Perhaps you consider yourself to be a bit fanatical about your beer. This would be evidenced by the depth and range of colors that you stock in your refrigerator. Your beer bottles, and the libations themselves, probably range from the deep golden hues of hefeweizen to the pale amber of red beers. With any luck, you’re familiar with the deeper, darker colors of porters and stouts, dark like the shadows at nighttime, but marvelously anticipated for their rich flavors. Perhaps these colors and their respective flavors have only garnered your interest, but your present beer selection tendencies lean towards one solitary, pale colored beer. It’s good that you’re somewhat curious. A world of flavors awaits, each with its own crafting history.
After spending some time immersed in learning about different beers – and there’s no better way than to get to the store and try bottle after bottle – you’re sure to notice something: handcrafted beers don’t come cheap. In fact, their prices can easily be double, or much more, than the low-priced beers. Certainly you’re paying for better flavor and supporting smaller businesses when you buy specialty beers, but the question about making your own can arise pretty quickly. It usually comes across as something like this: “Could I brew beer at home and would it taste as good as these specialty brews I keep finding at the store?
The answer is a definitive “Yes!” Think back to how things were a few hundred years ago. Beer, then known as mead, was a popular drink with most people. But, living in isolated areas far from towns, it was completely impractical to “run out to the store and buy a six pack.” How did these people get their drinks? They made them, and so can you!
Of course, to avoid trial by fire, it’s best to get an experienced brewer on your side. Adventures in Homebrewing is a great companion on this new journey. We’ve got over 40 years of experience with homebrewing and making wine, which can raise other important questions, such as, “Why limit oneself to only one type of nighttime drink?” But if you’re committed to beer and not much of a fan of wine, you need not worry. You’ll get as good of direction at making the ideal beer for your tastebuds with Adventures in Homebrewing as you would if you could transport yourself to olden times and visit a beer master.
Once you’ve decided to get started on this new project, it only takes a few steps to open the door and walk through it. Find a place in your home where the brewing will take place. The process need not fill your entire living space, but it does lend itself to having its own area, at least during the ingredient combination phase. You’ll also need space to store the beer undisturbed for some time – weeks, depending on the type of beer and desired alcohol content. With space arranged, it’s time to fill it with the fun task of beer creation. Get to it!
Tag Archives: make beer at home
4 Things You May Not Know About Making Your Own Wine and Beer
There are some things that are just easier to buy instead of making yourself. Just like mattresses – apparently, no one has ever tried to make a mattress on their own. And then there are some things that people buy instead of making because they don’t know how to do it or don’t know if it would be worth doing.
Beer and wine are things that can be made at home and it’s surprisingly simple. Here are some things you may not know about it.
1) It’s not as hard as you think
Making wine or beer is a science. Getting everything just right – removing grittiness, maintaining flavor and freshness, etc. – can be a complicated process. But that doesn’t mean it’s an especially difficult process.
Anyone with the proper home beer brewing or wine making equipment can make their own. Adventures in Homebrewing sells wine and beer making kits with complete instructions for the novice home brewer.
2) It’s legal
The thought of making your own beer or wine may conjure up images of backwoodsmen moonshiners hiding from the law; cranking out bottles of white lightning from stills secreted away in the hills. Or perhaps, the Baldwin sisters from TV’s The Waltons who made a very alcoholic and very illegal concoction that they called “the recipe.”
While it is illegal to make your own whiskey or moonshine, making your own wine or brewing your own beer is perfectly legal. There are however certain restrictions. Homemade beer and wine is for “personal” consumption so you can’t sell it. Also, you can only make a certain amount of it – 100 gallons a year per adult in a household.
3) It’s not as expensive as you think
When the CD player first came out, it was very expensive. Only the richest of kings of England could afford it. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but you understand. It was expensive, but, with time, the technology became cheaper. This is true with wine and beer making supplies, too. While once costly, it is now relatively inexpensive.
Also, in the past, bulky and pricey fruit presses or crushers were needed to make wine. Now concentrates or juices can be used instead.
4) It can be just as good as or better than commercial wines and beers
The commercial beer and wine makers have a variety of tastes and products, but you’re still limited to that specific group of tastes and products. Making wine at home or homebrewing beer gives you more options. And since you’re making it yourself, you can customize it to fit your tastes exactly. You can’t do that with the commercial stuff.
The quality of what you make can be as good as anything found in the stores. Adventures in Homebrewing has sold quality winemaking and beer-making supplies since 1966 and has had customers returning for over 40 years.
Beer Brewing 101: The Basics
Looking to begin your brewing career? E. C. Kraus has you covered with all the basic beer making equipment and beer brewing tips to jump in and get started. Below we share all the key components needed to become an expert brew master.
True Brew Handbook: This is the essential guidebook for the beginning beer maker. Full of recipes and necessary ingredients, this handbook guides you through the process step by step, carefully explaining the purpose of each ingredient along the way.
Screw-Top Fermenter: Fermenters are an integral part of the beer (or wine) making process. Fermenters are buckets that generally hold an upwards of 5 gallons, and come with an airtight lid specially designed to aid in the fermentation process. Fermenters are designed with a faucet for racking and bottling, as well as a hose for easy transfer.
Triple Scale Hydrometer: A hydrometer allows you to keep track of the fermentation process and determines alcohol content in both beer and wine. The hydrometer is very important, as it lets you know when your brew is ready to be bottled!
Double Lever Capper: This product allows you to cap bottles with ease. This is an important part of the process, as it is necessary to ensure your beer is properly sealed after bottling.
Beer Bottle Brush: This type of brush is specially designed for cleaning beer bottles. It can effortlessly clean both 12oz and 22oz bottles, and can even be used to clean champagne bottles or soda pop bottles.
Foot Of Hose: Hose is necessary for transferring the finished beer to the bottles.
5 oz. Jar CleanPro SDH: This cleans your beer making equipment. It is used to sanitize, clean, and deodorize both beer and wine making equipment such as fermentation vessels, tubing, air-locks, and utensils. This can also work well on surfaces such as glass, stainless steel, and plastics.
Brewer`s Best Ingredient Kit: This kit comes with everything you need to brew your own beer. Pick from a variety of indulgent flavors such as American Amber, Irish Stout, Red Ale, Vienna Lager, or many many more! Each kit makes 5 gallons of home brew.
Ready to get started? Luckily Adventures in Homebrewing has you covered. We want to make the beer making process as simple as possible, so we combined all beginners’ necessities into one! Check out our Beer Brewing Kit, which includes everything listed above, and even comes at a specially discounted price!