What Now?
So you have decided to enter the wonderfully rewarding hobby of homebrewing, congratulations! You might be thinking to yourself: Where do I start? What do I need? How do I even beer?
Making beer is actually very simple and only requires 4 ingredients: Sugars extracted from malted grain, water, hops and yeast. However, there are a few different ways you can obtain your sugar, its decision time, pour yourself a beer.
Where do I start?
The very first thing you need to decide is if you want to brew "All-Grain" or "Extract" batches of beer. It is all fine and good to drop names but what it actually means is how do you want to get your fermentable sugars?
Option 1 - Extract Brewing: You can purchase sugars in liquid or powder form that has been pre-converted from starches in malted grain, this is called "malt extract".
Option 2 - All Grain Brewing: You can steep crushed grains in water at a specific temperature for a specific amount of time, converting starches in the grain to sugars that yeast can ferment (this is called a mash, but more on that later).
While many people will advise new brewers to start with extract batches before moving to all grain, I personally believe that with some preliminary reading there is no reason you cannot jump into all grain off the "hop"(pun shamefully intended). One of my buddies recently got into the hobby and started right into all grain and now has 4 successful brews under his belt!
Another factor is time and start up funds. All grain brewing will add a few hours to your brew day and requires a mash tun which costs money(exactly how much, we will get into on an upcoming post).
I first started with extract batches(2 to be exact) before moving to all grain and the beautiful thing is that all of your extract equipment carries over, you simply have to add a few things to your set up!
The second thing you need to decide is how much beer you want to brew. Most homebrewers will brew 5 gallon batches, however if you are like me and can't guzzle 5 gallons of beer fast enough to justify brewing as often as you like, a smaller batch such as 3 gallons might be for you. Less beer = more brew days :).
What do I need?
I will list out what I consider a basic 3 gallon brewing setup for both extract and all grain. Ideally you will have access to a gas kitchen stove, if not you may need to invest in a propane burner(~$50).
Extract Brewhouse Equipment(3gal):
All Grain Brewhouse Equipment(3gal):
How do I even beer?
Now that you have decided to brew all grain or extract and what size of batch, kick your feet up and pop the top off your favorite brew. If you're holding a bud light right now, get brewing sooner rather than later.
Cheers!
Making beer is actually very simple and only requires 4 ingredients: Sugars extracted from malted grain, water, hops and yeast. However, there are a few different ways you can obtain your sugar, its decision time, pour yourself a beer.
Where do I start?
The very first thing you need to decide is if you want to brew "All-Grain" or "Extract" batches of beer. It is all fine and good to drop names but what it actually means is how do you want to get your fermentable sugars?
Option 1 - Extract Brewing: You can purchase sugars in liquid or powder form that has been pre-converted from starches in malted grain, this is called "malt extract".
 |
| Malt Extract |
Option 2 - All Grain Brewing: You can steep crushed grains in water at a specific temperature for a specific amount of time, converting starches in the grain to sugars that yeast can ferment (this is called a mash, but more on that later).
 |
| All Grain Mash |
While many people will advise new brewers to start with extract batches before moving to all grain, I personally believe that with some preliminary reading there is no reason you cannot jump into all grain off the "hop"(pun shamefully intended). One of my buddies recently got into the hobby and started right into all grain and now has 4 successful brews under his belt!
Another factor is time and start up funds. All grain brewing will add a few hours to your brew day and requires a mash tun which costs money(exactly how much, we will get into on an upcoming post).
The second thing you need to decide is how much beer you want to brew. Most homebrewers will brew 5 gallon batches, however if you are like me and can't guzzle 5 gallons of beer fast enough to justify brewing as often as you like, a smaller batch such as 3 gallons might be for you. Less beer = more brew days :).
What do I need?
I will list out what I consider a basic 3 gallon brewing setup for both extract and all grain. Ideally you will have access to a gas kitchen stove, if not you may need to invest in a propane burner(~$50).
Extract Brewhouse Equipment(3gal):
- 5gal stainless steel pot
- 3-5gal primary fermentor with bung
- 3gal secondary fermentor with bung(optional for beginner)
- airlock (x2)
- silicone tubing (3ft)
- nylon blow off hose
- auto-siphon / racking cane
- 6gal bottling bucket with spigot
- bottle capper and caps
- bottle filler (with tubing)
- bristle brush for bottles and carboy
- Star San
- hydrometer/refractometer
All Grain Brewhouse Equipment(3gal):
- same as Extract Brewhouse Equipment
- 5gal mash tun with ball valve
- mash paddle/spoon
- 3gal stainless steel pot for sparge water
How do I even beer?
Now that you have decided to brew all grain or extract and what size of batch, kick your feet up and pop the top off your favorite brew. If you're holding a bud light right now, get brewing sooner rather than later.
Cheers!
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