So you’ve already made a couple of batches of homemade beer and you’re pretty pleased with the results so far. You may feel that you’re ready to take things to the next level by trying out some new recipes and experimenting with different varieties of beer. Whether you’re ready to branch out and create some new flavors or you’d just like to try your hand at refining what you’ve already been able to make, then there are some additional supplies you may want to add to your beer brewing kit. There are many different types of equipment and ingredients which you could choose to make a part of your home brewing process and of course, you don’t have to rush out and pick them all up at once. However, as you learn more about the art of brewing and feel more comfortable with advanced brewing techniques, you’ll probably want to give some of the following items a try along the way. Even if you’ve only brewed one batch so far, some of these supplies may be the perfect addition to your beer brewing kit and make your next batch a little easier and give you a bit more control over the brewing process and of course, the finished beer.

Thermometers

It’s always a good idea to monitor the temperature at which you are fermenting your beer. Yeast is very sensitive to temperature; it won’t ferment adequately in temperatures which are too cool or too warm so keep an eye on the temperature with a thermometer. Advanced brewers may also want to monitor the temperature of their brew during the fermenting process so that they can make small adjustments as the conditions warrant.

Carbonation Drops

One of the things which tends to frustrate a lot of home brewers, including novices and experienced brewers alike is the time it takes to bottle their beer using the traditional priming sugar method. Sure, it’s something which brewers have been doing for as long as beer has been bottled; but it’s not something which you necessarily need to. Carbonation drops can be added to each bottle before filling, where they ensure that each bottle of your homebrew is properly carbonated – all without the cooking your priming sugar mixture, the slow filling of your bottling bucket and everything else which brewers find to be dull about bottling time. Of course, all that work is worth it, as you’ll agree once you finally pop the cap on one of those bottles, but if you’d rather skip it, then these are something you may want to try using next time.

Irish Moss

If you’re unhappy with hazy beer, then you can use a fining agent to clear your brew and give it a more attractive look (and according to some beer lovers, improved texture as well). Irish moss (actually a type of seaweed) is an especially good fining agent which contains no animal ingredients and can allow you to see your beer more clearly, so to speak.