My Dad and I have dabbled in home brewing a few times over the past year or two, and for the most part have been pretty happy with the results. We did have one batch that didn’t turn out so well, but we admittedly did a horrible job of following the directions. In the past, most of the kits we have used essentially consisted of a can or two of a syrup mixture and a small packet of priming sugar, however I decided to kick it up a notch this time and went for one that contained three different types of hops, each to be added at different points of the brewing process. This kit was far more complex than the previous versions, and I am looking forward to tasting the results.

Even if you aren’t fond of the amazing liquid bread that we call beer, I would wager you would enjoy the aroma coming out of the pot while this batch was brewing. Every time I went to stir the liquid I would smell fresh baked bread, and it really started to make me crave a piece of warm toast with butter.

With my sister’s boyfriend Brian there to help us this time, we decided to challenge ourselves even more by making two batches at once. The packets pictured above came from the Brewer’s Best kit for Black Lager, and we also made a batch of an IPA.

Thinking of giving it a try?

If you have never brewed your own beer, and think you might be interested, there are simple starter kits available that make the process really pretty simple. It is kind of fun, and definitely provides a proud sense of accomplishment when you can give a bottle (or 6-pack) to a friend and tell them that you made it yourself.

Here are a few tips I have learned so far…

#1. If collecting bottles, don’t keep the screw-off lid kind

You can, of course, buy empty bottles, but why spend the extra money if you can build your collection in a way that is much more fun! The caps that you use to seal the bottles are designed for non screw-off bottles. Sealing is really not difficult at all, so don’t let that discourage you from giving home brewing a try. The absolute best kind of bottle to keep are those from Grolsch beers. They are green 16 oz. bottles that are very thick (sturdy) and have a self sealing lid that is attached to the bottle by a metal locking device. They are expensive, but if you like to drink their beer, why not go ahead and keep the bottles.

#2. Be sure to rinse (or preferably wash) the bottles before storing!

Having been through this a few times, I can definitely say the most difficult part of the process is just saving, storing, cleaning and sterilizing all of the bottles. If you can keep yourself organized when collecting bottles, then it really isn’t all that bad. The biggest thing is to be sure to (at a minimum) rinse out all bottles before storing them.

#3. Read ALL of the directions carefully BEFORE you start!

As I mentioned above, we did have one failed attempt at brewing, but it is completely because we really botched up the directions. On the other batches, we have followed them carefully and they ended with great results. Basically, I am looking at it just like with baking… If you really know what you are doing, it is fine to stray from a recipe, making your own adjustments. However, if you are not very experienced with baking (or brewing in this case), stick to the recipe and follow it closely.

We are talking about printing off individual labels for the bottles, and I am considering getting really ambitious and building a few wooden 6-packs that should hold up much better than the cardboard ones. I’m not sure if we are really ready for all of that yet, but it is fun to think about some extra ways to branch out into this new hobby.

Sure, brewing your own beer is a bit of a time investment, but it is definitely cheaper than buying it in the stores, provides a fun sense of accomplishment, and can be infinitely customizable so that you can make a beer that is exactly the way you like.