I have not been able to keep up with all the content I would like to post here on BetterBeerBlog. There just isn’t enough hours in the day. One of the things that may have fallen by the wayside is my coverage of the local homebrewing scene. This sucks because my love of craft beer grew from my homebrewing experience.
So I have asked one of my readers, a rabid homebrew if you will, to see if he would like to contribute to BetterBeerBlog on a consistent basis covering the homebrewing scene. Fortunately for me, he has accepted. Now, this doesn’t mean I won’t be writing about homebrewing altogether; on the contrary, I have several posts regarding my own homebrews in various states of completion. All this means is that local homebrewing will now have a steady, consistent voice on the blog. Speaking of which, I’ll let that voice introduce himself right about… now.
Peter has kindly asked that I help keep the BetterBeerBlog readers apprised of local homebrew happenings, such as contests, brew-ins, meetings and other events, as well as to comment occasionally on general homebrew areas of interest, such as equipment, techniques, recipes, etc.
Though my focus will be mostly of interest to homebrewers, my hope is that non-brewers may also find something here as well. All you really need is an appreciation for BetterBeer.
So, who am I and why me? Well, my name is Brian, and I am a homebrewer.
If that sounds like a confessional for a 12-step program, perhaps it should be! Although I’ve only been brewing less than a year (my first brew was last September) I’ve now logged 40-some batches, have a library full of brewing books, and spend most all of my spare time reading and thinking about beer and brewing.
One might conclude I’m a bit obsessed (borderline OCD?) and perhaps that partially addresses the “Why me?” question: I might just well be the most rabid brewer Peter knows!
So what does it take to brew BetterBeer? It certainly takes a curiosity and desire to learn the art and science of brewing. Fortunately, homebrewers are very lucky to have the depth of print and online resources that we have today. There are also more homebrew supply shops than ever and we here in the Bay Area have easy access to some of the freshest ingredients available anywhere.
But, perhaps one of the most important ways to brew BetterBeer is to become a part of your local homebrew community. It’s these folks that have the knowledge and experience to take you to the next level. Many are trained and certified beer judges and they can give you honest feedback on your brew. That’s something you can’t get by reading a book or surfing the web.
Homebrewers are also some of the friendliest people you’ll meet anywhere. So, even if you’re not a homebrewer, feel free to join in the fun! Homebrew events are often open and receptive to brewers and non-brewers alike. You’ll probably make some new friends and may just run into them the next time you go seeking BetterBeer!
Cheers,
Brian, the Rabid Brewer.
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