Iconic Milwaukee Brewing Company Rolls Out First “All Local” Beer

Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI (Leon Kaye)

Beer is only one reason to visit Milwaukee, a city rich in architecture, culture and a vibrant sustainable business community. When it comes to beer, the same could be true for just about any city or town in the U.S. Naturally every community brags about its local I.P.A. or lager, and generally the boasting is justified. But Lakefront Brewery recently started serving what it describes as the first truly “local” beer in the U.S.

Lakefront’s “Wisconsinite” adds to the company’s reputation for innovative brews. Last year Lakefront introduced its gluten-free New Grist, and had to go through bureaucratic hoops in the U.S. government in order to have it “officially approved” as a gluten free beer. Lakefront also sells the nation’s oldest USDA-approved organic brew.

So what makes a genuinely “local” beer?

It helps that Wisconsin benefits locavores with its ample farmland. Geography is a boost as well. The water, of course, comes from Lake Michigan. The wheat comes from Chilton, near Lake Winnebago and 80 miles north of Milwaukee. Malted barley is super local, processed by another local company, Malteurop, just across town. And the magic ingredient, hops, are grown 110 miles west in Mazomanie. For decades, most hops grown for U.S. beer production have been raised in Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

But the “local” in Wisconsinite beer includes the yeast, a local strain for which the company’s president pushed and was then developed by Northern Brewer, a home brewing supplies distributor. The strain is supposed to be the only North American-raised yeast available for commercial use. Lakefront has ramped up production of its unique yeast, and is available for commercial and home brewing beer production. The company insists that the yeast makes a huge difference in the taste of beer, so currently it sells the yeast without making any profit. Though the beer has already been a hit, do not count on Wisconsinite to stay local: good news about beer travels fast, and the brewery already distributes its other products in 35 U.S. states and most of Canada.

Leon Kaye, based in California, is a sustainability consultant and the editor of GreenGoPost.com. He also contributes to Guardian Sustainable Business and Inhabitat. You can follow him on Twitter.

Photo courtesy Leon Kaye.

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Top of the Hops Beer Festival

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Rotary brewing up a ‘hoppy’ time

STILLWATER — The city continues its nearly lifelong appreciation for hops and barley when the Sunrise Rotary holds its Sixth Annual Brewers Bazaar May 19.

The annual fundraiser on the docked Avalon Riverboat downtown will feature a record 17 regional brewers offering tastes of more than 60 selections to benefit Rotary and its various good works throughout the community. Many participated in past events, said Rotarian Ken McGinley, and the local Lift Bridge Brewery helped recruit more this year. He said brewers donate the beer, booth staff, raffle prizes and “good conversation”; last year they also opted to donate back the nominal stipends offered for participation. In turn, Rotary provides booth space, lunch, ice and labor for loading and unloading for  its largest fundraiser of the year.  

“These brewers are great people who support each other and work together on anything that helps their industry,” McGinley said. “We appreciate the time the brewers dedicate to this event, and without them we don’t have an event. Therefore, we take care of them and everyone has a great time.”

How does it work for participants? The $30 entry fee includes a brat, cheese, a six-ounce commemorative pilsner glass, raffles and entertainment. Participants use the glasses to sample as many brews as they’d like (brewers typically bring three to four each). The brewers do the pouring themselves.

“Attendees not only get to sample the beer, but they get to interact with the brewers, ask questions and learn,” said McGinley. “It’s an afternoon on the boat with 700 of your friends, enjoying good beer.”    

Entertainment is offered by Minnesota-based rockabilly band The Thundermen (see www.thundermen.com) which gained popularity during the 1960s. The band made its Bazaar debut last year.  “This year we are expecting the return of beautiful weather,” McGinley noted. “They will sound even better playing on the top deck of the Avalon.”

Typically between 500 to 600 people attend the event; last year, due to rain, it generated a relatively modest $12,000, boosting the five-year amount raised past $50,000.  This year organizers are hoping to generate $30,000.

“Ticket sales have been tremendous and we are very close to selling out of the 700-plus available tickets,” said McGinley. “Next year we are talking about adding a second boat.”

Organizing Bazaar 2012 have been Rotary President Mark Fisher and Rotary co-chairmen Bill Miller and Paula Williams.

A hoppy history

While Stillwater is the site of choice for new breweries Lift Bridge Brewery and Staples Mill Brewing Co. and a club called the St. Croix Valley Homebrewers Association, they’re only part of the long history of beer production in the 158-year-old city.

In fact, the Warden’s House Museum on N. Main Street in Stillwater currently features a specially curated display about those businesses (open from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday). In his book “Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota” (2007, University of Minnesota Press) Doug Hoverson writes about the rise and fall of local breweries in Stillwater’s past.

Hoverson said the “lack of social outlets for working class men encouraged the saloon culture” and helped create a healthy market for beer back in pioneer days.

“There were breweries that never sent a barrel of beer outside a 10-mile radius,” he noted. “Some of Minnesota’s breweries closed because of worldwide trends in the industry; others closed because the proprietor died and none of the heirs wanted to continue the business. Some breweries went out of business because their product was not worth buying, others survived because they made … beers of great quality and distinction.”   

The area’s first commercial brewery was the Aiple Brewery, according to Washington County Historical Society Executive Director Brent Peterson. The business started in 1851 as a small whiskey distillery and added beer-making capabilities the following year, continuing at the site of the current River Oasis Cafe (806 Main St. S.). In 1896 it was sold to Jung Brewing Company of Milwaukee, which turned it into a malt house.

The Aiple competed with the St. Croix Brewing Co. (also known as the Knips Brewery), which was founded in 1859 off N. Main Street in the area known as “Dutchtown” or the Schulenberg Addition. An 1866 fire caused $1,500 in damage but spared much of the building, cellars and stock, according to former paper the Stillwater Messenger. Four years later a Stillwater Gazette story pointed to a $1,000 expansion of the brewery including “large excavations under the bluff.” Producing 450 barrels of beer annually at its peak, Peterson said the business died off after new owners took effect in 1877. The original building was torn down in 1935.  

The Knips facility’s demise may have had something to do with large-scale competition at the Joseph Wolf Brewery, established in 1868 at the corner of Main and Nelson streets where Luna Rosa Restaurant stands.  Wolf produced a peak volume of 25,000 barrels one year, and Peterson said it was one of the largest breweries in Minnesota during the 1890s, operating successfully until the onset of Prohibition in 1920.

Tickets for Brewers Bazaar may be purchased at www.stillwatersunriserotary.org. Designated drivers or those not sampling beer will not need a ticket to enter. Soda, water and food may be purchased separately.

The majority of funds raised are directed toward  scholarships for the club’s STRIVE Mentoring program (Students Taking Renewed Interest in the Value of Education), which connects high school students in the lower part of their class with Rotarians and non-Rotarians. The program helps the students prepare for post-graduation opportunities while working to improve their GPA during their senior year.

Spotlight on: Valley Brewers

Spotlight on: Valley Brewers

Chris and Sandy Kelly, owners

BY KRISTINA SEWELL

Something new and original is brewing in Solvang, where residents Chris and Sandy Kelly are preparing to open their store, Valley Brewers. While the name would suggest the store is a new brewery, Chris and Sandy will be leaving that work to the customers.

What’s brewing: Valley Brewers owner Chris Kelly has everything the home-brew enthusiast needs, from wine- and cheese-making equipment to a variety of hops to suit any taste.PHOTO BY KRISTINA SEWELL

Chris and Sandy are members of the small Valley Brewers Club—a group of six people that share the same passion for brewing their own beer in the comfort of home.

That’s where they got the idea to open their own store, where they’ll be selling homebrew equipment and supplies for wine, beer, and cheese—the staples of life. With few places in South County offering these wares, Chris and Sandy score points for originality.

While Sandy said she’s still diligently learning the ropes of home beer brewing, Chris got involved in home beer making through a friend. He began brewing on his own, and hasn’t stopped since. According to Chris, they usually have four or five different home brews on tap at their house.

With the craft beer scene becoming increasingly popular and the Buellton Brew Fest just around the corner, Chris and Sandy couldn’t have picked a better time to open. With the store already set up and ready for action, Sandy said they hope to have it open to the public by the third week of May, with a grand opening scheduled for a later date.

The shop is outfitted with everything a wine-, cheese-, or home beer-making enthusiast could need, and then some. The shop’s back room is outfitted with a room that looks like a laboratory, where customers get to pick their poison. They have a variety of yeasts, hops, and malts to choose from, not to mention a wide selection of grape juices for wine, from a Cabernet to a Riesling. If customers want to pair some cheese with their wine or beer, Valley Brewers offers kits to make a variety of fresh cheeses, including Bleu cheese.

While making your own beer, wine, and cheese may seem difficult, Chris and Sandy have the knowledge and equipment to help make home brewing user-friendly. They offer a variety of basic beer, wine, and cheese kits that contain all the ingredients and instructions, as well as some deluxe kits that come with the needed equipment.

“So far we’ve had a really good response. People stop in and [say] they had no idea you could make this stuff yourself,” Chris said.

Wanting to add some flair to their store, Chris and Sandy also have a variety of beer paraphernalia for sale, from “hop-flavored” hard candy and Guinness beer soap, to root beer bubble baths and humorous shirts.

Valley Brewers will make its first appearance at Buellton Brew Fest, where the Kellys will hold brew demonstrations and selling kits to make black India Pale Ale. With their passion for good homebrew and their extensive knowledge, Chris and Sandy will have customers brewing up a storm in no time.

Valley Brewers is at 515 Fourth Place in Solvang. For more information, call 325-6320.

Highlights

• For the fourth time since 2004, Firestone Walker Brewing Company and brewmaster Matt Brynildson were named Champion Brewery and Brewmaster, respectively, in the category of Mid-Size Brewing Company at the 2012 World Beer Cup.

The World Beer Cup is a global competition staged bi-annually by the Brewers Association. This time, nearly 800 breweries from 54 countries and 45 U.S. states participated. Judging was done by blind taste tests, and winners were announced on May 5. The category of Mid-Size Brewing Company includes breweries producing between 15,000 and 6 million barrels annually.

Firestone Walker previously won the same honors at the 2004, 2006, and 2010 World Beer Cup events.

For more information, visit firestonebeer.com.

Staff Writer Kristina Sewell wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas compiled Highlights. Send comments or ideas to the Sun via e-mail at jthomas@santamariasun.com.

Let’s Go: Brewing on your own

Do you love beer?

Have you ever wondered if you could make a batch yourself?

If so, home brewer Jesse Robertson, co-founder of the Great Brew Tour, says go for it.

“The danger is that it is a lot of fun and addicting,” Robertson said.

Getting started making your own home brew requires a couple of things.

First, you need the equipment. Second, you need time.

Robertson, who lives in Shakopee, said the initial startup cost is probably around $100 for the necessary equipment, including a fermenter bucket, glass carboy, an airlock, siphon tubing and a bottle filler.

All the equipment and more can be bought at pretty much any supply store, said Robertson, who purchases his supplies at Midwest Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies in St. Louis Park.

After the initial investment and another $40 to buy ingredients, you are ready to start your own home brew.

To get started, boil 3 gallons of water to 150 degrees.

Robertson, who has been home brewing for six years, prefers to work outside using a turkey fryer, but it can be done inside your home on the stove, too. He has a warning, though, if you go that route.

“It definitely puts out a smell,” he said.

Once the water is up to the proper temperature, add the ingredients: grain, malt sugar and hops. When that has boiled long enough, it’s time to cool it down.

Before that’s ready, however, Robertson get a bucket filled with ice ready to go because, according to him, this is a very important step.

“You want to go from about 210 degrees to 75 degrees as fast as you can,” he said.

Once it’s cooled down, add the yeast and pour into a 5-gallon bucket.

This is where you must be patient and wait.

Let the brew sit in the bucket for about a week before moving it to a glass carboy. Wait another month before it’s ready to be bottled.

While going through the process, Robertson said there is one thing always to keep in the back of your mind: Keep things sanitized.

“The biggest thing is to sanitize,” Robertson said. “That’s your biggest danger.”

If you don’t sanitize, it will affect the taste of the beer.

Robertson prefers to keg his beer but said bottling is another option. Once bottled or kegged, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor and your patience.

“My first batch was good,” Robertson said. “It’s once you start experimenting with flavors that you don’t know what you’re going to get.”

He’s tried different flavors like a vanilla honey porter and a blueberry chipotle to name just a few.

Robertson said don’t be afraid to try different flavors with your home brew.

“Everybody’s got a different taste and that’s why there are so many choices out there right now,” he said. “Good beer is good beer.”

The roots of German Beer at Victory Brewing Company in Pennsylvania

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa., April 11, 2012 — Go to enough dinners paired with wine or beer and they can begin to take on the same look, feel, and taste that follow a common formula.

On January 31, Victory Brewing Company conducted a memorable beer dinner and tasting event — called Terroir des Tettangs — with a bit of a twist at their Downingtown, Pa. restaurant.

Not only did the brewery bring out six different beers and a couple plates of food as perfect accompaniment, but they showcased the beers along with the hop farmers and brewers from Germany to successfully present the theme of the evening.

Owner Ron Barchet began the evening from the head table presenting the history of Victory’s brewing with a visual overhead slideshow. The brewery’s roots can be traced back to Barchet’s time spent in the Tettnang region working and learning about German beer brewing. In fact, it was a taste of Waldhaus Pils that first led him down the road of exploration and yearning to know more about the process of brewing what became his favorite beer.

Owner/Brewmaster Ron Barchet presents the story of German hops in his beers at Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, Pa.

Barchet and his childhood friend, Bill Covaleski, created Victory Brewing Company of Downingtown, Pa. in 1996 and they have long known what many fans and brewers of well-made beer have long held: that the source of the brewing and the source of the ingredients can play a significant role in the final product.

The word terroir has long been used in the world of wine to describe the influence that place can have on each bottle of wine. The place in terms primarily of the soil in which the grapes were grown and the climate of any given year in which the grapes were matured and harvested.

Why could the same not also apply to a beer? Can parallels not be drawn to this yet more complex beverage?

From the grain and hops grown in the field to the yeast — particularly for wild yeast utilized in an open air fermentation — place can certainly have an impact on how a beer is brewed and how it ultimately tastes. Even the composition and quality of the source water plays a role in the style of beer that winds up in the bottle.

So it was a big deal when Victory conducted this beer event for nearly 75 guests. But it was not just any beer event. It did not feature a whole lineup of beer.

In fact, it featured only one beer, Victory’s Braumeister Pils; but, this one beer was hopped five different ways to showcase the nuanced differences and, in effect, make six different beers.

The original recipe resulted in a very consistent base beer, before hopping. For the technically-inclined, the unfiltered base beer that was brewed on November 3 had a gravity between 10.6-11.0 Plato, final ABV between 4.9%-5.2%, and IBUs between 50-54. The base malt bill for the beer was the same and the recipe was the same until it came to the hops.

Five batches were sourced with Tettnanger hops from the small Tettnang region of southern Germany, near Lake Constance and not far from Switzerland: one batch from Reitplatz, one from Dietmannsweiler, two from Missenhardt, and one from Strass. A sixth, a blend of all five, created the “Braumeister Blend” version.

All farms are mere miles from each other and, interestingly, to further explore the concept of terroir in beer, the two Missenhardt beers were each sourced with its own batch of Tettanger hops that were picked three days apart. The intention was to showcase flavor and aroma differences in hops that are left on the bines longer and picked later.

The guest farmers/brewers have strong ties with Victory as they source a significant amount Tettnanger hops (one of four European hop varietals referred to as Noble Hops known for their aromatics more so than their bitterness) used in the annual production of Victory’s renowned pilsner beers.

At the tasting event, after Barchet provided background for the event and introduced his German guests — Robert Bentele, his girlfriend Sonja Moninger (a former Tettnang region Hop Queen), Ludwig Locher, and his sister Maria Locher — the format of the tasting event continued with an interactive tasting of all five beers. Barchet coordinated the tastings by encouraging interaction between the attendees and the panel assembled at the head table.

Maria Locher, Ludwig Locher, Ron Barchet, Bill Covaleski, Robert Bentele, and Sonja Moninger share Braumeister Pils and laughs at the Terroir des Tettnangs event at Victory Brewing Company in Downingtown, Pa.

The brewery’s event invitation advised that no “welcome beer” would be provided nor should participants partake of anything too palate-altering prior to the event. This was solid advice given the subtle differences between the beers. All would need their palates to be as receptive as possible when tasting these beers.

And subtlety was certainly the key word of the evening.

Some were softer and rounder in their smoothness while others were more fruity, spicy, or perfumey. Some were understated, others bolder, and one that contained a better perceived balance.

My favorite of the evening was the version from Reitplatz. It had slight pepper spiciness and noticeable lemon zestiness. The “day 1″ Missenhardt, to my palate, was better than the “day 4″ in terms of balance.

A 50-barrel batch of each beer was initially made and, as of early April, all beers except the Strass variety were still available at the brewery’s restaurant and bar in Downingtown.

Stop by for yourself and take the Tettnang challenge to discover for yourself the terroir of beer.

For more pictures from the event, visit The Brew Lounge.

Read more of Bryan’s work at After Hours in the Communities at Washington Times.

This article is the copyrighted property of the writer and Communities @ WashingtonTimes.com. Written permission must be obtained before reprint in online or print media. REPRINTING TWTC CONTENT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND/OR PAYMENT IS THEFT AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.

QBrew, a place where fun and friends meet

Those looking to brew their own beverages can now enjoy the immaculate, modern facilities of QBrew at the top of the hill in Quesnel.

Formerly Golden Ale U-Brew, QBrew is now operated by the talented team of Pam Devereux and Tom Cavanagh with onsite expertise provided by former owner Dwayne Byrd.

Devereux explained she was at a transitional point in her career and looking for a change.

“I wanted the flexibility of a business as opposed to a 9 – 5 job so we started looking around,” she said.

“We definitely wanted something long term. We approached Dwayne about the Golden Ale U-Brew.

“Tom has brewed his own beer and I’ve made my own wine, so this was something we both had an interest in.”

In her research, Devereux discovered the craft brewing industry showed huge growth and she said they saw a market in Quesnel.

“Most customers want to produce a quality wine or beer they can put their own stamp on,” she said.

“It’s the creativity that attracts them but paying half the liquor store prices makes them happy as well.”

With their opening slated for April 10, extensive renovations are almost complete on the facility on Juniper Road.

Once open, QBrew will be Quesnel’s only full service brew-on-the-premises facility.

Customers can make their own beer, wine, cider, coolers, sparkling wine, port and sherry.

“We’ll also carry a full range of home brewing supplies,” Devereux said.

“We’ve also purchased a portable apple press for rent or onsite pressing.

“QBrew is also planning on growing their own hops for beer from scratch.”

She added they will also offer full grain mash custom beer making with onsite expertise.

This is a good time for QBrew to open its doors, Devereux said.

“We’re positioned for the wedding wine season.”

Some of the other special services they are putting in place include after hours brewing or bottling parties.

“People can each make a variety of wine then share the batches so everyone has a selection of fine wines.

Even if they don’t have friends interested in this option, customers can connect with others interested in brewing on QBrew’s facebook page.”

They will also have a website, www.qbrew.ca, which is currently under construction.

“There will also be a blog which will contain recipes, brewing tips and other related information.”

Devereux said the big focus of QBrew is on fun.

Each business card has taken a tongue in cheek approach to job titles and responsibilities. Devereux is the fermentation fairy, Cavanagh is director of hopperations, Doris Spinks is quality control/taster, Dwayne Byrd is the Jedi beer master and Niki Watts has the designation of Hey! Lets get Niki to do it!

“We see customer service as each customer having a positive experience and something they’ll share with friends,” Devereux said.

QBrew is open Tuesday – Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday. Hours are Tuesday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

“I just want to thank family and friends for all their sweat equity and sharing our vision and a special thanks to Dwayne, our brewing guru.”

Home beer brewers seek changes to alcohol laws

In Wisconsin, Flynn and other home brewers may soon be off the hook. The state Legislature last week passed a bill to allow them to transport homemade beer and wine and to share it with other adults. Brewers will still not be permitted to sell anything they make, and they will remain exempt from permit requirements and taxes.

The proposal now heads to Gov. Scott Walker, who plans to sign it into law.

At least 17 states have ambiguous laws on whether home brewers can transport beer or wine outside the home, according to the American Homebrewers Association in Boulder, Colo.

The patchwork of rules can be frustrating for hobbyists who would prefer to spend their time exchanging recipes for pale ale or rhapsodizing about different varieties of hops, barley and yeast.

Some states – including Georgia and South Carolina – have restrictions similar to Wisconsin’s. In Kansas and Minnesota, home brewers can only make beverages for themselves or family members. Other states permit homemade beer and wine to be consumed by guests, too, as in Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho and Illinois.

A few states have been slow to accommodate the trend. Utah just legalized home brewing in 2009, and Oklahoma followed in 2010. Mississippi and Alabama are the only states that still forbid it.

Dan Grady of the Wisconsin Homebrewers Alliance, who led the legislative effort to revise Wisconsin’s law, said beer-makers need to be watchful in case states try to use the issue to generate money for their tight budgets.

“States are under enormous pressure. It’s a revenue issue,” he said. “Everything is on the table these days.”

Gary Glass, director of the home brewers association, said it’s a balancing act when considering whether to pursue a change in the law.

“The question becomes, at what point does a home brewing community want to take on having the law changed if it’s not really having an impact to what they’re doing?”

Glass, who organizes the group’s popular national conference, said he’s had trouble securing a venue in states with vague home brewing laws. The conference, which changes its location annually, brings in $500,000 to local economies.

A grassroots reform effort succeeded last year in Oregon, where the law had been similar to Wisconsin’s. Glass, who helped draft Wisconsin’s bill, said the legislation’s demise would have set a bad precedent for home brewing.

“In this economy, you’re stifling an industry that’s growing,” he said. “It sounds like a bad move.”

More than ever, people with little or no experience brewing beer or other fermented beverages are investing in kits and ingredients to make their own. The hobby has expanded into a vibrant beer culture, with brewers freely sharing their concoctions among neighbors and friends and in clubs and competitions.

Last year, there were 411 beer competitions sanctioned by the home brewers association and the Beer Judge Certification Program. That’s up from fewer than 100 in the early 1990s.

“Back in the day, everybody thought home brewing would just be what your grandfather would do,” said Jason Heindel, president of the Beer Barons of Milwaukee Cooperative.

Home brewing has also helped invigorate the booming craft brewing industry. And it’s generated a cottage industry of its own. An annual survey of brewing supply shops around the country showed an increase in sales for beginner brewing kits, according to the home brewing association.

Home brewing was illegal in the United States until 1978, when the federal government lifted Prohibition-era restrictions on making alcohol in the home. The revised law allowed homemade beer and wine to be offered at tasting competitions but also left most alcohol regulations up to individual states. So many states have their own home-brewing rules that supersede federal policies.

“Home brewers need to look at their state law, because they might be just as ambiguous as Wisconsin,” Grady said. “And if there’s ambiguity, they need to contact their lawmakers to get them clarified.”

State laws crimp booming growth in home beer brewing

The law could “pretty much be the end of competitions in Wisconsin,” he lamented. “At least legal ones.”

An explosion of interest in home brewing is forcing lawmakers across the country to review long-forgotten alcohol laws, some of which date back to Prohibition (1920-1933). Although the old rules have rarely been enforced, beer enthusiasts fear they could criminalize a rapidly growing hobby and kill scores of annual tasting events that bring tourists to small towns and cities.

In Wisconsin, Flynn and other home brewers may soon be off the hook. The state Legislature last week passed a bill to allow them to transport homemade beer and wine and to share it with other adults. Brewers will still not be permitted to sell anything they make, and they will remain exempt from permit requirements and taxes.

The proposal now heads to Gov. Scott Walker, who plans to sign it into law.

By Mark Hertzberg, AP

Beer lovers line up to sample brews at the annual Great Lakes Brew Fest at the Racine (Wisc.) Zoo.

At least 17 states have ambiguous laws on whether home brewers can transport beer or wine outside the home, according to the American Homebrewers Association in Boulder, Colo.

The patchwork of rules can be frustrating for hobbyists who would prefer to spend their time exchanging recipes for pale ale or rhapsodizing about varieties of hops, barley and yeast.

Some states — including Georgia and South Carolina— have restrictions similar to Wisconsin’s. In Kansas and Minnesota, home brewers can only make beverages for themselves or family members. Other states permit homemade beer and wine to be consumed by guests, too, as in Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho and Illinois.

A few states have been slow to accommodate the trend. Utah just legalized home brewing in 2009, and Oklahoma followed in 2010. Mississippi and Alabama are the only states that still forbid it.

Dan Grady of the Wisconsin Homebrewers Alliance, who led the legislative effort to revise Wisconsin’s law, said beer-makers need to be watchful in case states try to use the issue to generate money for tight budgets.

“States are under enormous pressure. It’s a revenue issue,” he said. “Everything is on the table these days.”

Gary Glass, director of the Homebrewers Association, said it’s a balancing act when considering whether to pursue a change in the law.

“The question becomes, at what point does a home brewing community want to take on having the law changed if it’s not really having an impact to what they’re doing?”

Glass, who organizes the group’s popular national conference, said he’s had trouble securing a venue in states with vague home brewing laws. The conference, which changes its location annually, adds an estimated $500,000 to local economies.

A grassroots reform effort succeeded last year in Oregon, where the law had been similar to Wisconsin’s. Glass, who helped draft Wisconsin’s bill, said the legislation’s demise would have set a bad precedent for home brewing.

“In this economy, you’re stifling an industry that’s growing,” he said. “It sounds like a bad move.”

More than ever, people with little or no experience brewing beer or other fermented beverages are investing in kits and ingredients to make their own. The hobby has expanded into a vibrant beer culture, with brewers sharing their concoctions among neighbors and friends and in clubs and competitions.

Last year, there were 411 beer competitions sanctioned by the Homebrewers Association and the Beer Judge Certification Program. That’s up from fewer than 100 in the early 1990s.

“Back in the day, everybody thought home brewing would just be what your grandfather would do,” said Jason Heindel, president of the Beer Barons of Milwaukee Cooperative.

Home brewing has also helped invigorate the booming craft brewing industry. And it’s generated a cottage industry of its own. An annual survey of brewing supply shops around the country showed an increase in sales for beginner brewing kits, according to the Homebrewers Association.

Home brewing of beer was illegal in the United States from 1920 until 1978, when the federal government lifted Prohibition-era restrictions. The revised law left most alcohol regulations up to the states. So many states have their own home-brewing rules.

In Wisconsin last year, brewers were caught off guard when the state Department of Revenue ruled that it was illegal for home brewers to share beer outside the home. The decision came after Racine officials inquired about a contest known as the Schooner Home Brew Competition.

After the department’s announcement, organizers quietly moved the contest, one of the state’s largest, from Racine to nearby Union Grove. But they didn’t advertise it because they feared possible fines.

Grady said home brewers in other states can learn from Wisconsin.

“Home brewers need to look at their state law, because they might be just as ambiguous as Wisconsin,” he said. “And if there’s ambiguity, they need to contact their lawmakers to get them clarified, much like we’re doing here.”

Battle brewing: Home beer makers seek changes to alcohol laws

slideshow

About the only thing Kevin Flynn enjoys more than drinking his home-brewed beer is sharing it with fellow beer club members at festivals and tasting competitions. So Flynn and his buddies were shocked to discover that Wisconsin law prohibits sharing homemade suds anywhere outside the brewer’s home.

The law could “pretty much be the end of competitions in Wisconsin,” he lamented. “At least legal ones.”

An explosion of interest in home brewing is forcing lawmakers across the country to review long-forgotten alcohol laws, some of which date back to Prohibition. Although the old rules have rarely been enforced, beer enthusiasts fear they could criminalize the rapidly growing hobby and kill scores of annual tasting events that bring tourists to small towns and cities.

In Wisconsin, Flynn and other home brewers may soon be off the hook. The state Legislature last week passed a bill to allow them to transport homemade beer and wine and to share it with other adults. Brewers will still not be permitted to sell anything they make, and they will remain exempt from permit requirements and taxes.

The proposal now heads to Gov. Scott Walker, who plans to sign it into law.

At least 17 states have ambiguous laws on whether home brewers can transport beer or wine outside the home, according to the American Homebrewers Association in Boulder, Colo.

The patchwork of rules can be frustrating for hobbyists who would prefer to spend their time exchanging recipes for pale ale or rhapsodizing about different varieties of hops, barley and yeast.

Some states — including Georgia and South Carolina — have restrictions similar to Wisconsin’s. In Kansas and Minnesota, home brewers can only make beverages for themselves or family members. Other states permit homemade beer and wine to be consumed by guests, too, as in Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho and Illinois.

A few states have been slow to accommodate the trend. Utah just legalized home brewing in 2009, and Oklahoma followed in 2010. Mississippi and Alabama are the only states that still forbid it.

Dan Grady of the Wisconsin Homebrewers Alliance, who led the legislative effort to revise Wisconsin’s law, said beer-makers need to be watchful in case states try to use the issue to generate money for their tight budgets.

“States are under enormous pressure. It’s a revenue issue,” he said. “Everything is on the table these days.”

Gary Glass, director of the home brewers association, said it’s a balancing act when considering whether to pursue a change in the law.

“The question becomes, at what point does a home brewing community want to take on having the law changed if it’s not really having an impact to what they’re doing?”

Glass, who organizes the group’s popular national conference, said he’s had trouble securing a venue in states with vague home brewing laws. The conference, which changes its location annually, brings in $500,000 to local economies.

A grassroots reform effort succeeded last year in Oregon, where the law had been similar to Wisconsin’s. Glass, who helped draft Wisconsin’s bill, said the legislation’s demise would have set a bad precedent for home brewing.

“In this economy, you’re stifling an industry that’s growing,” he said. “It sounds like a bad move.”

More than ever, people with little or no experience brewing beer or other fermented beverages are investing in kits and ingredients to make their own. The hobby has expanded into a vibrant beer culture, with brewers freely sharing their concoctions among neighbors and friends and in clubs and competitions.

Last year, there were 411 beer competitions sanctioned by the home brewers association and the Beer Judge Certification Program. That’s up from fewer than 100 in the early 1990s.

“Back in the day, everybody thought home brewing would just be what your grandfather would do,” said Jason Heindel, president of the Beer Barons of Milwaukee Cooperative.

Home brewing has also helped invigorate the booming craft brewing industry. And it’s generated a cottage industry of its own. An annual survey of brewing supply shops around the country showed an increase in sales for beginner brewing kits, according to the home brewing association.

Home brewing was illegal in the United States until 1978, when the federal government lifted Prohibition-era restrictions on making alcohol in the home. The revised law allowed homemade beer and wine to be offered at tasting competitions but also left most alcohol regulations up to individual states. So many states have their own home-brewing rules that supersede federal policies.

In Wisconsin last year, brewers were caught off guard when the state Department of Revenue ruled that it was illegal for home brewers to share beer outside the home. The decision came after Racine officials inquired about a contest known as the Schooner Home Brew Competition.

After the department’s announcement, organizers quietly moved the contest, one of the state’s largest, from Racine to nearby Union Grove. But they didn’t advertise it because they feared possible fines.

Grady said home brewers in other states can learn from Wisconsin.

“Home brewers need to look at their state law, because they might be just as ambiguous as Wisconsin,” he said. “And if there’s ambiguity, they need to contact their lawmakers to get them clarified, much like we’re doing here.”