How to Make Hard Seltzer at Home
Hard seltzer is one of the most refreshing and easy-to-make beverages, and now you can craft your own at home. Whether you're an experienced brewer or completely new to fermentation, making hard seltzer is simple, cost-effective, and allows you to customize flavors to your liking. With just a few ingredients and basic equipment, you can enjoy a crisp, flavorful hard seltzer at a fraction of the cost of store-bought options.
How to Make Hard Seltzer
Homemade hard seltzer offers a variety of bright, fruit-forward flavors without artificial additives. Enjoy flavors like ruby grapefruit, lemon, lime, and tropical blends that are light, refreshing, and easy to drink all year round.
Total Brew Time: 6 Weeks (4 weeks fermenting, 2 weeks bottle conditioning)
What You’ll Need
- 5-gallon fermenter with an airlock
- Brewing kettle
- Hydrometer and test tube for measuring gravity
- Sanitizer for all brewing equipment
- 4 lbs of corn sugar
- Yeast and yeast nutrients for fermentation
- Crystallized fruit powder or flavor extracts
- Two cases of 12 oz or 22 oz pry-off bottles
Step-by-Step Instructions
Brew Day
1. Heat 2.5 gallons of water in a large brewing kettle.
2. Slowly stir in 4 lbs of corn sugar until fully dissolved.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil for 10 minutes to sanitize.
4. Remove from heat and stir in yeast nutrients while cooling the solution to approximately 70°F.
5. Sanitize all fermenting equipment while the mixture cools.
6. Add 2 gallons of cold water to the fermenter, then carefully pour in the cooled sugar solution.
7. Add additional cold water to reach a total volume of 5 gallons.
8. Use a hydrometer to measure the starting gravity and record the reading.
9. Once the liquid reaches 50°F-80°F, add the yeast and gently stir.
10. Seal the fermenter with an airlock and allow fermentation to begin.
Primary Fermentation
11. Within 48 hours, fermentation should begin with visible bubbling in the airlock.
12. Maintain a fermentation temperature between 60°F-80°F for optimal results.
One to Four Weeks After Brew Day
13. After 1-2 weeks, fermentation will slow. Once bubbling stops and the gravity reading stabilizes, let the seltzer clear for another 2 weeks before bottling.
Bottling Your Hard Seltzer
14. Sanitize all bottling equipment.
15. Prepare a priming sugar solution by dissolving sugar in water, boiling, and allowing it to cool before mixing with the seltzer.
16. Siphon the seltzer into the bottling bucket, gently stirring to mix with the priming solution.
17. Dissolve crystallized fruit powder in warm water, briefly bring to a boil, then add to the seltzer for enhanced flavor. Adjust intensity to taste.
18. Fill and cap bottles, then store at room temperature for 1-2 weeks for natural carbonation.
Enjoy Your Homemade Hard Seltzer!
After conditioning, chill your bottles, pour into a clean glass, and enjoy a crisp, refreshing hard seltzer made just the way you like it.