Best Methods for Beer Making

Beer making at home has been increasing in popularity, and there are several relatively simple methods and recipes available. Experienced home brewers tend to fall into one of two camps: those who encourage purchasing a beer making kit and those who believe beer can be made easily with a handful of common tools and supplies from around the house or your local homebrew supply store. Both methods have their pros and cons that will be discussed here. The process of using your own supplies requires a bit more attention to detail, and beer making kits can vary in their completeness of instructions and supplies.

Using a Beer Making Kit

Beginners are often advised to invest in a beer-making machine, which is a single unit compact enough to keep on a kitchen counter and comes with its own set of instructions for mixing the needed ingredients. However, results can vary. These machines have limits as to the types of beer they can produce, and the best batches are often the result of trial and error. 

A more involved beer making kit is a starter kit. This comes as a set of equipment specific to the process, and it allows for a great deal of experimentation with your own beer recipes. Many of these kits also include the hops, yeast, malt extract, and other specialty grains to get started on your first batch. If done correctly, the resulting brew can surpass the beers found in stores. A starter kit is recommended as one of the better home brewing methods.

Equipment Found in Starter Kits:

• 5 gallon glass fermenter
• Fermenter stoppers
• Air lock
• 16 quart steel brew kettle 
• Funnel
• Sparge bag for steeping grains
• Racking cane
• Small and large size tubing
• Bottling tube
• Returnable grade beer bottles
• Bottle capper and caps
• Fermenter brush
• Bottle washer
• Bottling bucket
• Hydrometer

When selecting a beer making starter kit, there are a few things to check. Make sure the brew kettle is at least 16 quarts to prevent overflow. Also, try to get an air lock labeled "Type 1" because these are easier to clean. Last, make sure your kit includes 3 to 5 feet each of small and large tubing that measures 1/2 inch and 1 inch in diameter respectively. One definite advantage of these beer starter kits is that they take most of the legwork out of gathering your own equivalent supplies from different places.

Using Your Own Equipment

Home beer brewers in the other camp recommend gathering your own supplies because this can be a more economical choice, and the resulting brew is usually just as good. The minimum required is two plastic 6 gallon food grade buckets, a 3 gallon stock pot with a lid, a bottle filler, beer bottles and caps, a bottle capper, and 5 feet of food grade plastic tubing. You will also need an inexpensive air lock, found at aquarium supply stores. 

With both methods of beer making, it is important to carefully follow all instructions and safety measures. Sanitizing all equipment before and after use is key. It is also important to become familiar with the beer making ingredients you will be using and how each of them behaves during each phase of the brewing process.