🍺 Making Beer in a Mason Jar
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When we asked our friends at Erie Ale Works if they’d teach us how to ferment beer in a Mason jar, they didn’t hesitate. We jumped right in—and learned a lot along the way.
Was it fun? Absolutely.
Was it educational? Without question.
Would we do it every weekend? Definitely not.
Here’s the unsurprising truth: making beer at home is a labor of love. It takes time, patience, and attention to detail. While we loved learning the process, we’re also happy to support our local microbreweries and leave the heavy lifting to the experts.
If you’re curious about fermentation and want to try it yourself, this is a great place to start. Instructions Provided by Erie Ale Works
Printable Recipe available at the end of this post.
⏱ Time Required
Ferment Time: 14 days
Total Time: 28 days
Ingredients
- Afternoon Wheat Beer Making Mix Kit
Includes:- Malted barley & wheat blend
- Hops
- Yeast
- ½ ounce sugar
- Water
- Ice
Tools
- 4 × ½-gallon Mason jars
- 2 × reCAP POUR lids
- 2 × reCAP Fermenters
- 2 lids & bands
- Thermometer
- PBW (Professional Brewer’s Wash – Five Star)
- Star San sanitizer
- Strainer
- Large pot
- Refractometer (optional)
Glossary
Mash – Soaking grains in water to release malt sugars.
Sparge – Rinsing grains with hot water to extract remaining sugars.
Wort – The liquid extracted from the mash; this becomes beer after fermentation.
Bottle-Conditioning – Secondary fermentation in the bottle that creates carbonation and flavor.
Priming – Adding sugar before bottling to encourage secondary fermentation.
🍻 Directions
1. Wash
Thoroughly wash all equipment. We recommend PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash).
This step matters—don’t skip it.
2. Mash
- Steep grains in 2 quarts of hot water, mixing gently until the texture resembles oatmeal.
- Cook on the stovetop for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- At the end of the hour, stir constantly while heating the mash to 170°F.
3. Sparge
- Place a strainer over a large pot and pour the mash into the strainer. The liquid collected is the wort.
- Heat an additional 4 quarts of water to 170°F and pour it over the grains to extract remaining sugars.
4. Boil
- Bring the wort to a rolling boil.
- Add bittering hops (typically at least ½ oz, depending on hop type).
- Boil for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Add the second hop addition with 15 minutes remaining.
- After 1 hour, turn off heat and add the final hop addition.
5. Fermentation
- Chill the wort to about 70°F by placing the pot in an ice bath.
- While chilling, wash 2 half-gallon Mason jars and sanitize with Star San (no rinse—just shake).
- Transfer wort into the jars and top with reCAP POUR lids and Fermenters.
- Let ferment for 14 days.
6. Bottling (in Mason Jars)
- After 2 weeks, sanitize 2 clean half-gallon Mason jars.
- Add sugar to the bottom of each jar.
- Slowly pour the fermented wort into the jars, avoiding any sediment.
- Seal with lids and bands and let sit for 2 more weeks under the same conditions.
⚠️ Caution: Pressure builds during this stage. Do not shake or remove lids. Refrigeration will stop the process. (For bottling in traditional beer bottles, see the link below.)
7. Enjoy
After 2 weeks, refrigerate—and enjoy your homemade beer.
Why We Love Mason Jar Fermentation
Mason jars make fermentation approachable. They’re transparent (so you can actually see what’s happening), easy to clean, endlessly reusable, and already part of most kitchens. We didn't have to buy any special equipment.
A Note on Craft
Learning how beer is made gives you a whole new appreciation for it.
After fermenting our own batch, one thing became crystal clear: great beer is hard work. The time, precision, and care that go into every batch are exactly why we love supporting local craft breweries.
Mason jars—and reCAP fermentation lids—are perfect tools for learning, experimenting, and making small-batch projects at home. But when it’s time to crack open a truly great beer? We’re happy to let the experts handle it.
Explore reCAP fermentation lids to try the process yourself—and don’t forget to raise a glass to your favorite local brewery.
