How to Start Home Brewing

Brewing is an exciting hobby that can easily be done at home. From stouts and lagers to ales, IPAs, and wheat beers, you can craft a variety of beverages right from your kitchen. It is also a great way to ensure your beer is gluten-free, which is often difficult to find among mass-produced beers.

However, most households do not have the equipment needed for brewing. If you are looking for a list of essential tools and practical recommendations to get started, this article is your comprehensive guide.

Main ingredients

The four key ingredients for making beer are water, yeast, hops, and malt.

Barley is traditionally used as the malt, providing sugars vital for the fermentation process driven by yeast. However, other grains like wheat, rye, oats, rice, corn, and millet can also be used. If you are aiming for a gluten-free brew, using grains like rice or corn is an excellent option. Just ensure you are sourcing ingredients from suppliers that guarantee their products are gluten-free.

Hops are added to balance the sweetness of the malt, with more hops added resulting in a more bitter beer.

The quality of water is also crucial. Tap water is not recommended as it can contain contaminants like chlorine and chloramine, which can affect both fermentation and flavour.

Basic equipment

To start home brewing, it is wise to invest in basic equipment first. This will help you decide whether this hobby is for you, without committing to large-scale production or spending too much money.

For small-scale brewing, your regular oven will likely be sufficient for boiling malt extract and hops with water. You will need a large pot, at least 20 litres in capacity. If you do not already have one, consider getting a specialised brew kettle. A separate fermentation container is essential. Glass vessels holding at least 20 litres are ideal.

As fermentation produces gas, you will need an airlock to let it escape safely. A hydrometer is crucial too, as it helps monitor fermentation, assess the gravity of your beer, and calculate the alcohol content.

Additionally, you will need a sanitiser to keep your equipment sterile, along with bottles and caps for storing your beer. A bottling bucket and siphon will be useful for transferring your beer safely.

Start brewing at home

Once you have all the equipment and ingredients ready, you can start by making the unfermented beer, also known as wort. This involves boiling water with malt extract and hops, then cooling the mixture to 25°C or lower to prevent contamination.

Transfer the wort to your sanitised fermentation vessel and add the yeast. Fermentation typically takes 1-2 weeks, depending on the temperature and the yeast strain used. During this time, the yeast will convert the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

To check if the fermentation process is complete, use a hydrometer. For carbonation, add a small amount of sugar and leave the beer for about 1.5 weeks. For best results, store your beer in the fridge for several days to allow the flavours to mature.

Enjoy your home brewing journey!