Beer crafting is a hands-on hobby that can be as easy or complex as you want to make it. Home brewing kits are available for beginners that include all the equipment and ingredients you need to get started. Brewing involves heating water, adding malt and hops, and then allowing it to ferment with yeast. Once fermentation is complete, the beer can be bottled or kegged and carbonated. With a little practice and experimentation, you can create a wide variety of delicious beers.
After you’ve pitched the yeast and sealed the carboy, you should move it to a dark place where it will be free of daily commotion and left alone for 14 days. During this time the yeast will reproduce until it hits its ideal population to convert sugar into alcohol and all the other flavors that make beer taste so good. Then it will begin to degrade and eventually run out of food and will start to go dormant, settling to the bottom of the carboy.
When you’re ready to try your beer, look at it in the glass and describe its appearance. Does it have a white head that’s thick or thin? Is it clear or hazy? Does it have a color tint, like tan or beige?
Also take a sip and think about the body of the beer. Is it watery or creamy? Is it pillowy or oily? These are the body descriptors that will help you understand what makes a beer taste a certain way.
