DRAFT Magazine

And then there were two… states where homebrewing was illegal. Oklahoma passed a bill allowing people to make beer at home without facing legal repercussions. Alabama and Mississippi remain the only holdouts. A bit from the announcement:

House Bill 2348, sponsored by Representative Colby Schwartz and Senator Mike Schulz, officially legalized the home production of beer for personal use in Oklahoma. Home production of wine and cider for personal use was already legal in Oklahoma.

“I’m excited to see Oklahoma finally bring homebrewing into parity with wine and cider, and it was an honor to author the legislation,” Representative Schwartz said in a statement. “The success of this measure would not have been possible without the overwhelming support of the active homebrewing community in Oklahoma.”

If you’re a homebrewer, or any type of serious beer drinker really, you undoubtedly have some growlers lying around. But how to clean them? It’s a mystery. Well, not anymore.

DRAFT editor-in-chief Erika Rietz spent some time vigorously debating with homebrewers about the best way to get the growler back into working condition. Good luck, and for the love of all things hops, don’t use soap.

If your growler looks like it has a science experiment growing around the edges, it’s definitely best to just ditch it.

1) Immediately after use, rinse your growler with warm water two or three times.
2) Fill your growler 1/2 full with hot water and shake vigorously, ensuring that all of the sugar is removed.
3) Place your growler in the dishwasher WITHOUT SOAP and run it, using a cycle that dries with high heat.
4) Store the growler without the cap screwed on (but do keep the cap for future use).

In (shameless plug alert!) DRAFT’s Jan/Feb 2010 issue, there’s an article about the growing trend of Ivy League schools holding bartending classes. Good times! And yet, the University of Houston is doing those staid institutions of higher learning one better.

Students can take a homebrewing class, in which they learn how to brew beer as well as a little about the politics and history of the art. And, of course, they have homework.

“Me and my group members, we got together one night,” senior Jervonni Henderson told My Fox News Houston. “(We) basically hung out at the bar to make sure this was a common beer we all wanted to experience.”

That sounds quite similar to what we did in college after our work was done.

Sarah Whitmire recently homebrewed her first batch of beer. After returning from the trenches successfully, she graciously detailed some of the pitfalls she faced and the lessons she learned. If you’re new to homebrewing, thinking about taking up the art, or merely interested, her story is a must-read. (It’s all about cleanliness and siphoning, people!)

Homebrewing Apple Crisp Ale: The aftermath and the lessons learned

(Also, check out the video she shot about the process.)

If you’ve been paying attention lately, you know that we’re on a bit of a homebrewing kick. Thankfully, in DRAFT’s Nov./Dec. 2009 issue, Andy Brown tells us all we need to know about where to find the latest and greatest homebrewing equipment around the country.

Do-it-yourselfers know there’s nothing quite like cooking your own freshly caught fish or building an IKEA bed from balsa wood scraps. Beer lovers, too, have yearnings to craft their own masterpieces, but without a mind for simple chemistry, homebrewing results can be less than potable. Fret not: Thanks to a number of breweries and brew-your-own shops popping up, novices can take to the kettles with some expert help.

Brewed by you

We’re taking a break from the traveling today to bring you a video shot by DRAFT intern Sarah Whitmire that demonstrates how to bottle the apple crisp ale you brewed a couple weeks back. And check out the DRAFTMag.com feature for additional details.

Friday Field Trip: Bottling Apple Crisp Ale

See our previous Friday Field Trips here.

If you’d like to be featured in a Friday Field Trip or have an idea of a place we should tour, email us. And TGIF.

We’re taking a break from the traveling today to bring you a video shot by DRAFT intern Sarah Whitmere that demonstrates how to homebrew apple crisp ale. And check out the DRAFTMag.com feature for additional details.

Friday Field Trip: Homebrewing Apple Crisp Ale

See our previous Friday Field Trips here.

If you’d like to be featured in a Friday Field Trip or have an idea of a place we should tour, email us. And TGIF.

Seems this whole homebrewing thing is picking up steam. The American Homebrewers Association announced a new Web site, featuring a number of wonderful resources for people wanting to take the leap and make some beer in their house.

From discussions groups to Pimp My System, the new destination has everything you could ever need in order to create the perfect batch of homebrew. You don’t have to be a member of the AHA to check out the site and participate in the many discussions, but if you spend enough time poking around, you will probably want to anyway.