Learn to Homebrew Day with the BrewKings

On October 27^th, the BrewKings hosted a “Learn to Homebrew” event at the Innovation Village Apartments.  Rose was gracious and offered up the patio at her apartment complex which was a great venue for the event.  We had a wide range of brewers in attendance.  There were a couple people that were just interested in getting started, a couple people made very simple batches, while some decided to go all out and haul the full system out to the patio to brew full grain batches.

Fastest Brewed Beer Award: Six beers and two ciders were made from 9am to 3pm on Sunday.  The award for fastest brewer goes to Dale with his simple cider recipe.  He dumped two gallons of apple juice into a sanitized carboy and inoculated it with the White Labs Edinburgh Ale yeast, took him longer to drive to Brookings from his home east of Aurora than it did to mix up his cider.

All-Grain Brewers: On the other extreme were the all-grain brewers which worked hard for an average of 5 hours over multiple burners, pots, and a mash tun.  John P brewed up a Vienna Lager, Craig M brewed an IPA, Kris B made a Maibock, and I (Rich) made a Smoked Ale.

Extract Brewers: Then the extract brewers found the happy medium with about a 2-3 hour process with Jim B making an ESB, and Rose H making a Dark Side Vanilla Porter clone recipe.  Rose also mixed up a honey cider.

All totaled up I believe about 40 total gallons were brewed at the gathering.

Among the audience were new brewers looking to learn more and aspiring brewers that were trying to familiarize themselves with the process and get an idea of what equipment they need to get started.

If there is one thing any new brewers will learn fast is that brewing is a very capital intensive process and there will be a significant investment on the front end before you will begin to reap the rewards after a few batches are in your glass.

All brewing aside there was also some sampling to go along with the fun.  Rose brought her fresh hopped ale, and a cranberry/chokecherry wheat.  Dale brought a Juliet from Goose Island.  I (Rich) brought a couple variations on the Zombie dust clone brew, a couple different batches of sour bomb, and a Barrel Aged Single Malt Sour from Brau Brothers.  Craig shared a WarMullet from Three Floyd’s.  Angie brought some of her Dark Singularity from Wooden Legs Brewing.  Dale also brought some Brooklyn Lager. 

Many beers were brewed and consumed among old and new friends.  We will continue the fun on November 14^th at the next BrewKings meet-up.  The meet-up will be spearheaded with the battle for the golden keg Stout Edition.  All homebrewed stouts are eligible, come one, come all.  

Next Event Details:
When: Thursday Nov 14^th at 7:00pm
Where: Innovation Village Apartments Community Room

Cheers, Rich