Michigan craft beer growth: newly opened breweries and those in the works

by John Liberty More and more breweries keep emerging in Michigan. The Michigan Brewers Guild currently has 87 members — a large majority of the breweries in the state — and it expects the number to rise for 2012, said executive director Scott Graham. Although some breweries have closed, including the Old Hat Brewery in Lawton and the Grand Rapids Brewing Co., the overall number of breweries will be up thanks to a slew of breweries in various stages of development.
The Colorado-based Brewers Association, which promotes craft beer across the country, released earlier this month its mid-year report called "U.S. Breweries in Planning." According to the Brewers Association, more than 50 breweries in 20 states have opened in the last two months of its report. The report said there are 855 breweries in planning, up from 207 in 2008; 260 in 2009 and 389 in 2010.
The report listed three of Michigan's newly-opened breweries: Patchwork Brewing Co., of Decatur; Cheboygan Brewing Co., of Cheboygan; and Greenbush Brewing Co., of Sawyer.
But there are even more breweries on the way. With help from the Michigan Brewers Guild and some KalamaBrew reporting, here is a list of some of the state's new breweries in the works.

Brauerei Becker/Western House Brewery
Where: Brighton
About: Due to open in April. According to BrightonPatch.com, it "will take over the site known by residents as the 'Pink Hotel' at 500 W. Main Street. The brewery will offer a variety of microbrews, including a brew from the American colonial area, as well as a drink that dates back to the days of the Vikings. Only a small selection of snacks will be available, keeping the focus on the beer. Current owner of the building, John Becker, and his son, Matt Becker, who will act as head brewer, both say that maintaining the historical integrity of the Pink Hotel is key in their operation. John Becker says he will spend about $1 million in buying and improving the 6000-square foot building. He says he plans to gut much of the interior to make room for brewing equipment. There are plans for a European-style beer garden that will be located between the building and the railroad tracks."
Website: brauereibecker.us

Chelsea Alehouse
Where: Chelsea
About: Due to open summer 2012. According to website, "You will enjoy fresh beer crafted on-site. Pair your beer with a sandwich, salad, soup, or munch on a warm pub pretzel. Live music and other events will make Chelsea Alehouse Brewery an exciting new venue for entertainment. Cheers, Chris Martinson Owner and Future Head-brewer."
Website: www.chelseaalehouse.com

Cotton Brewing Co.
Where: Adrian
About: From an article in the The Daily Telegram: "Brett and Krista Cotton received the Adrian City Commission's approval Nov. 21 for a liquor license for the brewery. ... Brett Cotton said he became interested in brewing beer in 2008 when he spent some time in Washington, D.C., and visited a number of microbreweries with friends, tasting a wide variety of beers. The Cottons began brewing beer for their own consumption at home and visiting microbreweries in other communities, Cotton said. He believes Adrian would be a good place for a microbrewery because none now exists in Lenawee County, Cotton said. People who want to visit a microbrewery have to drive to Jackson, Milan, Ann Arbor or Maumee, Ohio, he said."
Website: www.cottonbrewing.com

Cranker's Brewery
Where: Big Rapids
About: Due to open in March.
Website: www.crankersbrewery.com

Elk Brewing Co.
Where: Grand Rapids
About: From a Grand Rapids Press story, "Plans for a new microbrewery inside a vacant building along the Wealthy Street SE business corridor are fermenting. Elk Brewing Co., a venture lead by Eric Karns, of Grand Rapids, would occupy what had most recently been a barbecue restaurant at 700 Wealthy St. SE under a plan being presented to the Grand Rapids Planning Commission. ... Karns, a home brewer, will be joined in the venture by his wife, Lisa, and two other partners. A deal to purchase the building is contingent upon winning approval to operate the brewery inside. If all goes according to plan, Karns said he hopes to be open in 2012. 'I want to enjoy going to work and look forward to it and I love brewing beer,' Karns said."

Falling Down Beer Co.
Where: Warren
About: "We are a new microbrewery in SE Michigan. Scheduled to open in Spring 2012," according to its Facebook page.
Website: www.fallingdownbeer.com

Fifty-One North Brewing
Where: Lake Orion
About: From the Facebook page, "Attention Beer Lovers, what you've been hearing is true! Lake Orion is about to have its very own microbrewery -- 51 North Brewing Company. We will be located at 51 North Broadway, hence the name. Mary and Don Gindhart lead a small group of beer-loving, business-minded individuals that share one purpose -- to create a microbrewery like no other. We will have an amazing lineup of hand-crafted beers, wines and meads, all made in-house. Along with this diverse group of drink selections, we will offer unique food pairings to complement these libations and provide high-quality entertainment and service. All these ingredients add up to a destination perfect for individuals, couples, families and friends."
Website: 51northbrewing.com

The Grand Rapids Brewing Co. will most likely re-open in a new location.
Grand Rapids Brewing Co.
Where: Downtown Grand Rapids
About: From the Grand Rapids Press, "Grand Rapids bar owner Mark Sellers has purchased the assets of the recently closed Grand Rapids Brewing Co. with plans to reboot the brand again." It is expected to open inside the former Founders Brewing Co. location by spring, according to the Grand Rapids Press.

Harmony Brewing Co.
Where: Grand Rapids
About:  From Faceboook, "A neighborhood brew-pub for Eastown. A comfortable place where conversation is the primary entertainment. Offering home made ales, an assortment of Michigan wines, and select cocktails. Enjoy simple garden inspired foods, breads, and cheeses." For more, read this story from The Grand Rapids Press.

Perrin Brewing Co.
Where: Alpine Township
About: Expected to open in the spring. According to a story in the Grand Rapids Press, "A proposed microbrewery in the Comstock Park area already plans to expand and it hasn’t even brewed a drop of beer yet. Perrin Brewing Co. recently won unanimous Planning Commission approval for an expansion that is five times larger than what it originally proposed to add to its facility at 5910 Comstock Park Drive NW, off Six Mile Road. Instead of a 2,400-square-foot cooler attached to the 11,070-square-foot building, owners Jarred Sper and Randy Perrin now plan a 12,213-square-foot addition with an internal cooler and a separate area for tastings that can accommodate up to 153 people."

Rockford Brewing Co.
Where: Rockford
About: Due to open in the spring. According to the Grand Rapids Press, "Part-owner Brien Dews said reaction to plans for the tap room and brewery in a rustic, two-story building has been positive. Dews, a City Council member and owner of All Good Time Clock Service, partnered with fellow residents Seth Rivard and Jeff Sheehan to start the only brewery in town. Sheehan has made beer professionally for about 10 years, most recently at New Holland Brew Pub in Holland. Rivard, an IT engineer for Alcoa Howmet in Whitehall, and Dews have brewed as a hobby for several years. The trio hopes to use locally grown ingredients to make up to 700 barrels a year of traditional brews, seasonal beers with a variety of flavors, and possibly some wine. The tap room will not have a kitchen, but food might be served from the Poindexter Specialty Marketplace through a window in the same building at 12 E. Bridge St."

Sunset Boulevard Brewing Co.
Where: Kalamazoo
About: It is open for lunch only, no beer yet. According to its Facebook page, it's open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Call 269-343-0711 for more information.

The sign at the new White Flame Brewing Co.
White Flame Brewing Co.
Where: Hudsonville
About: Had to push back Dec. 15 opening date, expecting to open soon;"We will be a production brewery with a small taproom for our guests to enjoy our beer. We plan to have 10-12 taps with 5 standards and the rest in rotation. We will also be selling beer to go in 1/2 gallon growlers as well as distributing to your favorite neighborhood pub via keg," according to its Facebook page.
Website: whiteflamebrewing.com

Witch's Hat Brewing Co.
Where: South Lyon
About: To open Dec. 26: "Our little family started at the Witch's Hat in South Lyon in 2007 when we said "I do." When life dealt us lemons we decided to make beer. Here we are - trying our hand at the Beer Lover's Dream."
Website: witchshatbrewing.com

Alaskan Survives On Beer While Stranded

by Nick Carbone Clifton Vial wound up stuck in a snowdrift off a rural highway in eastern Alaska, his truck lacking the usual survival necessities. All that lay in the back was a few cans of Coors Light, frozen solid. And as any college student knows: beer is food. Even the relatively bland Coors Light contains calories to keep a person functioning. Foodless for nearly 60 hours, Vial munched on the frozen beer. Bear Grylls would be so proud.

Vial says he ate the beer like beans from a can. “I cut the lids off and dug it out with a knife,” he told the Anchorage Daily News. The 52-year-old lived off the ration of a couple of cans for more than three days while rescuers searched for him.
Vial had taken a drive late Monday night, getting stuck in a snowdrift 40 miles north of Nome. Far out of cell phone range and ill-dressed for the situation in tennis shoes, jeans and a cheap jacket, Vial huddled for warmth in a sleeping bag and shrouded his shivering feet in a towel. He turned on the engine occasionally to listen to the radio and get the heat flowing, but it was no match for the -17 degree temperatures. And by the third day, Vial’s gas gauge was toeing the “empty” line.
When he failed to show up to work Tuesday afternoon, the search was on for the missing man. It wasn’t until Thursday afternoon, nearly three days since his truck became lodged in the snowdrift, that a Nome rescue crew happened upon him. When towed safely back to civilization, Vial’s beer diet quickly hit the skids. He told ABC News he’s drinking a gallon and a half of water each day to rehydrate. Fortunately, his Coors binge wasn’t all that unhealthy – he didn’t even gain a beer belly. In fact, Vial lost 16 pounds while he lay stranded.

Yeah I Got An Opener...

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sJV5HW61yoE#!

Hanson to Sell Beer

by Rolling Stone. Thery're all grown up now.. .
 Hanson are prepping the launch of 'MMMHop', their own brand of beer. The squeaky-clean pop trio hope to make the brew, an India Pale Ale, available to fans sometime in early 2012.

"We of course make records, they are fundamental to what we do, but we wanted to create a brand so that our fans have a greater experience," Zac Hanson told reporters. "What is vital is that Hanson merchandise is quality and not made solely with the purpose of profit."

"We have a board game and even a record player to play our last record on, but we will never make dolls, lunch boxes or toothbrushes that play our songs, for example. It's vital our fans have trust in everything Hanson do," says Hanson. "In fact, we are soon going to be selling our own beer, I'm not even joking. MMMHop IPA, anyone?".

Brewery for Rockford in 2012

Submitted by Stanton Tang "It was a short 2-month courtship and a marriage made in heaven," said Rockford resident Brien Dews in speaking about a recently formed partnership with two other Rockford residents, all three having a dream of opening a microbrewery in downtown Rockford specializing in craft beers. Microbreweries have been a growth industry throughout the economic downturn of the past decade and craft brew beers lovers are legion. The partnership believes that a microbrewery in Rockford would be a perfect addition to the destination shopping and fine dining opportunities already available in Rockford. It is possibly the missing link!

 Dews is best known as Rockford's Mayor Pro-Tem along with being an AWCI 21st Century Certified Clockmaker who owns and operates Rockford's All Good Time Clock Service. For the past 7 years Brien has had a passion for his crafting of home brewed beer.
 Partner Jeff Sheehan has a decade of home brewing experience and for the past 5 years has been employed by the New Holland Brew Pub, in Holland, MI where he developed and tested new brews.
 Partner Seth Rivard has also been a home brewer of beer for 5 years and for the past 13 years has been employed by Alcoa Howmet in Whitehall, MI in the area of information technology (IT). In addition, Seth brings a degree in Business Administration to the table.
 Recently the trio entered into a purchase agreement with the owner of the property located at 12 E. Bridge St. (Directly across the street from the Rockford Historical Museum on the southwest corner of Bridge St. and the White Pine Trail.)
 The two-story space has approximately 1650 sq. ft. on each level. The second floor level has breath-taking and commanding views in all four directions. Rockford's iconic Rogue River Dam is highly visible as is the river above the dam. The America's Favorite Farm Market venue is a glance away. Michigan's longest linear state park, The White Pine Trail, runs adjacent to the property. From its upstairs windows one can take in many of the popular seasonal Rockford events such as the Annual Ice Festival, the summer Huntington Rogue River Blues Series, the Start of Summer carnival festivities, Mitchell's Run, and the Holiday Lighting Ceremony, to name some of many. Not to be forgotten is a spectacular view of the award-winning Peppler Memorial Park and the sport fishing and canoeing/kayaking mecca of the Rogue River.
 All of the above plus the freshest craft-brewed beer any beer lover could ever hope for will be locally available for the very first time in Rockford when Rockford Brewing Company opens its doors for business next Spring - 2012.
 Initially, Rockford Brewing Company will have the capacity to produce 700 barrels per year. At opening the microbrewery will have 4 to 5 mainstay styles of beer available on tap, most certainly an IPA, a stout, a wheat, a sweet, and probably a French Farmhouse/Country Ale. More styles will be developed and made available as demand increases. Beers will only be available on tap for in-house consumption or to be carried home in tap filled and cap sealed 64 oz. glass jugs commonly known as "growlers". At home, the beer will stay good for 2 to 5 days once opened. Purchased and consumed either way, it is the fresh taste that keeps people coming back again and again.
 "For non-beer drinkers Rockford Brewing Company will also have cider, wines (house red and/or white), sodas, and possibly mead," said Seth.
 "The environment is a huge part of our plan. Rockford Brewing Company will be a family friendly place where children are welcome. It will be a place to meet and kick back and relax after enjoying all of the outdoor activities Rockford has to offer," said Brien, adding, "It will be a community gathering place for people to enjoy one another's company."
 Jeff, who will be the designated Brew-Master, tells us that, "It will be a fun place to hang out, a place of stimulating conversation, and a happy escape from everyday routines."
 All three of the partners are wildly enthusiastic about the planned interior décor. Rockford Brewing Company will be warm and inviting with a northern Michigan rustic lodge timber framed interior with wood wall paneling and flooring.
 Patrons will enter the microbrewery through a timbered entranceway off the White Pine Trail. A second entrance from the parking lot on the west side of the building is planned. The main floor level will feature a large hand-crafted wooden 10-tap bar seating 18 along with tables of eight, seating another 32. Highlighted will be the heart of the brewery - a highly visible, glass enclosed, brewing area.
 Nowhere will the "rustic lodge look" be more apparent than in the spacious and inviting upstairs gathering level. With cathedral ceilings and large windows looking out on all that Rockford has to offer, the second floor level will have additional seating another 125 patrons.

Bell's suing the state of Michigan

 Bell's Brewery is suing the state. The Michigan Information and Research Service reports that the Kalamazoo-based beer-maker filed the complaint last week.  The new keg law in Michigan requires an ID tag to be attached to all kegs when they're sold. If it's not intact when the keg is returned, the buyer faces a fine and jail time.  State lawmakers say the bill will crack down on underage drinking, but the lawsuit claims it also unfairly targets Michigan's microbrewery industry.  According to MIRS, Bell's owner, Larry Bell, says the bill will take away the incentive to return kegs, which will cost breweries money. He also says it will restrict the number of people who can purchase kegs.

New microbrewery on tap for Comstock Park

By Garret Ellison

The Michigan microbrewery market will be getting another player next year when Perrin Brewing Co. opens the doors of its Alpine Township facility, which owners expect to heavily emphasize public tours and tasting.
 Perrin’s site plans and rezoning request got a nod from the Planning Commission on Thursday and the facility should be open in March, said co-owner Jarred Sper, assuming everything passes muster with the Township Board in the next two months.  The 12,000-square-foot brewery will be located at 5910 Comstock Park Drive NW, on seven acres alongside Mill Creek. They are planning to produce 2,500 to 3,500 barrels the first year with plenty of space and equipment to accommodate future expansion, said Sper.  “We want to take the public — and especially the home brewer — and really engage them with the equipment,” said Sper, a 34-year-old former U.S. Marine sergeant and 1995 graduate of Lowell High School.

 Sper and fellow owner Randy Perrin of Perrin Properties LLC won a recommendation from planners to rezone the site from industrial to planned unit commercial, which will allow for tours and tasting, as well as on-site retail sales of growlers and six-packs.  The company plans to host a handful of invite-only outdoor events with beer, food and live music, and the daily public tours are a big part of making the brewery a unique and educational destination, said Sper.  “There are no secrets — we’ll give people the recipes.”

 Perrin will be distributing their compliment of year-round beers in 12 and 16 oz cans. Styles planned include a “wit,” or white, a porter, India Pale Ale and American Strong Ale. A handful of seasonal styles will be available at the brewery. Retail prices are yet to be determined.  Sper did not reveal the name of the company’s brewer, who will be guiding tours, but said the man has previously worked for Lagunitas, Goose Island and Harpoon brewing companies.  Sper said Perrin is in the middle of “serious talks” with distributors, but initially are planning to focus on serving the local market. “We want to focus on Michigan,” he said.

  The venture’s initial name was to be Silver Jack’s Brewing Company, but Sper said they chose to go with the Perrin name based on the positive reputation the Perrins have in the Comstock Park area.   The company plans to draw water from a well on site, and Sper assured planners and several nearby neighbors at Thursday’s meeting that state regulators had determined there to be a sufficiently large aquifer to accommodate everyone in the vicinity.  A few neighbors expressed concern about odors from the plant, as well as impact on land value of neighboring homes. Sper said the twice daily 90-minute brewing process gives off a sweet, caramel-like smell akin to “baking bread in a kitchen.”  He expressed a commitment to ensure minimal impact on surrounding homes and addressed concerns about on-site drinking by saying “it’s not a bar.” 

“We want to make it a place families will feel comfortable,” he said. There will be picnic tables and pre-packaged snacks, and possibly catered events, but the microbrewery license does not permit an on-site kitchen and restaurant.

 Tasting hours would be daily from 4 to 11 p.m. Samples will be given in four -to -six ounce cups.

“It’s not a place to come, drink and get loaded,” he said. “It’s a place of business. If you like our beer, buy a growler and come back the next day.”

The Township Board, which created an industrial development district on Monday to precede an expected request for a tax abatement, will decide final approval of rezoning and site plans later this fall.

Founders new brewhouse now in production!

 Oct.6- Founders new brewhouse is cranking out it's very first batch of Dirty Bastard.  The brewhouse will continue to be utilized to brew specialty batches and taproom-only beers. This means that, in total, their brewing capacity has increased from 30bbl to 115bbl per turn. Awesome!

Congrats Michigan breweries at GABF!

GABF 2011 Winners

The winners have been released for the Great American Beer Fest. Click here for the entire list of medals. Listed below are the Michigan medalist.

Category: 14 Experimental Beer – 83 Entries

Gold: Mangalitsa Pig Porter, Right Brain Brewery, Traverse City, MI

Silver: Petit Obscura, Telegraph Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA

Bronze: Belgorado, Wynkoop Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Category: 24 Aged Beer – 36 Entries
Gold: Expedition Stout, Bell’s Brewery, Galesburg, MI
Silver: Release the Hounds, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO

Bronze: 2004 Triple Exultation, Eel River Brewing Co., Fortuna, CA

Category: 69 Belgian- and French-Style Ale – 56 Entries

Gold: California Ale, Telegraph Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA

Silver: TAPS Biere de Garde, TAPS Fish House & Brewery (Corona, CA), Brea, CA

Bronze: Pin-Up Blonde, Bastone Brewery, Royal Oak, MI

Category: 70 Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale – 51 Entries

Gold: Fifth Element 2008, Squatters Pub Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT

Silver: Blue Sunday, New Holland Brewing Co., Holland, MI

Bronze: Barton Kriek, North by Northwest, Austin, TX

Category: 78 Sweet Stout – 19 Entries

Gold: Steel Toe Stout, Ska Brewing Co., Durango, CO

Silver: Cream Stout, Redwood Brewing Co., Flint, MI

Bronze: Outlaw Oatmeal Stout, Great Basin Brewing Co., Sparks, NV

ABI's latest venture, the Belgian Beer Café

Belgian Beer Café® Offers Truly Unique Experience Along with Ambitious Plans for 60 U.S. Locations Hasselt, Belgium (September 2011) - It has been said about Belgian beers that there is a “beer for everyone.” If the popularity it has already found around the world is any indication, Belgian Beer Café is soon going to discover that everyone will be there for a beer when the unique Belgian bar / restaurant concept arrives on American shores. Created in 1998, Belgian Beer Café is truly fresh and exciting and sure to be a welcome addition to the U.S. casual dining landscape. The recipe is simple: Offer an extensive selection of world-renown and local-brewed Belgian beers; classic Belgian cuisine; an attentive, knowledgeable, white-jacketed wait staff and an atmosphere that evokes the comfortable surroundings of a classic Brussels brasserie café.
 The first Belgian Beer Café is tentatively scheduled to open at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey in late 2011 / early 2012. Franchise / licensing projections call for the opening of approximately 60 Belgian Beer Cafés in the U.S. within three to four years. In addition to the Newark airport location – licensed to HMSHost – a tentative development agreement is expected to bring 10 Belgian Beer Cafés to the New York City and Boston metropolitan areas within the next five years.
 Each Belgian Beer Café will typically feature 20 to 40 Belgian beers, both bottled and draught, representing a full range of flavors. Only authentic Belgian beers are available in eight different styles: Abbey, Amber, Fruit, Gueuze, Lager, Specialty, Trappist and Wheat. Each is served in the proper glassware at the proper temperature, with a specific pouring ritual (see sidebar) for draught beers. Patrons are also sure to appreciate the delectable cuisine found in every Belgian Beer Café. Each will feature a wide array of Belgian and Belgian-inspired dishes such as Mussels, Vol au Vent (a light pastry shell filled with meat), Flemish Beef Stew, Cheese and Shrimp Croquettes and much more. For the less adventurous, the menu will feature such American staples as burgers and chicken wings as well as regional favorites.  belgianbeercafe

Canadian Breakfast Stout

Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) will be the second release in the company’s 750mL “Backstage Series”. It will be released to the market October 3, 2011 with a taproom release party on October 1.
 The taproom release at 235 Grandville Ave SE in downtown Grand Rapids will begin at 11 a.m. on October 1. There will be about 1700 bottles available for purchase at $18 each. A strict limit of two (2) bottles per person will apply, and all bottles will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Because a line is expected to form before 11 a.m., numbers will be handed out so that the line can remain intact once the taproom doors open. CBS will be featured on draft, and CBS merchandise will be available in the Founders company store, which is on the north end of the taproom. As with all Founders specialty products, growler fills will not be available for CBS.
 Canadian Breakfast Stout is an Imperial Stout brewed with a blend of coffees and imported chocolates, then aged in spent bourbon barrels that have most recently been aging pure Michigan maple syrup. The final product has had stellar reviews and is currently the fifth highest rated beer in the world on www.BeerAdvocate.com.

Thank you New Holland!

Homebrewers United was a great time!

Fall Hop Harvest

Now that you have spent the entire growing season diligently caring for your vines, it is time to harvest what can turn out to be copious amounts of hops on healthy, mature plants. The following will cover some guidelines for you to follow in order to assure that you are harvesting your hops at their peak of potency and freshness. A little study in this area will allow you to accurately time your harvest so that you can maximize your return on your annual investment in water and time.

Take note, the following guidelines are on a cone by cone basis, rarely, if ever, will all of your cones be ready for harvest simply because some of them are presenting the signs that they are ready to harvest. Harvests can many times take days, or weeks to complete in separate stages for the home brewer. Hops farmers will often harvest everything at once, but at home you can take more care.

1. Hop cones appear less “tight”, the leaves of the cone are visibly “opening” 
2. The bases of the hop leaves are showing ample amounts of bright yellow lupulin 
3. When squeezed, the cones emit the fragrant scent that you would come to expect from fresh hops (pungent, fragrant)
4. When the cone is squeezed between your fingers and released, it feels papery, resilient, not green and hard
5. The small bract leaves at the base of the hop stem are beginning to dry and the tips are browning 

Typically when you observe a hop cone presenting all of the above traits, there will be an ample number just like it, enough to justify harvesting all of those that have peaked. Those cones that do not exhibit the signs listed above are best to be left alone until they do. It can take days or even weeks for them to mature.

Once you have harvested the ripe cones, it is time to prepare them for preservation. Hops have several enemies when it comes to maintaining their characteristics.

1. Temperature
2. Oxygen
3. Time

Hops must be stored cool, or better yet frozen. The oils that exist in the lupulin glands are volatile and do not store well at room temperature. These oils are also easily oxidized, which means that long term storage planning must include some sort of vacuum packaging. Lastly, even if you have frozen and vacuum packaged your hops, time is one enemy that you cannot avoid, that is, unless you actively brew and use your hops!

To prepare your hops for storage as discussed above, they are typically dried. You can freeze them wet, or use them wet in a specialty beer if you like! There is a school of thought, however, that believes that freezing WET hops will actually serve to preserve the hops longer, though drying them is the norm. (Source Charlie Papazian, Homebrewers Companion)

To dry the hops you can use many methods, but stay away from cookie sheets and ovens if you can. Hops are fragile, their oils and thusly their characteristics are extremely susceptible to degradation from high temperatures, best to dry them slowly and naturally. Food dehydrators have been used with success, or another method that is used with great success is the box fan and window screen method.

If you have a home, you most certainly have windows, and you most certainly have some window screens to go along with them. You can use some chairs, 5 gallon buckets, really anything you can think of to support the window screen horizontally above the floor. Now, you must do the same with a cheap box fan from any retail store… supported above the floor (to allow it circulate air), but below your window screen, facing upward.

You can then spread your freshly harvested hops across the screen in a singular layer and turn the fan on low. You don’t want the hops flying all over your garage, but you do want to promote drying and air circulation. Agitate the hops periodically to ensure even drying of all of the hops. Allow this process to carry on until your leaf hops are papery and sufficiently dry to store. Once this is accomplished, vacuum seal and freeze any hops that you do not intend to use right away to preserve them.

When you are picking, make sure to keep the different varieties you grow in separate containers and drying screens as not to mix them up.

Vander Mill cider garden now open

MittenBrew, Christopher Epplett In hopes of promoting more on-site consumption of its hard cider, Vander Mill celebrated the grand opening of its outdoor cider garden Friday. Hard cider’s increasing popularity has created fairly rapid growth for Paul Vander Heide’s cider mill. Friday’s opening of its more than 2,000 square-foot outdoor garden was another benchmark for Vander Mill. “It’s a relaxing, family-friendly place to have a drink,” Vander Heide said. “We’re trying to maintain a balance of family-friendly and craft-alcohol drinking.”
Among the “family-friendly” options, youngsters were carted around on a train powered by a tractor and took full advantage of an adjacent playground area surrounded by five acres of woods to the east of the mill.
In the past three years the cider mill has seen increased traffic, which the owner attributes to familiarity of its products now served at 28 bars/restaurants and 40 store retailers across the state, mostly in West Michigan.
 “There’s a lot of traffic coming from Grand Rapids and they recognize the logo, they recognize the name,” Vander Heide said. “And then there’s other people seeking it out.”
  Vander Mill, 14921 Cleveland St., is en route for beachgoers to Grand Haven State Park or Ottawa County’s North Beach Park. Those taking I-96 and exiting on M-104 pass the mill on their right heading into town (on the left as heading out of town). The store is open during the summer Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday noon to 7 p.m.
During the event, two specialty ciders were on tap in addition to eight others — the mill usually has 10 ciders on tap. The specialties, Luscious Lutes, hard cider fortified with apple brandy, and Doubled Over, a dry-hopped, bourbon-barrel aged cyser, are both available until the batches run out.
 “We’re hoping to have a food element,” Vander Heide said. “The concept is going to be that we do 100 percent Michigan product. We would hope the additional food we offer would feature the products sold in the store.”
 Vander Mill was recently state-approved for a microbrewing license and is working on federal approval. The owner says Vander Mill will brew various fruit beers, “things that are kind of in our vein.” “We are a cider mill first,” he said. “We’re going to make a beer that has cider in it, you can bet on that.” The brews — perhaps two or three offered on-site with occasional one-offs at local bars — will be made “on a really micro scale,” according to Vander Heide.
 The mill is transitioning from poly totes to tanks, which should help produce a higher volume of cider. In total, three tanks will be used — a 2,000-gallon fermenter and two 850-gallon brite tanks for carbonation. “It’s really going to help us improve consistency batch to batch,” Vander Heide said, adding the tanks will give a more consistent carbonation and help manage the company’s overall distribution growth.
 Vander Heide said. “It’s not how much we can sell, it’s who we can sell it to. We want to be able to sell it as a craft cider, not just a cider.”

Another list of favorites from Zymurgy...

 Zymurgy magazine, the publication of the American Homebrewers Association, released its ninth annual list of the 50 best beers in the country and West Michigan breweries can pat themselves on the back.

Bell's Brewery Inc., of Kalamazoo, and Founder Brewing Co., of Grand Rapids, dominated by putting two beers in the top three and three brews in the top five.
 Bell's IPA Two Hearted came in at No. 2, trailing Pliny the Elder from Russian River, of Santa Rosa, Calif.
Pliny the Elder has won the last three years.
 Founders' Kentucky Breakfast Stout was tied for third with Dogfish Head's 90 Minute IPA. Bell's Hopslam took fifth and the Expedition Stout claimed 19th.  Marshall's Dark Horse Brewing Co. also came in tied for No. 48 for its IPA, Crooked Tree.
Here is the full list
1. Russian River Pliny the Elder
2. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale (Kalamazoo)
3 (tie). Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
3 (tie). Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout (Grand Rapids)
5. Bell’s Hopslam
6. Stone Arrogant Bastard
7. Sierra Nevada Celebration
8 (tie). Sierra Nevada Torpedo
8 (tie). Stone Ruination
10. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
11. Stone Sublimely Self Righteous
12. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine
13. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
14 (tie). Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
14 (tie). Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale
16 (tie). Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
16 (tie). New Glarus Belgian Red
18. North Coast Old Rasputin
19. Bell’s Expedition Stout
20 (tie). Deschutes The Abyss
20 (tie). Left Hand Milk Stout
20 (tie). Odell IPA
20 (tie). Samuel Adams Noble Pils
20 (tie). Surly Furious
20 (tie). Troegs Nugget Nectar
26 (tie). Rogue Dead Guy Ale
26 (tie). Samuel Adams Boston Lager
28. Anchor Steam
29 (tie). Bear Republic Racer 5
29 (tie). Ommegang Three Philosophers
29 (tie). Oskar Blues Ten Fidy
29 (tie). Three Floyds Alpha King
29 (tie). Three Floyds Dark Lord
34 (tie). Avery Maharaja
34 (tie). Dogfish Head Indian Brown
34 (tie). Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron
34 (tie). Three Floyds Gumballhead
38 (tie). Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
38 (tie). Lost Abbey Angel’s Share
38 (tie). New Belgium La Folie
38 (tie). New Belgium Ranger
38 (tie). Oskar Blues Old Chub
43 (tie). Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
43 (tie). Great Divide Yeti
43 (tie). New Belgium 1554
43 (tie). Russian River Blind Pig
43 (tie). Ska Modus Hoperandi
48 (tie). Alesmith Speedway Stout
48 (tie). Dark Horse Crooked Tree (Marshall)
48 (tie). Green Flash West Coast IPA
48 (tie). Summit EPA
48 (tie). Victory Prima Pils

Michigan homebrew bill passes

Michigan homebrew bill passes Michigan State House, moves on to state senate.
LANSING — A bill that would allow homebrew to be served in licensed Michigan brewpubs and restaurants passed the Michigan State House of Representatives Thursday.

 House Bill 4061 passed by a vote of 105 to 5, according to the Brewers Association.
The bill, which would allow homebrewed beer to be served for competitions and club meetings, will now go to the Michigan State Senate, where it has been assigned to the Regulatory Reform Committee.

Michigan Beer Cellar to start bottling

 While making a name for themselves in the increasingly competitive craft beer market that is West Michigan, Michigan Beer Cellar is deciding to take their art a step further. The Sparta based brewery already distributes kegs of their brew to approx. 15 pubs across the area. Now they're looking to expand on that by distributing their brew in bottle form. Upon label approval and bottling line installation, they're looking to start with 4 different brews.

Short's Brewing Co. has an app

By Josh Smith Are you planning a special event and need some help figuring out how much beer to plan for?Well, the good folks at Short's Brewing Co. have created a very handy tool for just that kind of brainteaser.Their new app - beer-calculator - will help you calculate how much beer you need based on the total number of guests, percentage of guests who drink beer, and the number of drinks per person.Their Beer Ordering Calculator will advise you how many 1/2 barrels, 1/4 barrels, 1/6 barrels, or 12 oz. cases you should plan for.For example, say you are throwing a bash and invite say, 50 of your best friends. If you assume half of them drink beer and each drinks two, you should be able to getaway with:

• 0.40 1/2 barrels

• 0.81 1/4 barrels

• 1.21 1/6 barrels

or 1.56 cases (24 - 12 oz. bottles)

It's probably best to round up or even pad it a little (good craft beer tends to runs out fast). I also briefly tested this on my smartphone and it worked pretty well with my browser — in case you need to recalculate on the fly. 

Helpful Reading

  Book Review: Brewing Better Beer by Gordon Strong

Posted by Alan Mcleod

 Gordon Strong is a very accomplished home brewer and judge so I was interested in reading what he admits is a very personal take on making your own beer at a high level of skill.

A few words on what this book is not. It is not really a beginners guide. Look elsewhere for that. My favorite (mentioned also by Strong) remains Homebrewing, Vol. 1 by Al Korzonas even if it does not include all-grain brewing. It is not a style guide and it's also not jam packed with stats and tables. It's more about beer and brewing than a description of brewing. There are recipes to illustrate points being made but it is not a book of recipes. Spaced throughout the book there are sections titled "So What Do I Do?" in which Gordon sets out his personal preferences on the given topic relating them to his own experience and taste.

And that is what I see this book as offering - a way to make your own way into and along a path of skillful and even competitive brewing. And I also see it as useful for anyone wanting to explore skilled and experienced drinking.

Gordon Strong is the current Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) President, as well as the world’s only Grand Master Level V Beer Judge.  Gordon is also an accomplished home brewer, who won the 2009 Ninkasi award as the American Homebrewer’s Association Winningest Brewer.

How Do You Know When?

BYO asked, “You know you are a homebrewer when . . .” 
• it’s more important to brew than buy Christmas presents.
• your four-year-old is on a first name basis with the owner of the homebrew shop.
• every vacation, road trip or errand turns into a quest for breweries, beer and beer equipment.
• you enjoy smelling bunghole emissions.
• you realize the most organized part of your life is your brewing records.
• you’re looking at a new house and the first thing you’re looking for is the best place to brew.
• in order to get the Christmas decorations out of the closet you have to first move bottles, fermenters, a stainless steel kettle and a wort chiller.
• there are more refrigerators/freezers in your garage than cars.
• you correct the waiter on a style of beer.
• you’re making beer for everything from the fantasy football draft to the company holiday party.
• you measure manhood by how many taps you have on your kegerator.