Topic: Homebrew Stories
Road-Kill IPA
As farmers harvest thousands of acres of hops in just a few weeks, there’s no turning back if a few freshly clipped bines fall off the back of a transport truck onto the side of the road. These bines, loaded with fresh hop cones, offer homebrewers in hop-growing regions the chance to brew what’s often dubbed “Roadkill IPA.”
D-Day Tribute Brew
After being honored with an opportunity to take part in the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France, last year, two veterans collect water from Omaha Beach for a friend to brew a commemorative beer for their fellow brothers in arms.
Fermenting Whey? Yes, Whey!
If you’ve made cheese, then you’ll be left with a considerable amount of whey. Why not use it to start a new fermentation project, such as whey wine, mead, or even liquor?
The Hoppiness Project
A Bristol, U.K.-based organization is helping elderly dementia patients through beer. It started with the idea of growing hops and has turned into a series of sessions in care homes based around hops, pubs, brewing, and drinking culture that culminates in the production of a fresh-hopped beer available at pubs across the U.K.
Those Who Came Before
A homebrewer reminisces about how he started in the hobby 15 years ago and the man he credits for teaching and inspiring him. As he’d later find out, that man, Byron Burch, was a legend in homebrewing circles.
Trip of a Lifetime
A recent retiree’s bucket list includes visiting breweries in all 50 U.S. States and diving deeper into his homebrewing hobby. Combining the two turns into the trip of a lifetime.
Homebrewing in the Netherlands
The Dutch homebrewing club De Roerstock’s 40th anniversary falls on the same year it gets to host the prestigious Open Dutch Championship, a national competition that brings together homebrewers from across the Netherlands.
Tap Handle Mania
Many homebrewers create unique bottle labels for each beer they brew. But if you keg your beers then a unique tap handle for each beer would be a lot better. That’s exactly what one homebrewer decided to do with just wood, a knife, paint, and some old Boy Scout training.
Ancestral Brew
When a half-joking comment led to a journey 4,500 miles (7,200 km) away, we knew we needed to learn more. Find out how a father-son duo from Vancouver, British Columbia, found themselves at an international beer festival in Norway drinking ancient beer styles that spoke to their
own ancestral roots.
Finding Unique Water Sources to Brew Beer
There are many hobbies found within the hobby of homebrewing, such as brewers who search far and wide in the pursuit of novel microorganisms for fermentation. One homebrewer found his niche in producing beers made from unique water sources. Find out where it has taken him.
Making Your Homebrew Club Engaging
Homebrewing is going through a soul-searching moment. One area we all feel can spur the love of the hobby again is through our local homebrew clubs. Get some pointers for reinvigorating the best of what can make them invaluable to the greater brewing community.
Pen Pal Brewers
The camaraderie and sharing of knowledge is one of the best aspects of having a brewing partner. But what if that partner is located halfway around the world and doesn’t speak your language? Somehow, these pen pal brewers make it work.
