Homebrewing is one of the coolest hobbies for sure. Whether brewing for pleasure or not, the most important thing for having a successful journey is to stick with the right kit and supplies. Without them, your success will be set at a minimum, just like making a meal for the family without the needed ingredients.
You can improvise as much as you want, but if you don’t have the basic and essential ingredients, everything will go in vain. By having the right tools and supplies, you will be able to create something resembling your favourite beer, and every next attempt will be more successful than the previous one.
Learning to brew your very own beer will help you appreciate every sip you take, and you will feel even prouder if approved by your closest people. Whether you want to create IPA or APA, there really isn’t any difference when it comes to the needed beer kit IPA and APA tools. What you should understand though, is the kind of beer you want to make.
What Beer Is an IPA?
IPA stands for India Pale Ale known for its high hop content which makes the beer bitter. But besides this, the truth is that this beer is super delicious and is an all-time favourite by many. It also contains a higher ABV (alcohol by volume) of around 6%. This beer got its name while travelling to India from the British Empire.
In the 1700s, the British Empire discovered that its Pale Ale couldn’t get to India because the long journey and warm climate compromised the beer’s state. Knowing this, brewers started increasing the alcohol content by adding more hops, and upon its arrival to India, the beer had a pale yellow colour and higher alcohol content. This type of beer was adored by many and it became extremely popular.
Making an IPA
In order to make a tasty IPA, you’ll need a good beer kit and IPA supplies. First things first, your beer kit IPA essentials should consist of the needed supplies, and the first on the list is the right IPA grain. You can choose from the all-grain versions or you can make your very own mixture and choose from the large selection of Australian, hazy IPA and more.
The type of grain you choose to use depends on how alcoholic and bitter you want your beer to taste. It is also important to have the right beer-making yeast, glass fermentation jug, thermometer racking cane, tubing and tubing clamp, airlock, screw-cap stopper and sanitisers. When it comes to making your own IPA, you can either create your own kit by buying separately all of the needed supplies, or you can buy a ready-made IPA home brew kit that consists of everything you need for making one.
Quite often, beginners prefer the use of ready-made kits because they provide them with the most essential brewing equipment and ingredients of the highest quality. In other words, these kits make everything super easy even if you are just a beginner. Keep in mind that these kits come from different manufacturers which explains their different names and content. Knowing this will help you understand the importance of carefully going over the many kits and choosing the one that will best meet your needs.
Once you have the kit, go over its instructions of use and make sure to follow them to be successful in brewing your very first beer. Even though your first attempt isn’t like what you have expected, be sure that with every next one, you will become better. Plus, making new beer will also help you experiment with different kits which is great for helping you find the one that makes the best beer ever.
Taste and Alcohol Content
As you already know, this beer is a bit bitter but tasty for sure. It has medium-rising bubbles and it is almost clear when looking at it. The flavour of this beer differs mainly because of the hops and brewing procedure, which means that you really shouldn’t worry about your IPAs tasting differently.
Even though the average alcohol percentage of this beer is around 6%, its said that even IPAs with 5% and 20% alcohol by volume can taste good. Just keep in mind that the higher the alcohol content, the bitter the beer. It’s also quite substantial as opposed to the crisp and refreshing lagers.
What is an APA?
Well, APA stands for American Pale Ale and it is one of the most popular types of beer in the USA. Unlike IPA, APA is a maltier and medium-bodied beer with a bit of a caramel taste in its body. Drinking this beer will help you reveal notes of pine, flowers, and different kinds of fruit which makes it perfect for those of you who are just getting used to drinking beer. Knowing this means that APA is lighter than IPA, and is more aromatic and flavourful.
Making an APA
The truth is that making APA is the same as making IPA with the main difference in the types of hops you use. Everything else stays the same, even the types of supplies like tubing, clamps, glassware and sanitation supplies. Same as with the IPA, you can find ready-made kits to go through the process easier.
Alcohol Content and Tasting Notes
As you can assume by now, this beer is light and pleasant to drink, perfect for beginners. Its alcohol content by volume can vary from 4,5 to 6,2 % with the average content being about 5%.