SudSisters: Beer home brewing is its own reward
Home brewing can be traced back as far as 5,000 years, humbly beginning as ale made from barley used in bread.
Having tried my (very inexperienced) hand at home brewing twice in recent years, I decided to make a successful home brewers club the topic of my first Sud Sisters column. I wanted to learn the secrets of becoming a master home brewer, combining chemistry and artistry to create delicious ales, stouts and IPAs.
After sharing a couple of pints with members of the Brew Brothers of Pikes Peak Homebrew Club, I quickly learned the keys to home brewing are practice, friendship and a desire to learn.
“Beer’s a social lubricant, and that’s something we all really like,” club member Rich Mock said.
Describing themselves as the largest home brewers group in the Pikes Peak region with up to 150 members – both men and women – the Brew Brothers of Pikes Peak began to materialize in 2002 when three active-duty friends realized a shared love for home-brewed beer. After military assignments transferred two of them out of Colorado, original member Mike Bordick stuck with it and met more guys who were curious about crafting their own ales, among them Mock, who took on the call name “DinoBrew.”
Brew Brothers members, it turns out, all have call names, a tradition stemming from the initial military influences.
From the start, the club’s goal was to expand its membership and emphasize the importance of education as a means to brew good beer – and have fun in the process.
“When new members come into the club as beginner brewers, we hook them up with more experienced brewers so they can learn how to set up their own system. There’s a lot of different levels to brewing,” said club president Greg Mizell, aka “Schnizz Brew.” “Usually everyone starts out brewing with extract, concentrated wort, they add water and hops, and go from there. The objective is for all of us to take the training wheels off and get brewing with real grains as soon as possible.”
Advancing to grain brewing is a little more complex, but learning how to extract sugars from grains such as barley, called mash, is how the pros do it.
“You get a lot more flexibility when you brew with grains, and a lot more room for creativity in terms of flavors and what you want to make of your beer,” Mizell said.
Building a group where members constantly are learning and improving their craft is among the club’s top priorities. Starting out as a home brewer can be daunting because there’s a lot to learn and a fair amount of equipment required, Mizell said.
New activities and competitions make up a large part of the club’s agenda.
Iron Brew, for instance, takes its cue from the famous Iron Chef cooking competition.
“Last year we had one person who won with a ginger and orange beer,” said Josh Howard, aka “Fester Brew,” who is in charge of the club’s public relations and social media. “This year, we’ll probably agree on five ingredients and let competitors choose two, then let their imaginations run wild.”
Monthly meeting locations are as varied as the brews – from grilling in someone’s backyard to a ski trip. The main staple is friendship and great craft beer.
“When we first started meeting, none of us had our own equipment to start brewing. We all got together to brew because each guy had a different piece of the gear we needed,” said treasurer John Landreman, aka “Landy Brew.” “No one wants to brew alone; it’s a very social, fun thing to do. Plus, there’s safety elements, and if you forget to put in the yeast, one of your brothers will be there to remind you.”
Over the years, Brew Brothers has gained notoriety for its success in brewing competitions. With recognition comes responsibility, and the club has taken several steps to give back to the community, including donations to Crosses for Losses and Care and Share.
“We want to make sure that we take every opportunity to educate and give back to the community through brewing,” said vice president John Haven, aka “Safe Brew.”
After spending an afternoon with the Brew Brothers, the shroud of mystery that surrounded home brewing was gone: I realized that groups such as this were welcoming and eager to teach everyone who really wants to learn. My excitement must have been obvious because the guys offered to make me an honorary member.
“Girls can be bros too, of course,” DinoBrew said.
I asked them what my responsibilities as an honorary member would be.
“Drink beer, come to meetings and brew,” they replied.
I can get with that.
Andrea Sinclair Monday, December 30, 2013. Photo by Mark Reis, The Gazette