HOME BREWING ~ A FUN AND REWARDING CRAFT

by Steve Privott Learn to Brew – Edmond, OK

Brewing your own beer at home is easier than you think. Everybody that enjoys a good beer has thought about trying to make their own. The process itself is relative easy to learn and difficult to master. Continuous refinement and enjoying the journey are all part of learning process. You don’t have to go it alone. There are brew clubs located throughout Oklahoma and the US to help you and here at Learn to Brew we offer classes and assistance in helping you get started or improve your brewing.

Making your own beer at home is not hard to do and you can get started with an initial investment under $100.00 Getting started is as easy as getting an all-in-one extract kit from Learn to Brew. A 5gallon kit (approx. 50 – 12oz beers) will run from $50 - $60 or a 1gallon kit will be in the mid-$20 range. You’ll just need a stock pot and 3 hours or so to put it all together. It then takes 7 -10 days to ferment and another week to bottle condition or go straight to a keg for carbonating. The kits are a great way to try out the hobby and learn to process before moving on to All-Grain brewing.

The actual process is only as difficult as boiling water. I have often told people that if you can make Macaroni and Cheese, you can make beer. The biggest focus should be on keeping things clean and sanitized. Once the work is done, you transfer the wort (unfermented beer) into jug, bucket, or carboy and let the yeast do its work. In a few weeks you will be able to enjoy your efforts with your own craft beer.

If you love gadgets, gear and hardware, then homebrewing will give you ample opportunity to buy, build and collect all kinds of hardware for bigger and complicated batches. There is a reason why so many engineers find this hobby a blast. There is no one way to make beer, developing your own techniques, methods and recipes can be a lifelong pursuit. The homebrewing community in Oklahoma is thriving with numerous clubs available. These groups hold meetings, club brew day, competitions and participate in many local craft beer events. The ABV Homebrew club and Red Earth Brewers are two of the local OKC clubs or come by Learn to Brew and we will be happy to help you any way we can.

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