The scene looks-and smells-like some kind of chili cook-off gone wrong. Vats of churning, stew-y liquid are being closely monitored with thermometers. The chefs peer into the mushy brown water, sniffing and muttering, occasionally stirring with large wooden spoons. They change out propane tanks and hook up hoses that drain off the liquid from the mix into different vats. Some lift and hoist the containers; other operations resemble Rube Goldberg illustrations, complete with platforms, hoses, taps and gauges. A sweetly-sour steam hovers like a fog over the parking lot just off Maxwell Street, where home brewers have assembled, each with their own recipe and equipment, for the Lexington Homebrewer's Association Pro-Am Brew-off, hosted by Alltech's Lexington Brewing Company.
Grant Landon, Marketing Coordinator for Kentucky Ale, raves about the home brewers and was excited when the opportunity for a brew-off presented itself. "We had such a great relationship with the home brewers and so when the Great America Beer Fest in Denver added a Pro-Am division, it was just a good fit. It was good for the brewery and good for the community."
Participants' brew entries will be judged in a few short weeks, and the winner of the event will be sent to Denver, Colo. for the annual Great American Beer Festival to compete on the national level. The winner's beer will also be produced in limited quantity by Alltech's Lexington Brewing Company and be available on tap at select local retailers. Last year, that honor went to a German Hefeweizen (which also won a silver medal at that national competition) brewed by Bill Caldwell, a veteran member of the Brewers of Central Kentucky (BOCK).
Aside from fame, glory and a coveted spot on the local tap, these brewers also come out with one other great advantage: the product. But the process, while simple in its essence, can be a bit more complicated in its execution, which is why, for nearly 15 years, BOCK has been the group to go to when beer is on the brain.
Boasting members from age 21 to beyond 60, BOCK is diverse in many ways. "(We) are beer judges, professional brewers and general enthusiasts. We are en eclectic group with a broad cross-section of backgrounds," says Kevin Patterson, an officer for the club.
Though the group boasts members from professional sectors like engineering, computer programming, law, and architecture (the career Patterson claims), the other end of the spectrum is well represented-retirees and students also participate in the group.
Regardless of background or profession, though, every person who home brews is on a different level and has unique recipes and preferences.
"Some have been in the hobby for 20-plus years and can grow their own ingredients. Other newer brewers work from pre-made extracts and about $100 of initial equipment."
The ingredients of which Patterson speaks are basic, but must be controlled, or purchased after processing, for the most pleasing results. (See sidebar, What's in a pint?)
"People are always asking me if it's cheaper to brew at home than to have to go out and buy it," laughs Patterson. "The answer is, basically, it's unlikely. There's always some kind of equipment upgrade or something new to purchase or something like that."
And, before the equipment yields a good enough result, many of the brewers go through a trial-and-error process. That's where the BOCK community comes in. Members can get discounts on equipment at Liquor Barn, compete in events and even become an official beer judge, or they can come to the monthly meetings for the discussion, tips, tastes (of other members' brews) and fun. This group of Zymurgists (one who uses a scientific application of fermentation for making beer) is certainly unique in its approach of blending science with social.
That's because the process, while simple in its essence, is a bit more complicated in its execution (See sidebar, Break It Down). Several biochemical reactions must take place for a good brew. Then again, if you ask most of these folks, they'd probably say this is the best science they've ever learned-thus answering the time-old question dreaded by professors the world around: "When am I ever going to use this?"
Click here to visit Alltech's Lexington Brewing Company.
Click here to visit the Brewers of Central Kentucky (B.O.C.K>) Web site.