The difference between commercial brewing and home brewing

The difference between commercial brewing and home brewing

For the most part, beer is brewed using the same steps and ingredients. There are some extra steps designed into the commercial brewing process that home brewing does not require, these extra processes and steps are due to the equipment used by commercial breweries and the capacity required to brew beer. Our brewmaster will discuss the difference between commercial brewing and the home brewing process.

1. Different definitions 

Commercial brewing refers to beer or other types of wine brewed by businesses or breweries that practitioners sell to consumers or wholesalers for profit. Homebrewing refers to the small-scale brewing of beer, mead or cider at home, usually as a hobby and not for sale to others.

2. Different capacity 

The brewing process is the same for both commercial and home brewing: the grain is mashed, hops are added, the wort is fermented, the beer is aged, and finally the beer is bottled. The biggest difference is that commercial breweries can produce more beer than home brewers.

3. The equipment is different 

You don't need a lot of equipment and tools when making homebrew, just buy a few sample cans or kegs and start making 1-5 gallons of premium beer. Commercial brewing requires the purchase of large and complex equipment, raw materials and utilities, even for small breweries. In general, a list of supplies to consider when starting a microbrewery: Equipment: Brewhouse equipment (kettles, boilers), vats, cooling systems, bright tanks, fermenters, filters, piping, CIP systems, waste management systems, bottling Or bottling equipment, etc. Supply: hops, malt, yeast, bottles, labels and packaging. Utilities: electricity, steam and water.

4. Commercial brewing restrictions 

Commercial brewing has significant limitations compared to home brewing. Homebrewing can make the beer taste you want, and lose less if it is not brewed well. Commercial beer is brewed in batches to wholesalers, and if it is not brewed properly, losses can run into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Of course, in many breweries, there will be dedicated brewers for small batch brewing, and large batch brewing will only happen after the beer style and taste are suitable.

The above is about the difference between commercial brewing and home brewing. If you want to read more about beer, you can browse our news blog. Welcome to leave a message to discuss!