Home brewing has gained in popularity over the past few years—but 2020 just might blow the lid off this trend, thanks to this year’s stay-at-home lifestyle. Whether you’re new to home brewing or have already given it a whirl, Brad Moyer’s tips can help you up your home game.
Let’s start at home plate: What supplies will I need to begin home brewing?
Honestly, the best thing is a Brewer’s Best equipment kit which has every piece of equipment you need, from a 5-gallon stainless steel kettle to the syphon hoses—it’s a one-stop shop for $139, to make 5-gallons of beer. And then you’ll have all the equipment you’ll ever need. In terms of supplies, ingredient kits range from $20-$45 for 5-gallons’ worth of ingredients.
How long does the process take?
It takes two and a half hours of time. And if you can boil water, you can make beer.
Home cookin’: What types or flavors of beer are possible?
It can be as wild or as mild as you want to make it. Everything from light beer to dark, hoppy, mild, fruited, low alcohol content, high alcohol, things that incorporate everything from chamomile to hibiscus—there are so many versatile things you can do. And with the ingredient kits, everything is pre-measured, weighed out, like the Blue Apron of brewing.
Is there one common mistake homebrewers make—and how can you avoid it?
The biggest thing is sanitation. The equipment kit comes with a good food grade sanitizer, and that’s want you want to use—no dish soap, no weird aftertaste.
What is the most important piece of advice when it comes to home brewing?
Have fun with it—don’t make it stressful. Beer is boiled—it’s aseptic, so you’re not going to get sick from it. The famous godfather of homebrewing Charlie Papazian—he’s in the Smithsonian now with his original homebrew kit—his saying is, ‘Relax, don’t worry, have a homebrew”.
