Beer crafting is the art of creating unique and satisfying beverages using only four simple ingredients – hops, malt (or extract), yeast and water. In the hands of a brew master these four basic ingredients can be transformed into hundreds of different beer styles and thousands of unique brewing recipes.
Brewing, in some form or another, has been around for thousands of years. During the course of its long and varied history beer has become the most popular alcoholic beverage in the world. Today there are countless breweries in operation producing everything from mainstream lagers to limited edition specialty beers. These breweries are run by people who have a passion for great tasting, quality craft beer.
Craft brewed beer should be made in small-scale, independent, non-automated breweries using traditional methods and premium ingredients without the use of flavorless, additive-free “malt extracts” or other artificial or synthetic ingredients. It should be brewed from whole, natural grains and not from processed or cooked cereals. It should be brewed by people who are passionate about the quality of their product and want to share it with other beer lovers.
When brewing your own beer you’ll need to gather a few basic supplies and tools. Start by sanitizing all of your equipment and making sure it is clean and ready to use. Next, set aside about three hours for brew day – this is the time it takes to mash your grains, boil your wort and transfer it to a fermenter.
