Beat the credit crunch - make your own beer

Believe the headlines and you might think we’ll all be tucking into jam and herrings this Christmas rather than a juicy bird with all the trimmings.

That’s an exaggeration but with belts tightening you may be tempted to think about crossing the booze, or that Christmas drink, off your festive shopping list.

Help may be at hand however with home-brewing, which isn’t as complicated as it sounds – but is cheap.

And with the fine heritage of Herefordshire and Worcestershire as counties famed for brewing beers, and making wines, ciders and perries – it’s practically in the blood.

But while breweries such as Teme Valley and Wye Valley have continued the commercial tradition with their real ale sales steadily rising, more recently home brewing was “dying a slow-death” according to Worcester CAMRA spokesman Bill Ottaway.

However, it may be refreshing to hear the process has never been easier and is now growing ever more popular.

A recent survey by home brew kit maker Muntons found an estimated 60,000 across the UK were fermenting at home, with a 12 per cent rise in sales of its kits this year.

Brewer Chris Gooch, of Teme Valley Brewey, Knightwick, is not surprised by its popularity.

“It never really went away, especially in places like the West Midlands and Black Country where there are big home brewing shops,”

he said.

“It may have declined a bit but if you look on the internet I’m willing to bet it’s as booming as ever.”

Mr Ottaway, who is co-organiser of the hugely popular annual Worcester CAMRA Beer Festival, said it was fairly straightforward to brew your own ales.

“At one level you can buy a kit which will make about 10 pints.

“Add your malt, your yeast and your water to a container and let it bubble away before locking it away for a couple of weeks,” he said.

“On another level you can just buy a bag with it already mixed, add water, and then leave it a few days.

“If you want to do it properly you source all the ingredients yourself.”

More beer fans than ever are now making their own ale, something which has not gone unnoticed by Chris Hogg, who runs the Hamstead Brewing Centre, in Great Barr, Birmingham.

“People always brew more for Christmas and special events, but we’re getting a lot of beginners looking to start up in general,” he explained.

"Now with the credit crunch and finances tighter, people are looking to save money.”

Mr Gooch, who dipped his toe in home brewing as a university student 25 years ago, said buying a kit with hops, yeast, malt and water would not necessarily turn an amateur into a master brewer over night.

He explained: “The home brew beers tend to suffer from being a bit middle of the road, but home brew shops can sell you hops so you can develop your own flavour over time.”

There are several kits on the market, including Muntons Brewzer MicroBrewery, an all-in-one package which promises 10 pints of beer or lager in two weeks.

Everything comes hygienically sealed in the box and all you need to do is pour in the bottle of malt powder, water, a sachet of yeast, then screw on the lid and within two weeks your brew is ready to drink.

Refill kits are £15, which includes all you’ll need to make three batches, which is 30 pints for less than you might spend on a round down the pub.

For a 40-pint starter kit, including fermenting bin, pressure barrel, hydrometer, plastic tubing and beer kit, the cost is about £75, with the beer costing about 35p per pint.

Mr Ottaway added: “You don’t need a lot of space to do it – your fermenting bin is probably as wide as a dustbin.”

He said producing your own fruit wines offered a popular alternative to beer brewing with quicker results.

“Add your fruit to water and boil it, then add a bit of sugar if you think it needs it, put your yeast in and seal it all in an airtight container called a demijohn and bottle it.

“I made some blackberry wine and it was drinkable if not saleable.”