This work is an interest article. It informs a specific audience with “how-to” advice gathered through a search for specific information. The information is then analyzed for relevancy and appeal to the intended audience. It represents another form of creative content writing and shows the versatility of writing skills.
by James Daniel
Make beer at home that rivals some of the top brands in taste. Yes, making good beer at home is possible and it can be easier than you might think. You might be thinking is it worth it? The answer to that question is left for each individual to decide. There are a lot of variables, how much beer do you drink. what kind of beer do you like, do you have the time to make it? There is lots of information on the net about making your own beer one article from “Business Insider” an online publication, presents a cost comparison of “home-brewed” vs “store-bought” beer that you might want to take a look at before deciding to brew your own.
Let’s say you decide to brew at home, is it legal? That’s a big Yes It Is in all fifty states according to the American Homebrewer’s Association (AHA). Don’t believe me, check it out “Homebrewing Officially Legal in All 50 States”.
Now what? You got to go out and buy some brewing equipment. Can you do without it? Yes, you can, and we’ll talk about that later. But to get started quickly, buy a kit it includes everything you need except the water. The basic ingredients, water, yeast, grain, and hops seems simple, yes? No, it is not that simple. Take the water for an example. You do not need distilled water, but you do not want to use bad tasting tap water. The most important thing to remember in home brewing is sterilize everything you do not want anything to contaminate your brew or introduce unwanted yeasts and bacteria. Good quality kits can be purchased from a number of places like Walmart or Amazon prices start at about $30 and goes up from there depending on the sophistication or elaborateness you desire. Recipes and step by step instructions come with the kits. Most kits are good for a couple gallons of beer before you will need to buy more ingredients.
Like I promised you can do all of this without buying a kit. It is the old-fashioned way of using what you already have around the house or in the kitchen. So, here is what you will need, a fermenter which is basically a 5-gallon plastic bucket with a top, a brew pot (just a big pot 1.5 gal. & up), a siphon, an airlock and a bung, unscented dish detergent (cleaner), a sanitizer (1 oz. bleach per gal. water), and a hydrometer. Importantly, you need a heat source, the kitchen stove will do or if you are making large batches, a turkey fryer will suffice. Also, on the list are some things that I am sure you might have including a long handle stirring spoon, a measuring cup, a strainer, and a kitchen thermometer. To bottle your beer, you will need bottles. You can use bottles that you have saved or salvaged but do not use twist-off bottles they are hard to make airtight when capping. You will need a bottle capper and a bottle filler and of course bottle caps (unused). Use a bottle brush to clean the bottles and the bleach solution to sanitize them. The things I have mentioned are the basic items you need and of course there are a lot of “nice to haves” that you might want to acquire in the future as your brewing skills increase.
You are almost ready to begin, finally, you need a recipe. Like all good things made in the kitchen they are only as good as the recipe. The recipe you use depends on the type of beer you like. There are lots of beer types, but the major ones are:
Ale – The oldest type lots of subcategories easiest to brew at home.
Lager – A newer style than ales common in European countries.
Porter – A type of ale, dark color roasted flavor.
Stout – Dark roasted ale, thick creamy head.
Blonde Ale – A light malt sweetness.
Brown Ales – Have chocolate, caramel citrus, or nut notes.
Pale Ales – An English style of ale.
Wheat – An easy drinking light style.
Pilsner – A subspecies of lager.
Sour Ale – An ancient style, recently becoming popular.
Here are some places to find good recipes:
Find Step by step video instructions here:
Now you have everything you need to make your favorite home-brewed beer. You will find that it is not hard once you get the hang of it. Your friends and family will marvel at your expertise. Your brew will become a sought-after commodity. You will experiment and soon come up with recipes of your own. Who knows you may even hit the jackpot and open your own local brewery, that’s how a lot of brands got started, you can also do the same. Enjoy your new status you have become a Brewmeister.
Images: Amazon products
Videos: YouTube, Vimeo
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