Homebrewing 101: Everything You Need to Get Started

Let’s visualise this together – you get home from an exhausting day at work, super excited to kick your feet up and crack open a cold beer. You’ve been looking forward to it all day. And so you drag your feet into the kitchen to open the fridge only to find out that you’re completely out of beer. Didn’t you just buy a few bottles last week? Oh, shoot. You’re definitely not leaving the house again just to get beer. No matter how much you want it, you’re just too tired.

Now imagine if you had your own supply of homebrewed beer stored in your basement. Around the clock supply of beer tailored to your liking. That sounds like a dream. But it can also be a reality. With a few essential home brew supplies and a couple of tutorials, you’ll be able to make your own beer in no time. Sounds too good to be true? Let’s dive into what you’ll need to start brewing beer at home.

What Are the Different Brewing Methods?

Before you get started, you should know that there are a few different types of brewing methods. Each is different and requires different home brew supplies.

Extract Brewing

This type of brewing uses so-called kits which are basically extracts from grains, either in dry or liquid form. This one is a fairly easy method since you won’t need to mash the grain on your own since brewing kits come pre-packed with all the malt and hops required to brew beer. This is the ideal option for beginners because there’s very little room for error. Most beer extract kits come with detailed instructions on proper use to answer any questions you might have.

Partial Mash Brewing

This one refers to the use of extract malts as well as grain in the brewing process. You get part of the sugars for fermentation from your grain and the extracts provide the rest. It’s basically the best of both worlds. Here you have more room for customisation in terms of flavour, colour and overall taste of your beer. Once you get the hang of extract-only brewing, the partial mash is a great stepping stone for a bigger challenge. As a more experienced brewer, you’ll be able to tell the difference between good and bad beer which will give you greater control over the brewing process.

All-Grain Brewing

This is the original, pure way to brew beer. But it’s also a larger investment because it requires more equipment and beer brewing supplies as well as time and effort on your part. It requires advanced knowledge of brewing styles and techniques because you’re literally doing everything yourself. All the sugars necessary for fermentation are derived only from the crushed malted grains. Unfortunately, this means that there’s more room for error but don’t get discouraged if your first batch doesn’t turn out as intended. After all, practice makes perfect. On the flip side, this brewing method gives you complete freedom over the kind of beer you want to brew so you can really experiment with the flavours here.

Bottling And Storing Your Beer

Once you’ve decided on a brewing method and your concoction is fermented, the next step is priming your beer with the desired amounts of sugar. This can vary from person to person, depending on the flavour you’re trying to achieve. By adding the sugar to the mix, you’re slightly altering the taste and aroma of the beer and giving it that extra edge. Make sure your equipment and brewing ingredients are sanitized before you start using them.

Once everything is done and you’ve poured your beer into bottles, it’s important to keep them cool for a while longer so that the beer can wrap up those last bits of the fermentation process in the bottle itself. Store the bottles in an enclosed space and keep them away from direct exposure to sunlight. And finally, wait for at least two weeks after bottling to drink it so that you ensure the beer is completely ready to be served.

Benefits of Drinking Beer

Yes, you read that right, drinking beer does inherently have numerous benefits. You’ve probably wondered, is beer good for your health? Well, we’re here to tell you that it actually is. Drinking beer moderately, or about 1-2 drinks a day, can significantly improve your health. To begin with, beer has a lot more nutrients and antioxidants than other alcoholic drinks. It even contains certain amounts of proteins, phosphates and even fibre.

In addition, studies show that beer reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and heart complications. This means that those who drink beer are less likely to suffer from heart attacks than those who don’t drink. Similarly, beer helps reduce stress and makes you feel instantly more relaxed. In a world where everything is overwhelmingly stressful, it’s a great bonus.

Another advantage is the fact that beer helps improve your memory and cognitive function. It slows down the degradation process of memory and helps protect brain cells from dying out. This greatly lowers the risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s.

And last but not least, beer makes your bones stronger and lowers the chances of osteoporosis. These are just a handful of potential advantages of drinking beer. But remember, don’t drink in excess because that might have the opposite effect and cause certain health issues. Cheers!

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