Chwd Cybi

Chwd is the Welsh word for vomit! Chwd is a bitter.

• 900g (2lb) Quality malt extract (preferably non-diastatic)
• 50g (1.75oz) Golding hops
• 350g (12oz) sugar
• Beer yeast
• 50g (1.75oz) caster sugar for priming
• Water

• Make sure everything is clean and sterilized!
• Most of the equipment can be found in a kitchen. Brewing bins and demi johns can be bought new, but have a look in car boot sales and second hand shops you never know what you may find.
• The bottles again can be bought, but why not have a few Newcastle Brown Ales and use the empties?
• The only bit of equipment that you may have trouble finding is a crowner. However, for a sample of your brew you can always use mine!

1. Place all but a hand full of the hops in a large pan, add 1.2 litres (2 pints) of water and squeeze the hops in your hand until they are thoroughly wet. Place a cover on the pan and boil vigorously for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, pour 575ml (1 pint) of warm water into a brewing bin and stir into it the malt extract and sugar.
3. A trace of malt will be left in the jar and should be dissolved in a cup of tepid water. The yeast should be added to this thin malt solution to become active. Cover and leave it until required.
4. Strain the hop water into the brewing bin. Add another 1.2 litres (2 pints) of water to the pan and again boil vigorously for 15 minutes.
5. Strain the hop water into the brewing bin. Add another 1.2 litres (2 pints) of water to the pan and boil vigorously for 15 minutes.
6. Strain the final amount of hop water into the brewing bin. The hops can then be discarded.
7. Top the brewing bin up to the 9 litre (16 pint) mark and let it cool.
8. Stir the liquid and try to get a bit of air into the mixture, this will help the yeast take. Once the temperature of the liquid has fallen to 21°C (70°F) add the yeast. Cover the bin and leave for 24 hours.
9. Skim off any dirty froth then stir well, cover and leave for another 24 hours.
10. Skim of the new froth and add the hand full of hops saved from the beginning. Wet them thoroughly on the liquid. Replace the cover and leave for three days pressing the hops below the surface twice daily.
11. Siphon the clearing beer into a jar(s), fit an airlock and leave it in a cool place for three days while the beer clears and throws a heavy sediment.
12. Rack the now just hazy beer into another jar, stir in the caster sugar and once dissolved siphon into beer bottles.
13. Fill each bottle leaving a gap of 5 cm (2 in) from the top and tightly crimp on new crowns.
14. Leave the bottles in a warm room for one week, then move to a cool store for another two weeks.
15. Serve the beer cool and pour carefully so as not to disturb the sediment.