Fresh Beer Ingredients: Best Places To Buy

Brewing beer at home is a rewarding hobby that allows you to flex your creative muscles and produce unique, delicious beer. The four basic ingredients in beer are malt, hops, yeast, and water. While you may have to source water yourself, there are plenty of online retailers that can supply you with the other three ingredients, as well as additional flavourings, spices, and brewing sugars.

Websites such as MoreBeer, OntarioBeerKegs, MidwestSupplies, NorthernBrewer, and AustralianHomeBrewing stock a wide range of beer ingredients and offer fast shipping. These sites also provide pre-made ingredient kits for beginners, as well as more advanced brewers.

Online stores for fresh beer ingredients

There are several online stores where you can buy fresh beer ingredients. Here are some options:

MoreBeer

MoreBeer offers a huge selection of beer ingredients, including grain, malt extract, yeast, hops, flavourings, spices, and brewing sugars. They have two warehouses in California and Pennsylvania, which means they can ship orders quickly. They also offer free shipping on many orders.

OntarioBeerKegs

OntarioBeerKegs offers fresh grains, hops, yeast, and malts for brewing beer. They check that ingredients are not close to their expiry date before sending out orders and package their grains onsite. They also offer pre-made beer recipe kits.

Adventures in Homebrewing

Adventures in Homebrewing offers a wide range of beer brewing ingredients, including hops, malted grains, malt extract, fermentable sugar, and various adjuncts. They have over 50 varieties of grains sold by the pound, as well as 50-55lb bags of uncrushed grains. They also offer a variety of pellet hops, whole leaf hops, and hop rhizomes.

Northern Brewer

Northern Brewer offers premium ingredients for home brewing, including hops, malts, yeast, adjuncts, additives, spices, oak, sugar, and fruit. Their hops and malts are packed in small batches for freshness. They also offer pre-made beer ingredient kits.

Australian Home Brewing

Australian Home Brewing offers a range of beer brewing ingredients, including hop pellets, carbonation drops, and brew blends.

Local stores for fresh beer ingredients

When it comes to local stores for fresh beer ingredients, there are several options to choose from. Here are some of the top places to find the freshest ingredients for your brew:

MoreBeer

MoreBeer offers a wide selection of beer ingredients, including grain, malt extract, yeast, hops, flavourings, spices, and brewing sugars. They provide fast shipping from their East and West Coast Order Fulfillment Warehouses in California and Pennsylvania. MoreBeer also offers free shipping on many orders and has a variety of pre-made beer ingredient kits available for purchase.

Northern Brewer

Northern Brewer is a well-known supplier of home brew supplies, offering a range of beer recipes and ingredients. They provide expert knowledge and resources for those looking to learn how to make beer at home. Northern Brewer also has a satisfaction guarantee, ensuring customers are happy with their purchases.

OntarioBeerKegs

OntarioBeerKegs.com is a great source for fresh grains, hops, yeast, and malts. They ensure that ingredients are not close to their expiry date before shipping and even package their grains onsite. OntarioBeerKegs offers a variety of sizes, flavours, ingredients, and skill levels for their beer recipe kits, making them a convenient option for both beginners and experienced brewers.

Local Homebrew Shops (LHBS)

Your local homebrew shop can be a valuable resource for fresh beer ingredients. They often offer hands-on assistance and can help solve problems or provide emergency supplies. Supporting your local homebrew shop also contributes to the heart of craft beer culture, as it is the creative epicenter that produces many brewery owners and brewers.

In addition to these options, there are other online stores such as Yakima Valley Hops, Great Fermentations, and Williams Brewing that provide fresh beer ingredients and equipment. When choosing a supplier, it is essential to consider factors such as pricing, shipping costs, and the availability of the specific ingredients you need for your brew.

How to store fresh beer ingredients

When storing fresh beer ingredients, it's important to remember that heat, light, moisture, and oxygen are the four enemies of beer ingredients. Here are some tips on how to store your ingredients to keep them fresh:

Storing Grain

Grain should be stored in a dry environment, as refrigerators and freezers contain a lot of moisture. The ideal temperature range for storing grain is between 50° and 70° F. Grain can be stored in a Tupperware container or a sealed plastic bag in a pantry, basement, or any other cool, dry place. Uncrushed grains can be stored for a year or more under these conditions, while crushed grains will only last for about 2-3 months.

Storing Malt Extract

Dry malt extract should be stored in a cool, dark, and dry area, preferably in an oxygen barrier bag or container. Refrigeration can also help extend its shelf life. Liquid malt extract can be stored in the refrigerator but watch out for mold formation. It can also be stored in cool, dry places, just like grain.

Storing Hops

Hops are best stored in the freezer, especially for long-term storage. They should be kept in an oxygen barrier bag, such as a foil bag or glass jar, to protect them from heat, light, and oxygen. Hops stored in these conditions can last for about a year.

Storing Yeast

Dry yeast has a long shelf life and can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 years. However, refrigeration can extend its life even further. Liquid yeast, on the other hand, has a shorter shelf life and must be stored in the refrigerator. It loses about 20% of its viability each month, so it's best to use it within 4-6 months.

The best types of fresh beer ingredients

Brewing beer is an art that combines science and creativity, where each ingredient interacts with precision to craft the final beverage. While there are four essential ingredients in beer: water, malts, hops, and yeast, the best types of fresh beer ingredients are those that are carefully selected, sourced, and prepared to enhance the beer's flavour, aroma, and overall quality. Here are some of the best types of fresh beer ingredients to consider:

Water

Water is the primary ingredient in beer, comprising about 95% of its composition. However, not all water is the same, and its quality and characteristics can significantly impact the taste and style of the beer. For example, the mineral content of water plays a crucial role in the fermentation process and can affect the beer's flavour and stability. Brewers often choose water with specific mineral profiles to suit the style of beer they are crafting.

Malts

Malts are the backbone of beer's flavour and the main source of its fermentable sugars. The malting process involves soaking barley or other grains in water to germinate, activating enzymes that convert starches into sugars. A variety of malts are available, each contributing unique flavours and aromas. Pale malts offer a light colour and sweet, malty base, while darker malts like roasted and chocolate malts impart deep colours and robust flavours for stouts and porters.

Hops

Hops are the spice of beer, adding bitterness, flavour, and aroma. They are green, cone-shaped flowers that release alpha acids when boiled with the wort, creating the beer's characteristic bitter taste. Different hop varieties are suited to different beer styles. For instance, Cascade hops with their grapefruit and floral notes are popular in American pale ales and IPAs, while Noble hops like Saaz are favoured for their delicate bitterness and aromatic qualities in Czech Pilsners.

Yeast

Yeast is a microscopic powerhouse in brewing, responsible for fermenting sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. There are two primary types of yeast: ale yeast and lager yeast. Ale yeasts thrive at warmer temperatures and contribute fruity and spicy notes to ales, stouts, and porters. Lager yeasts, on the other hand, prefer cooler conditions and produce crisp, clean-tasting lagers and pilsners, allowing the flavours of malts and hops to shine through.

Adjuncts and Additives

While not essential, adjuncts and additives can be used to enhance the flavour and character of beer. These can include fruits, spices, grains, sugars, and even unconventional ingredients like oysters or seaweed. Brewers use these carefully selected ingredients to experiment and introduce novel flavours to their creations.

The importance of fresh beer ingredients

The importance of using fresh beer ingredients cannot be overstated. The quality of the ingredients used in brewing beer is vital to the final product, and this is true for home brewers and commercial brewers alike. Using fresh, high-quality ingredients ensures a smooth brewing process and a beer that is rich in flavour, perfectly balanced, and, most importantly, consistently delicious.

Malted Grains

Malted grains provide the sugary backbone of beer. They are broken down into fermentable sugars, which the yeast then feeds on to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. Quality malt ensures a smooth and stable brewing process, resulting in a beer that remains consistent from batch to batch. The quality of the malt also dictates its enzymatic activity, which is vital in breaking down starches. A high-quality malt has the right proportions of enzymes, ensuring optimal conversion and a successful fermentation process.

Hops

Hops are the flowers of the hop plant, Humulus lupulus, and they add bitterness, flavour, and aroma to beer. They are rich in essential oils and resins, which are responsible for the iconic hop aroma and flavour in beer. The freshness of the hops is important, as fresher hops will retain more of these essential oils. Hops also contain alpha acids, which contribute to the bitterness of the beer, creating a balance with the sweetness of the malt.

Yeast

Yeast is the magic ingredient that transforms sweet wort into beer, creating alcohol and carbon dioxide in the process. It is a microscopic single-celled organism that feeds on the sugars present in the grain. There are two main types of yeast: ale yeast, which ferments at the top of the fermentation vessel at a higher temperature, and lager yeast, which ferments at the bottom of the vessel at a lower temperature. The quality of the yeast determines its health, which is paramount to achieving successful fermentation.

Water

Water may seem like a basic ingredient, but it is the most prominent ingredient in beer by volume, typically making up more than 90% of it. The quality and composition of the water used in brewing can dramatically alter the taste and character of the beer. Water from different regions contains varying concentrations of minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfates, chlorides, and carbonates, which can directly impact the flavour profile of the brew.

The four main ingredients of beer – malted grains, hops, yeast, and water – each play an influential role in the final character of the beer. Using fresh, high-quality ingredients is essential to ensuring a smooth brewing process and a delicious, well-balanced beer.

Frequently asked questions