In the first time quarantine peaks in 2020, when people scramble to supermarkets to stock up on flour and yeast homemade breadMy brother and I have a different mindset: hoarding malted barley.
For the past decade, we’ve met almost every Saturday in his shady driveway to hang out with our dogs, have a barbecue lunch, and boil a pint of draft beer. We’ve slowly progressed from novices to relatively experienced brewers, and we’ve recently been exploring fresh, local ingredients (most recently, Oregon malt barley). But we would be lying if we said we did it because of the steady supply of suds.
Like grilling or gardening, making your own is more than just a way to get a cheap booze. It also directly connects you to the culinary and scientific history of mankind. For example, did you know that we may have gone from hunter-gatherers to farmers? for our love of beer? What about reality? Louis Pasteur discovered pasteurization while researching bad wine — and that he hates German beer?
One of the things I love is that this hobby is so easy to progress on. You can make something drinkable (even delicious!) on the first try, but you can create something super professional if you put in a little effort. It mainly requires the ability to read instructions and set timers. When you’re done, your products can help you relax after a long day of doom.
Want to try? Don’t lose a lot of cash. Here’s what you need to know to make beer, wine, cider and mead.
Update May 2022: We’ve added more tips and tricks and some helpful new products.
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Key concepts for making wine
Making wine is very easy. Take a sugary liquid, add sugary yeast and wait.
When yeast eats sugar, it produces alcohol and carbon dioxide. Wait long enough (usually a few weeks) and you’ll have a completely fermented beverage that is (probably) safe to drink. Here are some general tips to keep in mind when fermenting your own wine, for the sake of quality:
Toilet
Sanitation is the most important part of any fermentation process. You want to make sure that everything that comes into contact with your liquid before and after your fermentation has been thoroughly sterilized with an unwashed disinfectant. (See section on Star San below.) This eliminates bad-tasting yeasts and other contaminants and ensures shelf-life stability.
Men’s health
There’s a saying in the brewing community that brewers are really just glorified hygienists. Yeast is what really makes what you like to drink. This couldn’t be more true. Keeping your little friends happy is paramount to good-tasting wine. If you’re making beer, wine, cider or mead, be sure to provide a healthy dose of yeast cells and keep your fermentation within the recommended temperature range for the particular yeast. that you are using.
Patience, Grasshopper
“Relax, don’t worry, have a home brewer” is the most common saying in the world of home fermentation for a reason. Creating good stuff can take time, and it’s important not to rush into everything, even though you’re excited!
The necessary tools
I recommend buying the device at your local homebrew store if you can. The experts there have invaluable resources, and if you’re looking to buy malt, hops or other ingredients in bulk, it’s a great way to save on shipping costs. However, if you’re a little further afield, we’ve included links to purchase the device online. Pro tip: Hops are harvested in August and September in the United States, so you’ll often see good discounts on last year’s harvest around that time. Fresh hops hit the market in December. The harvest of grapes and apples varies by location but is usually mid-autumn.
- Thermometer for 24 dollars: You will want a high quality and accurate thermometer to check the temperature of various liquids. I like this one long because you don’t steam your hands over a kettle with hot water.
- Hydrometer for $36: Hydrometer is a cute little floating measuring instrument used to measure the density of a liquid instead of its temperature. By measuring the density both before and after fermentation, you can get a pretty accurate idea of the alcohol content. When alcohol is present in the solution – a byproduct of sugar-eating yeast – the liquid becomes less dense.
- Kitchen Scale for $18: A simple kitchen scale like this Etekcity model will help you measure everything from hops to sulfites to honey.
- Syphon for $17: You’ll need a way to get your precious beverage out of the bucket after you ferment. An automatic straw allows you to do this without sucking into the faucet, which will require you to re-sterilize everything.
- Fermentation vessel for $42: Fermentation vessels come in a wide range from glass jars to fancy stainless steel vessels and more, but the best place to start is with a simple food-grade plastic bucket with a lid. It’s affordable and you don’t have to worry about the glass breaking if you drop it. Use only the soft side of sponges when cleaning them. The rough surface can create scratches on the plastic that yeast and wild bacteria can cling to during cleaning and sanitizing.
- Wind Lock for $7: The airlock is a simple device that enters the top of your fermenter and allows it to release carbon dioxide – the other major by-product of fermentation other than alcohol – while keeping the keg sealed from any any wild yeast or bacteria present in the air. This pack gets you five for cheap.
