Page 2 - Sips & Suds 2020

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2020 ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE • SIPS AND SUDS
WHAT MAKES A BREWER A
CRAFT BREWER?
According to The Brewers Association,
a trade association that represents small and independent craft brewers in the United States, small and independent brewers collectively realized 4 percent total growth in 2018. The retail dollar value was estimated at $27.6 billion, proving that craft beer is not just flavorful, but also a great way for people with a passion for brewing to share that passion while earning a pretty penny.
As popular as craft beer has become over the past decade, even the most ardent craft-beer enthusiasts might not know just what qualifies a brewery as a craft brewery.
The Brewers Association issues a
seal that certifies a brewery as a craft brewery. Breweries that earn the seal annually produce 6 million barrels of beer or less, which equates to roughly
3 percent of annual beer sales in the United States. In addition, a brewery must be deemed “independent” to earn the seal. That means less than 25 percent of the craft brewer can be owned or controlled by a beverage alcohol-industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. Finally, to earn the seal, a brewer must have his or her Brewer’s Notice, which is issued by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Many craft brewers started out as hobbyists, brewing beer in their garages or sheds. Those who take that passion to the next level and end up sharing that passion and their finished product with others may one day earn the right to be deemed an official craft brewer.
— Courtesy of Metro Creative
HOME-BREWING
ESSENTIALS
Home brewing is a rewarding hobby that’s skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. A 2017 survey from the American Homebrewers Association found that 1.1 million people in the United States brewed their own beer at home. Incredibly, 40 percent of them had started doing so in the previous four years.
Perhaps as a result of the craft-beer boom, which has seen professional brewers experiment with new styles and ingredients, many people have discovered a passion for beer they never knew they had, ultimately motivating them to try to make their own beer at home. As prospective home brewers gain more experience, they might want to expand their horizons and purchase more advanced equipment. But the AHA notes that the following are the basics that novice home brewers will need to get started.
• Fermenter: Fermenters hold the wort as it ferments into beer.
• Airlock and bung: e airlock inserts into the top of the fermenter, allowing carbon dioxide to escape without letting
contaminants in. Some fermenters will require a bung to secure the airlock.
• Brew pot: Sometimes called the “kettle,” the brew pot is where the boiling process takes place. e size of the batch will dictate the size of the brew pot, but the larger the batch, the larger the brew pot that brewers will need.
• Heat source: e pre-boil volume needs to be heated up, and a kitchen stove might suffice as a heat source for small batches. But the AHA notes that as batch size grows, a more powerful heat source might be necessary to ensure timeliness of the heating process.
• Siphon/tubing: Siphon/tubing makes it easy and less messy to move hot wort and the finished product around. It’s possible to lift and pour the hot wort and finished product, but that increases the risk of spillage. e AHA notes that auto- siphons are an option that some home brewers might want to consider.
• Cleaner: Home-brewing materials need to be cleaned thoroughly after each
batch. e AHA recommends avoiding scented cleaning products, as scents can linger, potentially affecting the flavor and aroma of the finished product.
• Sanitizers: Sanitizers prevent microorganisms from adversely affecting the brewing equipment. Brewers can create their own sanitizer by adding 1 ounce of bleach per gallon of water, or they can purchase sanitizers at brew shops.
• Hydrometer: e AHA notes that hydrometers, which measure the gravity and sugar density in water, are not technically necessary to brew beer at home. However, hydrometers allow for close monitoring of fermentation and let home brewers calculate specifications such as alcohol content.
ese are the essentials necessary to begin a home-brewing operation. More information about products necessary for home brewing, including mashing equipment and the bottling process, is available at homebrewersassociation.org.
— Courtesy of Metro Creative