When lockdown closed the pubs in 2020, I considered returning to homebrewing after a fourteen-year break. After months of searching for equipment and facing shortages, an unexpected opportunity in 2021 finally gave me everything I needed to brew again.

In 2007 I brewed my first proper beer kit using a fermenting bucket and pressure barrel. From watching airlock bubbles to exploding barrel caps and buying my first hydrometer, this was the brew that started my homebrewing journey.

The Beer Machine promised to revolutionise home brewing with an all-in-one system that brewed, fermented and dispensed beer from a single unit. My first batch was a success, but a lack of supplies and spare parts meant my brewing adventure was short-lived.