Most people in the US are no strangers to the idea of homebrewing. The term already explains itself. Want to start homebrewing? You gotta look for homebrew shops to fetch the supplies you need.
This is practiced in all the states today and enjoyed culturally worldwide. Brewing is basically the process of making something by soaking, boiling, and fermentation. Homebrewing may be done to make various forms of wine (like mead, strawberry wine, clover wine, rice wine), cider, kombucha (fermented tea), even cheese and pickles. It cannot be argued, however, that one of the most common forms or end-product of homebrewing is beer.
The History of Homebrewing
The home brewed beer’s history dates back to the millennium BC. Homebrewing is an ancient practice of producing beverage. It was mainly done at home until the medieval times when pubs and monasteries began producing for local trade. Workers were then paid in beer.
In the US, Prohibition that began on January 16, 1920 had breweries closed down. Some used malt for purposes other than brewing
“Legal and illegal home brewing was popular during Prohibition. Some commercial wine was still produced in the U.S., but was only available through government warehouses for use in religious ceremonies, mainly for communion. ‘Malt and hop’ stores popped up across the country and some former breweries turned to selling malt extract syrup, ostensibly for baking and ‘beverage’ purposes. Limited amounts of wine and hard cider were permitted to be made at home, however the alcohol content was limited to one half of one percent.” (1920-30.com)
It was in 1978 when Congress passed a bill repealing Federal restrictions and excise taxes. President Jimmy Carter signed the bill, H.R. 1337, into law and it finally allowed homebrewing of beer with an alcohol content higher than 0.5%. The bill federally legalized homebrewing but only “for personal or family use, and not for sale”. This bill sparked the craft beer revolution.
At present, homebrewing is done on a small scale for personal, non-commercial purposes. It is legalized in both federal and state levels. All the states now allow homebrewing although the 21st Amendment predominantly leaves regulation of alcohol to the individual states.
“Some states have very specific laws that outline exactly what can and cannot be done with homebrew, while others are vague. Some states limit consumption of homebrew solely to the residence where it was brewed, while others allow for transportation of homebrew to events such as competitions and club meetings.” (American Homebrewers Association)
How to Find Homebrew Shops
Need to find homebrew shops? It’s not really hard to find them in most states. Since homebrewing is legalized, there is, at least, one shop that is hopefully nearby. Or go online. Do a search and check out the results.
There are shops that only cater to local homebrewers, and there are others that can cater anywhere. Some of these are the following top shops:
“We decided that our focus is on serving local Homebrewers rather than customers outside of our area. Instead of a full service webstore, this provides a list of products, brands, resources and helpful information.”
They specialize in providing supplies for making beer, wine, cider, mead, and soda. They have equipment for kegging and bottling as well. And, guess what, keg repairs and upgrades are also offered.
Contact 883 Parfet St., Unit J, Lakewood, CO 80215-5548 / kegs@tomsbrewshop.com / 303.232.5347
Boston Homebrew Supply
Finding Homebrew Shops in the US
“All of our 50+ varieties of hops are packaged in nitrogen flushed 1oz bags by the manufacturer. We also have a huge variety of dry and fresh liquid yeasts to brew any style imaginable. And you can be sure we carry whatever else might be on your shopping list.”
They offer all the ingredients and supplies, even consultation, to brew excellent beer at home. There is a swap program for 5lb. CO2 tanks. Also, they have expanded and now offer Wine Expert wine kits.
“While our continuing involvement in the winemaking trade sets us apart from other brew shops, we spend most of our time in non-vintage months concentrating on brewing.”
They offer supplies for making beer, wine, cheese, vinegar, soda, water purification, (a.k.a. distilling), essential oils, and Kombucha.
“We’ve been fostering the homebrew and craft beer brewing community in the Philadelphia region and beyond for almost 30 years! We are home to George Hummel, award winning homebrewer and Mid-Atlantic Brewing News columnist.”
They offer a ton of beer and wine making supplies. Theirs is a large selection of malts, yeasts, grains, hops, specialty sugars, and more.
“3 Stars has released over 40 different distinctive beers…and have received multiple awards for their achievements. They have been named DC’s Best Local Brewery two years running by Washington City Paper, and were named Rising Stars in 2014 by Star Chefs Magazine.”
3 Stars have a large selection of grain, malt extract, hops, and yeast as well as various adjuncts, spices, and additives to craft any style of beer. They also offer/stock the following:
multiple equipment kit options and recipe kits for beginners
brewing, fermentation, bottling, and kegging equipment
a swap program for both 5lb. and 10lb. CO2 tanks
Contact 6400 Chillum Place NW, Washington, DC 20012 / info@3starsbrewing.com (general inquiries) / homebrewshop@3starsbrewing.com (shop) / 202.670.0333
These are just some of the best shops that come up when searching for homebrew shops. To better focus per location, try out homebrew directories and available lists at homebrewer member sites. For instance,…
When searching for homebrew shops, always make sure they are associated with reputable groups, especially the American Homebrewers Association and the Brewers Association. This ensures that they are legit and can be trusted to provide the proper supplies.
Meanwhile, with great beer comes great responsibility. Keep high-quality beer fresh and stored well in quality kegerators! Find an apparatus that can better provide the need best. One supplier option is KegFridge.com. Keg Fridge has a variety of designs and sizes to choose from. With a little help from the buyer, a Keg Fridge kegerator can pretty much preserve beer as long as possible.
What is the best homebrew shop you have personally encountered? Share with us! Or contact any of the lists and directories. Let us know what Youthink.
