There is a possibility this post may change your life for the better in the coming New Year. If you have never brewed your own beer before then consider some of the reasons I make in this post it might just make you pursue one of the most satisfying pastimes you can begin.
The Best Beer You Can Get
There’s no doubt in my mind that a carefully constructed home brew that you have created yourself is just as good, if not better than any you can buy. The reasons for this are more than the technicalities of taste and flavour. Just like whenever you make or craft something yourself there is much more satisfaction cracking the cap off a beer you have brewed yourself.
I will paint a picture for you if I may. You have sourced the best ingredients you can find, you have taken your time and set aside a few hours to lovingly steep your grains and boil your hops, waited a few weeks for fermentation and now for a few weeks your home brew has been sitting in the cupboard maturing. Now the time has come to open the first one, the sense of anticipation has been building so you crack the cap on one and savour your beer like no other commercial beer you’ve tasted.
Brew What You Want
This is a major positive for brewing your own beer. You don’t have to settle for what is available in the stores because you can think I want a (let me make a point here) Choc Mint Stout, yeah that’s right you want a smooth chocolaty, minty stout one day and start making it the following day.
Although I have seen some wild and wacky beers made, many of these are one offs or seasonal so by being able to produce your own, you can have them at any time.
Save Some Money
This is probably one of the biggest reasons a lot of people say why they start home brewing and that’s because it’s true. The raw ingredients to make beer are a tiny fraction of what the cost of the final product is. This is the primary reason why I and many other home brewers I know began brewing.
That does not mean for one second that it cannot be a drain on your finances if you want it too. I’m sure that if you have ever pursued any hobby you know that you always want the next best thingymabob or the other widgetyflip. Just bear in mind the start up cost of equipment required to make your own beer is offset after 1 or 2 batches. After this period you are then saving money on every brew.
Be Sociable
Home brewing can be one of the most social enterprises you can start. First off when you start telling your friends you have just made 5 gallons of beer you will notice they start taking a sudden interest and maybe arrange a get together. There is no doubt that giving your friends a beer you have crafted yourself will impress them to no end.
Along with this, if you are inclined there are all sorts of brewing competitions you can get involved in. This brings you together with other people who all share your desire to create great beer and a whole sense of competition and camaraderie that will mean you meet new friends and maybe more importantly, improve your home brewing.
So maybe if you are trying to think of a New Years Resolution, consider starting a new hobby.
Neil McDonald is the author of the home brewing blog Mash.Sparge.Boil.com. He started brewing his own beer as soon as he was old enough to drink and is a general all round beer enthusiast.
3 Comments
All great points. My beer definitely hasn’t been so great that I’ve considered making a livelihood out of it, but the satisfaction of drinking your own is immeasurable. And from my homebrewing friends and followers at http://www.beer-universe.com I definitely agree that it’s a social activity. What’s more: a social activity that makes your apartment smell GREAT!
Nothing like a few gallons of free beer to help make a few new neighborhood friends!
Just finding the right taste is the biggest challange and the part i love the most. I have brewed several batches with the same recipe just with a little tweak here and there.