Home Brewing: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started.
As the popularity of craft beer continues to climb, one of the most promising and enjoyable hobbies for beer enthusiasts has been to take the plunge and make beer from the comfort of their own homes. Home brewing is an exciting hobby that is as versatile and diverse as craft beer, and with a little guidance, and the purchase of a few pieces of easy-to-find equipment, can be easily mastered by the average beer enthusiast.
So maybe you’ve heard about home brewing and the fantastic results some home brewers can attain, or perhaps you’ve seen bottles with fancy and unique labels at a friends home, and you finally decided to take the plunge into home brewing. Whether you’ve already started the process or if you’re just starting to think about trying it, this guide will offer you an overview on everything you need to get started in home brewing.
The Ingredients of Home Brewing
The first thing you’ll need to consideration when getting started with home brewing is the ingredients that are used in making beer. The simplest beer recipes will only use four ingredients – malt, water, hops, and yeast. Malt is the base of a beer’s flavor, providing the sweetness, color, and body of a beer, and is usually derived from malted barley. Water is the main ingredient in beer; it makes up 90–95% of the entire beer. The type of water used in the brewing process can affect the flavor and character of the beer, so knowing the mineral content and pH of the water used is important to making truly great beer. Hops are the ‘spice’ of beer and are used to lend bitterness, aroma, and flavor to beer, as well as act as a natural preservative. Lastly, yeast is arguably the most important ingredient, as it’s responsible for converting the sugars from the malt into alcohol.
Equipment for Home Brewing
Once you have your ingredients, you’ll need to purchase the necessary equipment to begin your brewing process. To start brewing, you’ll need four basic items – a fermenting vessel, a racking cane, an airlock and a bottle capper. The fermenting vessel is where all the magic happens; it’s the container where you will boil and ferment your beer, as well as any other ingredients you decide to use. The racking cane is a tube used to transfer your beer out of the fermenting vessel, into a separate container that will be used to bottle or keg it. The airlock is used to ensure that your fermenting beer is not exposed to outside air and contaminants, while the bottle capper is used to affix bottle caps to your beer bottles.
Using Extracts
One of the easiest methods for the amateur home brewer to come up with a great-tasting beer is to use liquid or dry beer extract to craft their beer recipes. Beer extracts are essentially concentrated forms of malt that have had their sugars and flavors extracted from the grain, and can be used in place of malted grain in a beer recipe. Beer extracts come in either liquid or dry form, and can be used to create a wide variety of beer styles. Extracts will save you time during the brewing process, and are ideal for those who are new to home brewing, or just looking for an easy way to get into the hobby.
The Home Brewing Process
The beauty of home brewing is that you have the freedom to customize the beer you make, but the process of making beer usually includes five basic steps. The first step is steep or mash the grains, which is when you mix your malted barley with hot water in order to extract the sugars that create alcohol. The second step is boiling the wort, in which you add hops, spices, and other additives to the mixture. The third step is cooling the wort, which is done by quickly cooling the wort down to a temperature where yeast can be added, and the beer can begin to ferment. The fourth step is fermentation, when the yeast is added and it begins to convert the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The fifth and final step is bottling or kegging your beer, in which you transfer the fermented beer into bottles or kegs, add a carbonation source, cap the beer, and allow it to carbonate.
Tips For Being A Successful Home Brewer
If you’re new to home brewing, there are a few tips to keep in mind in order to be a successful brewer. The first tip is to take good notes, as this will help you to identify what worked and what didn’t when making a beer. Secondly, sanitize everything that comes in contact with your beer to prevent contamination and off flavors. Thirdly, be patient; good beer takes time to make and doesn’t happen overnight. Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment and try new recipes, as this is the best way to find out what brewing techniques and recipes you enjoy the most.
Home brewing can be an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling hobby, and with a little guidance and a few pieces of equipment, can be easily mastered by the average beer enthusiast. So go out and give it a try, and you may find yourself with a new hobby, and a few great-tasting beers in the process!