| There has to be a starting point to everything. | | | | available beer kits as this was the most simple way |
| Homebrew is no exception. | | | | to start yet taught the important methods of |
| Working in the beer trade for over a decade I have | | | | cleaning and fermentation. They also had a ready to |
| seen many price rises occur, usually twice a year | | | | go homebrew bundle which included all the equipment |
| regardless of any government levied taxation. Prices | | | | required and a high quality beer kit. This was |
| have risen by almost 53% over the last decade in | | | | becoming simple... |
| the UK. Imported beers are now being produced | | | | The starter kit included a fermentation bucket, a |
| under license in huge breweries and the cost of | | | | pressure barrel, a racking cane (syphon), hydrometer, |
| running a licensed premises has increased due to | | | | thermometer, airlock, a choice of gas systems, |
| many factors including rises in utility bills, commercial | | | | sterilising powder and a choice of beer kit from their |
| rates and the minimum wage. | | | | premium range capable of making 40 pints of beer. |
| Undoubtedly it is the end user of the product that | | | | Next she ran through the full process of brewing |
| pays the bill. | | | | with the equipment in great detail, including using the |
| One day after paying what seemed like a fortune for | | | | hydrometer and thermometer and the option of |
| a round of drinks with friends I thought to myself | | | | bottling. An over detailed essay on water then |
| 'this is wrong - beers made out of dirt...'. By 'dirt' I | | | | followed but the little that did not go over my head |
| meant basic ingredients though dirt was my actual | | | | was very beneficial. |
| word of thought. | | | | I was sold but concerned about the reusability of the |
| This was the start, the start of something | | | | equipment particularly the pressure barrel - how many |
| surprisingly good. | | | | times can I us it ? She claimed that they prided |
| The very next day I went to my local homebrew | | | | themselves on the quality of the goods they sell and |
| store. I walked through the door to be faced with an | | | | that despite the barrel being classed as a budget |
| amazing array of plastic barrels, buckets, tins of 'beer' | | | | barrel it should last for years (of which it has along |
| and shelves of bags of grains - all varieties of grains, | | | | side the other barrels I have since bought). |
| sugars, beer enhancers. The list goes on. In other | | | | Now, I have developed my hobby into All Grain |
| words I felt as though I really had stepped out of | | | | brewing and still use all the original equipment from |
| my depth. The hop was busy. There were people | | | | the starter kit. I enjoy going out to my local bars and |
| asking questions about clarification and filtering of | | | | trying the different beers and ales available with the |
| wine, sparging arms and hop utilisation. I felt small and | | | | nose of a connoisseur. Many of my friends have now |
| nearly left the shop with my newly gained bundle of | | | | been bitten by the homebrew bug and we spend |
| homebrew confusion. Then I was cornered... | | | | many an evening sampling each other's brews. |
| "How can we help?" I hesitated - to be honest I did | | | | Conclusion |
| not know where to start on the basis I had no idea | | | | I really have to champion the homebrew shop. It is |
| the processes of making beer. "I'm interested in | | | | daunting to first walk in there with little or no idea |
| making my own beer" I muttered "but I haven't got | | | | but the help you will get is always top notch. |
| a clue what I need or where to start." There was a | | | | Remember - these people are into the hobby |
| slight pause and I thought that the woman was | | | | themselves 99.9% of the time and they are there to |
| cursing my inadequate research into the subject. I | | | | sell. |
| was wrong. | | | | If you are thinking about brewing beer for yourself |
| "One moment" she said and disappeared into the | | | | then take the plunge. It is not expensive and quite |
| back of the shop returning promptly with a batch of | | | | refreshing to think that the beer you are drinking |
| photocopied leaflets. "I will give you these leaflets on | | | | costs only about 20-30 pence per pint. The other day |
| the three main ways of making beers." These | | | | I went into a bar and was charged £3 for a |
| included step by step details on making beer from | | | | pint of real ale. It hurt that this cost the equivalent of |
| beer kits, malt extract brewing and all grain brewing. | | | | 10 pints of my own brew. |
| She advised starting with brewing from commercially | | | | |
