ABOUT HOMEBREWING

Simply put, it's easy! It's also fun, cheap, and even a little educational! How many hobbies meet that description?

Modern homebrew kits are simple to use, and if you're unsure, our store's friendly, experienced brewers will be glad to help out. Home brewing gives you the freedom to try beers that in a store would cost seven dollars or more for a six-pack, using inexpensive quality ingredients.

So instead of going to a noisy, smoky bar, stay home and be creative (and maybe teach your spouse a thing or two while you're at it). As you learn about the biology and chemistry of barley, yeast, and hops, you can wow your friends with your new-found knowledge, then go on to other, more-complex and richly-flavored brews.

Lets face it--beer was discovered accidentally over 4000 years ago. It can't be too hard to make. You can apply this knowledge of the ancients in less than an hour, making your life fuller and more complete. Cleanliness, common sense, and a little patience are the only requirements.

It might take some time, but you're worth it, aren't you?

Seven easy steps to a great brew.

1. If using grains, crack them with a rolling pin (not to a powder, though). Add to a gallon of cold water and bring to a boil.
2. Remove grains. Add malt, honey, and any other sugars. Bring back to a boil. Be careful that the mixture, called wort ('wert'), does not boil over.
3. If using a premixed kit, boil for 15 minutes and go to the next step. If using your own recipe add bittering hops and boil for 45 minutes. Add aroma hops and boil 2-3 more minutes.
4. Add 3 1/2 gallons of water to your primary fermenter. Pour wort into primary fermenter, add water to bring the total amount of liquid to 5 gallons, and allow to cool to about 75°F. Add yeast.
5. Put bucket where a 70°F temperature will be maintained. Fermentation should start within 24 hours.
6. Ferment about 1 week, until no gas is seen escaping the airlock for 24 hours. Rack from primary fermenter to bottling bucket.
7. Add 3/4 cup of corn sugar to the wort. Bottle and cap. Keep at room temperature for 2 weeks. Refrigerate, pour carefully into a frosty mug and drink! Aging improves your beer, so don't drink it all the first two or three weeks.
8. Eight? I thought there were only seven steps. Ohhhhhh....start a new batch so you don't run out!