Beer connoisseurs, worldwide, travel to their favorite breweries for a chance to tour the facilities and pay homage to their favorite beers. Many who make the trek are awestruck by the massive machinery, the noise from the bottling line, and the sheer size and complexity of the overall operations.
Though the brewing process may appear daunting, it is simple enough to be done at home. In fact, home brewing has emerged as a very popular hobby among beer lovers everywhere.
Home brewing allows one to be creative and to fully enjoy the art of beer. Single batches (5 gallons) of beer are typically created within 4-6 week timeframes. Brand new flavors can be created by using special mixtures of ingredients. The home brewing process can be broken down into the following steps:
1. Brewing (2 hours)
2. Fermentation (2 weeks)
3. Bottling (1 hour)
4. Carbonation (2-4 weeks)
5. Tasting!
The process is fun and rewarding and it’s easy to break into the hobby as a novice. After the initial investment of a beer kit ($150-$300, depending on your budget) and a set of ingredients ($15-$40, depending on desired style of beer), you are ready to brew your first batch! Kits are nearly 100% reusable, so batch after batch can be brewed; new flavors can be tested and favorites can be perfected. Nearly all microbrews and brewpubs were started as a home brew hobby. Who knows - maybe one day we will be signing up to take a tour of your brewery. Good luck with your new brewing venture!
Please drink (and brew) responsibly.
Cheers !
For information on MillerCoors and Yuengling Brewery tours, check out our clients websites:
