A checklist of equipment you will need to make your own beer.
So, you have decided to make some home brew. Making home brewed beer has become a popular hobby and more people are discovering it is not that difficult to do. However, the key to success is having the proper supplies on hand before you start your beer-making project. Make sure you have the following equipment. All of these items are readily available at stores that cater to home-brewers or online at beer making supply websites. The sizes indicated will be appropriate for making four to five gallons of beer per batch.
Equipment
- A 3 or 4 gallon pot: A stainless steel or enameled
canning pot is ideal. This is the pot you will use to actually
brew your beer.
- Either a 5 gallon or 6.5 gallon glass carboy: A carboy is
a large jug. The carboy is used to store your beer during the
fermenting process.
- A new (unused) 5 – 10 gallon plastic bucket or trash
pail: This is used to prime your beer before you bottle it.
You can also find specialty bottling buckets that have spigots
and make the job of bottling much easier.
- 3/8 inch inner diameter clear plastic hose (5-7 feet in
length): This is used to siphon the beer from the carboy into
your priming and bottling bucket.
- 1 fermentation lock: The fermentation lock seals your
carboy from incoming air while your beer ferments, while
allowing gas bubbles to escape from the bottle.
- 1 rubber stopper, with a hole sized to fit your
fermentation lock: The rubber stopper works with the
fermentation lock to seal the carboy
- 5/16 inner diameter clear plastic hose (2.5 feet in
length): This hose is used with the fermentation lock to allow
the release of air bubbles
- 1 large plastic funnel (rated for food usage): The funnel
is used to place the beer mixture into the carboy and for
transferring other liquids.
- 1 thermometer: Beer-making requires you perform steps
when the brew is at precise temperatures. A thermometer will
ensure you can effectively make your beer.
- 1 beer hydrometer: A hydrometer measures the density of a
liquid, compared to the density of water. It is used to
determine the alcohol content of your beer since alcohol is
less dense than water.
- Bottle-capper: The bottle capper is used for closing your
beer bottles once they have been filled with your home brew.
- Bottlecaps (more than 60): Bottle caps are used to seal
the beer bottles
- 60 12-ounce beer bottles (not the screw-top type): Beer
bottles will store your completed product
Optional equipment
- 1 bottle washer: A bottle washer helps ensure your beer
bottles are completely clean and sanitized.
- A wort chiller: A wort chiller can be used to speed the
cooling process of your brew before you can start the
fermentation process.
Other supplies:
- Sanitizer or bleach: You will need either a food grade
sanitizer (such as those used by bartenders) or a bleach
solution to sanitize your work area and equipment
Other tips:
- Ensure your kitchen is completely clean and sanitized
before you begin brewing. In addition, sanitize your sink,
utensils and all of your equipment. Contaminants will ruin an
entire batch of brew, leaving you wondering what happened.
- If you have pets, make sure they are not allowed into
your brewing area. Pet hair will get into your beer if it is
floating in the environment.
- Make sure you allow plenty of time for your home brew
project. In order to make palatable beer, it is important to
take your time.