Before you can even think about brewing your homebrew, you first need to set up a dedicated draft beer system in your house. This is something that many home brewers don’t have the foresight to plan for ahead of time. So, as soon as you discover that you want to start brewing, you must begin planning your system accordingly. Fortunately, this is easily doable with a little DIY spirit and simple tools. Here is everything you need to know if you plan on building your draft beer system.
Invest In the Right Equipment
When it comes to brewing beer, there are a few key aspects that you need to have in place. For instance, you will want to ensure that you invest in some quality home brewing equipment. Once you have that setup, the rest of the process is pretty easy. You will want to have a few key things on hand when brewing beer.
These include:
- A brew pot – This is the vessel you will use to brew your beer. You will also want to keep a few extra parts around to clean it, like a sanitized brew pot scrubber.
- A fermentation container – This is where you will place your yeast while they ferment your beer. You can get by with just a 5-gallon food-grade bucket with a lid, but it is recommended that you upgrade to a larger one if you have the space in your house.
- A grain mill is where you will grind the grain used in your beer. You can use a coffee grinder, but you will get a much better result from a dedicated grain mill.
- A bottle washer – This is where you will sanitize all of your equipment. Invest in a good quality one, so you don’t have to sanitize each piece repeatedly.
- A thermometer – This is where you need to be careful about the temperature of your beer during fermentation. If you don’t keep it at the right temperature, your beer can become undrinkable. You can get by with a cheap thermometer, but it is recommended that you go with a digital one.
Find Your Favorite Ingredients
When it comes to brewing, the ingredients make it all exciting. You will want to create some serious recipes to get the most out of your ingredients. This will help you find the right balance of flavors and ensure that you are getting the best out of your hops. So, ensure that you have the following on hand:
- Hops – These are essential in brewing. They are what give your beer its bitter flavor and aroma. You can create your blend, or you can get hops from a homebrew store.
- Malt – This helps to create the color and flavors of your beer. You can buy malt from a homebrew store or make your own.
- Yeast – This is what is responsible for the fermentation process in beer. You can buy yeast from a homebrew store or make it at home.
- Water – This is what is used to make your beer. You can get your water from a municipal supply or a quality water filtration system.
- Sugar – This is added to most beer recipes to create the flavor and sweetness in your final product. You can buy it from a grocery store or sweeten your water yourself.
You Need a Good Batch Brew Process
One thing you need to do is find out how you want to brew your beer. There are many methods to brew beer, and you can choose the best one. The one option that is a must for any brewer is the batch brewing method. This method is popular for a reason, and that reason is that it is the easiest to do. The batch brewing method is pretty simple.
First, you will mix all your ingredients in a huge kettle. Then, you’ll let the ingredients sit in the kettle for some time, maybe a week or two. During this time, the yeast will consume the sugars in the ingredients and produce alcohol. When the fermentation period is finished, you’ll strain out the yeast, rack the beer into a separate vessel, and you’re good to go. With the batch brewing method, you can take advantage of the fact that you’re brewing in smaller batches. That means that you can control the fermentation process much more closely. That also means you’ll need a smaller brew pot, which is perfect because it will save you money.
It’s all about the Yeast
Yeast is what ferments your beer, creates alcohol, and brings all the flavors together. Aside from having an excellent draft beer system, prepping the yeast makes it all happen. When it comes to yeast, you have a few options. You can buy yeast in a bottle or make your own. You can also buy yeast in cans, which is a yeast that has been frozen at the point in the fermentation process where it is about to be pitched into your beer. The advantage of this yeast is that it has been frozen immediately after it has been pitched into your beer. The yeast on the bottom will likely be much fresher and give you a much better result.
Is It Worth It?
Draft beer is something that many people dream about doing, but few take the time to do it. Brewing at home doesn’t have to be complicated. All you need to do is to plan and invest in the right equipment to make it as easy as possible. If you do this, you’ll be brewing your beer in no time! Before you know it, you’ll enjoy a pint with your friends and family.
Conclusion
To brew your beer, you must invest in the right equipment, choose the right ingredients, and source suitable yeast. Once you have all of these things under control, brewing your beer is a gratifying hobby. With some research and a little DIY spirit, brewing your beer is easily doable. Now that you know what you’re getting yourself into, you can start building your homebrew system.