Microbrewing Equipment FAQs
How can I get started brewing my own beer?
The easiest way to brew high quality beers at home is by purchasing a home brewing kit. These kits often cost less than $100USD and can be shipped around the world. They include all the necessary hardware, such as brew pot, glass carboy, airlock and other necessary supplies needed to produce delicious beer at home. Many of these companies also provide pre-measured ingredients and in depth instructions on how to sanitize the equipment and add the ingredients most effectively. The ingredient packages can be continually purchased for easy home brewing of many different types of beers, but after a few successful brews many people begin experimenting with their own recipes and crafting unique blends and brews. This is often how people become motivated to begin larger brewing operations.
How many bottles do I need to bottle a five gallon batch of beer?
The first thing you must do is decide what size of bottle you prefer. For a five gallon batch you would need about 50 12oz bottles because some liquid will be lost in the transfer. If you prefer bigger bottles such as 750mL size, you would only need 12 bottles. Remember to choose bottles that are not twist off, these can be very difficult to get a good seal on with a regular bottle topper and may actually break some of the bottles in the process. Dark glass is preferred over clear bottles for preserving the beer naturally and protecting it from damaging sunlight.
Is home brewing legal?
As long as you do not exceed the legal limit of homebrew it is legal. In the US an individual can brew 100 gallons per year, 200 gallons per household. Using the standard 5 gallon brew this would be a difficult number to exceed. Laws vary in other countries, but in most cases it is safe to brew beer for personal use at home. There is no record of anyone being arrested for homebrews below this limit in the last 20 years.
How long does it take to brew a batch of beer?
It takes four weeks, two to ferment and two to carbonate, but in general the longer the beer has been in the bottle the better it will taste up to a point. A 3 month old beer will almost always taste better than a one month old brew because the flavors have had time to marry in the bottle. It can be difficult to wait those extra months, but it will ensure a much tastier treat and give the brewer time to get more batches started. By timing your batches you can have quality beer all year round.