Steps to brew 5 gallons of malt extract beer (single-stage fermentation)
1. Get 1.5-2 gallons of water boiling in a 16-20 quart stainless steel brewpot.
2. Remove heat, add malt extract & boiling hops.
3. Boil 20-60 mins, adding other hops as needed (per recipe).
4. Cool quickly & put in sanitized fermenter.
5. Add water to raise volume to 5 gallons; take S.G.
6. At no > 80 deg., stir vigorously, then add yeast.
7. Install airlock & put in dark place at room temperature (if ale yeast)
8. Fermentation starts usually within 24 hrs; stops from 2-10 days later.
9. Once bubbling stops, take S.G.; confirm same S.G. 1-2 days later.
10. Add priming sugar solution & bottle.
11. Store at room temperature 2-3 weeks to carbonate.
Steps to brew 5 gallons of all-grain beer AND using two-stage fermentation
Just to provide a general contrast with the above “malt extract” instructions:
Start with 8+ lb. of crushed base malt & specialty grains. Mix them into pH-adjusted water at approx. 160 degrees & mash the mixture (let it sit covered) for 60-90 mins at approx. 150 degrees.
Drain water from mash into the brewpot. Sparge mashed grains (run additional 150-degree water over them) to yield a total of approx. 7.5 gallons of wort in brewpot.
Heat to boiling; add hops, boil for 60+ mins, then follow steps #4-#7 above.
After fermentation is about 2/3 complete (i.e. S.G. approx. 1.025), siphon beer only (discard sediment at bottom) into sanitized 5 gallon jug (PET or glass).
Continue with steps 9-11 above.