Weekly Brew Bits Update: 2/20/12

The Brew Lounge is back stateside and a little late with this weekly update, but a weekly update it is nonetheless. A fine one, too, at that if I may say so. There's no stopping this beer train these days -- no, don't be ridiculous; I'm not referring to "that" beer train.

In the coming days, I'll share some discovered craft beer bits from Costa Rica, where the craft beer scene is quite small, but burgeoning in its own way.

PHILADELPHIA
~ First up in Philly Beer News, we have some nice recognition of George Hummel and Nancy Rigberg from Philly's homebrew capital, Home Sweet Home Brew. [link to Philly.com]

~ Reading Terminal Market, the landmark farmers market/eatery/social gathering place/tourist destination hits the big Hundred-Twenty and Philadelphia Business Journal noticed. Brauhaus Schmitz is getting food (only) stand there as well -- though, I can't place a link at this time….Doug Hager, owner, mentioned it to me a few months ago and I probably neglected to mention it here since then.

~ Bruce Springsteen's music is a big part of my life going way back. I could come up with a beer tie-in, but why bother. The music speaks for itself and this exhibition will be something I'll be sure to be checking out very soon. Here's just a bit more coverage.

~ Yes, this is more Philly.com beer linking than I should be doing in one week's update, but still…..the coverage of "gastropubs" recently included a handful of noteworthy beer haunts like Khyber Pass Pub, Kraftwork, Resurrection Ale House, and South Philadelphia Tap Room, all of whom received "two bells". Then, there was the inimitable Standard Tap, deemed worthy of "three bells".

~ Why are tickets to this year's Brewer's Plate still available? From its first years, I've continued to point out that this one of the region's premier beer and food events. Buy your tickets before they're sold out. Thank me later.

~ There's continued chatter regarding New Belgium's impending decision to open an East Coast operation, apparently either in Philadelphia or North Carolina. Again, Philadelphia Business Journal has a column on it.

~ To round out the beer news coming from Philly.com, food guy Craig Laban has joined a handful of Philly Beer Luminaries on the trip to Belgium to brew up Philly Beer Week 2012's collaboration beer. He's blogging his way through the trip with stories and pictures worth checking out.

EASTERN PA, NJ, DE, AND OTHER NEARBY PARTS OF MID-ATLANTIC
~ You know how The Brew Lounge loves its growlers. Well, to be fair, so do most of you. And, that's why Foobooz has created a useful tool to help in tracking down 64 oz. of your favorite draft beer. A mobile version as well.

~ I'll be honest; I think I'll still need to read this article one more time to catch the full drift of it. Maybe I'm weary of legislation and litigation. Maybe you can help me with it.

~ Okay, fine, let's talk more about litigation, if we must. Jack Curtin has a link to a PDF of an article concerning the legal case involving Origlio, All-Star Beverage, Yuengling, and now, apparently, also Gretz Beverage. There could be precedence created from this potential case. An interesting primer.

~ And, how about one more from Jack Curtin? This one pointing out Sly Fox's last brew in their Royersford location, opened in 2006 and now closed as they prepare to open their new location in Pottstown, Pa.


THE REST OF PLANET EARTH
~ Anheuser-Busch In Bev's Super Bowl ads. You may not have thought you'd ever see this discussed here. Well, it's interesting article about the business of big beer.

~ The Cicerone program now has over 10,000 certified members. Quite an accomplishment and certainly worth the notice.

~ I'll be going to Belgium in May, which would be a bit too early to see this project at its completion, if indeed it goes ahead. Cool concept, in any case.

~ San Francisco Beer Week 2012 has wrapped. The beer run that I co-organized attracted a reported 125 runners. Social Kitchen & Brewery served as the starting and ending point, Magnolia Brewery was the halfway refueling mark, and Golden Gate Park was the route in between. I'm rather proud of this event and am looking forward to rejoining it in person next year.

Jay Hinman has some additional insights to SFBW '12 as does The Brewing Network.

25 years in, Hummel and Rigberg continue to trailblaze with Home Sweet Home Brew in Philadelphia

I wouldn't ordinarily re-post an entire press release verbatim, but in this case, it was one of the most well-written that I've seen in some time. Or perhaps I say that more so because it's full of well-deserved praise for two leading characters (said with all due respect!) in Philadelphia's craft brewing industry (home and professional brewing alike).

Check it out and do give careful consideration for the gift-giving recommendation: George's recently published homebrewing book (a link here back to my short review of it) along with a brewing kit and a start-up batch of ingredients for $150. This is a gift for the holiday season that I guarantee, as much as I possibly am able to, will please the beer-loving man or woman in your life.

Big Cheers to George and Nancy!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Profile Public Relations
HOME SWEET HOME BREW, THE ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR HOMEBREWING, CELEBRATES 25 YEARS AND A NEW HOMEBREWING BOOK

PHILADELPHIA, PA – This fall, George Hummel and Nancy Rigberg, owners of Home Sweet Home Brew (2008 Sansom Street; 215-569-9469), Philadelphia’s original homebrewing supplier that gave many top craft brewers their start, will celebrate 25 years of serving the region. The duo, dubbed the godparents of homebrewers by Governor Ed Rendell when he bestowed them the Governor’s Inspiration Award in 2008 for their contributions to the craft brew industry, have made the community what is today. Hummel, an award-winning homebrewer and beer columnist, recently wrote a veritable guidebook, "The Complete Homebrew Beer Book," making him one of the country’s leading authorities on the subject. For the holiday season, the pair has packaged the book with a brewing kit and start-up batch of ingredients for $150, creating the perfect gift for seasoned enthusiasts and beginners alike.

Since taking over the business in 1990, Hummel and Rigberg have helped to raise the art of homebrewing from obscurity to the mainstream from the humble setting of their compact, quaint space that is brimming with every beer-making necessity.

"When we started homebrewing, there were only a few people doing it, but now its popularity has grown beyond our wildest expectations," says Hummel. "At Home Sweet Home Brew there’s nothing we love more than connecting with people through the beer-making process. We’re proud to say many customers come back year after year to recount their successes and failures and even share some of their final products." Along with Rigberg, a pioneer of the female beer community and an award-winning homebrewer who is widely recognized for her hard ciders, Hummel hosts H.O.P.S., or Homebrewers of Philadelphia and Suburbs, monthly meetings at Home Sweet Home Brew at which members meet to watch demos, talk brew methods and, of course, taste their delicious homemade beers.

In addition to the countless homebrewers that have been a part of the club over the years, some of the region’s biggest names in brewing can be counted among those to be influenced by the pair, including: Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery; Tom Kehoe of Yards; Gene Muller of Flying Fish; Bill Covaleski of Victory; Tom Peters of Monk's Café; and Iron Hill Brewery’s Marc Edelson, Kevin Finn, Chris LaPierre and Paul Rutherford.

"The first ten batches of Dogfish Head were brewed from ingredients I bought from George and Nancy at Home Sweet Home Brew," says Calagione, a long-time friend and the founder of Dogfish Head, one of the nation’s fastest growing independent breweries. "Almost all of the commercial brewers in our area came into contact with them and their shop at some point during their development as brewers – and we are all better off for it."

Under the expertise of Hummel and Rigberg, the store has been transformed into the area’s most reliable source for any and every piece of equipment needed for the brewing process, from preparing the yeast to bottling the final product.

"Philadelphia wouldn’t be the beer town it is without Home Sweet Home Brew," says Kehoe, founder of Yards Brewing. "It has everything a homebrewer could want and need, and something you can’t get at any other shop: the support, encouragement and inspiration of George and Nancy."

At their one-stop-shop they also supply many instructional books, including Hummel’s "The Complete Hombrew Beer Book," which offers user-friendly advice and recipes, perfect for anyone interested in brewing their own. In his comprehensive book, Hummel, who has taught courses on brewing at Temple and Drexel Universities and is also a recognized judge of the Beer Judge Certification Program, features over 200 recipes for every variety, from lager to stout, from rauchbier to hefeweizen, as well as gluten-free beers. It demystifies the act of homebrewing by breaking it down into user-friendly steps and making it accessible to everyone. It is divided into three parts: Part One provides an overview of basic ingredients and brewing gear as well as general explanation of the brewing process; Part Two introduces recipes for more exciting varieties from across the globe; and Part Three, which highlights extreme, funky beers made with fruit, smoke, meads as well as gluten-free. The book along with a complete homebrewing kit is available for purchase at the store or online at homesweethomebrew.com for $150.

For more information on homebrewing, Hummel’s book, or to buy the homebrew holiday gift set, please call 215-569-9469 or visit online at homesweethomebrew.com. Home Sweet Home Brew also supplies equipment for the home winemaker. Items can be shipped nationwide. The store is open Tuesday from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., Wednesday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 4 p.m. It is closed on Monday. For extended holiday hours or to make an appointment outside of business hours, please call Home Sweet Home Brew.

The Complete Homebrew Beer Book, by George Hummel

The Philadelphia region's stake to the claim of being the America's Best Beer Drinking City is often tied to the local brewers, bars, and distributors. Sometimes the concentration of established beer writers is also mentioned.

Less often, it seems, homebrewers are mentioned as a component in the equation.

There aren't many that have been at it here longer than George Hummel and Nancy Rigberg who run the Home Sweet Home Brew store on Sansom Street in Center City Philly. They've been serving the homebrewing community since 1986.

George has a new book out that serves to provide an easy-to-use guide to understanding the process of making beers and to recipes that help both new and advanced homebrewers master their passion.

My favorite parts?
"Troubleshooting During Primary Fermentation", a quick and easy-to-diagnose section of troubleshooting (page 28)
"Brew Day Process Summary", a concise checklist of tips and techniques (pages 37-39)

Recipes?
There are plenty of beer recipes throughout the remainder of the book covering nearly every style you can imagine. But, I'm most anxious to deviate a bit and check out the section called "Scratch Sodas" beginning on page 439 where we can learn to make Root Beer, Birch Beer, Cream Soda, and Ginger Ale.

Thanks to George for arranging to have a preview copy sent to me.

Cheers and Happy Brewing!