Home Brewing as a Hobby

Summary

Beer is a well loved beverage that has been around for centuries. Until now a lot of people are very fond of it, proving that it is an all time favorite. Home brewing makes it possible for you to make your own beer.

Body

Do you love beer? This beverage has been popular since ancient times and has continued to be a staple in parties, households, bars and restaurants. You may also have come to love the fizzy, vaguely sweet and pale taste of beer or its variations.

If you truly have a thing about this pleasurable beverage, you might want to consider home brewing. I can imagine you shaking your head at this moment, thinking that brewing your own beer at home is an impossible undertaking. Well, believe me if I tell you that contrary to what most people think, home brewing is an easy process.

You don’t need to have a degree in chemistry or an extraordinary agility around the kitchen in order to brew your own beer. All that is needed from you is genuine interest and passion, and then home brewing can be an exciting and lucrative hobby you can take on. You can earn extra money of share your concoction to your friends and family and make yourself proud.

Home brewing as a hobby

You’ll be surprised to know that home brewing is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the Unites States. More and more people are taking up the hobby because it is productive without having to be expensive. It is an interesting thing to do in your pastime and the payoff is immediate and can be substantial, especially if you come up with an extraordinary concoction. In fact, developing your own brand is very possible. Some aficionados are even aiming to become legends and come up with a popular and fast selling label. But, before getting carried away with big dreams, let us first talk about how to get started.

Read books

The easiest way to start your new hobby is to know more about it. How? Read books and immerse yourself in the steps and processes of home brewing. Gaining more knowledge on the subject will make it more interesting and easier to do. You don’t have to purchase your own books; a trip to your local library will most likely suffice. Be sure to take some notes or make a copy of your reference materials.

Try surfing the net

This is where you can find a plethora of information on home brewing. With just a few clicks you will be taken to a gold mine of information. It would be ideal to start with sites that offer you the basics of home brewing. It would also be brilliant to watch ‘how-to-do’ videos on the subject; you can try visiting you tube. Videos are indeed very effective when it comes to instructional materials.

Join online forums

There is a number of very active beer making groups online. You can sign-up and follow them. In the forums you will find people who are dedicated and knowledgeable on home brewing. Learn from their thread and feel free to ask questions. Most of them will be more than willing to share their knowledge with you.

Buy a starter kit

Once you have gathered adequate information on the process of home brewing, you are ready to purchase your starter kit; although, this too needs some research. Start by window shopping on the different products that are available in the market and decide on something that would suit your needs. Choosing your first home brewing kit can be a lot of fun. I suggest that you choose a simple kit according to your beer preference. Your starter kit will basically include malt extract, a packet or priming sugar and hops. It will also come with complete instructions.

Experiment

Of course, a very important step to learning is experimentation. Now that you are armed with sufficient knowledge on home brewing, it is time to put your knowledge to the test. Be sure that you have a clear idea on the process, or that your written guide is nearby. Prepare all your materials and ingredients and start the ball rolling.

Once you have explored the world of home brewing you start thinking of setting-up a decent home brewery and getting more supplies. How much is this going to cost you? Well, it depends on the kind that you want to get. You can either start initially with a basic equipment list; or if you feel like taking the plunge and get really serious with your hobby, you can spend a bit more on additional equipment and devote a sizeable portion of your home to your hobby. Either of these choices will allow you to brew excellent beer, so it’s all up to you. Let’s assume that you will start small and expand as you go, what are the factors that you need to consider?

The type of brewing supplies you need

This needs careful thought and planning. Sit down and make a list of the supplies you would need and find out where you can purchase them. Don’t worry, the home brewing market is getting bigger and it is actually easy to find what you need. On the web alone, you will find hundreds of retailers offering beer making kits and supplies to home brewers. If you are starting small, your basic equipment list will include: bottling bucket, bottle capping tool, airlock, fermenter with lid, siphon tube, racking tube, bottle brush, hydrometer, thermometer, equipment cleaner and instructions for use. Typically, you will get all these from most online retailers for less than a hundred dollars.

The bottles to put your beer in

If you are wondering if you can get bottles for your home made beer, you can also get them from the home brewing suppliers online. The only problem is that these bottles can be heavy and bulky, so you can expect the shipping to be costly. It would therefore be wise to plan on reusing your bottles. Just be sure to clean and sterilize them thoroughly after every use. Now, you are all set. Happy brewing!