Step 1: Reserve a MicroBrew Kettle
  Call (425) 776-4209 - or better yet, come on down and get to know the place, meet the Brewologists and get on the Brew Schedule.

We will assign you one of our Steam Fired, Professional Copper Clad  Brew Kettles.  Each Kettle makes about 12.5 gallons of wort. (132-12oz. bottles). 
You can walkin to brew, but there may not be an open kettle Due to busy scheduling we highly recommend reserving your Kettle 1 or 2 weeks in advance.

Complete instructions with your recipe and equipment and ingredients will be supplied at the time of your scheduled brew.  In addition to a variety of bowls, measuring devices, & spatulas you will get to use a specially designed professional Copper brew kettle and Wart Chiller. 
Brew Masters are always on site to assist you
Brew staff will care for your keg of brew - moving it through fermentation & finishing stages in temperature controlled rooms until your scheduled bottling time.   The average fermenting/aging time is only two weeks, then your beer will be ready for drinking and enjoying.  Step 1 - Reserve Kettle

    Step 2.    Choose a Beer Recipe

When you arrive, we can talk about what styles of beer you enjoy (maybe taste a few styles along the way), and help you choose a brew from among our 50+ different recipes.
This is sometimes the hardest step, as we've got everything from Wheat Beers, to Pale Ales, to Ambers, to Stouts and everything in between.
For our example, lets choose my favorite = "Galley Mac."
Each recipe sheet includes specs for the beer: Color, Gravity Alcohol content and how bitter it is.
Galley Mac is a Gallaghers' recipe most similar to a Mac & Jack African Amber. I love this beer because it pours a beautiful copper color with a slight chill haze and a thick white head that turns into a huge lace, coating the entire glass. Lots of pine, citrus and flowery characteristics on the nose with slight hints of tropical fruits as well. Galley Mac flavor is rich with a delightful nutty flavor and a slight hop linger on the back of the throat. Smatterings of spicy ness coming through towards the end. Finishes rich and smooth. Alcohol is 5.5% and the full batch costs $150.00. That works out to $1.37 per 12oz. bottle - Cheaper than the grocery store! I often make my own labels (See the FAQ), but that is another story. 

    Step 3:  Measuring Ingredients

Your Beer Recipe card will tell you all of the ingredients and how much of each ingredient you will need.  Your brewing sheet in will instruct you when and how to add the ingredients.  In this step 3 we get everything prepared, measured out and ready to go.  You start by adding water to the Steam Fired Brew Kettle.  While it fills you will measure out the Grains.  For the Galley Mac we get to use Crystal and Munich grain.  We Crack the Grain into the steeper and dangle the grain steeper in the cold kettle. Turn the Steam on to begin heating. While the Kettle slowly heats up you measure out the Hops & Malts needed for your beer.
Galley Mac uses a little Irish Moss, Columbus aroma hops
in the Red plate, Willamette bittering hops in the blue plate, and Cascade flavoring hops in the yellow plate.  Next you measure out the Malts. For our Galley Mac we will use Amber malt and Lager malt..

That is it. Mouse over to Step 4.

        Step 4 Making the Wort
Okay, As you measured out the ingredients you also filled the Kettle with cold water. You started the wort by hanging the Grain Steeper in the cold kettle and turned the Steam Valve 1/3rd ON - to begin the heating.

Step 4 starts when the Kettle reaches 160 Degrees. 
Remove the Grain Steeper and Pour in Malts using a spatula to get all the malt out.  When your kettle reaches a boil turn the steam off.  At this point you write down the time and use the instruction sheet settings to Time the following:

• Set the time on your instruction sheet at boil
• Time:  Add Blue plate of Flavoring Hops
• Time:  Turn steam valve 1/3rd ON
• Time:  Add Yellow plate of Bittering Hops
• Time:  Add Red plate of Aroma Hops
• Stir like mad
• Time:  Your Wort is ready to chill

      Step 5 Chill & Keg & Ferment
Okay.  When your have reached the end of making the wort - ask for assistance to pump the wort through the wart chiller and into your Keg.

When the Brew master tells you to - Open the Wort valve
Your Wort goes through the wart chilling heat exchanger to quickly reduce the heat of the wort.  While filling your Keg the Brew master will add live Yeast to your keg.  When the Brewmaster tells you - Close the Wort valve.  Put your name, beer name, brew date, finishing room date and bottling date on your Keg.  Pat it a bye bye and for the next 2 weeks the Brew masters will move it through the fermentation and finishing stages.  Get a Gallaghers Card and write your Bottling Date on the card and put it into your wallet.  Don't forget your bottling date!  Brews left 30 days beyond your bottling date will be disposed of to make room for the next brewers! Do not forget to come back to bottle and take your beer home!  (Can you believe this actually happens) Next Step:

Step 6   Bottling and Enjoying your own Microbrew

Yahoo, this is almost the best part - best part being the enjoyment of your brewing labors with friends.  In fact, you should consider getting a friend to come help with the brewing & bottling.  We will be expecting you to come in on your bottling date.  We do Not Call You.  When you come in a Brewmaster will carbonate and set up your Keg and assign you a filling station while you put all your clean bottles through the Sanitization Unit.  A full 12.5 gallon Brew takes about 132-12 oz bottles or 72-22 oz bottles. Gallaghers' does stock and sell 12 ounce bottles cost: $11.76/case of 24 and/or 22 ounce bottles cost:$11.11 per case.  You are welcome to re-use your own bottles, but make absolutely positive they are CLEAN.  (TIP: Clean then store empty bottles UPSIDE DOWN so nothing collects or grows in the bottom of the bottles).  We have all the bottle top tools you need. 

Storing your beer is easy too! Just keep it in a cool, dark place ( under the stairs is a great spot), your brew will be good for 3-6 months!