Is it legal?
Yes homebrewing is legal in all states except for a handful. Contact
the American Homebrewers Association at (303) 447-0816 for the most
current status.
Is it safe?
Yes. The alcohol and chemical composition keeps it safe for you
to drink. In fact, historians tell is that alcoholic beverage production
was crucial to peoples' survival. In many places, potable water
was not easy to come by so fermented beverages were safer to drink
than water.
Is it strong?
Not necessarily. You can make it of any strength (limited only by
your yeast's endurance), but most homebrew is in the same range
as commercially available beverages.
Is it expensive?
No. Homebrew costs much less than its commercially available counterparts.
It costs between one-half and one-quarter of what you might pay
for a commercial version of the style.
How long does it
take?
That depends on the style but a simple ale (the easiest style) will
take about 20 days till it's ready to drink. Most of this time is
spent waiting. The total time that you actually have to work on
the batch is perhaps 7 hours; approximately four hours to brew and
perhaps three more to bottle.
What's Important?
Finally! The most important thing is sanitation. Although there's
nothing that can live these alcohol beverages that is harmful to
you, bacteria and yeast can make it taste bad. Sour flavors, sour
smells or off aromas are the result of sloppy sanitation. Be sure
that everything that comes in contact with your ingredients and
supplies has been sanitized. Follow the procedures for sanitation
outlined in the information that you can obtain from your local
store.