How To Make Beer

For those who know how to make beer, the process may seem easy enough, but for those who don't it can seem quite daunting at first. Ingredients, equipment, very precise measurements and processes all make that difference between the undrinkable and a beer your local brewery would be proud of. There are a few fairly basic schoolboy mistakes nearly everyone makes on the first batch, but using quality materials and instructions and having a keen attention to detail can eliminate most of these so you get the best value and the best crispy ale out of every batch. If you're looking to learn how to make beer, stay tuned as I take you through the essential parts of the process from start to finish. Some of the areas I'll be covering are -

- Hygeine and Cleaning
- Ingredients
- Equipment and other materials
- Instructions and processes
- Hints and Tips from experienced brewers
- Other brewing resources

So saddle up, bookmark this page and before long you'll know everything there is to know about how to make beer!

OK guys, so by now you've the bug and keen as mustard to know how to make beer. You've probably had a bit of a look around and seen some of the equipment you're going to need and how expensive it can be. Beware though, that there is a big difference between the quality of different brands available and the end result they will produce. What most people don't realize though is that the most expensive does not necessarily mean the best!!! I've used all types of gear from all around the world in my quest to emerge from the basement with the perfect bottle of liquid gold. Many of these are over-branded and under-engineered but there are the select few that can be found where the opposite is true and therein lies the key to getting this project done on a reasonable budget. We'll get into the specifics a bit later, but for now I'd like to introduce you to some of the key pieces of equipment you are going be getting to know very well in the near future....

Fermenter and Lid - This is where the magic happens! Basically a container, usually plastic, with a couple of modifications to suit our needs. What we'll be looking for here is good strong material with a non-porous surface, a good shape which will make cleaning easy and most importantly - top quality seals which will keep it 100% airtight while we let the beer ferment!

Adhesive Thermometer Strip - There aren't many people out there who haven't used a thermometer but managing the temperature of your brew can be a vital factor that is often overlooked. Learning how to use a thermometer strip properly will be one of those key details which will set you apart at the end of the day [ i.e. beer'o'clock ;) ].

Tap and Sediment Reducer - This is going to be vital in one of the trickiest steps of all - getting your beer into the bottle! A good reliable unit combined with very specific technique will be the key to getting absolute consistency across each batch.

Airlock and Grommet - Your brewery's exhaust system, this lets the gas get out and stops contaminants and impurities getting in - another part of the system where a good seal is super important.

Hydrometer - This bad boy measures the progress of our fermentation as we go. Often the one piece I pay a little bit more for [ I've got quite a collection now! ] because accuracy is everything when it comes to these devices.

Bottles and Caps - Who'd have thought? :) We'll go into detail on these a bit later on as the bottles you use will often depend on the type of beer you want to make.

There are a few other bits and pieces we'll be introducing down the track but these are going to be the core components of your very own master brewery. I'll be posting some photo's soon and some great links to some of the kit I highly recommend and use myself. We'll get to the production soon enough so no need to rush out and buy anything yet. For now, just try and think about what type of beer you are going to want to make, the flavours and textures you're hoping to achieve. I find that having a specific goal for each batch helps me to get the focus I need. Keep this up guys and before long, you'll be the ones teaching others how to make beer!