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Maddie Fritz’s camera went dark during a virtual meeting for the Brewers Association’s Mentorship Program. Most would assume, in the age of Zoom meetings, that she might be eating or her internet connection had gotten shaky. Instead, Fritz couldn’t believe what she heard would happen after the mentorship program ended.

She was crying. Not from sadness, but jubilation.

Fritz, who works in marketing and sales for Potosi Brewery in Potosi, Wis., had just wrapped up the 12-week mentorship program when Brewers Association DEI project coordinator Alana Koenig-Busey explained how there would be funds after the program ended—to continue education in a brewing or related program, pursue level one and two of the Cicerone Certification Program, attend the Craft Brewers Conference with travel reimbursement, or build a resource library of Brewers Publications and Brewers Association resources.… Read the rest “Pursuing a Passion: Mentorship Program Fuels Participants”

Join us in San Diego for Homebrew Con 2023.

Beer and cheese go together like peanut butter and jelly! They’re even made in very similar ways through the magic of fermentation.

To delve into the world of home cheesemaking and pairing, we’ve compiled 4 seminar recordings from past Homebrew Cons. AHA members have access to Homebrew Con seminar recordings.

1. Homebrew Cheese Making for the Beer Lover

Learn how to apply what you already know about homebrewing to the world of home cheesemaking. Discover techniques and microorganisms, find out how to use beer in cheesemaking, and learn how to combine beer and cheese in cooking.… Read the rest “4 Homebrew Con Recordings on Cheese Making and Pairing”

Join us in San Diego for the 45th annual Homebrew Con, June 22-24, 2023.

Sunny San Diego is known for its idyllic climate, world-famous zoo, and meteoric rise as “The Craft Beer Capital of the World.” Over the past two decades, the San Diego craft beer scene has seen immense growth and currently boasts 150+ breweries, beer bars, tasting rooms, and their own signature style: the West Coast IPA.

“Local pioneers like Karl Strauss Brewing, Stone Brewing Co., Ballast Point, Coronado Brewing, AleSmith and Pizza Port lead the charge, anchoring a beer scene with everything from backyard and nano-breweries to world-renowned mega craft brewing companies regularly serving up gold medal brews.… Read the rest “San Diego’s Swell Beer Scene”

This article on bokashi grains is the You Can Ferment That! column from the May/June 2023 Zymurgy magazine.

By Amahl Turczyn

This installment of You Can Ferment That! is a slight departure—bokashi is not a fermented food product, but rather a method of fermenting compost. With spring in the air, there’s no better time to start composting food, your brewery waste, and food scraps. The ancient Japanese technique of bokashi diverts all kinds of organic waste from the landfill and into fertile soil for gardens, yards, or potted plants.… Read the rest “How to Make Bokashi Grains”

What’s the appeal of a brewery? Of course, the easy answer is the beer. But that’s just one component of the sum of a brewery’s parts. When you go to enjoy that beer or seltzer, have you taken the time to look at your surroundings? What, if anything, makes this place unique?

These five U.S. breweries all make good beer. But for folks who have been there, they know that they’re in for an experience that doesn’t just stop there. There are stories behind each one, and they go beyond the beverages they serve.… Read the rest “Five Unique Places to Drink a Beer”

There’s nothing quite like a hoppy India pale ale (IPA)! It’s one of the most popular beer styles out there, with seemingly every craft brewery having an example ready on tap.

We’ve compiled 15 commercially-brewed IPA recipes from across the United States that have been scaled down so we can brew them at home!

Note: some of these beer recipes were submitted directly from the breweries while others are interpretations created by homebrewers.

1. Deschutes Brewery Chainbreaker

• Style: White IPA
• Brewery: Deschutes Brewery (Bend, OR)

Chainbreaker White IPA marries the best of American IPA hop profile with the spices and yeast character of Belgian witbier.… Read the rest “15 IPA Recipes from Craft Breweries”

This article is from the May/June 2023 Zymurgy magazine. AHA members can instantly access an archive back through the year 2000 with Zymurgy Online.

By Julia Herz, American Homebrewers Association Executive Director

If asked to count the number of days I’ve homebrewed alone versus with somebody else, I’m not sure which number would be higher. I can say the number of days I’ve transferred or bottled has been more solo. Regardless, when people ask about my preferred way to brew or package beer, the answer easily is “I prefer to brew with others.”… Read the rest “Team Homebrewing Ups Your Game”

Sourdough refers to a natural fermentation process that involves undomesticated bacteria and yeast. Instead of using packaged baker’s yeast, a fermenting mixture of flour and water containing wild yeast and bacteria is used to make the dough rise. This mixture is referred to as a “starter” and sometimes lovingly as the “mother.”

Naturally occurring wild yeasts tend to create more complex flavors than their commercially available counterparts. Lactobacillus–the tangy bacteria found in sour beers and yogurts–creates lactic acid during fermentation, which gives sourdough its signature tartness.

The four sourdough recipes below are perfect introductions to another realm of fermentation for homebrewers to explore.… Read the rest “4 Sourdough Recipes: Pizza Dough, Popovers, Bread, & Pancakes”