This article is sponsored by Thumbpint, a custom glassware company for craft beer fans.
I think almost everyone in the beer world — from the best brewers to the humble craft beer magazine editors — have tried their hand at homebrewing. My first experience was in a college dorm room. Somehow, the final product wasn’t half bad! I never really caught the bug, but maybe that’s because I wasn’t using the right gear. Certainly, if I had some of the equipment on this list of best gear for advanced homebrewers, I might’ve stayed more involved.
While there are some really great starter sets available (check out some of our favorites from Brooklyn Brew Shop), the beginning brewer more than likely has a lot of the necessary equipment in his or her own kitchen. But for the advanced practitioners? That requires a higher degree of specialization.
The Best Gear For Advanced Homebrewers
Kitchen Brewing
By: Jakob Nielsen & Mikael Zetterberg
Kitchen Brewing is the perfect gift for any homebrewer. Authors Jakob Nielsen and Mikael Zetterberg, founders of The Small Kitchen Brewery, insist that “everyone can brew,” starting with a few household items and a little bit of patience. The book includes seasonal recipes and is full of gorgeous photography that would make anyone want to brew.
For other incredible books (brewing and otherwise), check out our list of best beer books.
Smart Weigh Pocket Sized Digital Scale
If you’re using dry yeast, or need to know the weight of hop additions during the boil, a digital scale is a must-have. These are two components of the brew day you don’t want to be guessing.
Buy: $9
Coldbreak Wort Chiller
While an ice bath can be an effective way to get the temperature of your beer down after a boil, it can be time consuming. Being able to rapidly chill your beer following the boil deters risks of contamination, and lower your levels of dimethyl sulfide, also known as DMS, an off-flavor that can smell and taste like creamed corn. A wort chiller is an easy tool that attaches to your sink or hose, and allows you to drastically cut down the time needed to get your beer down to room temperature.
Ss Brewtech Brew Bucket
Sturdy, reliable, and durable, The Brew Bucket is the brainchild of homebrewers frustrated with the dearth of affordable brewing options on the market. As Ss Brewtech’s first product, this high-quality stainless steel fermenter uses a signature conical base to encourage the easy runoff of yeast. With 7-gallons of ample space, this product should be a fixture in any homebrewing garage or basement.
Thumbpint Custom Beer Glass
Once you’ve brewed your beer, you’re going to want some proper glassware to display your creation. Sure you can sip your fresh stout out of whatever glass is lying around in your cabinet, or you can upgrade with a customized beer glass. Thumbpint offers affordable and customizable beer bottles and glasses. It’s a small detail that adds a lot to the homebrewing experience. Get a few glasses for yourself or gift a custom beer bottle to your homebrew-obsessed friends.
300 Micron Filter Stainless Steel Mesh Cornelius Keg Dry Hopper
Consider this the stocking stuffer for your homebrewing SO or friend. Dry hopped beers have covered the nation like – dare we say – hop vines on a trellis. From Double Dry Hopped IPAs to even Dry Hopped Sour Ales, beers using this technique have popped up everywhere, including on homebrewers radars. The 300 Micron Steel Mesh basket makes dry hopping a breeze. Composed of stainless steel for easy sanitation and extremely fine holes to keep beer clean, this dry hopper will put your brews ahead of the trend.
Homebrew World: Discover the Secrets of the World’s Leading Homebrewers
By: Joshua M. Bernstein
And if you’re looking for something for the seasoned homebrewer, get them Joshua Bernstein’s latest book. Homebrew World includes conversations with some of the best homebrewers in the world, offering tips and tricks for taking a once-in-awhile hobby to a potential side hustle.
BEERMKR
Having crushed its Kickstarter goal by over $150,000, the BEERMKR all-in-one craft brewing machine is gearing up to hit production. Continuing on the trend of automated home brewing, the sleek machine delivers over a gallon of beer in as little as a week. Simply insert your ingredients, connect the brew pouch, and add water. After you pitch your yeast, you can monitor the beer on your phone, and the machine will adjust the temperature depending on your strain.
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