Brewing beer can be a fun hobby that can also have health benefits. Just like a skilled brewmaster can create the perfect blend of flavors, drinking craft beer in moderation can balance your body’s systems. One of the main reasons why this is true is that a well-brewed beer can help fight inflammation. Inflammation is that obnoxious party crasher who never knows when to leave and makes your whole body feel like a wreck. Inflammation can also be a significant contributor to chronic pain and swelling. But just like a good bouncer can show the uninvited guest the door, craft beer may be able to do the same for inflammation.
When you’re ready to start making your own beer, first clean and sanitize all equipment with an approved cleaning solution. You’ll need a five-gallon bucket, either glass or plastic, with a tap and a lid for the bottling stage; a clean brewing towel and a sanitizing spray; a sanitizer solution such as Star-San; and a resealable bag of dechlorinated water. You’ll also need a can of malt extract, which is the base of your beer. You can choose to use a basic malt extract, or you can upgrade to a ‘pre-hopped’ malt that will add hop flavor to your beer.
You’ll also need a bottle brush for cleaning out your empty beer bottles and a capper for crimping the caps on the bottles. A five-gallon batch will require 53 12-ounce pry-off bottle caps (don’t buy the twist-top variety). The capper is included in many starter kits.
