Making craft beer has become a popular trend in the last decade, especially in Grand Rapids, Beer City U.S.A. Crafting home made beer may look like a difficult and tedious process, especially if it's your first time making it, but it really isn't. The entire process of home brewing has been made as simple as making a box of mac and cheese thanks to a special guide book: How to Brew.
Midland native John Palmer, author of How to Brew: Everything You Need to Know to Brew Great Beer Every Time, stopped by to share a few tips from his book on how to become a pro at home brewing.
How to Brew is the best-selling book filled with everything from ingredients, recipes, to tips and tricks on using brewing equipment, making it a valuable source for brewing techniques and recipe formulation.
Palmer says the latest version of the book includes his top five brewing priorities: sanitation, fermentation, temperature control, proper yeast management, the boil, and recipe development.
For home brewers looking to go beyond the basics, there's also chapters on how to malt and brew strong beers, fruit beers, and sour beers.
Want to meet the master brewer himself? Palmer will be at the following locations this weekends signing books and answering questions:
Friday, August 11
Siciliano's Market: 5-6:30 p.m.
Mitten Brewery: 7-9 p.m.
Saturday, August 12
Harmony Brewing: 12-2 p.m.
Long Lake Park, Sparta: 5-10 p.m.
How to Brew can be purchased at Siciliano's Market, local book shops, and brewerspublications.com.