Some Resources on How to Make Your Own Beer

Making your own beer is a lot of fun. I've been homebrewing for about six years now. It hasn't been easy for me and I've had more than a few batches that have gone to the hogs, but by sticking to it I've gotten to where I can pretty consistently make beer that I and my friends enjoy. In the photo at left you can see a batch of British bitter bubbling away in my cellar.

I'll be posting more on my own homebrewing adventures, but to kick this off I'd like to give you a few resources on how to get started.

Books:

• I'll be mentioning additional books as this blog unfolds, but if I have to limit myself to one right now it is, hand's down, John Palmer's How to Brew: Everything You Need To Know To Brew Beer Right The First Time. Palmer's volume is a complete and truly outstanding introduction to the hobby.

Supplies:

• There are a lot of places from which to buy homebrew supplies. I have had great service from the guys (and gals) at Midwest Supplies: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/. You can download their catalog from the site and you can also get a free how-to video from them which is a great deal. I don't make anything for the referral, but tell them that I recommended them if you happen to buy something there.

Web Resources:

• John Palmer has an early version of his book on-line at http://www.howtobrew.com/.

• http://www.tastybrew.com/ hosts a great forum where you can ask questions and learn a lot by just browsing.

• I love the podcasts available at Basic Brewing Radio, http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=home.

• I also appreciate the expertise of Jamil Zainasheff, http://thebrewingnetwork.com/jamil.php. Note that you'll have to endure some lockerroom language and talk in some of these shows and this detracts from their professionalism. But Zainasheff has won more homebrewing awards than any other individual and he knows what he's talking about.