Beer has a long history. Since man realized he could grow crops such as grain instead of relying on a hunting-and-gathering existence, he began to explore the potential for his crop. The production of beer dates back 6,000 years and was first made by the Sumerians, according to “A History of Beer,” but they did not remain the only people to make beer for long. Beer is still a favorite item today, and not only large breweries make beer; microbreweries and home brewers are brewing their own product. One of the beers you can make at home is a malt based on oatmeal; you can find the malt and other ingredients at home-brew stores in your area or online.
Step One
Prepare the yeast according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Set aside.
Step Two
Divide the oats and grains into five muslin bags. Fill each bag until it weighs 1/2 lb.
Step Three
Fill a pot with water; heat it up to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the grain-filled muslin bags and allow them to steep for 30 minutes. Remove the bags from the water and bring the water to a boil.
Step Four
Remove the pot from the burner. Put the dry malt in a malt bag; add all the malts to the water. Stir until the malt is melted.
Step Five
Put the pot back on the burner and bring it to a boil. Fill muslin bags with the hops until they weigh 1 oz.; add them to the boiling water. Let the contents boil for an hour. If you like, add 1/2 teaspoon Irish moss to the pot after it's boiled for 45 minutes. Pour the finishing hops in a muslin bag and put them in the water at the 58-minute mark.
Step Six
Remove the pot from the stove, put a lid on it, and cool in a sink containing cold water for 30 minutes. Take out the bags of hops.
Step Seven
Pour the contents of the pot into a sterilized fermenter and add enough water to make 5 gallons of liquid. Shake and stir the contents; let the contents cool to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the yeast to the fermenter.
Step Eight
Let the fermenter stand for two weeks at up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a rubber tube to siphon the beer from the fermenter into a bottling bucket. Don't get any sediment in the bucket. Boil 2 cups of water and dissolve priming sugar into it. Stir the water with the dissolved sugar into beer; siphon beer into your sterilized beer bottles.