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The Stateent/ Weneda ,-be S1O21

THE CULTURE OF HOME BREWING
Continued from Page 5B

ttatement
DECEMBER 1, 2010

Home brewing became legal in
1978 under President Jimmy Carter.
According to federal law, an individual
can brew up to 100 gallons of beer,
while households with or two or more
adults have a 200-gallon limit.
Since its legalization, home brewing
has grown into a culture of enthusi-
asts and connoisseurs of beer. And this
world of brewing is far more expansive
than the average non-brewer would
imagine.
Of course, there are local brewer-
..-ies in Ann Arbor that brew their own
beer - Ann Arbor Brewing Co. and
Grizzly Peak are two examples - but
the culture goes deeper than the local
microbrewery.
Every two years, the Brewers Asso-
ciation hosts a World Beer competi-
tion in which a panel of judges award
gold, silver and bronze medals to the
top beers in 91 categories. This year,
Michigan took home 11 medals, mak-
ing it the fifth-most winning state in
what is known as the "Olympics of
Beer Competition," but at the core
of competition is a group of brew-
enthusiasts who love to share their
creations.
The guild meeting in early Novem-
ber was holiday themed with a beer-
'injected turkey and beer-flavored
cakes. The meeting took place in the
basement of Frey's house, and within

15 minutes, the room was filled with
home-brew enthusiasts, brewers and
drinkers.
While most brewers were down-
stairs feasting and discussing hops
levels, Frey was upstairs attending to
the guild's administrative work.
Dues were paid - $15 for a year's
membership - official lanyards
and nametags were distributed and
registrations were renewed. The
administrative work seemed out of
place considering the guild meeting
revolved around drinking beer, but it
soon became clear that members were
interested in far more than putting a
few back.
The basement itself was full of vari-
ous brewing tools, including kegs, fil-
tration systems and propane tanks.
And though there were more than five
untapped kegs in the hallway, "keg-
ger" would be the worst description
possible for this party. Nobody took
more than two ounces of liquid in
their tiny tumblers at a time. In fact,
this was less of a party and more of a
forum.
Brewers walked around the room
carrying their own brew in jugs or
antique bottles with complicated
cap systems, rather than the simple
"twist-off."
At the AABG meeting, beer was
free flowing and the room was filled

with people who devote a significant
amountoftheirlives tobeer. There can
be misconceptions that brewers are
alcoholics, but Frey said alcoholism is
actually much lower among brewers
than it is among non-brewers - a fact
that Frey attributes to the apprecia-
tion brewers have for their beer. They
understand the beer, therefore they
are "more diligent about monitoring
their own consumption," he said.
Members drank darks, ° lights,
lagers, stouts, IPAs and ales. Each
brew was highly refined, with no two
alike. Throughout the meeting the
brewers discussed different brews and
brands, with an almost encyclopedic
understanding of the process.
After Bonjour took his sip of Okto-
berfest, which he meticulously ana-
lyzed with his nose and eyes, he turned
to Michaluk, a 14-year veteran brewer,
and said he could taste how Keith had
removed the malt mixture from the
yeast too early. According to Bonjour,
this is a common mistake among new
brewers.
The members analyzed the beers
in depth - with the more veteran
brewers discussing the temperature
of fermentation and the quality and
quantity of hops,
"I've been doing it for a number of
years and, as a result, you learn what
things tend to cause all types of fla-

vors," said Bonjour, who has become
such an expert he now teaches a
course on the subject of judging beer.
According to Bonjour, the class is
targeted to people interested in pass-
ing the Beer Judge Certification Pro-
gram, which allows you to judge beer
competitions.
"One of the beauties of it is that in
the process of the class, (students) get
to taste many different styles of beer,"
Bonjour said.
Michaluk is one of 35 brewers
enrolled in the class, which holds its
meetings in Frey's living room on Fri-
day evenings.
Many home brewers refer to brew-
ing as just a hobby, but the dedication
that goes into it indicates it is some-
thing more.
"If he could spend all of his money
on it, he would. We're not at that point
yet," said Michaluk's wife, Lydia, of
her husband's hobby.
The process of brewing beer
involves a lot of waiting. After all the
yeast has settled, the propane tank has
been turned off and the thick liquid
has been carbonated and has sat for
two weeks, a brewer is finally able to
take his first sip of his own brew.
Still the question remains: Why
embark on this tedious and expensive
process when it's easier and cheaper
to go to the liquor store and pick up a

six-pack?
The brewers in Ann Arbor offer a
never-ending stream of answers that
central question.
"A lot of it is the camaraderie," said
Dave Olds, a member of the AABG.
Other AABG brewers like Susan
Rankert agree, saying they bond over
their interest in beer.
"That is the one unifying thing.
Politically we are all very different,
and professionally we are all very dif-
ferent. The demographics are quite
far flung, but beer is the common pas-
sion," Rankert said.
Her husband, Jeff Rankert, brews
with her and said the process of brew-
ing is much more rewarding than his
work in the automotive industry.
"I can let the creative juices flow,"
Rankert said. "Planning, purchasing,
all the way through, at the end, I can
taste the product."
Many brewers said they began
brewing because they weren't pleased
with the quality of beer found in stores
or their local bar.
"Getting drunk isn't the end goal,"
Frey said. "Crafting a brew that one
can be proud of (and) utilizing the best
ingredients is."
And though everyone had differ-
ent reasons for why they brew, or why
they'd like to start, Bonjour summed it
up in four words: "I enjoy good beer."

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SECOND
ANNUAL MICHIGAN DAILY HOME BREW COMPETITION.
We look forward to tasting your new batches next year.


C, 4e Mtc4ipan daily