Home brewing hits more spots

Beer aficionados seeking a cheaper option in a world filled with boutique and imported beers are turning to home brewing to create their own ales, according to the owner of Bunbury’s Big Al’s Brew Shed.

Helen Jackson took over the business last year and after opening her doors in January has seen an increase in people looking for brewing options away from traditional bottle shops.

She says tough economic times and constant increases to the price of alcohol, including the Federal Government pocketing an extra $3 billion from beer sales, are making home brewing more attractive.

With a start-up brewing set costing less than $100, beer lovers can produce a typical brew of 2½ cartons of beer for less than the price of a bottleshop carton.

‘‘A lot of it starts out financially but once they get into it some guys really get very serious about brewing,’’ Ms Jackson said.

Home brewing set-ups are also becoming more advanced, according to Ms Jackson who offers fresh, imported hops as well as boutique grains at her Sandridge Road store allowing home brewers to imitate some of the world’s more famous brews for a fraction of the price.

Ms Jackson’s operation also offers its own brews of popular beers to customers with a $150 keg producing about 5½ cartons of amber fluid.

She said this option was being taken up more and more by FIFO workers who were traditionally a big part of the home-brewing market.

‘‘Fly-in fly-out is cutting a lot of blokes’ time down so they’re coming in and getting their brews done here which makes it a lot easier for them,’’ she said.