Brewing Beer At Home
July 17, 2010 by
Filed under Home Brewing
Brewing Beer at Home and Why it is So Special
Author: Alex Smith
Everybody everywhere craves the taste of a well home brew beer every once in a while. If you drink responsibly, there is nothing wrong with celebrating life while drinking a great beer. The sensation, the way it quenches your thirst on a hot day, the feeling you get when drinking and watching your favorite sports team. Beer appreciation?'s what we love.
In the case of beer, everyone likes something different. There are certain brands we search for in the grocery store, liquor store, or bar. Why? We look for "that" brand because there is just something we like about it. Perhaps it's the flavor, the texture, or maybe it's the strength. No matter what it might be, there is something about the wide range of choices when brewing beer at home.
Making beer at home allows you to take control of the creation process. When you buy home brewing supplies in the store, street, or internet, you can create beer with the taste and texture you want. Through much time and work, you can create a beer brew with a certain quality that will have you reaching for a glass time and again.
There are tons of items to choose from when selecting home brew supplies. The fermenting storage utensils and the ingredient mixing tools; this all goes into making the perfect beer that suits your tastes exactly. We are all aware that the right beer plays a large part in making the evening after the work day more relaxing. And, when you drink home brew beer you created, it can make your evening that much better.
Drinking a great home brew beer is comparable to eating a delicious meal you cooked yourself. The feeling of drinking beer you made is indescribable. Now, when you start looking for home brew supplies online, you can spend quite a lot of time searching. But, if you find the right supplies needed for your home brew beer, you will be able to do three things. First, save tons of cash. Second, take your beer brew to a brand new level. And third, have beer the way you want it, when you want it.
No matter what it takes, you should spend the time to search for the right home brew supplies. You will get an awful lot from brewing beer at home in order for you and other people to partake in. The more you practice, the more adept you will become. And, when your friends get a load of your home brew beer, they will want to learn how to make it themselves too. With one sample, they could become willing and eager helpers.
Does brewing beer at home make the entire house smell?
I want to start brewing beer and my girlfriend is objecting saying that it will make the house smell bad during the fermentation process. Is this true or can I tell her to ‘stick it up her nose’
I have brewed many beers, and the only time it can smell is during the initial boiling process. I have had some bad ones, and some good ones depending on what type of beer you are making. Once you get it “racked” where it starts fermenting. There is no smell.
It is much fun! Go for it!
I bought my only book about 35 years ago, and still refer to it. It isn’t very comprehensive.
Take a look at Amazon. The book shown at the very top was rated very high by reviewers. It is paperback. There are 2 pages of search results. See if you can find a promising one.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/103-5860399-0171828?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=home+brewing+beer+book&Go.x=7&Go.y=5&Go=Go
I have heard of charred oak barrels being used in home brewing beer. At what point in the process do I use em?
Home brewer looking for a little help.
The use of barrel aging in done at that very point, aging or maturation. After the beer has been through its alpha or primary fermentation it is allowed to settle. It is during this time that the “beer’s” flavors are further developed and refined. The use of wood imparts certain chemicals into the beers. The infused flavors can include tannic, sweet vanilla, notes of caramel, and others. It may also create a ‘malo-lactic-like’ conversion which smooths out the beer. This process is common in some wines.
The charred barrels will add a deeper more complex aromatic and taste profile to a beer. Since these barrels carried a distilled spirit, its flavor too may become a part of the beer’s profile.
Oxidation may be prevented (for our purposes) by keeping the barrel topped off and avoiding splashing during rackings. Keep in mind that these beers are flat if not infused with carbonation. This can be achieved with a carbonating stone, a gas source, and a cold beer.
I have has several wood-aged beers. A couple of may favorites include Harviestoun Ola Dubh 12 and the 30. I also like Duchesse De Bourgogne (a bit sweet) and Russian River Brewing’s Temptation & Beatification. Finally, add to the list several Lambics and its derivitive styles from Belgium.
Curieux from Allagash, a nice beer indeed.
What’s the absolute best book on brewing beer at home?
I’m looking for a really good book on beer brewing for a friend of mine. He’s not a beginner brewer, but he’d like to take it to the next level. I would prefer a nice hardcover edition, but paperback is OK if the content is excellent. Thanks