Home Brewing Fundamentals, A Beginners Guide

Ever had the unfortunate experience of being in a city (or country) where beer is not available? If so, then you could have toyed with the idea of brewing your own beer. Home beer brewing is an exciting affair whether when done as a hobby or as a profession. However, there is a lot that goes into home brewing that most people have no idea about. Here is a detailed guide that will help you as you enter into the thrilling experience that is home brewing.

1. Contents

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   The Right Equipment

The first step is selecting the right equipment for the job. 52 Brews is an excellent resource that should come in handy in helping you identify the perfect tools for home brewing. Here, you find the best brewing equipment that has been handpicked by professionals plus detailed descriptions of each item. This should help you make an informed decision when picking the tools for the job.

2. The Ingredients

After you have assembled all the necessary tools required in homebrewing, the next step should be identifying the ingredients needed to come up with a fantastic brew. The most important ingredients include barley, yeast, hops, and water.

a. Barley

Barley is the core ingredient in the brewing of all types of beers and brings out the flavor and color of a beer. However, barley has to undergo the malting process before it can be used, which is a time-consuming process. You can use malted barley or malt extracts as alternatives.

b. Yeast

You can either chose dry yeast or liquid yeast for your home brewing depending on your finances, as dry yeast is cheaper than liquid yeast. However, one benefit of the pricey liquid yeast is that it comes in numerous varieties. It is also important to note the expiration date of yeast before using it.

c. Hops

For hops, your choice is dictated by the type of beer you wish to brew. Hops are the ingredients which are responsible for giving beers a bitter taste. Columbus hops are the ideal choice when brewing American IPAs while Cluster hops are excellent in the brewing of American Lager.

d. Water

Water might seem like the ingredient that is easiest to obtain, with tap water being readily available. However, water that might have impurities such as minerals or even chlorine is not suitable for brewing and many brewers normally use bottled water.

3. The Type of Beer

Finally, it all comes down to brewing your first beer. While you could be tempted to tap into your creativity and experiment with different recipes to come up with a new brew, this would be a misadvised step. Start with common brews such as porters and stouts, using established brewing formulas. You will come up with different and unique brews soon enough. In any case, Rome wasn’t built in a single day.

Start off With the Right Foot

Just so you know, home brewing has been embraced by thousands of enthusiasts across the United States, with some sources having it that the country is presently home to over 2,300 craft breweries. Despite the growing popularity of home brewing in America, a significant number of the brewers have it all wrong when starting, which is why you should follow the few tips in this guide.