Marquette Home Brewers
BREWING ENTHUSIASTS CREATE COMMUNITY AROUND THEIR PASSION FOR BEER
Marquette, MI – The last several years in the United States has seen the popularity of craft beers and home brewing take off. Avid home brewer, David Gill says the craft beer revolution started up in the 90’s as people began discovering how much flavor beer could have.
Marquette Home Brewers gather together for their monthly big brew day where members spend the day brewing, tasting, and socializing around their passion for good beer. (photo by Ron Caspi)
Since then, brew houses large and small are popping up like mushrooms, attendance of craft beer festivals across the states are packed, and there is the growing presence of home-brewers. In fact, there are currently at least 3 small home brewing clubs scattered throughout the U.P. including our own Marquette Home Brewers, a club which just became an official organization this past March 2014.
When Marquette Home Brewers president David Gill began testing the waters for interest in forming a brewers club last fall the numbers of interested people jumped quickly from 10 to 30 at which point, he realized they needed to do something more than just gather and speak in a disorganized way.
Jeff Brickey (left) tests the pH of his mash with the help of Jill and Chris Gethers of Shooters Firehouse and Brew Pub in Munising, during a Marquette Home Brewers big brew day gathering in September 2014. (Ron Caspi)
Gill had been brewing by himself at home for 12 years starting out on the standard beginner kits he got at White’s Party Store in Marquette. As he involved himself in more complex brewing processes he felt a lack of anyone he could ask questions to and share with. According to Gill the motivation in forming a club was to bring companionship and instruction into the fragmented community of brewers.
Now with about 38 members Gill says “We’re pretty active for how young of a club we are.” Members gather up to 3 times a month for a business meeting, a social gathering at local brew pubs, and a big brew day where they gather together spending a day making various versions of the style of the month.
During the monthly big brew day, members share previous beers they’ve made while making new batches. (photo by Ron Caspi)
This allows club members to try their hand at brewing up to 12 different beer styles a year. With 40-50 officially recognized styles they could run through the brewing gamut in 4-5 years as a community. Says Gill, “It’s a way to have us all grow as brewers and tasters and just grow in our knowledge of beer cause there’s a lot out there!”
Jill Gethers of Shooters Firehouse and Brew Pub in Munising, stirs the mash as part of the brewing process. (photo by Ron Caspi)
The Marquette Home Brewers welcome anyone who has brewed or is interested in learning, even if it’s something you can’t do at the moment. Says Gill, “All are welcome to come learn.” Hanging out with this group you can’t help but learn something! We visited a monthly brewing day recently and found a jovial bunch of people bustling around steaming pots mixing, pouring, and concocting various batches of bubbling brews… and of course tasting.
As precisely timed pots simmered away on propane stoves everyone shared their best beers from previous batches, some even dating back to the 90’s! As you can imagine, once you start down the path of craft brewing a lot of sharing goes on with friends and family. Camaraderie is a big part of the home brewing community.
Marquette Home Brewers member Jeff Brickey, who took up home brewing as a hobby since retiring a year ago shared his favorite part about taking up the craft as, “The people, everybody is nice and craft beer brings out the best in folks .”
Jeff Brickey (far right) tends to his brewing rig while other club members socialize. (photo by Ron Caspi)
Some of the club’s members brew exclusively as a group of three known as “The Fringe Division” featuring Matt Burling, Ian O’Donnell, and Kris Thompson. These guys specialize in using “weird” ingredients and messing with the usual beer styles. This arrangement offers them the added benefit of trying a lot of different beers styles since they split the costs. However, “It also means the beer goes faster,” laughs Ian Donald.
Brewers check the amount of sugar during the brewing process. (photo by Ron Caspi)
Like the U.P. craft beer industry it looks as if our local home brewing community is off to a solid start and will continue to grow at a fast pace. Gill feels the home brewing movement is closely tied to the craft beer movement, functioning as a think tank for experimentation. Says Gill, “Home brewers are always pushing the envelope and trying something new. It’s a good way to explore things that don’t exist yet.”
Speaking of things that don’t exist yet, one of the long term goals of the Marquette Home Brewers is to work with other clubs and brewers wishing to participate in the creation of a specific U.P. style beer. As Gill says, “Something distinct that becomes known as a U.P. beer. Other regions could pick up the style and try it but it will always be known as originating from here!”
Even if you don’t think you like beer, we encourage you to try out one of our local brew pubs or stop by one of the Marquette Home Brewers events and sample something special. You just might find yourself in the growing ranks of people who say… “I used to not like beer, but I didn’t know it could taste like this!”
Check out more great articles on craft beer & homebrewing by the Marquette Home Brewers:
- 3 Basic Homebrewing Methods
- A Sustainable Approach To Homebrewing
- Exploring Belgium Beer
- Why To Try a “Craft Beer”
- So You’re Not a Hop Head
Read About Breweries In The Upper Peninsula
For Info About Marquette Home Brewers Events:
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