If you’re passionate about craft beer and full-bodied wine, but are on the fence about making your own, consider this. Today, homebrewers and winemakers are giving many professional brewers and wineries a run for their money. Thanks to quality ingredients, you can actually make healthier and tastier versions of your favorite beers and wines at home.
1. Create higher quality, better tasting beer and wine
A beer or wine is only as good as the quality of its ingredients. Unfortunately, with commercial brew and wine, you may not always be consuming the best ingredients. Not to mention the taste — watery and bland. Making your own batches of beer or wine at home means you can use high-quality ingredients and techniques that are on par with — or even better than — the best microbreweries and wineries.
Access to superior ingredients is easy to obtain these days. In addition, home equipment has become more advanced, making the process that much better and faster. There are several wine making products on the market that make the process as simple as following a few directions. And, some homemade wines actually taste better than their pricey, high-quality counterparts. With information so readily available, you can find loads of high-quality recipes online. Meanwhile, some brewers even publish recipes of their leading beers.
2. Fewer hangovers with home brews
Whether your drinking homebrew, craft brew or a big commercial brand, sometimes a hangover is inevitable. However, many homebrewers find that they experience fewer hangovers from their own concoctions. Here’s why: Home brews contain a large quantity of yeast and vitamin B. Vitamin B reduces the effects of a hangover naturally. A commercial beer, on the other hand, is filtered and pasteurized. Both processes remove the vitamin B from the beer, leading to more hangovers.
But what else causes those hangovers? Fusel alcohols, or higher alcohols as they are called, are often responsible for the hangover blues. However, by keeping the fermentation temperature under control, you can limit fusel alcohol production and at least some of the headache that comes with it. In addition, reducing fusel alcohols have the added benefit of reducing solvent-like, off-flavors in your beer.
3. Make healthier, organic beer and wine
One of the best reasons for making your own wine and beer is your ability to choose clean, organic ingredients. Simply put, organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and sewage sludge. In addition, there’s no genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or ionizing radiation. In fact, organic brewers believe that healthier, organic ingredients lead to better fermentation. Better fermentation means better-tasting beer.
It’s thought that organic beer also tastes fresher and bolder. And let’s face it — going organic is just better for the environment. Studies show that organic farming reduces erosion and ground-water pollution. It also significantly lessens the impact on wildlife. A study conducted by Cornell University estimated that at least 67 million birds die each year from pesticides sprayed on U.S. fields.
Even beyond using organic ingredients, making your own beer and wine allows you to add less sugar, making your beverages healthier. And then there are sulfites. Sulfites are used mainly as a preservative in wine. How do the sulfite levels compare between homemade wine and commercial wines? Commercial wines require a higher concentration of sulfites to help the wine endure commercial distribution and aging. Home winemaking kits often contain far fewer sulfites to commercial wines. That means that anyone sensitive to sulfites — those who experience headaches and hangovers — can enjoy a healthier glass of homemade wine.
4. Reduce stress
Home brewing and winemaking are both relaxing and enjoyable. In fact, taking the time out of your hectic day for a new hobby is a healthy way to reduce stress. Research shows that hobbies are just as important to good health as exercise, thanks to their ability to relieve stress. Because you’re focusing on a completely unrelated activity, like home brewing or winemaking, your mind breaks from anxiety and tension. Â
5. Make new friends
Home brewers and winemakers from around the world love to share their ideas, stories and recipes with other like-minded people. There are countless blogs and forums available to chat with others about the art of making homemade wine and beer. Additionally, you can look for wine and beer making events to up your social game. Look for courses and seminars in your community. Â
With the craft beers and wines becoming exceedingly popular, people from all over the U.S. are jumping on the wagon. Whether it’s for health, hobby or to expand your social scene, making your own wine and beer has never been easier. Cheers!
— Katherine Marko
