Homebrewing Guest Blogger

Okay, good news! I've tried homebrewing three or four times and it worked out okay, but I have a friend who is much better at it! Over the course of the next few weeks a more accomplished homebrewer and close friend of mine is going to be writing a series of posts on the topic of homebrewing. Ian was regularly published in the Iowa State Daily, keeps a blog here, and of course, is an avid beer drinker. In fact, we might even be lucky enough for him to write on a few other beer topics sometime down the road as well.

So with no further adieu, Ian!

Ever since my first sip of Hoegaarden in the summer of 2008, I've had a love affair with craft beer. The taste, the texture, and the sense of place that comes from a quality brew is as much a spiritual experience as it is a physical one. Which would explain why monks are so daffy for the stuff...

But even more interesting than drinking the beer is making the beer. At a place like Anheuser-Busch or Miller-Coors, they use the same ol' process, over and over again, with little creativity outside of the advertising department and then hock it on unsuspecting college kids (read: me) while quietly raking in mountains of money. Craft brewing on the other hand takes creativity, consistency, and a certain instinct. Craft beer can be frozen or aged, chocolate or raspberry, light or dark, and everything in between and this continuum of beers comes from a continuum of methods, each more radical (read: ridiculous) than the last.

But truth be told, basic beer making isn't that difficult. You (read: you) can make a high quality brew for even cheaper than you can find it on a store shelf. The fact is that with a little know-how, some persistence, and some diligent note-taking, anyone can make good beer.

There's only four steps: mashing, lautering, boiling, and fermentation, the equipment that you need really doesn't cost that much, and the sense of accomplishment you get from tasting that first delicious (while rough around the edges) batch of your beer is indescribable. Like woodworking or dog-grooming, it's a hands-on, good-for-the-soul activity that brings far more real pride than I can possibly describe (so maybe it's not quite like dog-grooming).

So, if you find yourself inspired, curious, or even disbelieving, feel free to follow AHU for the next few weeks as I outline the equipment, steps, and resources required for brewing your first batch of beer. I'll make some more explicit recommendations for equipment brands and books but feel free to explore for yourself.

After all, it's that exploration, that inconsistency, and that utter accomplishment when it all comes together that makes craft brewing what it is: perfect.