Big Brew Day, Gluten Free Brewing, and Free Food.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted to this blog.  Between my day job, the radio show, and the homebrew club, I’ve been pretty busy.  Plus, my garage is a wreck and I need to sort it out before I can really pick things back up from where I left off. 

So, I’ve decided to set a deadline to resume my brewing on Big Brew Day this year.  May the 4^th be with you.  Why Star Wars Day?  Because it’s also the American Homebrewers’ Association (AHA) Big Brew Day.  Big Brew Day will unite AHA members and the home brewing community in an effort to raise awareness and educate people about home brewing as a hobby.  Each year, the AHA releases recipes which everyone who participates will brew.  They then tally up the amount of brew and publish the total number of gallons of each beer produced.  It’s a fun way to show solidarity and to participate in a rally in your area.

This year, they have a Belgian Blonde, English Mild, and an American Pilsner.  I believe I’ll brew the Belgian Blonde, but I think I’ll adapt the recipe to be gluten-free.  There are a couple of reason why I want to do this:

First, I want my wife to try it and enjoy it.  She and I have been avoiding gluten as much as possible, and she has found it has positively affected how well she feels on a consistent basis.  While I haven’t noticed as drastic a change as she has, I can still see the benefit in avoiding unnecessary gluten whenever possible.

The second and more interesting reason is so I can use it as an educational tool for those interested in brewing gluten-free beers.  Plus, the recipe they supplied is really easy to convert.  Hopefully, by making my batch of beer gluten-free, I’ll start a few conversations with people who know someone who is a Celiac or maybe talk to a few people who are Celiacs and really miss beer.  The best way to have great craft beer that’s gluten-free?  Brew it yourself.

This year, I will be participating in Big Brew Day as a member of the Zymurgists of the Ozarks Home Brewing Society (the Homebrew ZOO), and will brew 10 gallons of beer.  Hopefully, we’ll have a lot of participation from brewers and maybe raise some interest in getting brewers to joint into the club with us.  We’ll be brewing out at The Home Brewery in Ozark, Missouri.  (You can see a map here)

So, come on out and brew with us.  Or, just come out and hang out.  We’ll get started around noon and will brew until we’re done.  The Home Brewery will also be having a customer appreciation day and the Zymurgists of the Ozarks will be having a club picnic all at the same time.  There will be food, beer, and fun for anyone who’s interested, and you won’t have to pay a dime for it.