Runs With Beer

Home brewing is something which has been popular for many years. Still, those of us for whom convenience is the issue may find that we would much rather go to the liquor store and pay to enjoy beer brewed by companies who have done it for years, with equipment suitable for mass production. However, as with everything else in life, convenience costs. It may not be much at the time, but add it up over a years worth of parties, games, dinners and nights out and it starts to amount to a lot.The issue of paying an upfront sum for beer brewing supplies puts a lot of people off getting involved with it. They calculate that they could have a few nights at their local bar for the same cost and think to themselves that it would be a lot less effort to do so too. However, look at the situation beyond just a few weeks ahead and you’ll see that home brewing is a much better option. After the initial amount that you pay for the kit and supplies, which is little more than the cost of a few crates anyway, you’ll have the potential to make enough beer to see you through the next couple of months.To some people, the idea of making their own beer is too much like hard work. That’s why we have major breweries to do it for us, is it not? Well, of course it is, but then again you could think of it this way – you can eat in a restaurant every night of the year, but you’ll save money and develop a skill if you cook your own meals. At first restaurant food seems better than anything you could possibly cook yourself, but, with a little practice, you soon develop your own recipes that are superior. It’s exactly the same with beer brewing.As for the supplies you need, these can be found easily enough. Most larger towns will have a specialist store that stocks the required equipment and ingredients, but don’t worry if your town doesn’t as there are plenty of suppliers on the internet. In fact, buying via the internet may be the best option anyway as the prices tend to be lower. You can find out exactly what you need by doing a bit of online research. Like-minded beer lovers can be found in various beer brewing forums and they are always happy to give tips and recommendations to newcomers.Once you have bought the necessary equipment and supplies, you will just need to follow the instructions that come with them. It is simple enough, just remember not to miss out any of the steps. Hands on learning and regular practice is the best way to make progress. Eventually you will start amending it yourself as you experiment and find out what suits you. You’ll soon be viewing it less like hard work and more like fun!

Ancient peoples may have brewed their own beer and wine out of necessity (and brew it they did — back at least as far as 10,000 BC that we know of) after all there was no liquor store or convenience store on the corner to grab a cold six-pack or the latest import. 

But, really, this was how if was for them for everything they consumed.  From bread and meats to vegetables and oils — it was all “do it yourself.” 

It’s all changed today when we can easily go to the store and get just about anything we need.  So why try homebrewing your own beer?

Homebrewing is More Common Than You Might Think

Home brewing has become in the past few years one of the country’s fastest growing hobbies.

Almost overnight there are several monthly magazines devoted to the subject.  Brewing Techniques, Home Brew, The Complete Joy of Home Brewing, and Extreme Brewing are just a few.

And many online sites are now dedicated to selling home brewing kits and equipment.

Take heart that no matter what your family thinks, if you are interested in home brewing you’re not alone.

What are the Reasons That Home Brewing is Becoming So Popular?

Naturally there are almost as many reasons that people try home brewing as there are home brewers.  In other words, everyone has their own reasons and everyone is different.

But a few good reasons keep coming up when home brewers talk to each other:

1. Home brewing is an art.  It may be a hobby but there is much skill involved also.  People who love to cook are often drawn to home brewing.

2. Every batch of beer is different.  Forget trying the latest import of seasonal.  With home brewing you always have something new to enjoy. 

3. Home brewers are a friendly lot.  If there is one thing that home brewers love almost as much as making beer it is talking about making beer.  Sharing stories and recipes, trying new batches and just getting together with like minded friends are all reasons many people enjoy home brewing.

Certainly these are all good reasons, but naturally the number one reason most home brewers give for making their own beer is…

4. Taste

There is nothing like being able to adjust the recipes to their own taste and experiment with different ingredients and cooking procedures.  Sure there are some basic things that never change, but you can add different ingredients and experiment with different techniques to make your own signature creation.

Adjusting the ingredients can give you a lighter, paler ale or a thicker and heartier stout.  Adding incredients, like honey or berries can give you a flavor that cannot be found in the stores.

One Last Reason No One Talks About

5. Although most won’t admit it, many people home brew simply because it is “cool.”  If you and your friends like beer there is just nothing like being able to tell them that you make your own.  Just watch the face of someone who has made his or her own beer as they offer you a glass. 

It’s hard to be that excited about offerng someone a “Bud.” 

It may surprise you to learn that even the best chefs or bakers in the world still need to follow recipes.

We all watch Bobby and Rachel and Mario and they make it look like they are just throwing the dishes together on the spot. But they’ve either learned the recipe from somewhere or they have made up on their own at an earlier time.

They may not have these things written down for them right now, but chances are they did at one time and have just committed them to memory.

And so it is for anyone interested in the hobby of brewing their own beer or making their own wine – they’re on the lookout for some good home brewing recipes. You may reach the point one day when you can toss out all your recipes and work from your head, just like that fine chef or master baker, but for now, you need to start somewhere.

So, Where Can You Find Home Brewing Recipes?

The first place to look for home brewing recipes is online (Hey! You’re already here!)

There is a wealth of websites that offer step-by-step instructions for every type of beer and every type of wine that one could possibly want to try to make at home. Many of these are very basic, designed for the started and small brewing kits.

But it’s not at all hard to find home brewing recipes are exotic and tasty enough for the master. You can, of course, tweak them a bit to suit your taste (which is one of the best things about home brewing), but it’s usually recommended that you try the recipe as is for the first time, in order to make sure it comes out properly.

In addition, most online home brewing recipes are offered by those who are passionate about brewing at home just like you and have tried and tested these recipes themselves. They may also be available for comments or questions. They will probably even welcome your input — home brewers are a friendly group.

Home brewing recipes are usually found on websites that are privately maintained, meaning that it’s someone just like you running the site from his or her home. They very often maintain forums and boards for those who’ve tried the recipes so that they can leave comments about it, or let others know how they’ve adjusted it in any fashion to produce a different taste or flavor.

How Will I Know a Recipe Will Work for Me?

You can usually tell if any of these home brewing recipes are going to work for you by reading through the ingredients and the reviews and paying attention to what others have to say about it. For instance, if the recipe calls for the addition of certain fruits, do you like the flavor of that fruit and sweeter beers? Or if they’re home brewing recipes for darker and thicker beers, is that to your taste, or do you typically prefer the lighter ales?

You can also compare the new recipe to ones you have tried before.

By reading through the ingredients and reading others’ comments about these home brewing recipes, you know you won’t be wasting your time or your efforts in trying them out.

What’s one of the most popular drinks in the world? You’ve guessed it, Beer. Why is that so? I remember when I first drank it I almost spewed. Much the same when I smoked my first cigarette, I felt as sick as a dog. So why did we do it? Peer pressure I suppose, but still, I think it tastes great now and that’s what got me into home made beer. It is almost a cult for some people now. They even have clubs where they can take their latest brew for sampling and of course showing off.Unfortunately not all home made beers are equal as some of you may have found out when your mate proudly presented you with a mug of his home brew. UGG. Much the same as some home made wine fanatics. So why do people make home brew beer? Well maybe because it’s cheaper that buying the stuff, maybe it’s their great hobby.Whatever it is there are some great home beer makers out there and I have tasted a few. Whatever the reason it is a great relaxing hobby with a great supping reward. It’s not expensive as some hobbies go and it’s great fun. It is no wonder that it’s very popular as you get a great feeling of achievement when you pour your drop of home made beer. (no matter how horrible it tastes when you first start off). Let’s face it any new hobby has a learning phase when you first start.One of the great things about home made beer is that you can drink it without any of the additives that are put into the commercial beers. Just about every beer you buy has been pasteurized this means the beer is ‘cooked’ which kills the yeast whereas home made beer contains live yeast which gives your home brew a more natural taste.The initial cost of buying the equipment you need to start making your own beer is quickly recovered after your first couple of batches of brewing. Most people who start home brewing are fed up with paying the bills for their beer. Home made beer brewing can fix up the cost of beer. Buying  the ingredients for a 5 gallon batch can range from $25 to $45 depending on the type of beer you wish to make. Other costs such as bottles are around $12 for a case of 24 12 oz bottles. Of course these can be reused time and time again.Home made beer brewing is catching on fast and is not really difficult to start you just have to follow the steps and not attempt to experiment until you have got the basics off pat. It is usually best to start of with a kit. Essentially there are only six basic steps to making your home made beer.1. Making wort or must.2. Fermentation.3. Clarifying.4. Conditioning5. Packaging.6. Drinking.Brewing can take from two weeks to several months depending on the type of beer you wish to make. Usually you will have several batches going starting at different times especially for the longer brewing styles of beer.Home made beer is not difficult, especially if you first start with a brewing kit. So go ahead and make your own beer and enjoy.If you really want to get ahead fast I recommend a couple of e-books that will help you enormously. You can preview them by going to my blog.

Do you enjoy the delicious taste of beer? Have you ever thought about how proud you would feel to learn how to brew beer? Want to learn the simple truth to the most popular-held myths about brewing beer at home? Well, it’s time to arm yourself with some knowledge to debunk the top beer myths and set the record straight – even with people you know who may think they know more about beer than you.

The top of the list…Myth one: Only men have an interest in homebrewing beer. Drinking or brewing beer is just not popular with women.

This could not be further from the truth! Even though there is a large number of men who both drink and home brew beer, there is also a large number of women who not only appreciate and enjoy the taste of beer, but who are also interested in homebrewing.

Myth two: If you want the best results for your beer, you should bottle it using green bottles only.

Absolutely false. Believe it or not, brown bottles work the best because they are better equipped to keep out the most dangerous culprit to your homebrewing efforts – light. Due to a shortage of brown glass in Europe during the 20th century, green glass was used more frequently and it was incorrectly assumed the beer was of a better quality. Truth is, exposure to light is an excellent way to dash your efforts and spoil a good batch of beer.

Myth three: Drinking beer is unhealthy.

Since beer is an alcohol and alcohol consumption has always been linked to poor health habits, there is a stigma that follows for beer drinking. In actuality, beer contains zero cholesterol and zero fat! Do not let this myth keep you from brewing and enjoying good beer. Always drink responsibly. Moderation is key to really appreciating a delicious beer.

Myth four: Bitter beer is beer that is ruined.

All beers have a bitter flavor, some just more pronounced than others. And the reason is due to the use of hops, which are essential for an authentic beer taste. Do not worry – if your beer tastes bitter it is fine as is. Tip: when brewing beer you can adjust the bitterness level by the amount of hops you use and the amount of time you boil the hops. The longer you boil the hops, the more bitter tasting the beer will be.

Myth five: Beer is ruined if the bottles are not kept refrigerated.

Actually, assuming the bottle has not been opened, simply pop the warm beer back in the refrigerator. Once it is chilled, it will taste as good as before. Note: some beers, like many traditional English ales and stouts, are not their best when served ice cold. Rather, they are better served closer to room temperature or slightly cool. The only ways to ruin a good beer is to either leave it sitting out open to the air or exposing it to the sun/extreme temperatures for an extended period of time. Once you have made a batch, simply store it in a dark place and it will be just fine.

Now that you know the truth to these myths, you can confidently venture into the world of homebrewing. However, there is one final, widely-popular myth we need to bust first: Homebrewing is difficult work. With ready-made malt extracts and six-gallon fermenters available these days, it’s no more difficult to brew beer than to make bread with a bread machine. Simply mix your ingredients, pop the cap on the fermenter and let the yeast go to work making your beer. With a little work and a lot of fun, you too can easily learn how to brew beer.

For many people home brewing is nice hobby and for small group it is also a small, work from home, business. A lot of people across the USA are now brewing in some sort of way, be it for fun or for profit. Home brewing is not that hard to do, it can make you a bit of profit but, the best reason of all, if can be a lot of fun to do and because of this it is a favorite hobby of a many people across the world.
What is needed for a home brew?
You might think that you won’t be able to learn brewing your own beer or wine but it is not that hard. Maybe you should start with one the many brewing kits out there, this would gradually help you to learn what you need when it comes to the ingredients needed. When you start to see the results, don’t expect a great taste in the beginning and all of the time, you will addicted and the brewing bug has taken you.
Before you start your first brewing project you should first do some reading on the subject to find out what is the method you want to try first. Do you want to start with brewing beer or wine, or maybe both? Learn what supplies you need for every brew batch you are going to make, know how much time it will take to get the best results. Make sure you have all the ingredients you will need and also, if needed, the equipment for the brew process. You do not want to start searching for things or need to buy any extra ingredients while you are in the middle of the brewing process.
Dream big, start small
If you are new to this brewing hobby you will need to practice a lot before you can call yourself a master of the craft, you will make a lot mistakes but you will learn from them and in the end you will have perfected the art of brewing. This should not be too difficult as long as you are motivated and you will be when your friends and family start to encourage you.
Having mastered the art of brewing you can then take advantage of your skill so you can give parties and supply the beverages for just a small amount of the investments it would normally cost or you could start you own small business.
Making some money from your hobby.
Once people start to hear about the parties you supply with nice home brew beverages for lower then normal costs you see the power of word of mouth advertisement. Your best customers are your friends who really enjoyed you wine or beer and they start to tell their friends, family an other people. Maybe the profit will not be that big in the beginning and it does take some effort to deliver a continues quality but there could come a point that it could just become your main income. And that’s what we all would want to have, our hobby as a business.
This does not mean that brewing you own wine or beer can not stay a hobby that you just love to do and share with others, maybe the idea of working from you home doesn’t appeal to you at all. Just keep doing what you love the most.