Why do most homebrew beginners stop brewing?

The hobby of home brewing has seen a huge increase in both interest and participation where our business has quietly gone from strength to strength. This has been particularly pronounced over the pandemic where people are looking for hobbies to keep busy or either not allowed or prefer not to go out for their favourite craft beer, and try to replicate that beer at home.

Sadly, as is the case with so many hobbies, many people will drop it soon after starting, and home brewing is no exception. But why do people stop?

While there are the usual reasons why people drop a hobby; busy schedules being the most prominent, home brewing also has one very big reason a beginner might stop: Your beer isn’t coming out how you want it to. Here are some important tips to help you get those important first few batches right:

1. Setup

While putting you toes in the water and starting with the bare minimum of equipment is a valid strategy. It will require a lot more energy and time to finish your beer with a lot more risks to bad beer. Ask us or your local brew shop about the following:

• Kegging instead of bottles, you can read more about beer tap systems in this guide;

• Pressure fermenting; and

• closed transfers for more information.

In our next blog we will share our number 1 way to conveniently setup and make homebrew. Please note this defiantly WILL NOT BE THE CHEAPEST way to start the hobby but the best way to get consistent results and free up more time during making your beer. 😊

2. Sanitised equipment cannot be ignored

If you do not pay proper attention to sanitisation and hygiene then you will have a beer that does not taste good. One of the most important steps and one that a lot of beginners fail to appreciate is to properly clean your equipment. With a huge range of sanitisation equipment you can grab everything you need at our store.

3. Tap Water won’t cut it

Water is H20, how complicated can it be? The problem is regular tap water or groundwater is not just H20: water collects dissolved particles and chemicals as it moves through the ground and pipes. Chlorine in tap water, while great for public health, will also kill off your yeast. Get distilled drinking water from any grocer or supermarket for your home brew.

4. Don’t go rogue – follow the instructions

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of a personalised brew when you read descriptions like, “This malt promises a richer flavour” or “Using molasses instead of sugar gives a dark, caramel property,” but when you’re just starting out follow the instructions to the letter until you’ve got the basics down and like the taste, then start experimenting.

5. Stability is key – what does the mercury say?

Keep an eye on the temperature and make sure it stays in the right range. If you leave your home brew in the sun in the middle of summer you can end up with an overly sweet beer, or worse, kill the yeast. If you don’t already have a thermometer, start with a simple one here.

6.Above all, be gentle with yourself – you’re a beginner!

It may seem obvious, but a lot of people expect professional quality home brew right at the start but it takes time, patience and practice to get professional results from your home brew. In the meantime, just enjoy the process. You don’t start with Beethoven’s No. 29 when learning the piano, you start with twinkle, twinkle little star. It’s the same with home brewing. Celebrate the fact that you made a beer and can drink it, even if it’s sweeter, darker, or stronger than you wanted. Then do it again, trying a different recipe. Take notes and learn the art. Home brewing becomes more rewarding the longer you practice, so don’t drop the hobby just yet!