B.I.Y
Introduction
The Elements
As Basic As Bread
Brews Clues
Was It Good For You?
Helpful Links
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As basic as bread. Older than the written word…
 So you’ve got your equipment, and maybe you’re asking yourself "Am I really ready for this? What’s all this business about hydrometers and off-gassing? Hell, I don’t even know what goes into beer!" Well my friend, to quote the mantra of Charlie Papazian (author of the book mentioned earlier) "Relax. Don’t worry. Have a home brew." Beer is made of some surprisingly simple ingredients—malted barley, hops, yeast, and water. Combine these staples correctly, and Mother Nature works her magic to add the bubbles and the alcohol. Your job is to act like a shepherd to create a clean and safe environment for your "flock" (or batch) to thrive.
 It’s believed that the ancient Egyptians made the first beer-like beverage, and quite possibly by accident. Someone may have left a basket of grain out in the rain, and after a short time it began to germinate. Rather than just dumping the funky mixture, this prescient fella somehow understood that he had the beginnings of a malted grain mixture that could be put to a higher use. Other fermented beverages probably existed at the time, so the next steps toward alcoholification naturally fell into place. So you see, when you brew, you’re taking part in an ancient rite—something bigger than yourself. This gives us a great opportunity to develop our "spiritual" selves without having to listen to Yanni or wear crystals around our necks.
 Getting back to more practical matters, though… All the ingredients you’ll need, especially when you’re just getting started, will be included in ingredient kits you can buy through any brewing catalog or specialty store. The kit will typically include a 3-lb. can of malted barley syrup. This stuff is the consistency of molasses, and is very sweet. The bitterness we find so familiar in many beers comes from the addition of hops. So generally, if you have a beer that’s pretty sweet, you’re tasting the malt. Some ingredient kits will come with the malt already "hopped." In other cases, you have to add your own hops. The first time I bought my own hops I thought they looked a lot like sensamilla buds. I later found out that was no coincidence—hops are in the hemp family (Cannabaceae – like, uh, Cannabis, dude!). As much as I hate to disappoint you stoners out there, you should know that hops don’t contain any of the psychoactive chemicals that make their wacky weed cousins so appealing. Your ingredient kit will also come with a packet of brewer’s yeast. Yeast is the hero of the beermaking process, since it’s responsible for the alcohol and the bubbles.
Some recipes also call for brewing sugar, which can be purchased separately. However, sugar tends to give a "winey" taste to the beer, so I usually prefer to do without. You will need a little bit prior to bottling though, since it will help with carbonation and additional fermentation.
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