Brew It Yourself: Top 10 Easy Craft Beers to Make at Home

Introduction to Home Brewing

Brewing beer at home has become a popular hobby for many enthusiasts looking to create their craft beers. You can embark on this exciting adventure with just a few essential tools and ingredients. In this article, we’ll explore the top 10 easy-to-brew craft beers you can make with minimal equipment.

Simple Recipes for Delicious Craft Beer

1. **American Pale Ale**: This balanced beer is perfect for beginners. Using pale malt and cascade hops, it can be made with simple fermentation techniques.

Recipe 1: American Pale Ale

Fermentables

• 6.6 lbs (3 kg) Pale Liquid Malt Extract (LME)
• 1 lb (0.45 kg) Crystal 20L Malt (steeped)

Hops

• 1 oz (28 g) Cascade (60 min boil)
• 1 oz (28 g) Cascade (15 min boil)

Yeast

• Safale US-05 Dry Ale Yeast

Instructions

1. Steep Grains: Place Crystal 20L in a muslin bag and steep in 2 gallons (7.6 L) of 155°F (68°C) water for 20 minutes. Remove grains.
2. Boil: Add LME, stirring to dissolve. Bring to a boil and add 1 oz Cascade. After 45 minutes, add the remaining Cascade. Boil for 15 minutes.
3. Cool & Ferment: Chill wort to 70°F (21°C), transfer to fermenter, top up to 5 gallons (19 L), and pitch yeast. Ferment for 14 days.
4. Bottle: Prime with 5 oz (142 g) corn sugar dissolved in 2 cups (473 mL) water. Bottle and condition for 2 weeks.

This balanced ale showcases Cascade’s citrusy aroma, with Crystal malt providing a subtle caramel backbone

2. **Brown Ale**: A malt-forward beer that’s forgiving for new brewers. The rich flavors come from dark malts, creating a satisfying brew.

Recipe 2: Nut Brown Ale

Fermentables

• 6.6 lbs (3 kg) Amber LME
• 0.5 lb (227 g) Chocolate Malt (steeped)
• 0.5 lb (227 g) Victory Malt (steeped)

Hops

• 1 oz (28 g) East Kent Goldings (60 min boil)

Yeast

• Wyeast 1098 British Ale

Instructions

1. Steep Grains: Steep Chocolate and Victory malts at 155°F (68°C) for 30 minutes.
2. Boil: Add LME and hops, boiling for 60 minutes.
3. Ferment: Cool wort to 68°F (20°C), pitch yeast, and ferment for 14 days.
4. Condition: Bottle with priming sugar; age 3 weeks for optimal flavor integration.

Roasted malts impart nutty and toasty notes, while East Kent Goldings offer earthy balance

3. **Wheat Beer**: Light and refreshing, wheat beer is straightforward to brew and perfect for warm days. It usually includes a mix of wheat and barley malt.

Recipe 3: Hefeweizen (Wheat Beer)

Fermentables

• 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) Wheat LME
• 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) Pale LME

Hops

• 1 oz (28 g) Hallertau (60 min boil)

Yeast

• Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan Weizen

Instructions

1. Boil: Dissolve LME in 2.5 gallons (9.5 L) of water. Add hops and boil for 60 minutes.
2. Ferment: Cool to 62°F (17°C), pitch yeast, and ferment for 10 days.
3. Bottle: Prime and condition 2 weeks. Serve cloudy for authentic Hefeweizen character.

This hazy, effervescent beer features clove and banana esters from Weizen yeast

4. **Stout**: For those who prefer darker beers, a stout is an excellent choice. The roasted malt provides robust flavors that are enjoyable and easy to make.

Recipe 4: Dry Irish Stout

Fermentables

• 6.6 lbs (3 kg) Dark LME
• 1 lb (0.45 kg) Roasted Barley (steeped)

Hops

• 1.5 oz (43 g) Fuggle (60 min boil)

Yeast

• Safale S-04 Dry Ale Yeast

Instructions

1. Steep Roasted Barley at 150°F (66°C) for 30 minutes.
2. Boil: Add LME and Fuggle hops; boil for 60 minutes.
3. Ferment: Pitch yeast at 68°F (20°C); ferment for 14 days.
4. Bottle: Carbonate to 1.8–2.0 volumes for creamy head.

Roasted barley delivers coffee-like bitterness, balanced by Fuggle’s mild spice

5. **Porter**: Similar to stouts but often with a sweeter finish, porters are approachable and delightful with hints of chocolate and caramel.

Recipe 5: Robust Porter

Fermentables

• 6.6 lbs (3 kg) Dark LME
• 0.5 lb (227 g) Chocolate Malt
• 0.5 lb (227 g) Crystal 60L

Hops

• 1 oz (28 g) Willamette (60 min boil)

Yeast

• White Labs WLP001 California Ale

Instructions

1. Steep Grains at 155°F (68°C) for 25 minutes.
2. Boil: Add LME and Willamette; boil for 60 minutes.
3. Ferment: 10 days at 68°F (20°C).
4. Condition: Age bottles 4 weeks to mellow roasted edges.

Chocolate and Crystal malts create layers of cocoa and caramel

6. **Pale Lager**: Crisp and clean, lagers require a little extra time but are worth the wait. The fermentation process might seem daunting but is manageable.

Recipe 6: Pale Lager

Fermentables

• 6.6 lbs (3 kg) Pilsen LME
• 1 lb (0.45 kg) Vienna Malt (steeped)

Hops

• 1 oz (28 g) Saaz (60 min boil)

Yeast

• Fermentis W-34/70 Lager Yeast

Instructions

1. Steep Vienna Malt at 152°F (67°C) for 30 minutes.
2. Boil: Add LME and Saaz; boil for 90 minutes for a crisp finish.
3. Ferment: Cool to 50°F (10°C), pitch yeast, and ferment for 3 weeks.
4. Lager: Store bottled beer at 34°F (1°C) for 4 weeks.

Saaz hops impart floral notes, while Vienna malt adds subtle sweetness

7. **Saison**: This farmhouse-style beer offers refreshing fruity notes, making it a fun project for home brewers.

Recipe 7: Saison

Fermentables

• 6.6 lbs (3 kg) Pilsen LME
• 1 lb (0.45 kg) Wheat DME

Hops

• 1 oz (28 g) Styrian Goldings (60 min boil)

Yeast

• Wyeast 3711 French Saison

Instructions

1. Boil: Dissolve LME/DME, add hops; boil for 60 minutes.
2. Ferment: Pitch yeast at 75°F (24°C); allow temperature to rise naturally. Ferment 3 weeks.
3. Bottle: High carbonation (3.0 volumes) enhances spicy yeast character.

Peppery and citrusy notes define this farmhouse ale, ideal for summer

8. **Amber Ale**: Rich and flavorful, amber ales combine caramel malt with slightly hoppy bitterness, making them both easy to brew and enjoyable.

Recipe 8: Amber Ale

Fermentables

• 6.6 lbs (3 kg) Amber LME
• 0.5 lb (227 g) Crystal 40L (steeped)

Hops

• 1 oz (28 g) Centennial (60 min boil)
• 0.5 oz (14 g) Cascade (5 min boil)

Yeast

• Safale US-05

Instructions

1. Steep Crystal 40L at 155°F (68°C) for 20 minutes.
2. Boil: Add LME and Centennial; add Cascade at 55 minutes.
3. Ferment: 14 days at 68°F (20°C).
4. Bottle: Condition 2 weeks for balanced malt-hop harmony.

Caramel sweetness meets citrusy hops in this crowd-pleasing ale

9. **Honey Blonde Ale**: A light beer with a touch of sweetness from honey, adding a unique flavor profile that’s still easy to master.

Recipe 9: Honey Blonde Ale

Fermentables

• 5 lbs (2.3 kg) Pale LME
• 1 lb (0.45 kg) Honey (added post-boil)

Hops

• 1 oz (28 g) Hallertau (60 min boil)

Yeast

• Wyeast 1056 American Ale

Instructions

1. Boil: Dissolve LME, add Hallertau; boil for 60 minutes.
2. Add Honey: Stir in honey after flameout; do not boil to preserve aromatics.
3. Ferment: 10 days at 68°F (20°C).
4. Bottle: Carbonate moderately (2.4 volumes) to accentuate honey notes.

Honey lightens the body while contributing floral undertones

10. **Fruit Beer**: Get creative by introducing your favorite fruits into a simple beer base. The possibilities are endless!

Recipe 10: Raspberry Fruit Beer

Base Beer

• 6.6 lbs (3 kg) Pale LME
• 1 oz (28 g) Saaz (60 min boil)
• Safale US-05 Yeast

Fruit Addition

• 3 lbs (1.4 kg) Frozen Raspberries (secondary fermentation)

Instructions

1. Boil & Ferment: Follow base ale instructions.
2. Add Fruit: After primary fermentation, add pasteurized raspberries to the secondary fermenter for 7 days.
3. Bottle: Strain fruit solids; prime and condition for 2 weeks.

Tart raspberries complement the clean malt backbone, creating a refreshing fruit bee

Conclusion

With these easy-to-brew craft beer recipes, anyone can start their brewing journey at home. Remember to enjoy the process, experiment with flavors, and, most importantly, have fun creating your unique brews!