Why buy when you can D.I.Y.? There’s something so satisfying about being able to do or create something for yourself. You get to learn a new skill, and make something that has your best interests and style in mind.
Maybe you’re looking for a new hobby, or maybe you’ve already been curious about making your own beer (and other beverages) at home. Either way, the library has books available for anyone looking to learn how to craft their own beer, soda, cider, or even kombucha:
True Brews: How to Craft Fermented Cider, Beer, Wine, Sake, Soda, Kefir, and Kombucha at Home by Emma Christensen – A home brewing guide for alcoholic and non-alcoholic fermented drinks outlines a basic technique for all beverages and does not require special equipment, providing recipes ranging from Green Tea Kombucha and Pear Cider to Root Beer and Blueberry-Lavender Mead.
Cider, Hard & Sweet: History, Traditions, and Making Your Own by Ben Watson – An updated and expanded guide for cider enthusiasts traces the drink’s history through the stories of producers throughout the world, outlines cider-making basics for beginners and intermediates, shares additional recipes, and includes a new chapter on the recent popularity of perry cider.
The Complete Joy of Home Brewing by Charlie Papazian – An updated edition of the classic guide to home brewing provides a treasury of favorite recipes, advice, and lore provides for beginning through advanced homebrewers, explaining how to make all different types of beer, including stouts, ales, lagers, bitters, meads, and specialty beers, along with a history of beer, brewing science, and easy-to-follow instructions.
Mastering Homebrew: The Complete Guide to Brewing Delicious Beer by Randy Mosher – Illustrated with charts and diagrams, introduces steps and techniques for homebrewing beer, covering all elements of the process from selecting ingredients and creating custom flavors to bottling, tasting, and serving.
Homemade Root Beer, Soda, & Pop by Stephen Cresswell – Discusses the history of root beers and the equipment needed to make them, and includes recipes for sarsaparilla, birch beer, ginger beer, cherry vanilla soda, and cream soda.
Homebrew Beyond the Basics: All-Grain Brewing and Other Next Steps by Mike Karnowski – Provides information and instructions on all-grain brewing, including how to make Irish stout, Belgian blonde ale, and new American pilsner.