The inner workings of brewing Fresh Beer

You’re a brewer! While the Pinter instructions are there to guide you through each stage of the brewing process, being at the helm can sometimes be challenging. It’s important to understand how to navigate the crucial stages that define the quality and character of your beer. So we are here to provide you with valuable insights and context about four vital stages: Cleaning, Mixing, Hopping and Temperature.

By understanding more about these stages, you’ll be well-equipped to confidently tackle the brewing process, elevate your brewing game and create outstanding beers that impress even the most discerning palates.

Mixing Matters

Our Fresh Presses contain sugar, hops, and malted extract. When you add these to yeast and water you kick off a biochemical reaction called fermentation. The yeast is going to start consuming the sugars and create alcohol, carbon dioxide, and various flavour compounds.

It's important to ensure your Fresh Press is fully mixed so that you achieve the desired flavour and overall ABV for your beer or cider.

Mixing Time

We recommend that you shake your Pinter vigorously for 60 seconds. This will be sufficient to fully mix the Fresh Press into the water (cold, but not chilled water is recommended). 

Mixing Techniques

Shake your Pinter vigorously to mix the Fresh Press with water and yeast. Shake left to right and up and down to ensure everything is well mixed for a combined 60 seconds. If you need to play Hey Ya by Outkast while doing so, we won’t stop you. 

We’ve heard the community talking about mixing in a jug or bottle before adding to their Pinter. We want you to do what works for you, however please note that using any other equipment such as jugs, spoons, and whisks can potentially contaminate your ingredients if not properly sanitised - wooden spoons are not recommended for safety and sanitation reasons. We would urge you to stick to shaking like our Brewing Development team does. 

If you see some of the Fresh Press syrup when you undock, this is because of incomplete mixing. If it’s only a small amount, please do not worry as this won’t notably affect the end product when tapping.

Another factor that will make mixing straightforward is keeping your Pinter Packs at room temperature and using cold, but not chilled water. Fresh Presses do not need to be kept in the fridge and have a 9-month shelf life at room temperature.

Cleanliness in Brewing

Any brewer will tell you how important a clean environment is for the best brewing results. Your Pinter should be spic and span to prevent contamination, ensure consistent flavour, and promote yeast health. 

Preventing contamination

The various ingredients which come into contact with your Pinter provide an ideal environment for microbial growth. A thorough cleaning helps remove any potential contaminants, such as wild yeast, bacteria, or mould, that can negatively impact the flavour, aroma, and overall quality of your beer.

Ensuring consistent flavour

Residual flavours from previous batches can carry over into your next brewing cycle if your Pinter is not properly cleaned. This can lead to off-flavours or unintended flavour profiles.

Promoting yeast health

Yeast is a vital component in the brewing process, responsible for fermenting sugars and converting them into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Properly cleaned equipment reduces the risk of introducing unwanted bacteria that could harm the yeast, ultimately affecting the final beer's flavour and aroma.

Beer clarity

Cleaning removes organic matter and protein residues that can contribute to haze or unwanted reactions during fermentation. By maintaining a clean Pinter, you can enhance the clarity of your beer. Interested in more ways to get a clearer pint? Find out about cold crashing here.

Pinter Cleaning Tips

In traditional home brewing, the job of cleaning would be much more intensive. You’d have to sanitise fermenters, bottles, tubing and utensils. With Pinter, you only need to sanitise one piece of equipment (it’s almost as if we designed it this way!). That being said here are some top cleaning tips:  

>If there’s any stubborn residue after cleaning you can use a soft bristle cleaning brush. Do not use anything more abrasive such as steel wool as this can create tiny scratches on the inside of the Pinter where bacteria can hide.

>If you feel you need to use a cleaning agent, only use dish soap. Do not use non-food-safe cleaners such as laundry detergent or bleach.

>Pay particular attention to the nooks and crannies such as the Carbonation Dial, tap, main cap and Brewing Dock. This helps your Pinter function as it should and prevents contamination. 

Hopper 101

Hop oils play a significant role in enhancing the flavours and aromas and enriching the sensory experience of your beer. They are extracted from hops providing bitterness, as well as a wide range of floral, citrus, pine, herbal, and fruity notes. 

In brewing adding hop oils can be a tricky thing to master: types, selection, and dosage for optimal flavour enhancement. That’s why we developed the patent-pending Hopper which delivers expertly selected hops in the correct dosage to perfectly enhance the flavour of your beer. 

When to add the Hopper

The Hopper provides the recommended dosage of hop oils for the style. This is to be added near the end of fermentation. This allows the hop oils to interact with the beer and infuse their flavours and aromas during the conditioning process. 

There is no strict rule on the exact day or hour to add hop oils, as it depends on personal preference and desired flavour intensity. Some brewers prefer adding hop oils a few days before the end of fermentation, while others wait until fermentation is almost complete. We recommend adding it just before undocking. 

Ultimately, it's a matter of personal preference and experimentation. The sooner you add the Hopper, the less intense hop flavour you will get.

Controlling temperature

Maintaining the appropriate temperature during the brewing process is crucial for achieving the desired flavours and aromas in your beer. Pay attention to the recommended fermentation temperature ranges provided below. 

Consistency is key when it comes to temperature. Fluctuations in temperature can cause off-flavours and incomplete fermentation potentially resulting in hazy or lower ABV beer. 

Ideal temperature ranges:

- Brewing: 16-25C

- Conditioning: 0-4C

- Tapping: 0-5C 

Stay tuned for our next blog about brewing in summer.

Now that you have the insights and knowledge, it's time to continue on your brewing journey with Pinter. Explore a world of Fresh Beer and enjoy the process of crafting your perfect pint. Cheers to your brewing success!