by Luke Porter
Making beer at home is something that every true beer lover should try at some point. Not only is it fun to do, but it’s neither expensive, nor difficult.
So, how do you make beer at home? We will cover the main steps below. It really is that simple that you can learn the basic process involved in just 5 minutes.
Making beer at home requires you to only really follow a few steps. The first step of the process being to purchase yourself a beer kit, which you can find easily enough in online beer brewing stores. Make sure that you get a fully comprehensive kit, one that includes all of the different tools and materials required.
Having got yourself a beer kit, you next need to obtain the 4 main ingredients of beer – water, yeast, hops and malt. Water is the most abundant ingredient in any style of beer. Malt is short for malted barley and is a type of grain which has been soaked in water and then dried out. The distinctive aroma and slight bitterness of the finished brew is determined by the hops. Yeast is the catalyst which makes it all happen.
The next thing that you need to do is add all of the ingredients together using the beer kit, and there are usually instructions that come with each different beer kit because each kit usually has some different aspects to it.
You can even add your own decided flavors to the beer if you like, however you just want to make sure beforehand that you know what you are doing so that you do not use too much or too little and end up ruining the beer.
Don’t worry about making mistakes as starting over is no big deal. In fact, practice and experimentation is the best way to learn. After doing a few trial batches, most people master the art of brewing their own beer. When you do, and realize just how fresh tasty home brewed beer is, you will wonder why you took so long to get involved.
by Luke Porter
Most people who brew their own beer do so in small quantities. Whilst there is nothing wrong with this to start with, once you hit upon a magical recipe you will obviously want to brew it on a larger scale so as to share your success with as many people as possible.
Making a large home brew is ideal if you are planning to have a big party or if you have lots of storage space which would be otherwise wasted. If either of these apply to you then you have no excuse for not making a large batch of your favorite home brew beer! For any other reasons you would probably be best just to stick with making smaller more frequent brews.
As with most other things in life, the bigger you want something to be, the more time and effort it takes. The same principle applies to home brewing. Therefore, make sure that you have the basic processed down to an art before making a large brew to avoid wasting your time and efforts.
Another thing that you are going to want to think about before making a large home brew is the fact of whether you have the space to do it. As with a small home brew, a large home brew can be made in a standard sized kitchen. The difference with a making a large home brew is that you may have to temporarily clear out of the way any none essential items.
After all you are going to need more room in the fridge, in the sink and on the countertop in general, and you certainly do not want to get started first and then realize that unfortunately you do not have enough room for everything and that you are thus in big trouble.
If you do not have sufficient space in your kitchen, then there are basically two options that you have; either you make a series of smaller brews one after the other, or you give a fellow beer lover a percentage of the finished product in return for them giving you the use of their kitchen.
In terms of the actual brewing process, it is exactly the same to make a large brew as it is to make a small one. The only thing to keep in mind is to ensure that all ingredients are increased in equal measures.
by Luke Porter
Making your own alcoholic drinks can be fun and challenging at the same time, and will not take up a lot of time or space. Most of the ’scientific’ part of the process can be conducted on a standard home stove by following a set of simple instructions. With just a couple of hours work, you could have 4-5 gallons of home brew to look forward to.
Are you interested in home brewing? Maybe you have already followed up that interest and have already brewed some alcoholic beverages at your own home. Either way, you may want to consider joining a home brew club. Whether your beverage of choice is beer, wine or grain alcohol, and regardless of where in the country you reside, there is going to be a home brew club to match your interest.
Though it is best to start off by simply following the instructions that accompany your home brew kit, do not ignore the experimental way of doing things for too long. As people become more experienced in home brewing, they may try different methods or different ingredients and often willingly share these findings with other members of their home brew club. The associations are designed for this type of sharing as well as gathering and sharing their finished products as well as discussing potential legal issues surrounding the home brewing industry.
You will be able to ask questions to more experienced brewers and run ideas past them to see if they think a particular technique will work before you try it yourself. Others in the home brew club may have already tried and failed and can offer advice on how to do things correctly.
Many members of a home brew club are more than willing to share their knowledge and experience, despite the intense competition of brewing the best. Whether beer, wine or straight alcohol, sharing tips with new brewers are what some of the more experienced brewers do best.
Many times a home brew club will have local competitions where members can enter their brews to be judged. Those planning to enter any brewing contest must plan ahead, as it takes about four weeks for beer to properly ferment in the refrigerator before it is ready to drink.
by Dennis Gartland
Lolita is one of Michael Symon’s (of the food network) first restraints. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is only $2 and there are several dishes for only $5. I went with my sister and we ordered the mac and cheese and The Lolita Burger. I have to say it is the best mac and chesse I have ever had. 5-6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to close Tuesday through Thursday; 5-6 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. to close Saturday. 4-6:30 p.m. Sunday
Lincoln Park Pub – Tacos $1.25; Mex beers, $2.25; margaritas, $3.25Taco Tuesdays, 3 p.m.-midnight. The Tacos are made on homemade taco shells. If you like very hot food try the morning after tacos.
Momocho From 5-6:30 p.m. daily they have half off taquitos and margaritas plus a great deal on Tecate. Momocho is one of the hippest restraints in Ohio City. The place can get busy so come early.
Blind Pig – Pizza and wings for $5; 23 oz. beers $2.50, 4-9pm daily. The pizzas are pretty big for $5, big enough for two people at least. The beer special includes imports. They have plenty of very large flat screen TV’s to watch the game on.
Light Bistro -4:30-7 p.m. daily, Cocktails starting at $3. Food plates are $5. This is one of the Best Restaurants in Ohio. It is nice to be able to stop in for an after hour bite, but it seams a better idea to go for dinner.
Liquid – 4-8 daily. 1/2 off drinks and bottled beers. Nice place to grab a beer and the food is very good and easy on the budget. The beer selection is impressive.
Paladar 4-7 p.m. daily, Beer $3, mojitos and margaritas $5; Latin appetizers $2 to $4. This place has a great atmosphere and very good food.
When you have your bar and your cabinets built, you’ll want to get to drinking in it…Now. But, I’ve seen some make shit jobs that aren’t really all that great. Then, I’ve seen some expensive setups that are way out of the reach of most of us.
So, here’s the home bar the easy way:
The kegerator is the first thing you put in your bar. It keeps your keg cool and it adds style in an inexpensive way.
This kegerator can actually make the entire bar. If you choose to use a kegerator like this to hold your kegs, you can make it a part of the bar’s counter top. Then, you only need counter space on each side. That’s a setup made easy, as easy as it gets.
Grab a tap handle of your favorite beer and now you’ve got something to really get you bragging. There are tap handles of all kinds, from your favorite domestic to your favorite import. As a promotional tool, every beer you can think of has a beer tap handle for commercial uses as well as the home bar enthusiast.
But, just in case you have a beer of your own or some other “unrecognizable” libation, get the beer tap handle you can write anything on that you want.
Tell people, “Try Me!” Give your concoction a name. Have fun with it and write, “Make Your Own Beer…” or whatever else you might come up with to prank your friends.
You’ve got the bar. Dress it up in style. The kegerator and a beer tap handle can turn any room into a bar. Your bedroom, your dorm room (oops), your garage, your basement, your tree house…
Anywhere!
by Annie Phelan
An awesome hobby that is a lot of fun is making homemade wine. Imagine the feeling you would get by opening a bottle of your very own homemade wine and finding that you have made something that tastes better than a lot of more expensive wines. Making wine is definitely fun, but be prepared because there are some things to learn first.
Before beginning your wine making endeavor, there are some important things that you need to have a real understanding of. There are plenty of experts, websites and books where you can learn the basics and nuances of wine making. There are a lot of places where you can pick up all the equipment needed at reasonable prices both online and at a brick and mortar.
Wine kits are probably the easiest way to begin making homemade wine. Wine kits make things simple for beginners.
Wine making ingredients are are slightly more important to use quality than maybe quality equipment. You will produce higher quality wine with higher quality ingredients, but don’t worry because you can start off making wine from juice you find in the store!
The time it takes to make wine varies, but you should expect anywhere from eight to ten weeks to complete the entire process. It is important that you are not tempted to drink your wine early because wine gets better with time so be patient!
To find tasty recipes for homemade wine you can look in all places like websites and books and find recipes for wine from cherry wine to pinot grigio. A great idea for your wine is to give it as gifts and tailor the taste for that person. For a wine lover, nothing is better as a gift than some personalized wine.
Packaging your homemade wine can be an important aspect of the wine making process. From the bottle to the cork to the wine label, it can all give your wine that special touch. Wine labels are probably the most important aspect for personalizing your wine.
Wine labels help to give an overall impression and feel for your homemade wine. They can be used for expressing the type of wine you made, putting a message to personalize the wine for a gift or for putting your logo on it! It is all about having fun so just do it!
About the Author:
Annie Phelan writes post about making homemade wine and how to package your wine using
personalized wine labels. Visit
Wine Labels World for more information regarding customizing your wine and creative packaging.
When you are trying to create a bar in your home, of course you begin with the taps and the handles, mirrors and signs. You built a bar! It has to look right. Right?
But when the bar is in place and you think you have it all, what kind of lame bar serves draft beer in plastic cups? And I’ll be willing to bet that’s what you have. Red plastic cups that you bought at the grocery store. Hmm…all that work and then you tap out at the end.
Well, you can add some specialty glasses so that your friends are drinking in style. This is where it gets tricky, but you can manage. You don’t just want to get mugs of any kind. You need to stock up your cabinets with mugs of all kinds.
Vintage mugs from old fashioned beers add such a touch of class. Especially when you have friends asking you where you got the mugs. That’s when you realize saving money on those red plastic cups wasn’t worth it after all.
But, don’t stop there. You should have Pilsners and Pints, Dimpled Mugs and Retro Pubs. Get mugs with different logos like Coors, Molson, Blue Moon and Killian. It’s a blast to make sure that you drink out of the right glass for the right kind of draft.
Logo Beer Glasses
It’s been a dream for many beer drinkers around the world. But, putting a keg in an old refrigerator for your apartment, den or garage isn’t that hard to do when you have the right material.
A Kegerator Conversion Kit is all you need and there is something that you may have never thought about, but it’s a surprise and I’ll tell you in a minute. These conversion kits change any old refrigerator into a kegerator in minutes. Install the shank and faucet directly in to the door of your refrigerator and hook up the Co2 inside. You’ll be drinking from your kegerator in no time at all.
But, here’s something that not many people think about. The Kegerator Conversion Kit can also be used for other home bar designs. Wall mount it to a closet. That’s right! Turn your closet into a kegerator.
All you need to do is install the shank and faucet on the wall the way you would the door of your refrigerator. Then, grab a large trash can full of ice just like you would for a normal keg party. Hook up the Co2 inside the closet and you are ready to drink some cold beer with the keg hidden in the closet, fully functional for your party. Of course, this is really only good for keg parties when you have them. But, you can try to keep ice in the trash can as you keep swapping out kegs.
As this idea starts to spark the imagination, I want to see Kegerators everywhere! Garages, Bedrooms, Kitchens, Living Rooms, Bathrooms, through the wall to the Patio outside…etc.
Beertaps has the Kegerator Conversion Kit you need!
You watch people on television having a great time. Some of the reality television shows allow their contestants to be viewed while drinking. Some actors like Norm have made a career out of it. But, can you get paid to drink beer?
It would be nice to know, wouldn’t it?
I loved watching Tara Reid get drunk on the Wild On… episodes that she hosted and on the Taradise show that had a short run. You sit back and watch the show thinking, “Man, why can’t I land a gig as sweet as that?”
You get paid to roam around the world, find the best places ever and drink their alcohol to show people at home how fun it is. That’s the gig of the century. But, then the thought occurs to you that only blessed people like Tara Reid get gigs like that.
Well, not anymore. Getting paid to drink is no longer a gig for the beautiful and talented. It’s a job all of us can have.
It seems that there are plenty of beer companies starting a trend. They love to pay people to drink their beer and give them feedback.
“Just two nights ago I attended a beer & wine discussion group and for about 1 hour of my time, sampling a few different beers and wines and answering some questions I received $70.” Tim Costello, author of Make Money Drinking Beer.
It does appear that the blessings have been passed on to the rest of us. So, if you think you can participate in a drinking group where people will be drinking and talking about drinking, the learn more about how to make money drinking beer…
Oktoberfest is the worlds largest festival taking place over 16 days in September and October. Why not throw your own Oktoberfest party with the help of these Oktoberfest party ideas:
1. Get some cardboard to make your invitations. Cut out shapes of lederhosen, beer goggles, beer glasses, beer kegs, beer steins and bratwurst. Remember to say on your invites that they will be charged an admittance fee if they fail to dress up!
2. For costumes, the guys are expected to wear lederhosen leather shorts. They are truly horrible but very funny. Get some braces to hold them up! Also you’ll need some knee height white socks and a hat with a feather in!
3. For the ladies, you should consider dressing up in a traditional alpine peasant girl costume. This includes a tight bodice and a lacy blouse.
4. Your decorations should be in blue and white to represent the color of the Bavarian flag. Get plenty of blue and white balloons to stick up everywhere.
5. To make your venue look like a traditional brau haus bier keller, you need long wooden tables and benches. If necessary fix them together, but they should be in a long line!
6. Hang cut outs of bratwurst, beer glasses, beer kegs and lederhosen from the ceiling.
7. Get some German flags to hang on the walls. Also get plenty of mini versions to place on the tables.
8. If its in your budget why not hire out a brass band to play some traditional beer hall music.
9. You should make some of the many famous German dishes such as; garlic bread, weiner schnitzel, sausage stuffed mushrooms, pretzels, sauerkraut, nuremburgers, meatloaf, bratwurst, black forest cake, apple strudel and gingerbread.
10. The most important part of your Oktoberfest theme party is the beer and lots of it! Get in a large variety of German beer. There will be people wanting to sample a wide range. Get in some deep colored beers too! Germany makes the best beer in the world so enjoy!
We hope you have found some useful Oktoberfest Party Ideas here as well as inspiration for your theme party! We also have many more Oktoberfest Party Ideas to help you with your party planning and enable you to throw the best Oktoberfest party ever that your guests and yourself will remember forever!
