Since its invention nearly 10,000 years ago, beer has helped the human race get through a lot. Cultural milestones like the pyramids of Egypt and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were fueled by beer rations that kept laborers hydrated, fed, and just inebriated enough to get through the workday. Americans’ shared love of lagers, ales, and stouts overpowered the government’s enforcement of Prohibition, bringing the country together like never before.
And today, a passion for beer brewing has given rise to a number of craft breweries here in Utah. With the rich history and anthropological importance that has made beer into the cultural phenomenon it is today, it makes sense that amateur home brewers would want to try their hand at the ancient practice. But where do they start?
According to Karsen Moon, head brewer at Park City Brewing, homebrewers need to start by figuring out what kind of beer they want to drink. “It’s all about figuring out what you like and why you like it,” he says. “Here at Park City Brewing, I primarily make beers that I want to drink because that’s where I thrive.”
It may seem like a simple question, but like most elements of home brewing, it’s more complicated than you might think. For example, if you’re looking to brew a lager, that choice will inform everything from the ingredients you start with to the temperatures you use.
Once you have a clear idea of what beer you’re hoping to brew, it’s time to draw upon the collective knowledge that has been cultivated since the days of ancient Mesopotamia.
“There’s a ton of good books on brewing, but Reddit is full of the kind of knowledge and problems that people who are day-to-day employees have to deal with and is 10 times better than a theoretical book,” Moon shares. A subreddit like r/Homebrewing is full of practical homebrewing knowledge while r/TheBrewery is a gathering of professional brewers and distillers. Of course, Reddit is also home to several niche subreddits for the curious homebrewer.
With visions of that perfect home-brewed IPA, pilsner, or lager fully defined, it’s time to put the ingredients to work. This is often the part of the process where homebrewers become a bit daunted by the task they have undertaken. As brewing’s legacy spans thousands of years, selecting the right kettle, fermenter, and hydrometer for your needs requires a bit of guidance. This is where The Beer Nut in Salt Lake City comes in. “The Beer Nut is a primary resource for equipment and materials,” Moon explains. “They have everything you need from a starter kit that gives you all the ingredients and recipes to make beer in a stock pot on your stove to buying an $8,000 professional setup.”
Since 1994, The Beer Nut has been Utah’s preeminent repository of all things homebrewing. A.J. Vanzeben, a longtime employee and award-winning homebrewer, explained that homebrewing doesn’t have to be intimidating—you just have to know where to start.
For homebrewing rookies, Vanzeben recommends starting with extract brewing, in which the legwork of mashing whole oats has already been completed. By using malt extracts, which are concentrated syrups or powders made from malted grains, homebrewers can whip up their own beer with less fuss and less kitchen space than the all-grain brewing alternative.
“Extract brewing is probably the easiest way for someone to start out with pretty minimal equipment,” Vanzeben says. While The Beer Nut has inventory for even the most seasoned of homebrewers, the store offers self-contained starter kits with everything a fledgling brewer needs to get hopping.
After trying one’s hand at a few pre-made ingredient kits, it’s common for the homebrewer to graduate to brewing with their own ingredients and recipes. This of course begs the question of what grains and hops the homebrewer should seek out. According to Vanzeben, the ingredients will also depend on the type of beer the homebrewer is seeking to create. “Some beers and ales are hoppier than others,” he says. “The first thing I ask homebrewers who are wondering about ingredients is, ‘What do you want to drink?’ and then we go from there.”
In addition to offering equipment and guidance for the local homebrewer, The Beer Nut’s stock of ingredients is enough to keep any homebrew enthusiast busy. From malt powders and extracts to dozens of curated grains from which to build a base, The Beer Nut has a dizzying variety of ingredients to choose from.
The truly adventurous homebrewer can also find a huge selection of fruit flavorings—everything from guava and passionfruit to pineapple and cranberry. That’s on top of the hop pellets, honey, spices, and yeast available.
Even with such great resources at the local homebrewer’s disposal, brewing remains a scientific endeavor and failure is always an option. Like all science, however, failure is a necessary part of the experience. “It’s crazy to me when people just think they can brew the same beer twice in a row without having the whole plan change,” Moon marvels. “Our hops change. Our grains change, and it’s almost impossible to make the same beer twice.”
Despite the nuances required to get a homebrewed beer right, it’s the kind of hobby that puts the journey over the destination. Sure, the goal is to craft a homemade beer that captures your favorite flavors and textures, but tweaking the process, taking notes, and making revisions with each batch is where the true magic of homebrewing comes to life. “Learn the fundamentals and learn why you’re doing what you’re doing,” Moon concludes. “Homebrewing is for people who enjoy beer and are passionate about creating new flavors.”
