Horst Buch's Fast and Easy Beer

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Malt is nothing more than barley that has been sprouted to change its starches into sugars suitable for fermenting. Luckily, you don't have to go through the trouble of sprouting your own grain. You can buy malt extract in a can. This dark, sticky syrup (similar to molasses) comes in pale, amber, and dark, and with or without hops. Personally, I like Munton and Fison amber malt extract, and because I like to choose my own hops, I get it without hops. Of note: Malt extract is used medically to treat debility (which certain ly explains why beer drinkers are such a robust and lively crew!)

Hops, the dried female flowers of the hop vine, add bitterness that offsets the malt's sweetness. Traditionally, hops are used as a vermifuge, which is also why beer drinkers hardly ever have worms. Because dried hops go stale fast and are messy to handle, I prefer the pelleted version. They vary in flavor and bitterness, depending on the variety and where it is grown. I use Hallertau hops because they are pungent without being excessively bitter.

Yeast causes this witch's brew of ingredients to ferment, and the kind of yeast you select will influence the flavor of your beer. Two kinds you want to avoid are baker's yeast and brewer's yeast. The former makes disgusting tasting beer, the latter is a nutritional supplement containing no live culture, so it won't ferment at all. Also, yeast has definite preferences when it comes to temperature. If it gets too cold, it goes dormant. If it gets too hot, it dies. Although I prefer Old English lager yeast, I use Munton and Fison's special warm-temperature yeast during the summer to keep my brew perking along.

Yeast causes this witch's brew of ingredients to ferment, and the kind of yeast you select will influence
the flavor of your beer.

Now I'd like to tell you it was sheer brilliance and insight that led to my rave beer reviews, but it wasn't. It was good old trial and error. But I am proud of my beer and I'm at the point where I brew the exact same way every time. I keep a record of the ingredients used, the date each batch was made, the room temperature under which it fermented, the date it was bottled, and other details. Because the slightest variation can have far-reaching consequences, I like to be able to track any changes that might occur in my brew.

If, after trying a batch or two, you decide to tailor my recipe to suit your own taste, keep detailed records so you can back-track if you're not happy with the results. Change only one thing at a time. If you try different hops, for example, don't change both the type and the amount in the same batch. Even something as simple as switching from one brand of malt to another can dramatically change the nature of your brew.

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