The Beer Borg

When I look back on my early days of home brewing I still laugh to myself. I was so excited then to have found such an interesting new hobby especially at a time in my life when I thought I’d seen and done it all. I’m even more amazed at how passionate I still am about brewing compared to many of my other hobbies that have come and gone. What started out as an experiment with a 3 quart pot, a can of extract and a little brown keg has evolved today into something I wasn’t even able to imagine back then.

The home brew community played a major role in my progression from ‘newbie’ to a brewer having some serious skills. The willingness of my fellow brewers to share their experience with others as I continue to do today only added to my passion for this great hobby of ours. The very first beer I ever brewed was made from an extract recipe kit called West Coast Pale Ale. It was pretty simple to do, almost like making soup from a can. The kit included a can of extract, a small packet of dry yeast, some Booster™ and easy to follow directions on how to make beer. If you’re among the luckiest of home brewers and started brewing around 2009 like I did you’re sure to know which brewing system I’m talking about.  I was so excited to be making beer that it would take me several batches to learn how important temperature control was when pitching yeast.

Looking back on my brewing notes adding maple syrup to my beer seemed to be the most important thing on my mind. Today I brew all grain recipes mostly because I find the brewing process to be the most challenging and rewarding. My brewing equipment is a lot more sophisticated these days too, gone are the days when a 3 quart pot was sufficient. What hasn’t changed is the help I can count on from other home brewers when I find myself searching for answers related to a new brewing project. But more importantly I continue to share a common interest with some of the most knowledgeable and nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure to talk beer with all these years. If you’re reading this and considering becoming a member of a home brewing forum then take it from me The Beer Borg is the right one for you.  ~Vince Feminella aka: The Screwy Brewer