Brewing Your Own Beer - By: R Eddings

Beer is one of those things that until you actually do it yourself it doesn't seem possible that an individual could make. Brewing beer must require a big brewery and years of training, right?

Wrong. Brewing beer is actually very easy. The hobby is incredibly rewarding and can truly enrich one's appreciate of ales and lagers. The homebrewing industry has developed to the point that homebrewers have many options available to them. They can choice ingredients that make brewing simple and relatively cheap without sacrificing their brew's quality. Or they can embrace more complex options that open a whole new world of types and styles of beer.

The simple option of homebrewing involves the use of syrups known as extracts. Extracts are basically partially dehydrated wort, which is unfermented beer. The wort is reconstituted with water and boiled. It is then cooled then yeast added. After a couple of weeks of fermentation the beer is bottled. The brewer might add a few ingredients to enhance the brew but that's basically it.

Extract brewing is by far the easiest form of making beer at home and consequently is the one that offers the fewest options to the brewer. Although there are lots of varieties of extracts on the market the brewer is bound by what manufacturers have made available. The next step up in brewing complexity and freedom is the partial-grain or partial-mash. Mash is simply the grain mixture - usually barley - to which hot water is added to extract the grains' sugar. A partial-mash uses unhopped extract, some grains which are used for their flavors, colors and aromas and hops. This type of brewing requires more attention to the details of brewing but no more equipment than extract brewing.

All grain brewing uses no extracts and requires a significant step up with regard to the skills and equipment required. All grain brewing is simply a scaled down version of the way that brewers make their beer. It sees the process all the way from malted grains and hops to beer. Though this is the most complex way to brew it is also the most rewarding and offers the brewer the most amount from freedom for innovation and invention.
Whatever type of homebrewing you decide to try, chances are you will find the hobby incredibly rewarding. There is nothing quite like popping the top on a beer that you made yourself!

For more information about homebrewing, making your own beer, and the equipment required check out http://www.knightsofbeer.com/.

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For more information about homebrewing, making your own beer, and the equipment required check out http://www.knightsofbeer.com/.

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