Homebrewing Information Page

updated 07/2004
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Ever wanted to brew your own beer? You can make beer at home that is cheaper and better tasting than many that you can buy at the store. To help you brew that first malt extract batch without making all of the usual mistakes, I have written How To Brew Your First Beer, Rev. F . I originally wrote it back in 1992, and it has been revised several times since then to include more information and explanation. I have received email from people on every continent, including Antarctica, thanking me for writing such a useful document. Glad I could help, and hope that you find it equally useful.

But to really teach people how to brew, whether it be with malt extract or with grain, I have written a comprehensive book for the homebrewer titled simply, "How To Brew." The book covers both extract and all-grain brewing and explains the science behind the ingredients, malting, mashing, and fermentation to help you brew your best beer ever. The first edition was released online in June, 2000, courtesy of the good people at Realbeer.com. The most frequently asked question is, "Is there a .pdf file available?"

The answer is, "No, there isn't." But the second edition is now available in hardcopy! The second edition fills in some holes and adds some new information on yeast, all-grain brewing, and lauter tun design. Ask for it at your local brewshop or click the image on the right for mail-order information.
The First Edition is available online by clicking the image above.

Here is a complete Table of Contents

Ordering information for the hardcopy (2nd Ed.) is available by clicking this image.

To view an Adobe pdf file of the Table of Contents
To view an Adobe pdf file of Chapter 1 - A Crash Course in Brewing

Free Update for first printing (c. 2001)
The update is a 132K pdf file and contains typo fixes, clarifications, and some additional information that was incorporated into the second printing (2002) of the second edition. If you purchased the book in 2001 then you will want to read and/or print this update. It is useful by itself too.

To read some reviews of the book click on the following links:

  • Domenick Venezia's review posted to rec.crafts.brewing
  • Matt Jarvis's response
  • Best Books thread from rec.crafts.brewing
  • Steve Alexander's review from the Home Brew Digest
  • Stephen Ross's (Paddock Wood) review
  • Review in All About Beer, Vol.24, No.1

    To find a local brewshop that carries "How-To-Brew" click here.

    If you can't find the book locally, you can order it direct from the publisher.

    • Here are some additional articles I have written, as well as some presentations I have put together and presented at homebrewing conferences.

    Homebrewing Resource Sites - (just a few of the many)

      • The RealBeer Page
        A very comprehensive set of pages covering the Microbrewery scene from a homebrewing point of view or vice versa. Lots to browse. It has become one of the best sites on the web for brewing industry information.
      • The Brewery
        This site contains a comprehensive library of homebrewing articles dealing with every area, from ingredients to equipment and storage. It is also home of the quinessential compendium of hombrew recipes, The Cat's Meow III (the name is from the opening of Shakespeare's MacBeth). This is about the best site for dedicated homebrewing info that I know of.
      • Home Brew Digest Archive Site
        Darn near every homebrewing question can be answered (or at least asked) by searching the archives of the Home Brew Digest. Got a question? This is the place to start.
      • The Hop Page
        This is Glenn Tinseth's homepage, and it is the premiere site for Hop information. He has online IBU calculators and lots of other useful resources for the home and micro-brewer.
      • Brewing with Herb
        A member of our fine club, the Crown of the Valley Brewing Society. This is the home of the "Brewin' With Herb" TV show. Lots of good info, recipes, links, and COVBS newsletters.
      • Spencer's Beer Page
        The original WWW Homebrew page and still one of the best. He has the FAQs, and lots of links to other homebrewers and info.
      • The Biohazard Lambic Brewers' Page
        Maintained by one of the US's premier psuedo-Lambic style brewers, Jim Liddil.
      • The UK Homebrewing Page
        Maintained by Dr Gillian Grafton. One of the best homebrewing sites on the web.
      • The Association of Brewers
        The is the home of Beertown, the virtual village of the American Homebrewers Association, Brewers Publications, and Zymurgy magazine.
      • Brew Your Own
        The home of BYO magazine and a lot of online homebrewing information. Good resource.
      • The Professional Brewers Page
        Sponsored by the Real Beer Page, this site contains information useful to professional brewers and advanced home brewers too.
      • Willkommen bei Brauwelt-Online Welcome to Brauwelt-Online
        Brauwelt is professional brewing journal. If you can read German, this is a great technical source.
      • Water Utility Home Pages
        This site of the American Water Works Assoc. contains a list of water utility homepages around the US and the world, many of which contain Water Quality Analysis Reports that are useful to all-grain brewers.

    Brewing Suppliers - (just a few of the many)

      • Freshops
        Dave Wills shop is a great source for fresh hops and hop rhizomes.
      • Hopunion USA Inc.
        Hopunion is a heavyweight in the world of hops. They sell to major breweries around the world.
      • Lallemand
        The world's largest supplier of dried yeast.
      • Wyeast Labs, Inc.
        The other biggest supplier of liquid yeast cultures to home and microbrewers.
      • White Labs, Inc.
        The other biggest supplier of liquid yeast cultures home and microbrewers
      • Briess Malting Company Home Page
        A premiere malting company in Chilton, Wisconsin.
      • Cargill Malts - Specialty Products
        A premiere malting company in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
      • Five Star Chemicals Inc.
        Five Star is the maker of PBW and Starsan, cleaning and sanitation products especially for brewing.
      • Listermann Mfg. Co.
        Home of Phil's Phalse Bottom, the Phil Mill, and lots of other useful homebrewing equipment.
      • Zymico
        Supplier of useful mashtun devices, including cooler conversion kits, bulkhead fittings and lautering screens.
      • Fermentap
        Supplier of advanced homebrewing equipment, including mash/lauter tuns, boiling kettles, and brewing stands.

    Brewing Organizations