Food+Drink

The Big Brew

Congress demands annual public beer brewing celebration

Gene Power |

 
Yum.

Homebrewers of the Chippewa Valley unite! On May 2 Mt. Simon Park will be the site of the annual Big Brew, a celebration of all things homebrewed, malty, and hoppy. The event is part of an international celebration of homebrewing established by the American Homebrewers Association when Congress declared May 7 as “National Homebrew Day” in 1988. Part of the festival is a communal brew-in where participants can brew one of two recipes found on the AHA’s website www.beertown.org. This year’s recipes look delicious: Saison du Mont (tantalizing Belgian Style ale), and SS Minnow Mild Ale (English style dark ale). Brewers can register their recipes online or even enter a YouTube brewing competition. This event is not just for seasoned homebrewers. It can be fun for anyone. If you’re new to the world of brewing, a seasoned pro, or even if you just like beer you can still stop by Mt. Simon on May 2. As part of the international celebration everyone will raise their glass at noon central time as a toast to homebrewers across the globe – a sort of pints across America if you will. If you want more information about this local celebration of fermented malty goodness contact Brian Baumgartner of Cap-N-Corks at djeeyore@hotmail.com.

    Big Brew • May 2 • Mt Simon Park, Eau Claire • 10am to 10pm • 514-4110 or 833-8511 • www.beertown.org/events/bigbrew/index.html