An old-timer told me a recipe for making beer with malt ,sugar, and yeast,?!
Answers: I have brewed my own beer before and it is a hassle and dosen't save any money, though it is better quality then store bought. His recipe was one can of Blue-Ribbon Malt, 1 pound of sugar to every gallon of water (5 gallons) and a package of store bought yeast and in 4 days, after keeping it in a closet with a light, you have beer! LOL
Without the addition of hops, you have nothing more than barley wine (not barleywine, the style of beer). Beer must include malt, hops, yeast and water.
Also with a pound of sugar for each gallon of water, you're going to end up with a thin weird tasting brew.
I'm not sure how much a can of Blue-Ribbon weighs (a pound or two I'm assuming), but if it were me, I'd substitute a couple cans of malt, and only one or 2 pounds of sugar per 5 gallons.
And don't forget the hops, an ounce or two per 5 gallons depending on what style you're shooting for.
Also, get some real brewer's yeast. DO NOT USE BREAD YEAST FOR HOMEBREWING. Theses are two different strains, and the finished product, while it will contain some alcohol, will be barely drinkable.
And finally, keep your beer in the dark. Due to an interaction between light and hops oils, light skunks beer, skunked beer sucks, therefore, keep your beer in a dark closet.
Feel free to email me if you need help with a recipe, or have any further questions.
You should check out some homebrewing podcasts. There are better methods to making beer than this. In the long run, it is cheaper to make your own beer. Overall, homebrewing is a hobby that is very rewarding.
Check out:
www.beertribe.com
www.brewcrazy.com
www.basicbrewing.com
www.byo.com
www.beertown.org
Also, find a local homebrew club and attend a meeting to learn even more.
Invest in a homebrewing kit...a beginners kit can be purchased online for under $100. Keep in mind that sterilization is very important; there is more to homebrewing than just sticking ingredients in a pot. If any contaminants come in contact with your equipment, an entire batch of brew can be ruined (even things as simple as oil from your skin or soap residue from a washed pot). Homebrewers make their own beer because it is a craft and a hobby, not to save money and produce cheaply made beer.