...you write a non-fiction essay for your English class on homebrewing.
1st Draft here if you want to read it. Any feedback is appreciated. I think....
Daniel Fuller
Anne Clark
Creative Writing
March 29, 2011
The Wonderful World of Home Brewing
Alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, flocculation, and attenuation, these words may mean nothing to you, but they are very important, to me. Before stepping into the world of home brewing beer, I had never seen these terms, but now, I am quite fond of them all.
The world of home brewing is quite extensive, believe it or not. We even have an army, the BN Army. We have all had different experiences, to be sure, but the thing that we all have in common is a passion for good beer. Laugh as you may, but I take beer very, very, seriously.
The main reason I got into it, is the fact that I live in the middle of nowhere (Alexandria, MN), and it is damn near impossible to find a good beer around here. There are exceptions, but they are few and far between(not to mention, expensive). So, I decided to do the natural thing and I started brewing beer again.
I have worked in three breweries in my travels, Pyramid Brewery in Sacramento, Rubicon Brewery, also in Sac-town, and Sudwerk (pronounced sood-verk) in Davis, California. I worked as a cook, but I constantly pestered the brewers for insight and free yeast.
The first time I ever brewed was in 1996 in Mankato, MN. I made an Australian Stout, and it turned out fantastic. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I could produce such a complex beverage that was absolutely nirvana on the palate.
It took a few years for me to get back into it, but eventually the yeasties came calling. I now brew at least a couple of times a week, five gallons at a time. The beers that I am turning out, are turning out great. I even entered a couple in a competition in St. Cloud. The results are not in yet, but I think I will do well. At least I will get some honest feedback. Honest feedback is hard to come by when you are supplying all of your friends with free beer!
Anyways, the thing that really gets me, is how complex brewing chemistry is. I never thought I would be using words like flocculate, attenuate, and a whole plethora (that one is for you, Tina) of other smart sounding words, and I actually understand what they mean. Dear lord, I’ve become a bonified beer-nerd.
The fellowship amongst home brewers is amazing. There are several forums and websites that have thousands of knowledgeable members. The information that I have gotten from them is indispensible.In fact the largest homebrew supplier in the United States is in St Paul, Minnesota. Northern Brewer has supplied home brewers with everything they need for almost twenty-five years.
The level of quality keeps getting better, through new innovations and superior ingredients. One man leading the way in homebrew gadgetry is a man, and fellow beer nerd, by the name of John Blichmann. He makes some pretty amazing things for us home brewers. Beer guns, hop-rockets, and the Top Tier Brewing system are just a few of the many things that he has produced. He started out doing the same thing that I am doing, brewing five gallon batches. He now owns a huge company that makes many things utilized in the brewing process.
Another huge influence and presence in the brewing world is a man named Jamil Zainasheff, aka The Pope, aka Mr. Malty. He is a genius when it comes to all things homebrew, and all things beer, for that matter. He even co-wrote a book about yeast, of all things. I just can’t believe the fact that I can now read and understand what the hell he is talking about. Well, most of it anyway.
Jamil has a couple of radio shows on
www.thebrewingnetwork.com, one of which is called, “Can You Brew It?†The premise of the show is brewing commercial beers that listeners request be cloned. There are a few personalities and you can even call in live to talk with him and pick his brain.
The program that I like the best is called “The Sunday Sessionâ€. The “session†is a mish-mash of all things beer. Mike “Tasty†McDole is one of the hosts and he is another of the most knowledgeable people in the world of craft beers. Many people use his recipes because they are so good. One of the best beers that he makes and shares is a beer called “Janet’s Brownâ€. I don’t know the whole story behind it, but from what I understand he named it after his wife that died. It was her favorite beer and he keeps making it and so do many home brewers.
I never thought that getting into a hobby like this, would open so many doors to so many places. I think the best thing about it (other than the beer), is the camaraderie amongst brewers. One would think that they would guard their cherished recipes, but the exact opposite is true. I am even going to be exchanging some beers with a guy from Shreveport, Louisiana, because we have talked about each other’s recipes and we want to try each others’ beers.
What a great hobby to get into. I started out thinking that I would save a bit of cash, but once the bug gets you, you just got have the next thing to make your brew life, and beer, easier. Mt latest purchase was a 7.2 cubic foot freezer that I put a temp controller on to keep temps where I want them to be. This freezer is now home to my five kegs that I have in there. Yes, it is a great, great rewarding hobby.
BN Army // 13th Mountain Division 
