of pelletized) flavoring hops . . . such as Brewer's Gold, Bullion, Hallerfauer, or Northern Brewer. Soil the mixture for another 30 minutes, stirring it occasionally, and then add i more ounce of the same hops used above.

By now the bubbling solution should have filled your kitchen with some new and interesting smells. After boiling it far another 15 minutes, though, it's time to add the real scenfmakers. Stir in 1 ounce of aromatic hops-either Fuggle or Cascadeand boil for 15 minutes more. (If at all possible use a fresh hopCascade is widely available through beermaking suppliers-to provide the best aroma.) AT the end of the final 15-minute boil, add 1 more ounce of aromatic hops, and turn off the heat.

Now pour five gallons of cold water into the sterilized fermentor, and-if you'd like a slightly more potent brew and don't object to using processed sweeteners-stir a pound of corn sugar into the water. Then cover the top of the fermentor with two layers of cheesecloth, and pour the wort through the "screen" and into the vessel . . . to strain out the crystal malt and hops.

To accurately monitor the starch content of your wort, check the specific gravity by floating your sterilized hydrometer in the mixture. You should expect a reading of between 1.044 and 1.046 . . . which will yield about 4 to 5% alcohol.

By this time the temperature of the brew should be just about right for yeast inoculation, so sprinkle 1 package of ale (top-fermenting) yeast on the liquid. Let it sit for about 2 hours, and then stir the solution thoroughly. Now hide the fermentor in a dark corner-where it won't be bumped-and cover it.

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