When it comes to brewing at home, you have two options: you can choose all-grain brewing, or you can choose extract brewing. If you’ve never done either before, you might be wondering which is the better of the two; and you might have already heard a number of arguments for each. So, which one is it?
The debate is a difficult one, as both methods are perfectly valid and both deliver perfectly good beer. Which one you choose will largely depend on how much time you want to put into your beer making, and what kind of beer you’re looking for.
With all-grain brewing you place cracked malted barley, with water and cook (mash) it a specific temperatures over a period of time. This is a delicate process that needs to been done with great care. The liquid is then removed from the barley grains and boiled with hops.
With malt extracts on the other hand, you are skipping the cooking (mashing) part of the process. All that is need is that you pour the malt syrup in with water into a kettle and boil the mix (wort) and boil the hops in as before. No critical temperatures need to be followed. No grains need to be dealt with.
So which one is better?
Some beer brewers simply prefer one method over the other, just as cooks do in their kitchen. Those who prefer that everything be made “from scratch” will probably find more satisfaction in working with all grains, while those who would prefer to use mixes and a more hands-off approach might find malt extracts more convenient.
If you’re really picky about the type of beer you’re striving for, you might want to choose all-grain when you want a light, amber-colored beer with an all-malt Pilsner. However when the mood strikes for a bold stout, using malt extracts could possibly give you better results.
Another related blog post that you may want to take a look at is, “The 3 Different Methods Of Homebrewing“. It goes over the different ways that you can approach brewing your own beer at home.
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If you’re going to be kegging homebrew, you might think that the most difficult part is going to be installing the keg tap. Truthfully though, once you’ve done it once installing the tap is pretty easy. Cleaning it on the other hand, is something that you’ll need to master throughout the entire time you’re making homemade beer.
Start cleaning your tap by first finding the appropriate tap cleaner for it. The instructions will also be on this cleaner, but you’ll most likely have to combine it with water and then make sure it’s fully blended.
Then remove the knob from the tap’s faucet. This, along with the rest of the faucet and the beer hose, will then need to be placed inside a large bucket. Using a cleaning attachment, connect it to the faucet of the tap. Place the bucket underneath the main portion of the keg, placing the hose inside the bucket so that it will be able to steam everything inside.
Start pumping the cleaning solution into the bucket, but be sure to allow the cleaning detergent to sit inside the hose for some period of time before you add it to the bucket. This will help break down any bacteria that’s inside, and the instructions you receive with the cleaner will tell you how long the hose needs to soak with it inside. After that soaking time, the solution can then be poured into the bucket, where it will clean everything inside.
After everything has been thoroughly cleaned, you then just have to make sure no solution or detergent is left on any of the equipment. Otherwise, it will have an adverse effect on the beer you make afterwards. To rinse, fill the bottle used to pump the cleaner and ensure it’s cleaned properly. Fill it with clean, cold water and pump it the same way you did the solution. It will rinse everything off. When that is complete, make sure to also rinse all other pieces and parts used during the cleaning process.
Once you’ve fully cleaned and rinsed all of your kegging equipment, you just have to allow it to dry fully, and then store it for the next time you’re ready to have some friends over!
Another blog post you may want to look over is, “Some Tips For Kegging Homebrew“. This post has some ideas on kegging your own home brewed beer.

When you brew at home you’ll need to take a lot into consideration, from what malt products you’re going to use to bottling beer and how you’re going to do just that. Before you choose a method though, you’ll need to first choose your beer bottles – and make sure you inspect them properly before using them.
Over time, the bottles you use for storing your beer can become chipped, scratched, or otherwise damaged, especially if you’re using the same beer bottles over and over again. If the bottles are damaged in any way, they could potentially explode during the brewing process while they’re being sterilized or put under extreme pressure. Because those chips and scratches affect the pressure inside the bottle, it could end up ruining the entire bottle. To avoid that, inspect the beer bottles properly by using the method below.
First start by looking at the bottles the same you would look for clean drinking glasses – by holding them up to the light. It’s here that minor damages will be most apparent. Make sure you pay special attention to the mouth of the bottle for cracks, and the sides of the bottle for small cracks. Once you see that all parts of the bottle are smooth and damage-free, then check to make sure that they’re completely clean.
Small water spots aren’t such a big deal, but grime that gathers in the bottom of the bottle is. This is a common area for bacteria and mildew buildup and, because it’s at the very bottom and on the inside, it’s one of the most often overlooked. If there is mold or other dirt inside, another cleaning and sterilization may be required. If however the dirt cannot be removed, or you notice damage on the bottle, it must be thrown out.
Inspecting your beer bottles for damage or dirt may seem like a minor task when you first start bottling your own beer. But taking a few minutes to ensure your bottles are in good condition will save you a lot of time, and beer, in the end. Another blog post that may be of interest is, “How To Bottle Your Beer: Tips On Bottling Beer“.

Lots of people love the idea of whipping up a batch of their own homebrew stuff, but think that it takes a great amount of cash and equipment in order to get just one bottle. This is a misconception, and one we’re knocking down with our own customers all the time. When you want to make a great-tasting beer, you can brew it yourself – and you don’t need a lot of home brewing equipment backing you up.
A very large cooking pot should be all you need in order to hold all of the home brewing ingredients that you’ll use during the brewing process. In addition to that you’ll need a primary fermenter and a secondary fermenter that are equipped with an air-lock attached in order to keep the integrity of the brew at its highest quality. A bottle capper is also necessary, to ensure that bottles are capped properly, and are air-tight; and a gravity hydrometer, which will let you know when it’s time to bottle the beer. You’ll also need a large spoon to stir, and a sanitizer to ensure that all equipment is properly cleaned and sterilized before use.
Even these few ingredients can seem overwhelming to someone who is just learning how to brew their own beer, and they can often wonder where exactly they can find them. Luckily, at Adventures in Homebrewing we’ve got you covered with our own Beermaker’s Necessities Box.
This box includes all of the minimum equipment you’ll need to start making your own home brew quickly and easily, and without running around for all the different pieces you’ll need. This box contains the same quality pieces of equipment you can buy individually, but at a special, reduced price as a kit.
Because we believe that the very best beer is the beer you make yourself, we think it should be practical and accessible for everyone. Order your Beermaker’s Necessities Box today, and start sipping your own brew tomorrow!
Want to learn more about what it takes to brew your own beer? Then you might want to take a look at this recent blog post, “The 3 Different Levels Of Brewing Beer At Home“. It goes into a little more detail about the home brewing process and what it’s all about.

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