Can I Create Home Brewed Beer?

You may be interested to learn that beer is the most widely consumed drink on the planet. Further, it is probably the oldest alcoholic beverage. Many historians are of the belief that it has been around since the year 9500 BC. So it should come as no surprise that it is still so popular today. It is this popularity that has drawn so many beer lovers to the idea of making their own home brewed beer. So grab your barley and yeast and let us learn how to make our own tasty brew.

First it is good to know what beer is made of. Basically, it is made of water, hops (where the flavor comes from, ) a starch which can be fermented like malted barley and yeast. You have probably heard the word “hops” used frequently in TV ads; it is used as a flavoring only. Hops comes from the hop vine and the flowers are used in brewing.

What we are mostly interested in though is how we take these ingredients and transform them into a drink that will impress a brewmeister, if not your next door neighbor. Your first step is to purchase a brewing kit, unless of course you have the financial wherewithal or investors to establish your own commercial brewery. Let’s go on the assumption that the brewing kit is the way to go.

First, as hinted at above, buying a kit does not require taking out a second mortgage. Virtually all kits come equipped with the necessary ingredients and hardware to get you started. They can be found online or at specialty retail stores. You can expect to pay from thirty dollars to over a thousand. It is probably a good idea to invest wisely in the beginning to see if brewing your own is for you.

Your kit should contain everything you need to get the finished product. This is to say that all bottles, ingredients and equipment are included. When you begin you will usually need a hydrometer, fermenting bucket, bottles, yeast and wort. Wort is the liquid which is extracted from the barley. Also helpful is an instructional manual or DVD.

The brewing process is really not too bad. In fact, most people who brew at home find it to be fun and like the fact that they do not need to wait too long for the finished drink. From the time you start up the equipment to the time you take your first sip of home brew is usually about two weeks. To put it another way, your friends will be jealous of you and your tasty beer in about fourteen days.

A quick word of caution to those planning on using kegs for either added aging or storage, they can be dangerous if not properly attended to. Kegs may contain residual pressure. If they are not properly vented, the valve can explode causing serious harm to anyone in the way of a projectile valve.

Brewing at home can be more than just a way to avoid going to the store when you feel like a beer. It can be a fun hobby that keeps you entertained and provides a refreshing drink at the same time.

Wanting to learn beer brewing instructions? Check out our video training web site that features homebrew videos.