Homebrewing is one of the most fulfilling hobbies, and it’s also a great way to get a high-quality beer at a fraction of the store-bought price. But before you can start cranking out world-class suds, you need an excellent brewing system.
Homebrewing is one of the most fulfilling hobbies, which also provides a fantastic excuse to spend time with your friends. What’s best? It’s simple and inexpensive.
2 Types of Brewing Systems
The two most popular types of brewing systems for home brewers are extract and all-grain.
1. Extract brewing systems use malt extract (usually in the form of syrup or powder) as the main fermentable sugar.
2. All-grain brewing systems use crushed malt as the primary fermentable sugar.
Both extract and all-grain brewing systems have their pros and cons, so it’s important to choose the one that’s right for you.
If you’re new to home brewing, we recommend starting with an extract brewing system.
Extract brewing is simpler and quicker than all-grain brewing, and it requires less equipment.
However, all-grain brewing provides more control over the final product and often results in better-tasting beer.
Choosing a Brewing System
Now that you know the basics of extract and all-grain brewing, it’s time to choose a brewing system. If you’re just getting started, we recommend the simple kits below.
- Mr. Beer 2 Gallon Starter Kit. This kit includes everything you need to get started, including a two-gallon fermenter, a brew kettle, bottles, caps, a sanitizer, and instructions.
- If you’re looking for something with a little more firepower, check out the Northern Brewer Brew Demon. The Brew Demon is a compact all-in-one brewing system that lets you make up to 2.5 gallons of great-tasting beer with minimal effort. It comes with everything you need to get started, including a brewer’s grade stainless steel fermenter, dual-stage aeration system, bottling wand, bottle capper, thermometer, bottle filler, funnel, hydrometer, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions.
- We also recommend NutriChef All-In-One Home Beer Brewing System. It has Mash and Boil Device with Circulation Pump 5-Piece Maker Machine Set 9 Gallon, 1600w Max w/LCD Display Programmable Multi-Step Control System, and stainless steel.
No matter which brewing system you choose, be sure to read the instructions carefully before getting started and sign up to use a beer brewing calculator to help create your recipes.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Beer
Brewing beer is a simple process, but there are a few key steps that must be followed to ensure success.
1. Sanitizing Your Equipment
One of the most important steps in brewing beer is sanitizing your equipment. This step is critical to prevent contamination and ensure that your beer turns out exactly as intended.
There are several ways to sanitize your brewing equipment, but we recommend using a no-rinse sanitizer like Star San.
To use Star San, mix it with water according to the directions on the bottle and then soak your brewing equipment in the solution for at least 60 seconds. Once you’re done, let your equipment air dry. That’s it!
It’s important to sanitize not only your brewing equipment but also anything that will come into contact with your beer, such as bottles, bottle caps, and a hydrometer.
2. Making the Wort
The next step in brewing beer is to make the wort. The wort is the sweet liquid that will be fermented to make beer.
There are 2 ways to make wort: by boiling malt extract or by mashing crushed malt.
If you’re using an extract brewing system, simply boil the malt extract in water according to the directions on the can or bottle.
If you’re using an all-grain brewing system, you’ll need to mash the crushed malt in water to release the fermentable sugars.
This process is known as mashing, and it usually takes 60-90 minutes.
Once the wort has been made, it’s time to add the hops. Hops are a type of flower that is used to add bitterness, flavor, and aroma to beer.
3. Add Hops
The hops are added at different times during the boil to achieve the desired result. For example, early additions of hops will add bitterness, while late additions will add flavor and aroma.
After the hops have been added, the wort is boiled for 60 minutes.
4. Fermenting
At the end of the boil, the wort is cooled to a pitching temperature and transferred to a fermenter.
5. Add Yeast
After the wort has been transferred to the fermenter, it’s time to add yeast. Yeast is a microscopic organism that eats sugar and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide.
There are several different types of yeast that can be used to make beer, and the type you use will depend on the style of beer you’re making.
Once the yeast has been added, the fermenter is sealed and placed in a cool, dark place to allow the yeast to do its work.
Fermentation usually takes 7-14 days, and you’ll know it’s done when the airlock on the fermenter stops bubbling.
5. Bottling
At this point, the beer is ready to be bottled or kegged.
If you’re bottling your beer, simply transfer it to bottles using a siphon and then add a small amount of priming sugar. This sugar will carbonate your beer as it ages.
After the beer has been bottled, it needs to be stored in a cool, dark place for at least 2 weeks to allow the carbonation process to take place.
If you’re kegging your beer, simply transfer it to the keg and then add priming sugar or force carbonate using CO2.
Once your beer has been carbonated, it’s ready to be served! Enjoy!
Conclusion
If you’re a beer lover, you know there’s nothing quite like brewing your beer at home.
Not only is it a fun hobby, but it’s also a great way to save money in the long run. Of course, to brew beer at home, you need to have the right brewing system.
Choosing the perfect brewing system for your needs is essential if you want to brew delicious beer at home.
Keep these factors in mind when shopping for a brewing system so that you can find the perfect one for your needs!