For those of you who don’t know (and I assume that is most of you), I enjoy making my own beer. I make it from scratch. Barley (numerous different kinds) hops, yeast, and flavorings (if needed) are purchased. Malt is extracted from the barley. They are added together and some yeast tossed in. Then, magic happens and I get beer. It really is that easy.
Making my own beer has many advantages. First, I can make any kind of beer I want, and custom tailor it. If I want it a bit hoppier? Boom! Extra Centennial hops just got added. If I want my stout creamier, well, oatmeal and lactose just got tossed into the mix. I can make 5 gallons at a time. That’s right, 5 gallons. And, the recipe costs me $20-30.
Second, there is a great homebrew community out there. From commercial brewers to garage brewers. There are forums with thousands of members collaborating and mingling. You’d be surprised how many people actually make their own beer.
Third, the swag factor. I tell people I can pour my own beer directly from my own tap any time I want. Seeing their eyes light up is priceless. You suddenly just shot up a couple notches in their own book. I get home from work. I go to my cupboard, select any size/type of glass or mug I want. Pilsner? Check. 2 liter stein? Check (assuming I don’t need to be conscious tomorrow). And everything in between. I take this specific glass of my choosing and pour a frothy glass from the tap. It just doesn’t get any better than that.
So, stay tuned (if you’re interested). I’ll be posting some recipes I’ve used, some of the equipment involved, and updates as I learn how to make even better beer.
3 responses to “Homebrewing Introduction”
Mmmm…lactose
It does add an extra element to it. Looking forward to more
A good Oatmeal Stout is one I’d love to brew. Sam Smith is the only one I seem to encounter and even so, it’s a rare find. Plus if it’s only 20-30$ that is one heck of a savings over a 50$ case.
Oatmeal stouts are awesome and smooth. The oatmeal really smoothes out the harshenss of the stout. The first one I did was a partial mash. The oatmeal formed such a gel that it was hard to get the liquid out of the mesh bag. But, the beer turned out great.