How to Make Beer at Home: A Beginner's Guide

How do I start brewing beer at home?

This is a question we get a lot.

The answer depends on quite a few factors, but if you want a simple answer: get an all-in-one basic starter kit like the 3 or 4 options we have here, follow the included instructions and enjoy your beer!

This is the way the majority of people start making beer at home. The kits are quite cheap, and they give you an idea of whether this hobby is for you and whether you want to explore it further. You'll also learn a lot about keeping things clean and about fermentation, which are super important at any level of brewing.

But beer kit brewing certainly isn't the only way to do it, and depending on how ambitious you are, you can start anywhere.

The quick answer

• Easiest way to start: a beer kit. Startup gear is around £30–£50, a 23-litre batch (about 40 pints) costs roughly £15–£30 in ingredients, and the brew day takes 30–60 minutes.

• A good step up: extract brewing. Same basic kit plus a large pan, with more control over flavour.

• Best beer and lowest cost per batch long term: all-grain brewing, but it needs more equipment, more time, more skill and patience.

• Whichever you choose: clean and sanitise everything, and don't rush fermentation.

The 3 main ways to brew beer at home (in increasing complexity)

1. Beer kit brewing: using premade beer kits.

2. Extract brewing: using separate malt extract and hops. This includes partial mash brewing, where you also use a small amount of grains.

3. All-grain brewing: using separate grains and hops (no malt extract). A mini version of how a commercial brewery makes beer.

Beer kit vs extract vs all-grain: how they compare

Here is a comparison of the different types of brewing, outlining the key differences:

 

So what's the best way to start brewing beer at home?

As we've already said, you can't go wrong with a simple starter kit, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Start with a beer kit if you want to ease into the hobby

Beer kits are reasonably straightforward, and the cost is quite low. The Muntons Flagship Range is great and will make beer you are proud of. It's a lot harder to get a beer kit wrong, so most people will make a drinkable, tasty beer first time.

Move to extract brewing if you're short on time

Moving from basic kits to extract brewing is a much smaller step and won't require much more equipment (you really only need a large stovetop pan on top of the basic kit). The benefit of these first two steps is how quick they are compared to all-grain brewing. If you're time-starved, extract brewing might be a great compromise between quality, time and cost.

Go straight to all-grain if you like a challenge

If you've spent hours researching online or have a friend who can show you the ropes, you might be OK starting off with all-grain. Just be aware that the learning curve is much steeper. You need to be careful with water volumes, timings and temperatures, using much more complex kit even before fermentation starts. It's disappointing enough if you've spent an hour (and some money) on a basic kit beer, but it's even more frustrating if you spent your whole Saturday on your first all-grain batch only for it to not turn out as you'd hoped. Sometimes the learning curve is too steep, and people give up before they make their first good batch.

If you want to make the best possible beer, you can step up to (or even start with) all-grain brewing. It was once quite an undertaking, but with modern all-in-one brewing systems such as the Brewzilla it's much easier. Our Brewzilla range starts from around £250, and once you have the equipment, it's the cheapest way to make beer. Our all-grain kits start at £19, and you can save even more if you buy your grain and hops separately in bulk and even mill it yourself.

Which home brew starter kit should I buy?

A good home brew starter kit should include everything you need for your first batch, so you don't have to hunt for extras. When you're comparing options, check that it includes:

• A fermenter with a lid and airlock (usually 23-litre batch size)

• Sanitiser and a long spoon for stirring

• A hydrometer, so you know when fermentation has finished

• A beer kit and yeast

• Clear instructions, which are worth their weight in gold for a first brew

Browse our full range of brewing starter kits or get in touch if you'd like help choosing.

What equipment do you need to start making beer at home?

The good news is that making beer at home doesn't need much to get going.

For beer kit brewing:

• Fermenter with lid and airlock

• Sanitiser and cleaning chemicals

• Long spoon/paddle, thermometer and hydrometer

• Bottles and bottling equipment, or a corny keg setup if you'd rather skip bottling

Adding extract brewing: a large pan or kettle, a heat source and, ideally, a way to cool the wort quickly (an ice bath works).

Adding all-grain brewing: a mash and boil system. This is where an all-in-one brewing system like the Brewzilla earns its place, as it handles mashing, boiling and temperature control in one unit. Browse our brewing systems.

How to brew beer at home: brew day, step by step

Here's how a typical beer kit brew day goes. Always follow the instructions supplied with your kit, as timings and temperatures vary.

1. Clean and sanitise everything. Anything that touches your beer after the boil (or after mixing, for a kit) needs to be properly sanitised. This is the single most important step.

2. Make up your wort. Dissolve the kit contents in warm water, following the kit instructions.

3. Top up to 23 litres. Add cold water to reach your batch volume and check the temperature is in the range on the yeast packet.

4. Add the yeast. Sprinkle it in, fit the lid and airlock, and put the fermenter somewhere with a steady temperature.

5. Let it ferment. Leave it for around one to two weeks. Take hydrometer readings a couple of days apart: when they're steady, fermentation has finished.

6. Bottle or keg, then condition. Package your beer and leave it to condition for a couple of weeks or more. Then pour, and enjoy!

If you want the full picture of what's happening at each stage, see our guide to the beer brewing process.

How long does it take to make beer at home?

Brew day itself is quick: 30–60 minutes for a beer kit, 1–2 hours for extract and 4–6 hours for all-grain. The waiting is what takes the time. Fermentation usually takes one to two weeks, followed by a couple of weeks of conditioning, so most beers are ready to drink in about four weeks, so some styles can be as little as a week. Some styles (such as lagers) improve with longer conditioning.

Is home brewing worth it? What it costs

For most people, yes, and it doesn't have to cost much to find out.

• Beer kit: £30–£50 to get set up, then roughly £15–£30 per 23-litre batch (about 40p–80p a pint).

• Extract: £50–£100 to get set up (you may already own some of the kit), then £20–£40 a batch.

• All-grain: £200–£500+ to get set up, then £15–£35 a batch, which is the cheapest per pint once you've got the equipment.

Start small, see if you enjoy it, and upgrade only if you want more control. Beyond saving money, the real payoff is making beer exactly how you like it.

Common mistakes when making beer at home

• Not sanitising properly: Beers can get infected or just end up tasting nasty for many reasons, but poor sanitising is the most common.

• Jumping to all-grain too soon: Nothing wrong with the ambition, but a kit or extract brew first will teach you cleanliness and fermentation with far less at stake. There’s so much more that can go wrong with all-grain. The mash is arguably the most technical step in brewing and you skip it entirely with Kit Brewing or Extract Brewing.

• Bottling too early: Check your hydrometer readings rather than going by the calendar. You don’t want any bottle bombs or gushers.

• Letting the fermentation temperature swing: Keep fermentation somewhere steady and within the range on your yeast packet.

• Rushing the conditioning: A bit more time usually means a better beer.

Is it legal to make beer at home in the UK?

Yes. You can make beer at home for your own consumption without a licence, and there’s no duty to pay. Selling it is different: that needs the right approvals and duty payments. See HMRC’s guidance here.  

Ready to make your own beer?

So whatever your experience or ability, there is a homebrewing method for you. As long as you like beer and can make a cup of tea (basic kit brewing is about as easy!), you can make great beer at home.

At BrewKegTap we have everything you need to get going, from basic brewing to a small commercial system, and all the ingredients you could possibly want, including yeast and hops.  If you're still baffled, we're more than happy to chat through your options by phone or email. We don't do hard selling, just honest (and only a little biased...) advice. Give us a shout!

FAQs: making beer at home

Can I brew beer at home without a pre-made beer kit?

Yes. Extract brewing and all-grain brewing both use separate ingredients rather than a premade kit. Extract needs just a large pan on top of a basic kit, while all-grain needs a 3 vessel or all-in-one brewing system (like a Brewzilla).

What's the best beer kit for beginners?

Look for a well-reviewed kit with clear instructions. The Muntons Flagship Range is a great place to start, and modern 2-can kits (which cost a little more) can make really good beer. Here are our recommended beer kits for beginners.

How much does it cost to start home brewing?

From around £30–£50 for beer kit brewing, £50–£100 for extract and £200–£500+ for a full all-in-one all-grain system. See the cost breakdown above.

Can I sell beer I've made at home?

Not without the right approvals and duty payments. Making beer for yourself or friends is fine though. See the legal section above.

Do I need a Brewzilla or all-in-one system for all-grain brewing?

No, but it really helps A traditional three-vessel system works too, but an all-in-one system like the Brewzilla makes the process a lot easier for a first all-grain batch.

Keep reading

• The Beer Brewing Process: How to Make Great Beer at Home

• What Are the Ingredients in Beer?

• What Is a Kegerator (And Is One Right for You)?