Passionate for craft beer? Time to brew it yourself! 

 

       Are you a loyal and passionate craft beer enthusiast? Does your passion for craft beer surpass simply enjoying a refreshing pint, and leads you to daydreaming about one day mastering the timeless art of brewing? Have you ever pictured your name or/and face on the label of a bottle? Well, here at The Craft we have just the answers you’ve been looking for.

 

       Homebrewing is a rapidly growing practice in the city of Toronto and the province of Ontario. There are currently seven home brewing stores in the city of Toronto alone. These stores provide beer lovers with the necessary ingredients, equipment and the right opportunity to take matters into their own hands.

 

        “There’s nothing like it, I love brewing my own beer. I’m in my own home, by myself, producing something I have always held a special admiration and appreciation for in my life. It’s a great experience (you know, when the beer actually comes out good),” says George Pereira, a Toronto native who has been homebrewing for over 7 years.

“It’s not easy, but when you learn how to get it right, you will want nothing else. You’ll be not only proud of the taste and recipe you just mastered, but proud of yourself. My family has even nicknamed me as the alchemist, and they’ve learned to expect bottles of my creation for Christmas and their birthdays.”

 

        Nick Zubacs, 44, is the owner of Brew North, a homebrewing shop situated on Queen Street West which recently opened in February of this year. According to Zubacs, homebrewing is a culture that will remain on the rise for years to come. “It’s a growing hobby. It’s both a result of a backlash against the corporate brewing ownerships, but also a larger whole food movement. People want to brew their own beer, their own way, to their own liking. It’s a way to feed their passion and provide independence.

 

       Zubacs encourages all beer lovers to join the movement, and give the practice a try at least once in their life. “Just go for it, if you really love beer no other will taste as good as your own, from your own hard work. We all have that empty room or corner at our place that is not being used for anything. Get a starter pack, make use of that space and practice what you are passionate about, join the craft beer movement. Within three weeks to one month you will have your own beer to share with your friends, loved ones and with yourself.”

Beer Canada also encourages the practice, although warning homebrewers to take the necessary precautions to ensure no harm is inflicted on the health and safety of the recipients of the final product. “There are very few safety or health concerns when it comes to homebrewing, but we still like to remember anyone to take the necessary precautions, just in case. Make sure you disinfect all of your equipment and materials and be careful with carrying large quantities of boiling liquids. Other than that just watch out for molds or bacteria in your batch, which will make you beer undrinkable, although most parasitic organisms struggle to survive in beer due to the low PH in its composition. Take the necessary steps and the brewer, the drinkers and the beer will be fine.”

 

      After some research, our The Craft team was able to gather a list of the necessary equipment, and the necessary steps you will need to follow to brew your first batch. Good luck, and for the love of beer, get brewing already.

 

Click the link below to read the Step by Step tutorial

on how to brew your own craft beer