If the beer's too dear, BIY (brew it yourself)

Home brewing is growing in popularity and businesses are struggling to keep up with the demand for the equipment.

The Hamstead Brewery in Great Barr has just stocked up 1,000 starter kits that it expects to sell in the coming weeks, while the Bilston Home Brew store has seen a 20 per cent sales increase year on year.

Bosses say more people are enjoying being part of the brewing process, and the sense of satisfaction that comes from supping a beer that you have made yourself.

It is also getting cheaper - with £66 worth of supplies producing the equivalent of about 40 pints.

Manager Chris Hogg said: "Customers start off looking for value, and the cheapest good quality beer they can get.

"With pubs closing, people are finding it is harder to get proper beer and the price is going up, so more people are now starting to brew their own.

"Most of the beers we sell here are made to real ale standards, so this is not just a cheap, mass-produced drink.

"In life in general, I think the cheap stuff has got cheaper while the quality stuff has got more expensive, and people are now looking for a way to get in between the two."

Mr Hogg comes up with a recipe for the beer, and the basic ingredients are then assembled in America, so customers are left with a simple process that can be done in a day.

It mainly involves adding hot water, and then gradually adding a malt extract and hops, depending on the pack being used.

A starter pack includes a 30-litre 'fermentation bin', where the ingredients are mixed and then left to stand for two weeks.

It is also equipped with a thermometer, to ensure it does not get too cold, a mixing paddle, 40 glass bottles and equipment to fit the caps.

Mr Hogg added: "It is really simple to do now - the products have got easier to use and much better over the years."

Hamstead Brewery now focuses on home brewing kits, after stopping production at the site due to rocketing costs.

Bilston Home Brew, a small shop based in the high street, was set up by former cosmetics salesman Terry Price 10 years ago. And business is now booming as more people take up the hobby.

He said: "It has become much easier to brew at home as long as you follow the instructions, and it is so expensive to go out now that people are looking for an alternative."

The home brewing industry is now worth around £25m million nationally, with the online firm Brew UK expanding by 30 per cent year on year.

Homebrew manufacturers Muntons are selling more than 500,000 kits a year - double the amount they shifted in 2007.