Homebrew+Equipment

Home Brewing Equipment Submitted by: Ivan Spires

Sanitation Sanitation is essential for the homebrewer. Any foreign matter has the potential to negatively effect the brewing or fermentation of the wort or must. To that end some of the following equipment may be utilized for sterilizing the brewing equipment.
 * Chlorine Bleach - Comes in many different forms, powder and common liquid are the most common.
 * Dishwasher - A simple solution that is quite effective for cleaning out you bottles prior to bottling.
 * Drying Racks - Allow the bottles and carboys to dry while inverted to keep out any particles in the air.

Brewing Brewing equipment varies with the type of drink. For wines and cider you may need a press for the fruits. You may skip that step and use juices instead then you'll need a kettle to mix the liquid ingredients. Here are some common items that you'll find in the brewer's kitchen.
 * Kettle - Is used to mix the liquid ingredients together prior to being placed into the fermenter.
 * Spoon - You'll need to mix your wort or must together while heating it.
 * Miscellaneous - You'll probably need a variety of other tools to prepare your concoction for brewing.

Fermenting Fermenting is the process of aging the drink. Its not often exciting but, it is necessary to the process. Fermentation can be carried out in a number of different vessels. Racking Racking is the procedure that takes the aged must, now wine or beer, and transfers it to a new, clean carboy. Bottling Bottling will probably include components from several different stages of the brewing process already described.
 * Carboy - A glass or plastic jug similar to those on water coolers.
 * Conical Fermenter - A food-grade stainless steel vessel that has a conical base. It allows you to remove dead yeast from the must without racking the drink.
 * Airlock - Allows the carbon dioxide generated to escape the carboy without lettin in any foreign particles.
 * Hose - The most basic component of the racking process. Racking can be done with only this item.
 * Racking Cane - Is inserted to the full fermenter to draw out the must. The hose is usually connected to this part.
 * Auto-Siphon - Is a racking cane with a pump built into it. Two pumps on this device will prime and start the siphoning process.
 * Filter - Can be as simple or as complicated as you want. Simple cheesecloth or a filtering system can be used.
 * Bottles - Obviously you have to put your drink into something. Bottles can be the standard beer bottle, a wine bottle or a 1 gallon 'growler'.
 * Corks/Caps - The appropriate lid for your bottle. Different styles are available.
 * Filling Valve - This valve is usually attached to a solid tube that is attached to a siphon hose. Placing the tube into the bottle and pressing it to the bottom of the bottle will open the valve.

These are only a small collection of tools and equipment that you may encounter as a brewer. There are many variations of these items and many different sources.