Why go all through all this?
First, there is great satisfaction in enjoying the fruits of one’s labor whatever it may be, and a well-made beer is indeed a thing to be proud of. With the great ingredients available, homemade beer can be the equal of any brew on the planet, so the opportunities for success are plentiful, unlike, say, golf. I also believe that brewing is an important path to understanding beer. Great beer is all about the process and the choices made, and going through them actually sensitizes you amount various flavor, aroma and texture elements that make up a beer. It’s the equivalent to touring wine country, where soil, climate and geography determine much of a wine’s character.
And once you start brewing, you become part of the community of homebrewers, as passionate and collegial bunch as I have ever had the pleasure of sharing beer with.
Once you have a batch of beer (literally) under your belt, you will have few answers and a lot more questions. Read, taste, listen and grow. You will be rewarded with mightily good beer.
