B.I.Y
Introduction
The Elements
As Basic As Bread
Brews Clues
Was It Good For You?
Helpful Links
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So, was it good for you?
If your first batch isn’t all you hoped for, remember Papazian: "Don’t worry. Relax. Have a home brew." Patience is a virtue. The first batch of Outhouse we brewed was surprisingly awesome. Then we suffered through a couple of disappointments—a pilsner we called "Wompahoofus" (flat, with a conspicuous absence of alcohol; what a waste of a good name!) and a stout that was so overly-carbonated that the contents "forcefully ejected" from every bottle we opened.
 The crowning glory of Outhouse’s storied history, however, was a solo-brewing effort called "Don’t-Do-It-Ed" Ale. (Although Ed did it anyway.) This was brewed for the occasion of a good friend’s wedding, and it did not disappoint. The key to this brew was probably the hops I added myself while the barley mixture was cooking—a very minor example of the many improvisations possible with this age-old craft.
If done properly, making your own beer can be an occasion in itself. Brew with some buddies. Make sure you have some beers on hand and a few good cigars. It will inspire you. Always eat before brewing—it’s a pain in the ass to leave the carboy in mid-siphon to answer the door for the Chinese food guy. And don’t forget, home brewing is good exercise. Think about it, you have to lift that carboy, you stir a boiling mixture, you press down on a handle to cap the bottles. It’s a complete workout, and good training for the "12-ounce curl" marathon to come. You’ll be a fit zymurgist in no time. (Sorry, you’ll have to look that one up.)
Equipment, ingredients, and literature on home-brewing are easy to find. Just enter "beer" or "brewing" on your favorite web search engine and you’ll find more info than you can deal with. A good place to start, though, is allaboutbeer.com. And get the Papazian book. Another respected authority on beer and brewing is Michael Jackson (not to be confused with LaToya’s brother).
Now get away from your computer, summon up that alcohol-diluted testosterone, and get yourself a-brewin’. We’d be happy to hear from you about your adventures.
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