Why Even Bother Homebrewing???

   Most of us that homebrew do it as a hobby or a passion close to our hearts.  Many of us are introduced to it by family, friend or co-workers.  You can decide pretty quickly if you like it or not.  Some people like to do woodworking as a hobby; I make beer.  There are so many beers for consumers to choose from these days that it could make your head spin.  Most of us will never try more than 20 or 30 different types of beers, and it is a shame because there are thousands of tasty brews out there that are not coming from the big 3 (Bud, Miller, Coors).  So if you only want the end product and not the knowledge and understanding of how beer is made you maybe a lost cause.  Wait!  What if I told you making your own beer is rewarding (you will be the coolest guy/gal at a party) and also having known what is actually in your beer is very important to me.  Still nothing….okay one more try.  What if I told you it is cheaper in the long run to make your beer then buy it?  That is right let’s say you love Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.  How much do you think it would cost to purchase 5 gallons of it?  I have a clone recipe that only cost me $25 bucks!  That is right premium beer made at home by you for a low low low price.  I think I am preaching to the tight asses now.  Here is what I recommend go to a site like Midwestsupplies.com or Northernbrewer.com and buy a starter kit for $60, and an extract recipe kit for $25.  Follow the directions and give brewing a try.  Don’t worry about testing your water or even taking a sugar reading…just brew, let ferment, bottle or keg and enjoy.  Your first batch may or may not turn out well, but did you enjoy it?  Did you learn something new?  Do you feel cooler? Grow from that.  If you want to start diving into home brewing read "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" by Charlie Papazian, you should be able to pick it up on Amazon for little to nothing.  You will find beer brewing becomes more than a hobby.  It becomes a way of life, and a great one at that.  Feel free to email me with any question you may have.  I am not expert, but have a pretty good working knowledge of brewing…I am on my 9^th year as a Homebrewer.  Enjoy every minute of it!