Homebrew vs commercial beer, which one is better, and what is the major distinguishing factor between the two? Beer enthusiasts have had this debate for long, and it’s best to find the answer to their questions. So, what revolves around homebrew and commercial beer?
Homebrew vs Commercial Beer Overview
Beer is one of the most enjoyed drinks globally, and for a good reason. It is known to bring people together and create a sense of community. Beer falls under two categories: Homebrew and commercial beer.
Each category has its advantages and disadvantages, and the choice ultimately depends on personal preference. So, if you are a newbie or a seasoned beer lover, you need to familiarize yourself with each category. This way, you will make an informed decision before deciding which beer to go for.
Homebrew Beer
Homebrew is beer or any other alcoholic beverage, such as cider or mead, made by individuals at home using their own equipment and recipes. The beer is brewed for many reasons, including as a hobby and to experiment with different flavors and styles. Others make beer at home to save money on store-bought beer.
Brewing beer at home is a simple process that requires little skill to come up with an excellent drink. The process begins by gathering equipment and getting down to work. The following is a step-by-step guide to creating a standard homebrew:
- Malting: This is the first step of brewing beer at home. It involves soaking grains in water and then allowing them to germinate. Soaking the grains in water helps activate enzymes in the grains. This later helps break down the starches into fermentable sugars.
- Milling: The process involves crushing malted grains to break up the kernel and extract fermentable sugars. This ensures you produce a milled product called a grist. You can mill your grain using a rolling pin or buy a grain mill.
- Mashing: Mashing involves combining grains with hot water in a mash tun. The mixture is then stirred and allowed to sit for about an hour. During this time, the enzymes in the grains break down the starches into fermentable sugars.
- Lautering: Lautering is separating the wort (the liquid extracted from the mash)from the spent grains. The process takes palace in a lauter tun and helps clarify the wort.
- Boiling: After lautering, the wort is boiled for about an hour. This step helps to sterilize the wort and also helps to extract hop flavors and bitterness.
- Cooling: After the wort has boiled, it’s cooled to an ideal temperature. Ale yeast works best at 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit, while lager yeast requires 45-57 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Fermenting: Once the wort has cooled, yeast is added to begin the fermentation process. The yeast consumes the fermentable sugars and produces alcohol and carbon dioxide. This process takes at least two weeks.
- Carbonation and packaging: After fermentation, the beer is carbonated by adding a small amount of sugar to each bottle or keg. This sugar is consumed by the remaining yeast, which produces carbon dioxide and carbonates the beer.
Advantages of Homebrew Beer
- Health benefits: Homebrewed beer contains beneficial nutrients like B vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants often lost in commercial beer due to filtering and processing.
- Customization: Homebrew allows you to customize your beer to your taste preferences. One can experiment with different ingredients, flavors, and styles to create a beer that is unique. For instance, you can add, cinnamon, cardamom, chocolate, or vanilla beans.
- Cost-effective: Brewing beer at home will definitely save you money in the long run. Although the initial cost of buying equipment and ingredients can be high, the cost per pint of homebrew is generally lower than the cost of buying craft beer or commercial beer. You will also brew in bulk, which can last for several weeks (when stored properly).
- Educational: Brewing your own beer is an educational hobby that can teach you about the science and art of brewing. You can learn about the ingredients, equipment needed for brewing, the process involved, and history of beer.
- Social: Homebrewing can be a social activity that brings people together to share and enjoy beer. You can join a homebrewing club or attend beer festivals to meet other homebrewers and beer enthusiasts. This helps you master the art from experienced brewers.
Disadvantages of Homebrewing
- Risk of contamination: Homebrewing requires proper sanitation and cleanliness to prevent beer contamination. It can lead to off-flavors and even make the beer undrinkable if not done correctly.
- Time-consuming process: Brewing beer at home can be time-consuming. The process requires patience and attention to detail. It can take several hours to complete the brewing process and then several weeks to months for the beer to ferment and carbonate properly. So, if you are impatient or committed, the process may consume more of your time.
- Inconsistent results: Homebrewing can be a hit-or-miss experience. At a time the process may be affected by factors such as temperature, yeast health, and the quality of ingredients.
- Sales limitation: Homebrew is only made for personal use as federal law dictates. You may land in trouble when found selling this type of beer.
Commercial Beer
Commercial brewing is the production of beer on a large scale for commercial purposes and is done by brewers or corporations. These breweries and corporates are licensed by the government to sell beer to consumers and wholesalers. The production involves the use of specialized equipment and techniques.
These brewers use automated systems and specialized equipment to handle large volumes of ingredients. Some equipment used includes electric heating, steam boilers, and insulated cooling storage tanks. Commercial brewing also involves more rigorous quality control measures to ensure consistency in the final product. This includes testing the beer at various stages of production to ensure it meets specific standards for taste, aroma, and appearance.
The brewing process is almost similar to homebrewing. It also involves malting, milling, mashing, lautering, boiling, cooling, fermenting, conditioning, and packaging. The only added process is filtration which removes any remaining yeast or other particles, producing a clear, bright beer.
Advantages of Commercial Brewing
- Consistency: Commercial brewing ensures that each batch of beer is consistent in taste, aroma, and quality. This is important for building a brand and establishing a loyal customer base.
- Efficiency: Commercial brewing equipment is designed to handle large quantities of beer so that the brewing process can be completed more efficiently than home brewing.
- Cost-effective: Commercial brewers can decide to lease the brewing equipment instead of buying. This will greatly reduce the brewing cost.
- Regulations: Commercial brewing is subject to strict regulations and quality control standards. The regulations ensures the beer is safe and meets certain quality criteria. So, you can consume these beers without worrying about contamination.
- Distribution: Commercial breweries have established distribution channels that make it easier to get the beer. You can get the beers in bars, restaurants, and retail locations without any hassle.
- Professionalism: Commercial brewing is a professional industry with a range of experts, from brewers to marketers to salespeople. That chain of command ensures the beer is high-quality.
- Varieties: Commercial brewing offers a wide range of beer styles. These brewers offer classic styles like lagers and ales. They also offer more experimental styles like sour beers and barrel-aged beers. This allows beer enthusiasts choose what they like.
Disadvantages of Commercial Brew
- Environmental impact: Large breweries require a significant amount of resources, including water and energy, which can harm the environment.
- Lack of control over ingredients: Consumers have no control over the ingredients used by the breweries, unlike in homebrewing. You just have to consume the beer whether you prefer a particular ingredient or not.
- May be affected by machinery breakdown: A machinery breakdown can lead to huge losses, especially when there is no back-up.
Comparison Between Homebrew and Commercial Beer
These two types of beer have similarities and differences worth noting before deciding what to consume. The following are some of the differences and similarities:
Similarities
- Both are made using similar ingredients, such as malted barley, hops, water, and yeast.
- Both require careful attention to the brewing process to ensure quality and consistency.
- Both can be enjoyed in various styles, from light lagers to rich stouts and everything in between.
- Both can be packaged and stored for later consumption. They can be stored in bottles, cans, or kegs.
- Both can be shared with friends and family as a way of socializing and celebrating special occasions.
- Both pair well with various foods, such as grilled meat, seafood, spicy foods, and cheddar cheese
- Both can be contaminated by bacteria if not handled properly. This can affect the beer’s flavor, aroma, and overall taste.
Differences
- Commercial brewing uses specialized equipment and techniques not typically used in homebrewing.
- Homebrewing is typically done on a smaller scale, Unlike commercial brewing, which involves large batches of beer.
- Commercial breweries often have more consistent quality control measures, whereas homebrewed beer may have more variation from batch to batch.
- Homebrewers have more flexibility to experiment with unique ingredients and flavor combinations. On the other hand, commercial breweries may need to stick to tried-and-true recipes to meet consumer demand.
- Commercial breweries may use more advanced technology, to streamline the process and increase efficiency.
- Homebrewing can be a hobby or a passion project, while commercial brewing is typically a business venture with financial considerations.
The Major Distinguishing Factor
The primary distinguishing factor between homebrew and commercial beer is where and how they are produced. Homebrew is typically made in small batches by individuals at home. On the other hand commercial beer is produced in large quantities by breweries for sale to the public.
When to Consume Homebrew Beer
The best time to consume homebrew beer is when you want a beer that is more healthy and has been customized to fulfil your taste. Remember that homebrew contains more B vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants often lost in commercial beer due to filtering and processing.
You may also opt for homebrew beer when you have visitors and want to save on cost. Brewing your own beer in large quantity may be pocket friendly, unlike buying from liquor store or bars.
When to Consume Commercial Beer
You may need to consume commercial beer when you don’t have the knowledge and the equipment to brew your own. The other best time to consume this beer category is when you want a readily available beer since you can find it in your local liquor store, bar, or restaurant.
Which Beer Is Better: Homebrew vs Commercial Beer?
The better option is definitely homebrew as far as health is concerned. Homebrew contains more B vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants often lost in commercial beer due to filtering and processing. You also brew the beer to your liking by infusing it with your favorite flavors, such as chocolate, cardamon, or strawberry. However, you must drink this beer in moderation to enjoy these benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is My Homebrew So Carbonated?
Homebrew could be over-carbonated due to using too much carbonation sugar, bottling the beer too soon, or using poor quality yeast. Ensure you use yeast that is ideal for your beer. For instance, use a bottom-fermenting yeast if you are brewing lager beer. If you are brewing ale beer, use a top-fermenting yeast.
How Can Brewers Mitigate the Risk of Machinery Breakdown?
The best way brewers can curb the menace of machinery breakdown is by conducting regular inspections and a diligent maintenance. This will help identify the problem at an early stage and prevent any issue that could arise. Other ways to ensure the machines are up and running includes regular cleaning, or take a brewery insurance.
What Is the White Stuff Floating in My Homebrew?
The white stuff floating in your homebrew may be yeast rafts. The yeast rafts are clumps of yeast that float to the top of the beer during fermentation and are a normal byproduct of the process. Do not panic when you see this stuff (krausen/yeast or protein) because it is normal. They indicate that brewing is taking place.
Conclusion
Both homebrew and commercial beer have their own unique advantages and disadvantages. Home made beer gives homebrewer a chance to experiment with different ingredients. On the other hand, commercial beer offers consistency and convenience. This allows beer lovers to consume what they prefer in a responsible way.