Registration for the annual event closes November 4

What

Back after a two-year hiatus, the Hill Staff Homebrew Competition, hosted by the American Homebrewers Association® (AHA), returns to celebrate the unity, community, and bipartisan nature of craft beer on Capitol Hill.

Individuals and teams of congressional legislative staff and federal employees are encouraged to enter for a chance to win bragging rights and will have their name(s) engraved onto the Capitol Hill Staff Homebrew Competition Trophy, which they may keep for the span of one year.

The number of entries is limited to 50, so sign up today to reserve your spot.… Read the rest “American Homebrewers Association Accepting Entries for 2022 ‘Hill Staff Homebrew Competition’”

Washington, D.C., might be known for its politics, but locals know it has a strong craft beer scene. In May 2022, the city gained its first beer trail. The trail’s success shows how breweries and bars can partner with other organizations to create a destination and drive business.

Recognizing an Opportunity

In Summer 2021, metrobar partners and owners Jesse B. Rauch and John K. Groth noticed groups were arriving at the bar via the city’s Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT), an eight-mile-long paved trail for bicycles, pedestrians, and scooters. Groups were navigating the MBT for their own beer crawl—enjoying the trail and visiting some breweries and bars along the way.… Read the rest “Metropolitan Beer Trail Increases Business for All”

American Homebrewers Association member Norm Ryder sent in his tip on getting the most out of every beer batch brewed. Do you have homebrewing tips or stories you want to share with the community? Let us know!

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I like to brew a few kegs-worth of beer on my brew days. Typically I make two batches per brew day, and sometimes I’ll brew a single, large batch that goes into multiple kegs. This process helps make the most of my brew days and keeps my kegs full!

One day while kegging my homebrew, I had a eureka moment.… Read the rest “Keg Blending: Waste Not, Want Not.”

While no one knows for certain what the year will bring, beer enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating more openings and events. While beer celebrations may never be the same as they were before the pandemic, a safe return to these traditions would certainly be a welcome sight. Whether beer travel is currently on the agenda or off in the horizon, these events only happen once a year, so be sure to add them to your calendar.

Pliny the Younger Release, March 25–April 7 (Santa Rosa & Windsor, Calif.)

Beer enthusiasts have made a tradition of descending on Russian River Brewing Company each year for the release of Pliny the Younger ever since head brewer and co-owner Vinnie Cilurzo first tapped it.… Read the rest “Traveling the Beer World in 2022”

Place pumpkin halves cut side down in a large roasting pan with the chopped parsnips nestled in the hollows where the pumpkin innards had been. Add about 1/4″ (6 mm) water to the roasting pan. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for about one hour. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Scrape pulp from pumpkin rind, mash parsnip pieces, and set aside.

Heat strike water to achieve a mash rest temperature of 152°F (67°C) and add to mash tun. Add pumpkin, parsnips, and rice hulls. Stir well. Mash in grains.… Read the rest “Down Derry Down Colonial Pumpkin Ale”

Nothing attracts customers to a brewery more than incredible beer. But a close second? An incredible location! Breweries around the country are finding new homes in abandoned buildings, helping to revitalize communities and reignite memories. These unique locations attract both locals and travelers alike, each drawn for a different reason. From historic banks and racing headquarters to federal post offices and churches, these breweries are bringing abandoned buildings back to life.

Abandon Brewing Company | Penn Yan, N.Y.

Let’s start by going back two centuries to an abandoned barn in Penn Yan, N.Y.… Read the rest “Revitalizing Neighborhoods and Reigniting Memories”

300 medals awarded to 268 breweries in nation’s largest professional beer competition

Denver, Colo. — The 2022 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition awarded 300 medals to the best commercial breweries in the United States. Presented by the Brewers Association (BA), GABF is the nation’s largest professional beer competition and the premier symbol of brewing excellence.

Award-winning breweries received prestigious gold, silver, and bronze medals in 98 beer categories covering 177 different beer styles (including all subcategories), establishing the best examples of each style in the country. In addition, three GABF Collaboration medals pairing two professional breweries, and three GABF Pro-Am medals pairing homebrewers with professional brewers, were announced.… Read the rest “2022 Great American Beer Festival® Competition Pro-Am Winners Announced”

History and beauty. The Brandywine Valley is steeped in both.

Located roughly 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia, it’s where northern Delaware meets southeastern Pennsylvania. Here, Revolutionary War battles were waged, country estates belonging to industrial magnates were built, and world-renowned gardens were grown.

Over the last 20 to 30 years, it’s been a place where foodies and wine lovers alike have flocked to impeccable restaurants and rolling vineyards. But recently, there’s another feather in the Brandywine Valley’s tourism cap: beer travel.

And with the crisp fall weather, there’s no better time to go on a brewery road trip to the Brandywine Valley.… Read the rest “The Hills of Beer Are Alive in the Brandywine Valley”