Welcome to the home brew section of my blog. Here I will put anything and everything related to home brewing! Please be patient while I upload and update blog content. You can expect to see some major changes over the next couple of weeks while I mold this site. Thank you again!
Home Brew: How to get started
I have been asked by friends and colleagues how to get started home brewing. The simplicity of it all may surprise you. Here are the basic, and I mean very basic, steps to take if you would like to start into this venture of home brewing. I will expand on each of these steps, and add some more complicated ones, in later posts, but this should provide you with a place to get started.
1. Find a good, local home brew store. An easy place to start is by doing a Google Maps search of 'home brewing supplies.' This should bring up a couple different stores in your local area. The store that I personally use is The Brew Hut. Read some reviews, take a trip to the store or ask some local brewers for suggestions. It pays to find a well stocked store that is both friendly and helpful.
2. Buy the initial set up. If you are just starting, there are prepackaged kits that will include everything from a primary (used for the initial fermentation) to a bottle capper. These typically run in the $100 range and can be purchased from your local store or online. You can easily spend $500 on a 'basic' setup if you would like to purchase glass carboys and nicer equipment, it all depends on what your budget is. Make sure you have a decent 20 quart (at least) pot at home for the brewing process. It's always best if you have a pot that you only use for your wort, but if you are just starting and are not too serious about maximizing flavor, you can get away with that soup pot under the sink.
3. Buy the ingredients. For your first brew I would keep this as simple as possible. Many stores have prepackaged kits that will include all the ingredients and the directions for making the brew. I would suggest staying away from lagers at first because they are a little more difficult than ales. Choose a style that you know you will enjoy and have some experience with. If you have been a fan of ales, then go with an ale. This will provide you with a chance to compare home brews to commercial brews.
4. Create your brew. Follow the directions for the materials you bought, wait a couple weeks, and enjoy! A typical 5 gal batch will produce somewhere around 45 bottles (12 oz) of beer. There is always some waste throughout the brewing process so won't get a full 5 gallons, but you can get pretty close if you are careful (and like yeast).
Home brewing is a fairly simple process in itself. There really are not too many steps involved for a basic brew, and the results may just surprise you. I would like to add two notes to the brewing process. The first is most important: Sanitize! Make sure you buy a good sanitizer and use it. If you aren't sure about something, then sanitize it again. The second is to bring a friend. There are certain steps of the brewing process that are much easier if you have some help.
I hope you enjoy!
- Colorado Brewer
P.S. Don't forget to pick up some beer to drink when you are brewing! SANITIZE!
