How to experiment with homebrewing

Part of the fun with homebrewing is being able to experiment, create unique beers in your own fashion. Our kits offer a base you can work off to create new beers, with the Make Mine A add ons you can start making a range of unique brew. But it can also be a daunting task for new brewers, so here are some tips.

First you need to remember, there are no wrong answers when it comes to experimenting. If you like your ale you have probably come across the most weird and experimental drinks. Sometimes you wonder why would anyone even make this? Well to someone it is good. Putting together honey, cinnamon and lavender doesn’t sound like a good idea on paper but maybe you’ll like it. This is why small homebrews are good, try something a bit different and even if it doesn’t work maybe you can get some ideas for next time. This doesn’t mean you should never think about flavours and how they will mix. It generally just comes down to common sense, if it sounds like it would work together it probably will.

Using fresh ingredients is always a good idea. All our kits come vacuum packed but if you want to get more adventurous you can try growing your own hops or picking other ingredients. If you do that please make sure they are cleaned properly first. Even if you want to dry some ingredients to get stronger flavours, it is better to use the freshest you can find.

Timings are also very important. Our recipe offers the basic structure of what you need to do, but don’t feel afraid of diverting from it. For the boil you don’t really want it going over 2 hours, a longer boil will breakdown hops more meaning they preserve the beer better but is also add a stronger flavour. The same is true with the mash, a longer mash means more flavour is added and sugar extracted. But just like the boil don’t start doing it for multiple hours.

The most important thing is not to be afraid to try something new. Sometimes we just know what we like and stick to it, but spicing it up every now and then can always be fun. Our kits offer a very good base for you to start experimenting with, so why not try one you haven’t got before with some extra malt? You will likely discover something really special.