Why You Should Brew Your Own Beer And How to Get Started

Have you ever tried a beer that entices you so much that you feel like having more and more? For ages, beer has been the most liked alcoholic drink throughout the world. Commercial breweries or macro breweries have been growing steadily over the years. Today, the beer industry is growing rapidly, thanks to the introduction of craft beer that offers creativity to the customers.

The new recipes introduced by craft beer has made even the seasoned drinkers curious about the various flavors, textures, and taste made available to them. If a microbrewery can offer more flavors and tastes, then imagine the creativity homebrew can do! With craft beer finding so much popularity, many people are jumping into the homebrew wagon. Now, the question is, if you can find your ideal taste in a craft beer, why should you whip up your own beer at home?

Reasons to Brew Your Own Beer at Home

You will start to appreciate beer more!

Most of us do not know how beer is made, and even if we do know the process, we fail to understand the depth of the effort that goes into making a tasty beer that tingles the taste buds. To those people who have never brewed beer at home, the only effort is in opening the bottle or popping the can. Brewing your own beer at home will help you understand the process and make you appreciate the effort that goes into brewing. Once you finish with the brewing, you will likely appreciate the intricate process that’s involved in making beer.

Always having your favorite beer at hand is made easier.

Imagine you visit your favorite craft brew, and you are told your beloved beer is no longer available! Wouldn’t that disappoint you completely? Once you start to brew your own beer and you gain experience and confidence, you can start to be creative and start brewing the style of beer that you love. For an experienced brewer, brewing the beer you love is not as difficult as it may sound. All you need is the right ingredients at your disposal and at least the basic brewing kit. With time and a little effort, brewing your favorite beer becomes easier, and you will always have your favorite beer at hand.

You can save some money as well.

Most people believe that making their own beer is costly, as there is a need for investment in the equipment and the ingredients. Well, if you are planning to brew just once, then yes – it’s a waste of time and money. But if you plan on brewing your own beer again and again, then you will be surprised to know that each bottle of homebrew will not cost you more than $0.66. Unlike the store-bought cans and bottles, the added advantage is that you can get your hands on your favorite, freshly brewed beer as and when you desire.

You can get more and more creative.

Your first try will always be the simplest of beer that you can make. But with practice and experience, you will learn the process through and through and find ways to be creative. Craft beers are the most sought-after for their creativity. As a homebrewer, you will soon realize that the sky is the limit, and you will learn to make the best combination of flavors that you love. And who knows? One day, your creativity may lead you to start a successful brewery business.

You will be prepared for the day the beer is out of stock.

Imagine you go to all the stores nearby and find that your favorite beer is no longer available in your town. How would that feel? There may be several reasons why your favorite beer may be out of stock or even out of production, such as unavailability of resources and/or ingredients, faulty delivery system, a natural disaster at the manufacturing unit, and increase in demand, among others. When you brew your beer at home, you are prepared for such situations where your favorite beer may no longer be available.

Brewing will make you feel proud of your creativity.

It is an incredibly satisfying feeling to be able to brew a batch of beer and taste the success. Brewing a beer is an achievement in itself, and when you go out of your way to be creative, you start to feel proud. To find an interest, learn a new skill, turn the interest into a hobby, and find success in the chosen path gives more pleasure than buying beer at a store or a brewery. It is a pleasurable moment to taste the beer that you have made by dedicating your time and energy.

It’s a good way to make new friends.

Homebrewing is a hobby that is unique and interesting. Once you start homebrewing, you will find several people and communities that love to talk about this new hobby. You not only get to hear new stories and facts, but also make new friends. With a community full of people who share the same interest as you, home brewing beer, you have a lot of opportunities to make like-minded friends, as well as learn new ideas to make your home-brewed beer better.

Let’s admit it; it’s fun!

Homebrewing a batch of beer is easy to start, simple to do, and a great hobby that not only is fun, but also relaxing. Brewing your own beer at home is exciting as well, for you have a hobby that has something to offer at the end. You not only get some quality time with yourself, but you will also feel proud to have created something you love and enjoy.

It is an ideal excuse to throw a party!

If you ever need a reason to throw a party, then beer brewing is just the right choice. The perfect opportunity to invite your close family and friends is to let them taste your homemade beer. You not only have a good time with your favorite people, but you also get appreciated for the homebrew. Imagine how impressed everyone would be, for you managed to craft a beer so delicious that it leaves them wanting more.

Beer lovers do not need a reason to homebrew. They just need the opportunity to start.

How to Make Your Own Beer

Like cooking, brewing is an art that has been around for centuries. For ages, people have been enjoying different types of beer that are commercially produced and have been curious about the process. Now that you know that there are several good reasons to make a beer, it is time you get started with it.

Equipment

To make beer at home for the first time, you will need a cooking thermometer, a three to five gallon stockpot, and the basic brewing kit that consists of:

• Airlock
• Bucket clip
• Hydrometer
• 6.5-gallon “Ale Pail” bottling bucket with a spigot
• 6.5-gallon “Ale Pail” primary fermenter with lid
• Easy Clean no-rinse cleanser
• Siphon and bottling set-up
• Bottle cleaning brush
• Twin lever bottle capper
• Liquid crystal thermometer

The kit will also contain a home beer-making booklet and equipment instructions.

Ingredients

Once you have taken care of the equipment, you must arrange for the following ingredients:

• Flowers of the plant Humulus lupulus called Hops
• Specialty Grains
• Malt extract
• Yeast
• Water

Making the Beer

You will start by reading all the instructions and understanding the equipment. Then, clean all the brewing equipment and prepare to brew.

1. Heat 2.5 gallons of water in the brew pot and add specialty grains tied into the brain bag.
2. Steep the grain bag in water for twenty minutes and remove it. Do not squeeze. You have officially made unfermented beer or ‘wort.’
3. Add in the malt, stir until it is completely dissolved, and return the wort to a rolling boil.
4. Add the aromatic hop, boil for a few minutes, and cool the wort.
5. Transfer the wort to the fermenter and determine the original gravity.
6. Add the yeast into the wort, which will consume the malt sugars and produce alcohol and CO2.
7. Seal the fermenter, attach the airlock and stopper, and fill the airlock with water.
8. Place the fermenter in a temperature-stable place.

All you have to do after this is wait for your beer! Well, that’s the hardest part for any beer lover.