The craft beer movement has taken off around the world with breweries and drinkers alike becoming more interested in exploring different ingredients and techniques. The process is known as beer crafting and it can be a fun and rewarding hobby. This article will cover everything you need to know about getting started with brewing your own unique beers at home.
Before you can begin your brewing journey, it is important to clean and sanitize all equipment that will come in contact with your beer. This can be accomplished by using an approved no-rinse sanitizer like Five Star Star-San, followed by a thorough cleaning with an unscented mild detergent. Once your equipment is completely clean and sanitized, it’s time to get brewing!
First, prepare your ingredients. This includes mixing your chosen recipe, adding your hops and aerating the water to ensure all ingredients are fully dissolved before starting the boil. Once the wort is boiled, it’s time to add your yeast to start the fermentation process which will convert the sugars into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. This is a crucial step that requires your uninterrupted attention during the entire process.
After the wort has fermented, it is filtered and then ready to be bottled or kegged. Most home brewing kits include everything you need to get started including the beer bottle equipment, such as a bottling bucket, siphon, tubing, bottle filler and cappers. Many kit recipes also come with a bottle brush and sanitizer, making the bottling process easy for beginners.
