Brewing with kits and cans
Brewing beer from a can of concentrate — usually supplied as part of a homebrew starter pack containing a fermenter, hydrometer, etc — is where most homebrewers start. It's the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to make a reasonable beer.
Secrets of successful brewing
Actually, the secret is that there isn't any secret to making good-tasting, quality beer.
Just follow the few simple rules below and you'll end up with a good, if not great, brew.
Preparing the yeast
Most brewing instructions, particularly those that come with cans of concentrate, advocate sprinking dried yeast on top of the wort when all the ingredients are in the fermenter and it's topped up with water. While this can certainly be and is done by homebrewers the world over, it's beneficial to rehydrate the yeast first.
Other ingredients
Apart from grain, water, hops and yeast there are hundreds of other ingredients that can go into beer. Some of these additives are traditionally used in beer, while others have only begun to be used recently as microbrewers push the boundaries of brewing. These ingredients, along with unmalted grains, are not essential ingredients in beer and are referred to as adjuncts.