It used to be the cheap way of drinking beer.

Brew your own at home and pints would cost pennies, no matter the drink tasted less than savoury.

But these days home brewing has become a serious hobby, no longer the domain of bearded husbands looking for cheap beer.

Women and men of all ages and from a diverse background are turning to home brews to create beer, and wine, that is the same, or better in quality, than commerical counterparts.

And it still only costs pennies to create a tasty pint.

“You can make your own brew for 25p a pint,” explains Andy Willis, who runs the Home Brewing Group, in Clacton.

Andy, who also owns the Home Brew Shop business, selling home brewing equipment, kits and ingredients from various outlets across Essex, says: “The most expensive beer, taking into account the ingredients and their quality, would probably cost you about £1 a pint. But to buy you’d pay £3 to £4.

“But whereas in the Seventies and Eighties people brewed their own beer to save money, these days people are brewing beer because they just enjoy doing it. I am so passionate about brewing. I love producing something, creating and experiementing with flavours.

“But I am not a heavy drinker so I give it away to my friends.”

Although Andy produces a range of beers and his partner, Lynda, makes her own wine, the couple are not licensed to sell it commercially.

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Andy would rather pass on his knowledge to members of the Home Brew Group in Clacton, and let his friends enjoy his hobby too.

He says: “The thing with home brews now is not only are they better quality, but they are also stronger.

“You can buy a basic beer kit and add what you want to it in the way of flavours. Inrgedients from around the world are easier to get hold of now than years ago, and because people are not brewing out of necessity, they are willing to buy yeast from New Zealand at £3 a packet to create a quality brew, rather than the cheapest one on the market.”

Andy, 56, says those looking to start home brewing would be better off buying a basic kit first, which would enable them to create a good quality brew first time within three weeks, and then go on to experiment.

“The problem is if you experiment from the start, or decide to brew by soaking, boiling and grinding your own grains, you may not make a good beer and that will put you off. I buy the ready-made kits because it’s quicker and all the preparation has been done for you.”

Suffolk-based Muntons, Europe’s largest manufacturer of home brew kits, saw a marked rise in interest in home brewing in 2008, which was triggered by the recession.

Andy Janes, marketing manager for Muntons, explains: “Although the market has trebled the percentage of people brewing their own is still quite small – about three in a thousand people.

“But it’s become a fascinating and a serious hobby for some people and interest in local and craft beers has grown phenomenally.

“There are 1,200 craft brewers in the UK and consumers want to try them.”