Beginner Home Brew Recipes
Two proven, beginner-friendly extracts: a crisp Easy-Blonde Ale and an “Oktoberfest” brewed clean with ale yeast.
Batch size & method: Both recipes below are for 5 gallons using the extract + partial boil method. If you haven’t yet, read the step-by-step guide for brew-day flow.
Recipe 1 — Easy-Blonde Ale (Clean & Refreshing)
Light-gold, crisp, and crowd-pleasing—perfect for a first success. Citrus-leaning hop aroma with a balanced, mildly sweet malt backbone.
Ingredients (5 gal)
- Light Liquid Malt Extract (LME): 6.6 lb (3 kg)
- Cascade hops: 2.0 oz (56 g) total — 1.0 oz bittering, 0.5 oz flavor, 0.5 oz aroma
- Yeast: SafAle US-05 (11.5 g) or similar clean American ale yeast
- Priming sugar: 4.5 oz (128 g) dextrose for bottling
- Water: Top up to 5.0 gal; use filtered/spring if tap is highly chlorinated
Targets (approx.)
- OG: 1.046 • FG: 1.010 • ABV: ~4.7%
- IBU: ~22 • Color: pale gold
- Fermentation: 65–70°F (18–21°C); ~10–12 days
Boil Schedule (60 min)
- Heat ~3.0 gal water. Near boil, turn off heat and dissolve LME fully.
- Return to boil (start 60-min timer). Minute 0: add 1.0 oz Cascade (bittering).
- Minute 50: add 0.5 oz Cascade (flavor).
- Minute 58: add 0.5 oz Cascade (aroma). Kill heat at 60 min total.
- Chill to ≤75°F (24°C); transfer, top up to 5.0 gal, aerate, pitch yeast.
Flavor twists: Dry hop with 1–2 oz Cascade for 3–5 days after primary, or add sanitized lemon/orange zest in the last 5 minutes of the boil.
Recipe 2 — Oktoberfest (Ale Version, Beginner-Friendly)
Classic amber-copper malt character with smooth bitterness—without lager equipment. We use a clean ale yeast for a “pseudo-lager” profile at room temperature.
Ingredients (5 gal)
- Amber Liquid Malt Extract (LME): 6.6 lb (3 kg)
- Saaz or Hallertauer hops: 2.0 oz (56 g) total — 1.5 oz bittering, 0.5 oz aroma
- Yeast: SafAle US-05 (clean) or another neutral ale strain
- Priming sugar: 4.5 oz (128 g) dextrose for bottling
Targets (approx.)
- OG: 1.050 • FG: 1.012 • ABV: ~5.0%
- IBU: ~24 • Color: amber/copper
- Fermentation: 64–68°F (18–20°C) if possible for the cleanest profile
Boil Schedule (60 min)
- Heat ~3.0 gal water. Near boil, turn off heat and dissolve LME fully.
- Return to boil (start 60-min timer). Minute 0: add 1.5 oz Saaz/Hallertauer (bittering).
- Minute 58: add 0.5 oz Saaz/Hallertauer (aroma). Kill heat at 60 min total.
- Chill to ≤70–72°F (21–22°C); transfer, top up to 5.0 gal, aerate, pitch yeast.
Clean-up trick: If you have a basement or cool closet (64–66°F / 18–19°C), ferment there for a smoother “lager-like” finish.
Bottling & Conditioning (Both Recipes)
- After ~10–12 days (and stable gravity), boil 4.5 oz dextrose in 16 oz water for 5 minutes; cool; add to bottling bucket.
- Siphon beer gently on top to mix; fill bottles to ~1″ below the rim; cap firmly.
- Condition at 65–70°F for ~14 days; chill 24 hours before serving.
Bonus (when you’re ready): Barley Wine is a classic strong ale but more advanced (high OG, long conditioning). Try it after a couple of successful batches.
Free Download: Home Brewer’s Quickstart Guide (PDF)
Get the printable brew-day checklist, sanitation tips, and the Easy-Blonde recipe—so your first batch is drinkable and delicious.
Next Up
Once your bottles are conditioning, read the final part of this series: storage tips, avoiding exploding bottles, fixing off-flavors, and other FAQs.