Why Try Beer Brewing at Home?

Have you ever tried some fancy imported, and very expensive, beer and thought to yourself that it The first thing you might want to do is purchase a kit that’s especially made for beer brewing at home. While you can certainly use large buckets you may already have and you might know a little bit about how to ferment beer, these kits are great for the beginner who needs some guidance and who doesn’t want to ruin their very first batch. Most of those who start out with beer brewing at home purchase kits that have some ingredients and instructions, so that you can see how a basic recipe is made. Once you’re comfortable with a general beer brewing recipe, you can then scout around the internet for other recipes or suggestions on how to add flavor and zest to your beer. For example, many who try beer brewing at home find that adding some fruit to their beer gives it a really smooth but somewhat sweet taste. Imagine having a beer with a slight taste of raspberry to it; sounds good, doesn’t it? Just adding a little bit of fruit juice or some mashed berries can really give your beer an amazing flavor.

There are those who try beer brewing at home that can experiment with the fermentation process itself, or with aging the beer after it’s fermented. There is one famous brand of beer that claims that it is “beechwood aged,” meaning that it sits in wood casks or barrels for some time. While it may be difficult to purchase these large casks for your own small beer brewing at home hobby, you can find some at your equipment retailer for a relatively affordable price. Allowing your beer to age in these wood barrels gives it a crisper taste.

Being able to adjust the sweetness and dryness of your beer, and add whatever ingredients you can imagine is probably the most fun part of beer brewing at home. Like a baker or chef that just can’t wait to try out a new recipe or loves to add just a few personal touches, beer brewing at home is not just science but art as well. And once you find that amazing recipe or mix that suits your taste perfectly, you may actually realize that you’ve lost your taste for store bought beer altogether!

By Tom Dugan

Tags:

What to Look For in a Home Beer Brewing Kit and a Home Beer Brewing Guide

All the things that you need concerning brewing your own beer from home can be attained in the purchase of an excellent home brewing kit as well as selecting one or more of the many helpful guides and recipe books on home brewing your own beer. Whether or not you are new to making your own beer or an experienced home beer maker, you will no doubt discover that you can start brewing your own great tasting beer at home with a little degree of knowledge, a great beer making kit, and a helpful and thorough home brewing guide. There is truly no other method of getting what you need to get going and finding an enjoyable, new pastime in the process.

There is a great variety of simple, but quality brewing kits on the market today. Many of the great brewing kits can be found online or in the many beer and liquor stores in your locale. There are home brewing kits that come with complete instructions, which make it easier on the aspiring home brewer to get started. Some also include the necessary ingredients and best beer recipes that will make any novice home brewer brew the best homemade beer that they possibly can in as little time as possible.

There are also many books and other reading material available to give you guidance and all the information which is necessary to begin brewing your own beer from home as quick as possible. All the facts that will get you ready for brewing the best tasting beer from your home possible is found in these great guides. These home made brewing books can guide you through the brewing process and all the different kinds of recipes that you can experiment with to suit your taste, as well as any guests you may want to entertain.

There are also deluxe brewing kits that are available on the market as well. These kits will have more than everything necessary to get you on your way to brewing beer from home. They generally contain the ingredients and much of the equipment to get started fairly quick. You will also get a sanitizer and some of the varieties malt extracts that you will need to get your home brew off to a good start. With many brewing kits, the only thing that you will need in addition is a stainless steel pot with which to do all the beer brewing in.

It is highly recommended that anyone who wants to get involved in making your own beer from home to read and familiarize themselves with all of the instructions that are included in the books. You can learn a lot and this is an awesome way to gather all the information that you need first – before you begin the brewing process. With all these tools at your disposal – brewing kits and guides – you will have a better idea of how to start brewing your own beer at home.

By Robert Ragsdale

Tags:

Home Beer Making – Top 5 Beginner Beers to Brew

Brewing beer at home has now become a very easy task. There are many home brewing kits available in the market today. Seasonal beers are generally available at the pubs and not at local stores. Also buying the special beer bottles from the supermarket is expensive affair; therefore, many beer lovers have started brewing beer at home. If you are a newbie and still want to learn how to brew beer of your own choice, then there are many good beer-brewing kits that can be quite handy to brew a quality beer at home. Despite of you not having adequate skills, you can still get started.

If you are beginner, start with brewing simple and easy beers. Many people advise the beginners to stay away from lagers and sour beers as they can be fussier and require more equipment compared to brewing other beers. Pick a style that can be done with extract, hops and yeasts, as they are easy to brew, taste better, and condition quickly. Simple beers have bitter component and take less time than those, which have flavoring and aroma hops. Start with something with an OG of 1.070 or less as having a high gravity will make the whole process easier for the beginners. Use dry yeast and do a malt extract beer with some grains. Do not start with a mini mash or all grains.

Let us take a look at the various types of beer and also some beginner beers to brew at home.

First in the list of good beers is Ales

The best part of ales is that when it is brewed it does not convert much of the sugars into alcohol, which gives it a sweeter and fruitier taste. For beginners brewing True Brew Pale Ale and Brewers Best Ale are recommended, as they are much easier to brew compared to other lines of Ales beer. You can add different flavors to it such as mint, citrus etc. This is a very cheap beer to brew.

The second choice can be Lagers

Most of the lagers have a crisp taste and can range from very light to very dark as per the brewing process. This beer goes well with spicy, Indian and Mexican foods.

The stouts are third in place

Stouts are very dark full-bodied type of beer and have a flavor very similar to the coffee. They can be brewed in other flavors like sweet, bitter, milk, and even oatmeal. Chocolate Stout is a safe beer to brew by the beginners. It is very smooth, chocolaty and taste very good among the other beers in the same category.

Fourth in the list are porters

These are very strong and delicious type of beer. This beer is dark, strong and has bitter hops flavor with a hint of chocolate.

The fifth beer in sequence is Pilsners

This beer has a golden color and is clear. This does not have a thick body and is soft and easy to drink. Having hoppy full flavors they are generally more preferred than general lagers.

By Ryan M Hooper

Tags:

Getting Set Up For Your Home Beer Brewing

Every first time brewer needs to start with the minimum amount of equipment, which can be found at any local brew supply shop or even on-line. By using a brew supplier you will be able to ask any questions you have about the whole process from start to finish. Many good home beer brewing suppliers will have the basic starter kits available ranging in price, so have a budget in mind as to how much money you are prepared to send.

A very short and simple list should at least cover a Brew pot, in which you will be boiling your wort. The wort is the term used to for your beer before the fermentation process. Here, size does matter, and I recommend that you purchase a brew pot that can hold up to twenty to thirty quarts. The more of your wort you boil, the better for your finished beer.

The Primary Fermenter is another vital piece of equipment that you use to pour the cooled wort after the brewing stage. The fermenter must have an air tight lid with a hole to allow the airlock to be fitted.

An Airlock is a tool that allows the carbon dioxide gases to escape from the fermenter during the fermentation process. It is half filled with water and it also prevents air and germs from entering the Primary fermenter.

You will also need a good Bottling Bucket or Priming vessel to use at the bottling stage. preferably one that has a removable plug on the bottom.
Throw in a few other items like good glass bottles ( not screw tops), flexible plastic hoses, rubber stoppers, bottling tubes, soft bristled bottle brushes., bottle rinse, and a bottle capper just to name a few.

I also recommend that you purchase a Hydrometer, all though not everyone things that it’s necessary. The hydrometer measures the density and the amount of alcohol that was produced during fermentation. This apparatus is simple to use and is worthwhile learning how to do so early in your home beer brewing hobby. By taking a reading of the wort before the fermentation period (gives the original gravity and the alcohol potential) and another after (gives the final reading of gravity and alcohol potential), subtracting one from the other gives you the amount sugar used during fermentation and the amount of alcohol.

There are a number of great websites that you can use to get some good advice on all topics from equipment through to building your own home made fermenter along with various recipes for ales and lagers. The one I recommend covers all areas and I made some great beers by following all the simple steps. Have Fun.

By Mark J Howard

Tags: