Do you enjoy the delicious taste of beer? Have you ever thought about how proud you would feel to learn how to brew beer? Want to learn the simple truth to the most popular-held myths about brewing beer at home? Well, it’s time to arm yourself with some knowledge to debunk the top beer myths and set the record straight - even with people you know who may think they know more about beer than you.

The top of the list…Myth one: Only men have an interest in homebrewing beer. Drinking or brewing beer is just not popular with women.

This could not be further from the truth! Even though there is a large number of men who both drink and home brew beer, there is also a large number of women who not only appreciate and enjoy the taste of beer, but who are also interested in homebrewing.

Myth two: If you want the best results for your beer, you should bottle it using green bottles only.

Absolutely false. Believe it or not, brown bottles work the best because they are better equipped to keep out the most dangerous culprit to your homebrewing efforts - light. Due to a shortage of brown glass in Europe during the 20th century, green glass was used more frequently and it was incorrectly assumed the beer was of a better quality. Truth is, exposure to light is an excellent way to dash your efforts and spoil a good batch of beer.

Myth three: Drinking beer is unhealthy.

Since beer is an alcohol and alcohol consumption has always been linked to poor health habits, there is a stigma that follows for beer drinking. In actuality, beer contains zero cholesterol and zero fat! Do not let this myth keep you from brewing and enjoying good beer. Always drink responsibly. Moderation is key to really appreciating a delicious beer.

Myth four: Bitter beer is beer that is ruined.

All beers have a bitter flavor, some just more pronounced than others. And the reason is due to the use of hops, which are essential for an authentic beer taste. Do not worry - if your beer tastes bitter it is fine as is. Tip: when brewing beer you can adjust the bitterness level by the amount of hops you use and the amount of time you boil the hops. The longer you boil the hops, the more bitter tasting the beer will be.

Myth five: Beer is ruined if the bottles are not kept refrigerated.

Actually, assuming the bottle has not been opened, simply pop the warm beer back in the refrigerator. Once it is chilled, it will taste as good as before. Note: some beers, like many traditional English ales and stouts, are not their best when served ice cold. Rather, they are better served closer to room temperature or slightly cool. The only ways to ruin a good beer is to either leave it sitting out open to the air or exposing it to the sun/extreme temperatures for an extended period of time. Once you have made a batch, simply store it in a dark place and it will be just fine.

Now that you know the truth to these myths, you can confidently venture into the world of homebrewing. However, there is one final, widely-popular myth we need to bust first: Homebrewing is difficult work. With ready-made malt extracts and six-gallon fermenters available these days, it’s no more difficult to brew beer than to make bread with a bread machine. Simply mix your ingredients, pop the cap on the fermenter and let the yeast go to work making your beer. With a little work and a lot of fun, you too can easily learn how to brew beer.

Mark Peterson is a homebrewing enthusiast who enjoys sharing his beer brewing knowledge and favorite recipes. Have fun and start making your own tasty brews. Get your FREE guide to homebrewing beer (including 13 delicious and easy-to-brew recipes). Available at => DeliciousHomebrewing.com

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Have you been plagued by uninformed friends and family members who swear that they know beer better than you?

Well, it’s time to tackle the top beer myths and demolish them once and for all.

Myth number one: Only men homebrew - women don’t drink or make beer.

Not true! Although there are a huge number of male homebrewers and beer drinkers, there’s also a large number of women who do the same - and this number grows every year.

Myth number two: For best results, you must bottle your homebrew inside of green bottles only.

Nope! Brown bottles are best - they keep out the most light. Exposure to light is a sure-fire way to ruin a good batch of beer.

Myth number three: Bitter beer is bad beer.

Okay, let’s get this straight: Whether a little bitter or a lot, all beers have a bitter flavor. The reason for this is the use of hops, which is required for the authentic beer taste. So if your beer is bitter - it’s just fine as it is.

Myth number four: The only reason to homebrew is because the alcohol content is higher than beers you can buy at the store.

This is simply false. The reason this myth exists is because of bad information: Many beers you buy show the alcohol content by weight, while alcohol content is measured by volume when homebrewing. Quite often the homebrew beer matches the similar alcohol content of the store-bought brands, if not being just a little more or less. The reason to homebrew is the fun and the delicious result.

Myth number five: Homebrewed beer is ruined if the bottles are not kept refrigerated.

Truth is if the bottle has not been opened, just return the warm beer to the fridge. Once cold, it will taste just as great as before. The only ways to destroy a good homebrew is to let it sit out open to the air, or set a clear bottle of brew in the sun for a long time.  

Now you know the truth - these beer myths have been completely busted. However, there is one more that is the number one complaint: Homebrewing is hard work. Nowadays, with prepared malt extracts and six-gallon fermenters, it’s no more difficult than making bread in a bread machine. Just mix the ingredients, cap the fermenter, and let the yeast go to work making you beer.

Get your free guide to homebrewing and 13 easy and delicious recipes right now. Start making your own tasty brews. Have fun. Go to http://www.freehomebrewguide.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/home-brewing-articles/beer-myths-busted-956407.html

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Using a Good Beer Making Kit

Lots of time the urge to finally take the plunge into home brewing comes when you went to the brew pub and paid ten dollars for an imported beer of one that was brewed in their pub.  And even if that beer is good, it’s easy to start to suspect that you could do as well making beer and that your beer would be perfectly fresh and would cost a lot less than ten dollars a glass to enjoy this flavor all the time.  When that thought crossed your mind, the home brewer in you is born.

The community of beer lovers is very large as documented in the huge beer sales that stay consistent around the world.  That is why it is almost a shame and a crime when beer is mass produced and bad beer is sold so widely.  It’s a crime because it is so easy to make really good beer.  If you have that desire to enjoy the finest of this ancient recipe and maybe crossing the line to want to BE a maker of great beer, you will find that getting started on this great hobby is far easier than you may have thought.  And yes while you will have to learn a few things about the process of making beer, it will be more fun than any class you took in high school for sure because you are learning to make something you love and you get to drink your final exam!

Unlike school though, once you get down the basic process of home brewing, the variety of “right answers” to how to make a great beer are diverse and fun to play with.  You can try different grains, hops and yeast combinations.  You can adjust when each ingredient is added and learn how to balance the bitter flavor with the hops flavor to give you a deep rich blend or a light beer and all using the same equipment and much the same ingredients.  So with that enticement to the fun and endless variety you can find in a hobby of home brewing, it’s just a matter of getting started.

It’s very easy to fall under the influence of “beer purists” who will advocate very expensive and complicated equipment and using exotic ingredients to make a beer of very high quality and taste.  If you make it a practice to socialize at the home brewing retailer or at home brewing clubs or web sites, it’s easy to pick up that side of the home brewing community that is very particular and advanced in the craft of home brewing.

But it is important to remember that just starting out that you are not a home brewing purist yet!  And its best not to try to be one because starting out, its best to let others help you get some very basic equipment so you can learn the craft of home brewing and develop your skills easily and without so much pressure.  If you spend thousands on very elaborate and hard to operate equipment too soon, you will be frustrated and if the outcome is not just right, you will be disappointed.  So cut yourself some slack and buy just the basics and just learn to make a very down to earth starter batch of beer.  If it is drinkable at all after you step through the process a few times, you are doing great.  And you have all the time in the world to learn your craft and grow until you can afford to be a “beer purist” and be fussy and particular too.

So don’t be ashamed to buy a basic beer making kit at the beer retailer store or online to get you started.  These kits come with all you need in equipment and supplies to step through making your first few batches of beer.  It’s important you give yourself the time to use these starter kits to learn your basic skills.  Then once you have the basics, it will be great fun to buy different types of grains, hops and yeasts and experiment to refine your skills. That is a natural way to learn and away to become along time beer making enthusiasts and enjoy this wonderful hobby for many years to come.

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