Home brewing is not limited to making alcoholic beverages in giant stills in the woods. According to the American Homebrewers Association, as of July 1, 2013 homebrewing is legal in every state. Today people use the fermentation techniques often associated with making adult beverages to create other products like cheese and kombucha. Here are three homebrewing supply stores that you may want to visit if creating your own fermented items is a part of your Austin culinary arts school agenda:
Austin Homebrew Supply
This North Austin brew supply company at 9129 Metric Boulevard has been in operation since 1991. The employees have more than 300 years of combined wine and brew making experience. Stop here to get beer ingredients like sugar and hops, wine kits, cheese making equipment, sanitizing and cleaning solutions for your brewing gear and more. Austin Homebrew Supply offers plenty of literature on brewing, from recipe books about cheese making to advice for soda-making and more. Although the it has been around since 1991, the company is still young and hip. It even represents yeast on its website with a little Pac-man like critter eating a ball. The store carries dry and liquid yeast as well as yeast fuels and nutrients. If you’re brand new to brewing, ask an employee to tell you the basics and help you find the equipment and ingredients that you will need to get started. More seasoned brewers can browse the aisles marveling at the selection or heading straight for their needed supplies. Check their website for their hours as they occasionally change.
SoCo Home Brew
Located at 4930 South Congress Avenue, this supply stores carries everything you need for fermenting and home brewing. SoCo Home Brew opened on Aug. 13, 2014 and is co-owned by two friends who felt South Austin needed a brewing supply company. The space holds beer tastings and demonstrations to talk with the local community about the importance of fresh ingredients and quality brewing supplies. If you enjoy the nitty gritty of brewing you’ll love the grain room where you can sink your hands into bins full of rye, barley oats and other grains. Each bin is labeled with the maltster of each grain and other details like the origin and flavor characteristics. SoCo also has ingredients and tools for making cheese, wine and the probiotic-rich drink kombucha. The store is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closed Monday and Tuesday.
