Hose Clamp Rings, Geocaching and Highway Journeys

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The next is American Homebrewer Affiliation (AHA) Government Director Julia Herz’s “Director’s Lower” column from the July/August 2024 Zymurgy journal. Homebrew recipe beneath!

I just lately traveled, toured, brewed, offered, judged, and gained priceless perception from a number of hundred American Homebrewers Affiliation (AHA) members, craft brewers and homebrew provide store homeowners on a whirlwind, multi-state journey. The aim was sharing the worth of AHA membership and studying what’s on the minds of homebrewers. The place I ended up was decided by two AHA members who every discovered one in every of my geocached hose clamp rings (see sidebar). Every member who finds a hoop will get an opportunity to brew with me. Even the next run-on sentence can’t do the journey justice, however I’ll attempt.

I flew into Detroit, toured Schramm Meadery with meadmaker and creator Ken Schramm in Ferndale, Mich., stayed with AHA and Motor Metropolis Masher member Laura Higle in Ypsilanti, Mich., judged the ever-competitive and top-of-class Michigan Mead Cup at Brewery Becker in Brighton, Mich., was MC for the awards (stream obtainable on this subject’s on-line hyperlinks web page at HomebrewersAssociation.org/ja24), offered to MEGA homebrew membership at Crooked Ewe Brewery & Ale Home in South Bend, Ind. and stayed with AHA and MEGA membership members Ross and Holly Filipek in Granger, Ind.

Philly Bitter Saison

Saison

ABV: 6.2%

IBU: 20

SRM: 4.9

On one tremendous sunny day of this week-plus journey I obtained to brew with Andrew Ackers and his spouse Mary in Ft. Wayne, Ind. They discovered one of many rings on the Indiana State Fairgrounds. I’d stashed it whereas judging the Indy Brewers Cup, organized by AHA Committee member and Beer Decide Certification Program (BJCP) president Sandy Cockerham. The Ackers selected to brew a Belgian tripel. Andrew elected so as to add rhubarb, raspberries and blueberries. The rhubarb got here from Mary’s grandma’s backyard. So particular.

Then on to Lafayette, Ind. to go to homebrewing pioneer and engineer extraordinaire John Blichmann. Additionally whereas in Lafayette, I offered to Tippy Homebrewers at Lafayette Brewing Firm with AHA member Todd Cogswell as my lead contact. Someplace alongside the best way I finished into famed retail provider Nice Fermentations in Indianapolis, Ind. A go to to Buckeye BrewCraft in Columbus, Ohio was additionally a memorable spotlight.

Then on to Pennsylvania with a homebrew store tour of Brew Your Personal Beer in Havertown, Pa. I additionally was invited to current to the Band of Media Brewers (the B.O.M.B.) at Sterling Pig Brewery in Media, Pa. Try the recording of that presentation on our hyperlinks web page. It was after this go to that I brewed with Adam Ritter. Adam and I related when he discovered one other one in every of my geocached hose clamp rings in Denver, Colo. hidden in the course of the Nice American Beer Pageant (GABF) in 2022.

We made a “Philly Bitter” saison and break up the batch (see recipe). In secondary, Adam added plums to 1 fermenter and jasmine tea (my contribution) to a different. He additionally had a base beer with no additions. You know the way homebrewers wish to tinker. We wish to determine issues out and navigate with a problem-solving mindset. Properly, the collaboration brew days with Andrew, Mary, and Adam come to thoughts as excellent examples. So many gems and bonus learnings from the journey.

Talking of examples, Adam’s spouse Maria shared an unimaginable loaf of sourdough bread whereas we brewed, and she or he was sort sufficient to offer me the recipe. The hyperlinks web page features a video on the way to make the bread. (Notice: Adam says the recipe is just not adjusted for altitude.)

Need the possibility to search out one in every of my hose clamp rings and collaborate on brewing one thing? Come to Denver, October 10–12 to hitch us and different AHA members at GABF®.

You’ll be able to comply with me @immaculatefermentation for clues on the place and after I’ve stashed a hoop. You may also request a digital or in-person speaker presentation with the hyperlink at HomebrewersAssociation.org/ja24.